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Great Crag
450m (1476ft)

The Central Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England


Record Great Crag as Bagged, Climbed & Conquered


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Wainwright
(No. 191)

Walk Great Crag walking UK Mountains in The Central Fells The Lake District National Park Cumbria, England

Great Crag Summit

Photo: Stephen Collins

You can find Great Crag & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)

The Lake District National Park


1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):

OL4 The English Lakes - North Western area


1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (the ones with pink/magenta covers):

89 West Cumbria, Cockermouth & Wast Water


90 Penrith & Keswick, Ambleside


See Great Crag and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:

See Great Crag and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Maps:

NB: Whether you print off a copy on to paper or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers Maps will prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal!


Not familiar with Great Crag?

See the location of Great Crag and all 5 walks that climb it on an interactive Google Map


You can walk to the top of Great Crag by using any of these 5 easy‑to‑follow route maps:
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Walk c143 Brund Fell and King's How from Rosthwaite

Good views of Borrowdale away from the crowds

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 6ml (9.5km)
Ascent:1,861ft (567m)
Time:4½ hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 5 Icon (Moderate)
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Walk c270 Low Saddle and Ullscarf from Stonethwaite

Fine views though can be a little boggy

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 7.75ml (12.5km)
Ascent:2,419ft (737m)
Time:5.25hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 6 Icon (Moderate)
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Walk c278 High Tove, Ullscarf and Great Crag from Watendlath

Can be wet, wild & boggy

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 7.75ml (12.5km)
Ascent:2,247ft (685m)
Time:5 hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 6 Icon (Moderate)
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Walk c243 High Raise and Ullscarf from Rosthwaite

Fine views though N of Ullscarf - can be boggy

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 11.25ml (18km)
Ascent:3,371ft (1,027m)
Time:7½ hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 7 Icon (Hard)
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Walk c369 High Raise, Ullscarf and Grange Fell from Rosthwaite

Good views though N of Ullscarf can be boggy

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 12.25ml (19.5km)
Ascent:3,781ft (1,152m)
Time:8½ hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 8 Icon (Hard)

Other walkers who hiked, climbed, bagged and summited Great Crag Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Great Crag

Adrian Howard walked up Great Crag on July 25th, 2024 [from/via/route] Parked layby near Bowder Stone CP - Cummacatta Wood - Long Moss - King's How - Grange Fell (Brund Fell) - Puddingstone Bank - Great Crag - Puddingstone Bank - Birkett's Leap - Frith Wood - Eelstep Brow - The Bowder Stone - Car. [weather] Sunny & quire warm

Ian Morris climbed Great Crag on November 21st, 2023 [from/via/route] From Watendlath then down to Stonethwaite Beck. [with] 15 total Carlisle RA [weather] Good vis some sun - Steps down to the beck are horrible

Ian Ashton bagged Great Crag on June 10th, 2023 [from/via/route] I [with] Phil Taylor

Pete George hiked Great Crag on May 20th, 2023 [from/via/route] Rosthwaite [with] Roco & Pete [weather] Warm & sunny

Geoff Hand summited Great Crag on March 7th, 2023 [from/via/route] From Rosthwaite, followed StonethwaiteBeck down the valley. Crossed the beck at Galleny force to climb Eagle crag. From Eagle crag proceeded up Sargeant's Crag. From here we went to Long Crag then cut across to High Raise where we stopped for lunch. From here heading North East we passed Low White Stones & onto Ullscarf. This is where my navigation went haywire but did eventually finish up on Great Crag [with] Tess [weather] Lovely cold clear day.

