Allen Crags: 785m Height, Walks and Southern Fell Views

Allen Crags stands close to Esk Hause, among some of Lakeland’s highest ground, yet is easily overshadowed by its larger neighbours. At 785m, it offers a rocky summit, fine views towards Great End and an absorbing ridge connection with Glaramara. For walkers who enjoy the ground between the better-known summits, this is a fell worth pausing on rather than simply passing over.

A rocky summit above Borrowdale and Langstrath

Allen Crags occupies the southern end of the long, uneven ridge extending north to Glaramara. Grains Gill lies to the west and Langstrath to the east, placing the fell between two distinct approaches to the central high fells. Its summit is rocky rather than a broad grassy dome, but the surrounding ridges give it a connected character: this is part of a substantial sweep of upland, not an isolated peak.

The outlook is a strong reason to stop. Great End presents an imposing nearby face, while Esk Pike and Bowfell help frame the high ground to the south. Great Gable is another notable presence to the west. Looking north, the ridge towards Glaramara offers a different kind of interest, with successive rocky rises and small tarns rather than one uninterrupted slope.

Allen Crags in the Southern Fells

Alfred Wainwright included Allen Crags in Book Four of his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, The Southern Fells. It stands at 785m, or 2,575ft, and ranks 42nd in height among the 214 Wainwrights. The summit grid reference is NY236085. Those figures place it firmly among the higher fells, even though nearby summits can make it feel relatively modest.

Its neighbouring Wainwrights include Esk Pike, Great End, Seathwaite Fell and Rossett Pike. Together, they show how closely packed and varied the terrain around Esk Hause is. Allen Crags belongs to this meeting ground of ridges and valleys, where walks from Borrowdale, Great Langdale and Eskdale reach the central massif. Its proximity to the Scafell group explains both its appeal and why attention often passes to higher objectives nearby.

Walks and the ridge to Glaramara

The connection with Glaramara is one of Allen Crags’ most distinctive walking features. The intervening ridge is broken by knolls, hollows and tarns, making it more involved than a simple skyline traverse might suggest. It gives the fell a natural place in longer rounds, particularly those associated with Borrowdale.

Walks including Allen Crags commonly begin in Seathwaite or Great Langdale, with the choice of other summits shaping the length and seriousness of the day. These are mountain outings, with rough ground and high, exposed sections. Cloud can complicate navigation around the ridge and Esk Hause, so a dedicated route guide, map and suitable equipment matter more than the summit’s comparatively understated reputation.

Where Allen Crags stands

Summit at grid reference NY236085 · open full map

The real Allen Crags

Walking Allen Crags

We make artwork, not route guides — these are the guides we'd point a friend to:

• Guide links to be curated.

Weather on Allen Crags

Conditions estimated at summit height (785 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Allen Crags on your wall

A painting of Allen Crags can recall more than the summit itself: the broken ridge towards Glaramara, the nearby bulk of Great End, or a pause above the dales. On a wall at home, those familiar shapes keep a particular fell day close.

Own “Allen Crags Winter Stone Bridge” — our painting of Allen Crags → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Southern Fells

• Esk Pike 885 m
• Great End 910 m
• Seathwaite Fell 601 m
• Rossett Pike 651 m

Part of our guide to all 214 Wainwrights — see the full index.