# Dove Crag > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dove_Crag > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dove_Crag.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dove_Crag > Source revision: 1355639327 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Fell in the English Lake District 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 Coordinates 54°29′06″N 2°58′04″W / 54.48506°N 2.96777°W / 54.48506; -2.96777 Geography Dove Crags Location in Lake District, UK 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 [fell](/source/Fell) in the [English](/source/England) [Lake District](/source/Lake_District). Situated in the [Eastern Fells](/source/Eastern_Fells) of the national park, seven kilometres south-south-west of [Glenridding](/source/Glenridding), it reaches a height of 792 metres (2,598 feet). The fell is often climbed as part of the [Fairfield horseshoe](/source/Fairfield_horseshoe) walk but a direct ascent from [Patterdale](/source/Patterdale) is required to show the fell's full potential, displaying the impressive crags just to the north east of the summit. The highest point was originally unnamed on maps, being just a minor top, but over the years the summit has adopted the name of Dove Crag by mutual accord.. ## Wainwright's Pictorial Guides One of Dove Crag's claims to fame is that it was the first chapter ever written by [Alfred Wainwright](/source/Alfred_Wainwright) for his [Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells](/source/Pictorial_Guide_to_the_Lakeland_Fells). He wrote the Dove Crag chapter on 9 November 1952 as he started Book One, after ascending the fell from [Ambleside](/source/Ambleside) in the previous weeks, making notes and taking photographs. It would take Wainwright a further 14 years to finish the complete series of seven books and 214 fells. ## Topography The Fairfield Group of fells stands between [Grasmere](/source/Grasmere_(village)) and the [Kirkstone Pass](/source/Kirkstone_Pass). The watershed runs south east from [Fairfield](/source/Fairfield_(Lake_District)), crossing [Hart Crag](/source/Hart_Crag), Dove Crag, [Little Hart Crag](/source/Little_Hart_Crag) and [Red Screes](/source/Red_Screes). Dove Crag shows its unassuming back to Rydal in the west, while great crags command the head of Dovedale on the opposite side of the ridge. A lower tier of crags juts out into the valley with Stangs at its head, dividing Dovedale Beck from its main tributary, Hogget Gill. Dove Crag throws out a southern ridge which descends over [High Pike](/source/High_Pike_(Scandale)) and [Low Pike](/source/Low_Pike) towards [Ambleside](/source/Ambleside). ## Geology The [volcaniclastic](/source/Volcaniclastic) [sandstone](/source/Sandstone) of the Deepdale Formation is interleaved with [andesite](/source/Andesite) sills and [breccia](/source/Breccia).[1] ## Rock climbing The crags of Dove Crag are the fell's finest feature. The crag is about 75 metres (246 feet) high at its highest point and is a popular venue for [rock climbers](/source/Climbing) with classic routes such as Extol and Fast and Furious. Lately it has become used by [boulderers](/source/Bouldering) with several top-class climbs such as Impailed and Pail Attitude on the boulders that have become detached from the main crag. Concealed within the crags is the “Priest's Hole”. This is a [cave](/source/Cave), roughly about five metres deep with extra protection provided by a wall built in front, which is often used by walkers and climbers as a rough overnight camp. It is well used and stocked (even having a visitors' book) but it is not easy to find in bad conditions. It is marked on the large-scale [Ordnance Survey](/source/Ordnance_Survey) maps but this is only of limited use. It is not mentioned by [Alfred Wainwright](/source/Alfred_Wainwright) in his [Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells](/source/Pictorial_Guide_to_the_Lakeland_Fells), which suggests that he did not know of its existence. The cave featured in the BBC One series *[Secret Britain](/source/Secret_Britain)* in spring 2016.[2] ## Ascents As mentioned earlier, the majority of the people who climb Dove Crag do so from Ambleside as part of the Fairfield horseshoe walk. However, the ascent from Patterdale gives the walker the opportunity to explore the relatively unknown valley of Dovedale and the beck which flows down it and to study the crags of the fell. It is believed that the upper part of Dovedale was once the crater of a [volcano](/source/Volcano). The ascent from Patterdale starts from the car park at [Brothers Water](/source/Brothers_Water) and takes the path to Hartsop Hall. Here the rising path up Dovedale is taken. As the crags are approached at the head of the valley, there is a choice of going to the right or left of them to reach the summit. The fell can also be approached from Ambleside along its long southern ridge passing over the tops of [Low Pike](/source/Low_Pike) and [High Pike](/source/High_Pike_(Scandale)). The summit is a small rock platform with a [cairn](/source/Cairn). ## Summit A [dry stone wall](/source/Dry-stone_wall) crosses the summit 15 metres to the west and this runs north to south to the adjoining fells of High Pike (south) and Hart Crag (north). The highlight of the summit view is obtained by walking to the edge of the crags and looking down into Dovedale. ## References - Wainwright -The Biography, Hunter Davies, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7181-3909-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7181-3909-7) - A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, Eastern Fells, Alfred Wainwright [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7112-2454-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7112-2454-4) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-BGS_1-0)** [British Geological Survey](/source/British_Geological_Survey): 1:50,000 series maps, *England & Wales Sheet 29*: BGS (1999) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** McHale, John (16 October 2016). ["Man falls 500ft to his death as Lakeland walkers head for night at Priest's Hole"](http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2016/10/16/man-falls-500ft-to-his-death-as-lakeland-walkers-headed-for-night-at-priests-hole). Grough. Retrieved 21 October 2016. v t e Wainwright's Eastern Fells Arnison Crag Birkhouse Moor Birks Catstycam (Catstye Cam) Clough Head Dollywaggon Pike Dove Crag Fairfield Glenridding Dodd Gowbarrow Fell Great Dodd Great Mell Fell Great Rigg Hart Crag Hart Side Hartsop above How Helvellyn Heron Pike High Hartsop Dodd High Pike Little Hart Crag Little Mell Fell Low Pike Middle Dodd Nab Scar Nethermost Pike Raise Red Screes Seat Sandal Sheffield Pike St Sunday Crag Stone Arthur Stybarrow Dodd Watson's Dodd White Side Full list of Wainwrights by area --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dove Crag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dove_Crag) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dove_Crag?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.