Crag Hill: Height (839.2m), Walks and Summit Views

Crag Hill, also widely known as Eel Crag, stands at the heart of the high North Western Fells. At 839.2 metres, it combines a broad, open summit with a much steeper northern face above Coledale. For many walkers it is a highlight of the Coledale Horseshoe: a substantial fell whose connecting ridges are as much part of its appeal as the summit itself.

A broad summit above Coledale

Crag Hill rises to 839.2 metres (2,753 feet), with its summit at grid reference NY192203. Its shape is best understood from more than one side. The top is broad and relatively gentle, while the crags on its northern side give it a much sterner appearance from Coledale. That contrast between an open upland surface and abrupt, rocky edges is central to the fell’s character.

The alternative name, Eel Crag, is firmly established in Lakeland walking literature and is the name used for the fell in Wainwright’s guide. You will encounter both names in accounts of walks here. The high, open summit gives wide views across the surrounding fells, with nearby Grasmoor particularly prominent to the west. In clear weather, the outlook extends towards the Skiddaw group and the central Lakeland heights.

Its place in the North Western Fells

Crag Hill belongs to The North Western Fells, Book Six of Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. It ranks 24th by height among the 214 Wainwrights. Within this region, only Grasmoor stands higher, making Crag Hill one of the principal summits rather than simply a stopping point between its neighbours.

Sail lies to the east, Wandope to the south and Grasmoor to the west. Hopegill Head stands across the head of Coledale to the north. Together, these fells form a closely connected area of high ground, where a day’s walking can take in several distinct summits without returning to a valley between them. Crag Hill’s central position helps explain why it features in so many longer outings in this part of the Lakes.

Crag Hill and the Coledale Horseshoe

The fell’s best-known walking association is the Coledale Horseshoe, a classic circuit commonly approached from Braithwaite. There is no single compulsory list of summits for the round: variations differ, but Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head, Crag Hill and Sail are familiar components. Some versions also include Grasmoor and Wandope.

Its popularity should not obscure the nature of the ground. This is a substantial high-level outing, with exposed ridges, steep slopes and broad summit areas where cloud can make navigation less straightforward. Dedicated route guides are the right place to compare distances and ascent. As a fell in its own right, Crag Hill rewards attention to both its rocky northern frontage and the spacious upland landscape above it.

Where Crag Hill stands

Summit at grid reference NY192203 · open full map

The real Crag Hill

Walking Crag Hill

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

• Guide links to be curated.

Weather on Crag Hill

Conditions estimated at summit height (839 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Crag Hill on your wall

A painting of Crag Hill can bring back more than the moment on top: the climb out of Coledale, the changing cloud, or the long ridge towards Sail. On the wall, those familiar shapes offer a quiet connection to a day among the North Western Fells.

Own “Sunlit Crag Hill Ridge Path” — our painting of Crag Hill → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The North Western Fells

• Sail 773 m
• Wandope 774 m
• Knott Rigg 556 m
• Hopegill Head 770 m

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