Crinkle Crags: Height, Walks and Views at 859 Metres

Crinkle Crags gives Great Langdale one of its most recognisable skylines: five rocky tops rather than a single, tidy summit. At 859m, its highest point stands among the taller Lakeland fells, but height alone does not explain its appeal. Walkers come for the changing ground along the ridge, the close company of Bowfell and the sense of looking into both Langdale and the upper reaches of Eskdale.

Five crinkles above Great Langdale

Crinkle Crags stands at the head of Great Langdale, with upper Eskdale to the west. Its name describes the succession of rocky rises along its summit ridge. There are five principal crinkles; the second when counted from the south is the highest, known as Long Top. This reaches 859m (2,818ft), making Crinkle Crags the 17th highest of the 214 Wainwrights. The summit grid reference is NY248048.

From the valley, the crinkles form a broken skyline, with gullies cutting between the crags beneath them. Up on the ridge, the character changes repeatedly as each rise reveals another stretch of rocky ground. The fell belongs to the Borrowdale Volcanic Group, the ancient volcanic rocks that underpin much of the rugged central and southern Lake District.

A Southern Fells ridge with wide views

Alfred Wainwright included Crinkle Crags in Book Four of his pictorial guides, The Southern Fells. It is part of the high country linking the Langdale and Eskdale sides of the district. Bowfell stands immediately to the north, separated from the crinkles by the saddle of Three Tarns. Cold Pike lies to the south-east, while Esk Pike and Rossett Pike belong to the wider neighbouring group.

The outlook brings several distinct Lakeland landscapes together. Great Langdale opens eastwards below the crags, while the Scafell massif forms a substantial presence across upper Eskdale. Bowfell is a close and prominent neighbour rather than a distant feature. The ridge offers changing viewpoints, so the interest is not confined to the highest top: the relationship between crag, dale and surrounding summits shifts as walkers cross the fell.

The Bad Step and walking character

The best-known feature is the Bad Step, a short, steep rock obstacle on the southern approach to the second crinkle. It requires scrambling if tackled directly. An alternative line avoids it, but the existence of a bypass should not obscure the wider character of the fell: this is rough, rocky mountain ground, not a straightforward grassy ridge.

Great Langdale is a familiar starting area for walks on Crinkle Crags, and combining the fell with Bowfell makes a substantial mountain outing. Cloud can make the succession of tops and intervening hollows confusing, while wet rock adds difficulty. A dedicated route guide, suitable equipment and sound navigation matter more here than simply knowing the summit height.

Where Crinkle Crags stands

Summit at grid reference NY248048 · open full map

The real Crinkle Crags

Walking Crinkle Crags

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

• Crinkle Crags and Bowfell | Guided Walks (climb-scafell.co.uk)
• Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell (happyhiker.co.uk)
• Route 30 - Crinkle Crags via Crinkle Gill (lakelandroutes.uk)

Weather on Crinkle Crags

Conditions estimated at summit height (859 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Crinkle Crags on your wall

A painting of Crinkle Crags can bring that unmistakable Langdale skyline into a room without losing its rough edges. Choose a print or canvas that recalls what stays with you: the five tops against shifting cloud, or the rocky ridge above the dale.

Own “Sunlit Ridge on Crinkle Crags” — our painting of Crinkle Crags → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Southern Fells

• Bowfell 903 m
• Rossett Pike 651 m
• Cold Pike 700 m
• Esk Pike 885 m

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