- Gray Crag
Infobox Mountain
Name = Gray Crag
Photo = Gray Crag and Hayeswater from Rest Dodd.jpg
Caption = Gray Crag seen from the slopes ofRest Dodd 1.5 km to the north, Hayeswater is visible in the valley.
Elevation = 699 m (2,293 ft)
Location =Cumbria , ENG
Range =Lake District ,Far Eastern Fells
Prominence = "c." 15 m
Parent peak =Thornthwaite Crag
Coordinates =
TopographicOS "Explorer" OL5
Grid_ref_UK = NY427117
Listing = Wainwright, Nuttall
Translation =
Language =
Pronunciation =Gray Crag is a fell in the
Lake District inCumbria ,England .Topography
The
fell reaches a height of 699 metres (2,293 feet) at the northern end of its summit ridge and this is the accepted highest point which gives the best views, although there is a spot height of 710 metres (2,329 feet) less than a kilometre to the south. Both tops have smallcairn s set on grass. Gray Crag is located in the far eastern sector of the national park, five kilometres south east of the village ofPatterdale and is basically the narrow grassy northern ridge of the adjoining fell ofThornthwaite Crag , it is characterised by very steep flanks with crags and gullies which fall away towardsHayeswater on the eastern side and Pasture Beck to the west. This fell should not be confused withGrey Crag another Lakeland Fell also in the far eastern sector aboveLongsleddale .Ascents
Gray Crag is invariably ascended from the hamlet of
Hartsop where there is a car park, Hayeswater Gill is followed for 1.5 kilometres until the filter house just below Hayeswater is reached, the steep grassy northern ridge of Gray Crag is then ascended passing a rocky outcrop before reaching the flatter plateau and then the summit. An alternative from the same starting point is to follow Pasture Beck up to the head of the valley at Threshthwaite Mouth and then contour round onto Gray Crag.Alfred Wainwright gave this as his preferred route. [Alfred Wainwright :"A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells ", Book 2: The Far Eastern Fells ISBN 0-7112-2455-2] Most walkers will continue their walk along the ridge north to Thornthwaite Crag which is two kilometres away and return to Hartsop overCaudale Moor andHartsop Dodd .View
The view from the top gives a good aspect of the
Helvellyn range but more spectacular views can be obtained by walking to the edges of the ridge and looking down into the valleys on either side.References
* Complete Lakeland Fells, Bill Birkett, ISBN 0-00-713629-3
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