Richard Fulcher conquered Great Crag on February 7th, 2023 [from/via/route] Parked near Stonethwaite & walked across to the Cumbria Way & followed this south for a short distance before branching off up the hill by the side of Willygrass Gill. The going was steep following stone steps to Lingy End & then flatter across to Dock Tarn (sandwiches & tea!). We then attempted to follow a route across the heather & bog terrain towards Great Crag but got hopelessly disorientated in the low cloud & finished up back where we started! We decided to follow the path alongside Dock Tarn & then took the short climb back up to Great Crag. We weren't sure we had found it, but later checked the coordinates & confirmed the large cairn was it. We descended through the gloom towards Watendlath before branching off via Puddingstone Bank & then down by the Resting Stone & finally back via the Cumbria Way path. [with] Jen [weather] Cold, some breeze, low cloud. - Seemed a lot longer than the supposed 4.5 miles ;-/

Christine Shepherd scaled Great Crag on May 24th, 2008 [from/via/route] Walked from Borrowdale Youth Hostel using walk c243. Repeated this walk again on 29.6.08. Climbed from Watendlath on 4.11.22. A lovely walk. [with] On my own [weather] Cloudy - I climbed this again the following day to time the fell as part of a shorter walk I was due to be leading leading using walk c143. I then repeated this walk on 29.6.08 taking only 1 other person with me. Everyone else who was supposed to go was too tired after a long walk on the Saturday.

Martyn Atherton walked up Great Crag on September 18th, 2021 [from/via/route] ??? Great Crag Circular from Stonethwaite [with] Martyn and Paul [weather] Raining at first then misty & dry - East stroll with knee issue

Tim Winn climbed Great Crag on May 27th, 2022 [with] Barry and Louise. [weather] Cloudy & windy. Ended up sunny.

Richard Marchant bagged Great Crag on May 18th, 2022 [from/via/route] Parking the car in Stonethwaite I followed the Cumbria Way up the valley to Smithymire Island where I then headed South up the steep slope to Eagle Crag Summit. From here I carried on to Sergeant's Crag & then up to Low White Stones before turning & heading Northeast ridging around to Ullscarf then along to Coldbarrow Fell & Northwest to Dock Tarn. From here I quickly went up on to Great Crag then back track to the Tarn & descended down Tingy End back to Stonethwaite. [with] On my Own [weather] Dry Day & a bit overcast in the morning although it did become sunny & clear in the afternoon.

John Tippins hiked Great Crag on October 14th, 2021 [from/via/route] Rosthwaite [with] Afia [weather] Overcast, low cloud for most of the day.

Paul Macey summited Great Crag on June 24th, 2021 [from/via/route] Walk 369 [with] Luke [weather] Sunny intervals rain at end

Richard Marshall conquered Great Crag on June 13th, 2021 [from/via/route] Eagle Crag [with] Andy & Roxy [weather] Cloudy/Sunny warm

Dave Eyes scaled Great Crag on September 27th, 2020 [from/via/route] Parked at Watendlath NT Car Park. Walked along the path to Grange Fell & then back to Great Crag. Returned via the path that went by the tarn. [with] Christine Eyes [weather] Lovely Sunny Day - Brilliant Views

Jane Wilkinson has walked up Great Crag [with] sammy

Nick Dobson climbed Great Crag on August 8th, 2020 [from/via/route] Surprise view national trust car park on the Watendlath road [with] Margaret and Ralph [weather] Hot sunny clear day. - 6.8 mile there & back with spectacular views along the way.

Darren Wilson bagged Great Crag on August 1st, 2020 [from/via/route] Grange Fell (Brund Fell), Great Crag, Eagle Crag, Sargeants Crag [with] lone [weather] Good clear day with extensive views - 15 miles

Kevan Cassley hiked Great Crag on July 26th, 2020 [from/via/route] Great Crag, Grange Fell (Brund Fell) & Kings How from Rosthwaite [with] wife Amanda & daughter India plus dog Bentley [weather] Mainly rain & heavy showers but some dry spells, visibility good - Would have been better in dry as not a fan of the anti-erosion stone steps especially on descent through the woods at Brock Bield which were exceptionally slippy in wet (a few falls) but fantastic summit views that are hard to beat.

