Dove Crag facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dove Crags
Dove Crag from High Hartsop Dodd, 2 km to the east
Highest point
Elevation	792 m (2,598 ft)
Prominence	50 m (160 ft)
Parent peak	Hart Crag
Listing	Hewitt, Wainwright, Nuttall
Geography
Dove Crags Location in Lake District
Location	Cumbria, England
Parent range	Lake District, Eastern Fells
OS grid	NY374104
Topo map	OS Landranger 90 OS Explorer Outdoor Leisure 5, 7

Dove Crag is a cool mountain, or 'fell', in England's beautiful Lake District. It's in the Eastern Fells part of the park. It stands tall at 792 meters (about 2,598 feet).

Many people climb it as part of the famous Fairfield horseshoe walk. But if you want to see its amazing rocky cliffs, called 'crags', you should climb it directly from Patterdale. For a long time, the very top of Dove Crag didn't even have a name on maps! But over time, everyone just started calling it Dove Crag.

Alfred Wainwright and Dove Crag

Did you know that Dove Crag has a special place in history? It was the very first mountain that Alfred Wainwright wrote about. He started his famous book series, Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, with Dove Crag.

Wainwright wrote the chapter on November 9, 1952. He had climbed the fell from Ambleside to take notes and photos. It took him 14 more years to finish all seven books. These books describe all 214 fells in the Lake District!

What Does Dove Crag Look Like?

Dove Crag is part of a group of mountains called the Fairfield Group. These mountains are located between Grasmere and the Kirkstone Pass.

From the west, Dove Crag looks quite gentle. But on the other side, it has huge, impressive cliffs. These cliffs overlook a valley called Dovedale. A lower set of cliffs sticks out into the valley. They divide Dovedale Beck from another stream called Hogget Gill.

Dove Crag also has a ridge that goes south. This ridge goes down over High Pike and Low Pike towards Ambleside.

Rock Climbing on Dove Crag

The rocky cliffs of Dove Crag are its most amazing feature. The main cliff is about 75 meters high at its tallest point. It's a popular spot for rock climbers. There are classic climbing routes here like "Extol" and "Fast and Furious."

Recently, people have also started bouldering here. Bouldering is climbing on smaller rocks or parts of cliffs. There are some top-class bouldering climbs on rocks that have broken off the main cliff.

The Priest's Hole Cave

Hidden within the crags is a secret place called the "Priest's Hole." This is a cave that's about five meters deep. It even has a wall built in front of it for extra protection.

Walkers and climbers often use it as a rough place to camp overnight. It's quite popular and even has a visitors' book! But it's not easy to find, especially in bad weather. It's marked on big Ordnance Survey maps, but that only helps a little.

Interestingly, Alfred Wainwright didn't mention the cave in his guidebooks. This makes people think he didn't even know it existed! The cave was shown on a BBC One TV show called Secret Britain in 2016.

How to Climb Dove Crag

Most people who climb Dove Crag do it as part of the Fairfield horseshoe walk. This walk starts from Ambleside.

However, climbing from Patterdale lets you explore the less-known Dovedale valley. You can follow the stream, Dovedale Beck, and get a great view of the crags. Some people believe the upper part of Dovedale was once a volcano crater!

To climb from Patterdale, start at the car park near Brothers Water. Then, take the path to Hartsop Hall. From there, follow the path that goes up Dovedale. As you get close to the crags, you can choose to go around them to the right or left to reach the top.

You can also climb Dove Crag from Ambleside. You would follow its long southern ridge, going over Low Pike and High Pike first. The very top of Dove Crag is a small rocky platform with a cairn (a pile of stones).

The Summit View

A dry stone wall crosses the top of Dove Crag. It runs north to south, connecting to High Pike (to the south) and Hart Crag (to the north).

The best view from the top is when you walk to the edge of the crags. From there, you can look down into the beautiful Dovedale valley.