As the first fell written about by Alfred Wainwright in his famous pictorial guides, hikes up Dove Crag hold a special place for many dedicated Cumbrian hikers. Part of the Fairfield Horseshoe, this top reaches 2,598 feet (792 m) and it’s location, snuggled amongst neighbouring fells, means you can make your walk as long or as short as you like.

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Lake District National Park

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Location: Patterdale, Eden, Cumbria, North West England, England, United Kingdom

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Best Hikes to Dove Crag summit

4.8

(405)

3,527

hikers

1. Fairfield Horseshoe from Ambleside — Lake District National Park

17.7km

06:01

890m

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

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Hard

4.9

(16)

213

hikers

2. Red Screes Summit Cairn – Dove Crag Summit loop from Patterdale

16.2km

06:01

940m

950m

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

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Hard

4.8

(19)

205

hikers

3. Dove Crag summit – Scandale Fell loop from Waterhead

17.1km

05:48

750m

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

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Hard

Tips

Alex Foxfield

September 12, 2023

Dove Crag is named for the impressive cliff adorning its steep, east-facing flanks, which fall sharply to the exquisite Dovedale. The cliff contains the Priest's Hole, one of the national park's most famous caves and a glorious viewpoint for the Far Eastern Fells. If you've only visited Dove Crag's summit as part of the Fairfield Horseshoe, I'd recommend the hike up from Dovedale to really do justice to this splendid fell.

David

April 29, 2016

Dove Crag summit in itself is unremarkable, marked by a cairn however the views of the surrounding peaks is excellent on a clear day.

Breeze

September 2, 2019

Expect to do a bit of scrambling. I did the Fairfield Horseshoe clockwise, meaning I was scrambling down Dove Crag. In hindsight, it would have been easier to scramble up the crags on the Eastern ridge so consider an anticlockwise route.

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Elevation 780 m

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Family Friendly

yes

Wheelchair access

Dog Friendly

yes

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See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Patterdale, Eden, Cumbria, North West England, England, United Kingdom

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Dove Crag summit

1. Fairfield Horseshoe from Ambleside — Lake District National Park

2. Red Screes Summit Cairn – Dove Crag Summit loop from Patterdale

3. Dove Crag summit – Scandale Fell loop from Waterhead

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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