Charlotte Hill summited Great Crag on January 17th, 2020 [from/via/route] from Watendlath, quick trot out [with] Paul [weather] Cloudy but Dry - Rather Wet underfoot. Quiet in Watendlath in January though

Christina Lander conquered Great Crag on December 3rd, 2019 [from/via/route] Watendlath - Great Crag - Dock Tarn - Grange Fell - Watendlath [with] Dick & Meg [weather] Beautiful sunny day - A short walk on our last morning, before we set off home

Andrew Johnson scaled Great Crag on November 2nd, 2019 [from/via/route] Watendlath [with] Deb and Ted [weather] Cloudy - Very wet under foot

Deborah Johnson walked up Great Crag on November 2nd, 2019 [from/via/route] Watendlath [with] Andy and Ted [weather] Cloudy - Very wet under foot

Chris Sheard climbed Great Crag on September 25th, 2018 [from/via/route] Initially up from Rosthwaite. Over some of the Coast to coast route up through woods from near the camp site [with] George [weather] Started with pleasant sun & light winds finished very blustery - Nice ridge walk with a diversion to Kings How with a toughish down.

Simon Boddy bagged Great Crag on September 2nd, 2018 [from/via/route] Lodore [with] HF Holidays [weather] Cloudy with persistent light rain & mist at the summit

Lucy Perchard hiked Great Crag on September 15th, 2017 [from/via/route] From Rosthwaite via Dock Tarn & then onto Grange Fell (Brund Fell) [with] Tony [weather] Sunny spells

Craig Steeland summited Great Crag on June 13th, 2017 [from/via/route] On circular route from Watendlath NT car park [with] Sue [weather] Cloudy & cool with light winds - Very difficult to work out which is the correct summit!

John Walter conquered Great Crag on March 4th, 2017 [from/via/route] From Rosthwaite [with] Tricia

Lindsay Goodall scaled Great Crag on February 24th, 2017 [from/via/route] Started at Watendlath, Great Crag, Brund Fell & back to Watendlath. Clear, cold, mostly wind free day with sunny spells. Snow covered Helvellyn range. Others over 550m with a light to medium snow coverage. [with] Shaun, Ben (4.5 years old) and 7.5 month old bump. - Brund Fell - little hill with big views. Pretty boggy between the two tops.

Mark Davidson walked up Great Crag on October 11th, 2005 [with] Mike [weather] Typical October Day in The Lakes - a bit grey

David Watson climbed Great Crag on August 23rd, 2016 [from/via/route] The Bowder Stone [with] Tilda Watson [weather] Fine & sunny

Victoria Bates bagged Great Crag on August 2nd, 2016 [from/via/route] Watendlath with Brund Fell [with] Mark [weather] Cloudy & rainy

Tony Rogerson hiked Great Crag on March 29th, 2016 [from/via/route] Rosthwaite Grange Fell Greay Crag Stonethwaite [with] Floss [weather] Sunny & cool

Jon Mapp summited Great Crag on May 14th, 2016 [from/via/route] C369 - missing out Kings How at the end. 12.4miles without it [with] Suzzanné, Caroline and Robin [weather] Beautiful day, sunny with a gentle breeze, not too warm, a little chilly in the shade or when the sun went behind a cloud - Walk fairly accurate - Time & distance need modifying

Chris Robinson conquered Great Crag on February 7th, 2015 [from/via/route] Borrowdale [with] Emma [weather] Snowy on tops - Relatively easy climb up steep stone steps. Summit indistinct, probably due to snow.

Iain Jones scaled Great Crag on March 11th, 2016 [from/via/route] Rosthwaite [with] Nicola Robins

Anthony Scott walked up Great Crag on March 1st, 2016 [from/via/route] YHA Borrowdale [with] me [weather] Very wet & gusty winds

David Noble climbed Great Crag on August 7th, 2015 [from/via/route] Eagle Crag [with] Jack [weather] Dry & boggy

David Baines bagged Great Crag on May 20th, 2015 [from/via/route] From Stonethwaite & back [with] Alone [weather] Fine - Not a fell to be recommended, the summit is a pig to locate. Amongst a sprawling plateau of thick gorse, very wet in places & paths are virtually none existant. Its not too bad as a walk to Watendlath & skipping Great Crag summit, which is what most people were doing while I was looking for the summit!

