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Great Crag is a fell in the Lake District located near the hamlets
of Rosthwaite and Stonethwaite in Borrowdale.
The higher slopes are
heather-covered and quite rocky, while the lower steep slopes on the
Borrowdale side are covered by a mature oak wood.
Half a
kilometre south east of the summit lies the attractive Dock Tarn which
is often visited by walkers on their way to or from Great Crag.
At 440 metres (1,444 ft), Great Crag is not high by Lake District
standards and its small topographic prominence means that it is
essentially a minor summit on the broad north-western slopes of Ullscarf.
However, its rocky summit stands out amid the relatively featureless
moorland and is the culmination of a steep slope rising out of
Borrowdale. This ensures that it is considered a fell in its own right
and it is given this status in Alfred Wainwright's Pictorial Guide to
the Lakeland Fells.
Ascents of Great Crag can be started from the
hamlets of Rosthwaite, Stonethwaite or Watendlath.
The Rosthwaite
route uses the bridleway to Watendlath until the highest point is
reached then goes southerly over boggy moorland and then firmer rocky
ground to reach the summit.
The Stonethwaite path climbs steeply
through woodland before reaching Dock Tarn. It is then a short ascent
from the tarn north-westwards to the summit.
These two routes can
be combined to make a circular walk starting and finishing in Rosthwaite.
The ascent from Watendlath utilises the popular path to Dock Tarn
which has been diverted by signposts to avoid the worst of the boggy
ground to the north of the fell. This path takes the walker very close
to the summit and it is a simple climb through heather to attain the
highest point.
The highest point of the fell is difficult to
ascertain as there are two tops of very similar height marked by cairns.
The view from the top is not extensive but there is a good prospect
of Borrowdale with the higher fells behind.
Walking
routes near Great Crag
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