Grey Crag Summit

Not to be confused with Gray Crag above Hayeswater, Grey Crag is the most easterly Wainwright summit and a serene place where you feel as though you have one foot in Lakeland and another in the Pennines. The land to the east of the summit is rolling and desolate, while to the west the ridges of the Kentmere Horseshoe signal mountainous country. Grey Crag stands on a true threshold.

Along with neighbouring Tarn Crag, Grey Crag rises above Longsleddale at the western termination of a long ridge that stretches off towards Shap and the Pennines. Approaches from this direction are long and start from the A6 road, taking you across rolling heather moorland.

Alternatively, ascents from Longsleddale are quicker but punishingly steep in the first instance. A route via the col between Branstree and Tarn Crag, while often pathless, gives the easiest line, though the terrain is often boggy. Regardless of where you start, Kendal has plenty of accommodation, while the village of Shap is ideal for approaches from the east.