Tracey Cowell hiked Great Crag on August 12th, 2015 [from/via/route] Rosthwaite/dock tarn/great crag/grange fell [with] Solo [weather] Sunny

Chris Bramley summited Great Crag on July 25th, 2015 [from/via/route] stonethwaite [with] janet [weather] sunny hot spells

Joanne Mcgawley conquered Great Crag on July 15th, 2015 [with] Rich [weather] Hot - 11.5 miles

Clive Ward scaled Great Crag on July 6th, 2015 [from/via/route] Rosthwaite, Stonethwaite, Lingy End, Dock Tarn, Brund Fell then down [with] Hazel [weather] Warm, cloudy. - On way back from Lodge after Johnny's birthday

Harry Meijer walked up Great Crag on June 27th, 2015 [from/via/route] custom walk [with] The Lake District Walker

Wayne Baxter climbed Great Crag on April 4th, 2015 [from/via/route] Rosthwaite, Lingy End, Dock Tarn, Great Crag, Grange Fell, Rosthwaite [with] Sue, Wendy & Trevor [weather] Cloudy to start with sun later

Colin Egan bagged Great Crag on March 20th, 2013 [from/via/route] From Watendlath [with] My wife Faith

Elaine Evans hiked Great Crag on December 19th, 2014 [from/via/route] From Stonethwaite to Dock Tarn & on to Great Crag. [with] Sue [weather] Mostly dry, windy. - Initially set out to walk to Dock Tarn but we were so close we decided to carry on to Great Crag.

Ann Davis summited Great Crag on September 25th, 2014 [from/via/route] rosthwaite, stonethwaite wood [weather] drizzle overcast - met the most miserable couple...I spotted a red squirrel in a tree & was trying to photograph it...very glib response..we get them all the time in our garden, no enthusiasm, I live in Kendal & I WONT apologise for getting excited about photographing a rare breed, that needs conserving. I have no time for smug humans there are far too many

Phillip Bulley conquered Great Crag on July 7th, 2014 [from/via/route] Stonewaite [with] Judith and Toby [weather] Overcast

Jill Dean scaled Great Crag on June 21st, 2014 [from/via/route] Borrowdale [with] Graham [weather] hot & sunny

John Kendall walked up Great Crag on May 19th, 2014 [from/via/route] From Watendlath to Dock Tarn & return via High Rigg (both summits) [with] Jamie my Cocker Spaniel. [weather] Bright & sunny turning to heavy rain showers & thunder/ lightning. - Excellent pot of tea & sandwiches/ flapjack in Watendlath Tea Room/ Garden, just beat the heavy rain by 5 minutes.

Neil Bennett climbed Great Crag on May 26th, 2014 [from/via/route] Rosthwaite [with] Pamela Bennett, Oliver Bennett, Thomas Bennett. [weather] Cloudy / Sunny spells - Planned walk included Great Crag, Grange Fell (Brund Fell) & King's How. Had to cut short the walk, missing out Kings How after Pam suffered a knee injury. However, our disappointment was tempered by seeing two deer on the way down from Brund Fell. Stopped off at Keswick for Fish & Chips at the Old Keswickian before heading for home.

Kevin Parnham bagged Great Crag on March 18th, 2014 [from/via/route] Borrowdale YHA via Ullscarf. [with] Jo [weather] Very wet & windy day, very testing conditions.

Tim Buckley hiked Great Crag on May 26th, 2013 [from/via/route] From Ullscarf via Dock Tarn & onto Grange Fell & Rosthwaite. [with] Esther. [weather] Sunny & dry. - Took short cut from Low Saddle direct to Dock Tarn, bog, bog & more bog - wet boots & feet then battle through half a mile of knee high heather. Dock Tarn deserves a longer visit, Great Crag is an attractive heather covered summit.

Jacqui Smith summited Great Crag on July 12th, 2013 [from/via/route] Stonethwaite [with] Graham [weather] Hot & sunny

Darren Mortimer conquered Great Crag on July 13th, 2013 [from/via/route] Stonethwaite [with] Dermot Palmer [weather] Hot & sunny

Christine Knowles scaled Great Crag on May 5th, 2013 [from/via/route] Seatoller [with] Graham [weather] windy, cloudy

Charlie Housley walked up Great Crag on January 3rd, 2013 [from/via/route] From Grange Fell [with] Solo [weather] Not good, but it has to be expected in January....low cloud & drizzle.

Stephen Byrne, Matthew Thomas, Michael Austin, Patrick Rogozinski, Melanie Dunn, Jenny Godfrey, Adrian Roberts, Paul Riley, David Hallam, Peter Clark, Andrew Martin, Ian Gate, Linda Mckeogh, Bill Salisbury , David Shaw, David Laws, Louise Sandwith, Adam Beeby, David Butterfield, Louis Smith, Michael Nolan, Jonathan Tobin, Simon Duerden, Phil Clark, Sarah Lowe, John Senior, Paul Booth, Rob Barklamb, Tracey Cordes, Paul Henderson, Mike Walker, Trevor Williams, John Cuthbert, Phyllis Mcgibbon, Patrick Buckland, Jeanette Coward, Ray O'hara, Libby Burns and Stephen Millington have all walked, climbed & bagged Great Crag.

To add (or remove) your name and experiences on this page - Log On and edit your Personal Mountain Bagging Record

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Not familiar with Great Crag?

See the location of Great Crag and all 5 walks that climb it on an interactive Google Map


More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Great Crag

Upper Borrowdale and beyond from the junction of paths by Puddingstone Bank between Great Crag and Grange Fell (Brund Fell)

Upper Borrowdale and beyond from the junction of paths by Puddingstone Bank between Great Crag and Grange Fell (Brund Fell)

Photo: Andy Malcolm (110)

Borrowdale from Great Crag

Borrowdale from Great Crag

Photo: Marcel Bannon (25)

King's How and Grange Fell (Brund Fell) from the summit of Great Crag

King's How and Grange Fell (Brund Fell) from the summit of Great Crag

Photo: Stephen Collins (74)

Watendlath & Watendlath Tarn with High Seat (Ashness Fell) beyond from the summit of Great Crag

Watendlath & Watendlath Tarn with High Seat (Ashness Fell) beyond from the summit of Great Crag

Photo: Stephen Collins (72)

Borrowdale from Great Crag

Borrowdale from Great Crag

Photo: Marcel Bannon (24)

Skiddaw and Blencathra from the summit of Great Crag

Skiddaw and Blencathra from the summit of Great Crag

Photo: Stephen Collins (75)

Rosthwaite and Borrowdale from the summit of Great Crag

Rosthwaite and Borrowdale from the summit of Great Crag

Photo: Stephen Collins (73)

Great Crag summit cairn

Great Crag summit cairn

Photo: Alan Wainwright (231)

Watendlath from Great Crag

Watendlath from Great Crag

Photo: Andy Malcolm (109)

Great Crag summit cairn

Great Crag summit cairn

Photo: Marcel Bannon (23)

Great Crag summit cairn

Great Crag summit cairn

Photo: Mark Davidson (50)

Watendlath from Great Crag

Watendlath from Great Crag

Photo: David Hayter (17)

The Stonethwaite Valley with Great Crag, White Crag and High Crag beyond from Greenup Gill on the lower slopes of Eagle Crag

The Stonethwaite Valley with Great Crag, White Crag and High Crag beyond from Greenup Gill on the lower slopes of Eagle Crag

Photo: Marcel Bannon (1)


Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Great Crag

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