Crinkle Crags

Crinkle Crags is so named because of its summit ridge, which consists of a series of five rises and depressions (or ‘crinkles’). Its overall elevation above sea level is 859 m (2,818 ft) and its prominence around 138 m (453 ft). It is a satellite of Scafell Pike and is listed as a Wainwright, a Hewitt and a Nuttall.

The various crinkles are the features that draw the eye, but they are not all named. The listed summits are Crinkle Crags South Top (834 m/ 2,736 ft), Shelter Crags (815 m/ 2,673 ft), Shelter Crags North Top (755 m / 2,542 ft), Little Stand (740 m / 2,482 ft) and Great Knott (696 m / 2,283 ft). The view from the highest point is very good, with sight of the Langdale Pikes, Scafell Pike to the north-west and beyond to North Wales and Snowdonia.

Climbing Crinkle Crags

Alfred Wainwright declared Crinkle Crags to be ‘too good to miss’ and crossing the summit ridge with its many ups and downs is an impressive, if tiring, walk. A notable feature is ‘Bad Step’, an awkward gully whether scrambling up from the south or down from the north, but this can be avoided by the faint-hearted via a path which approaches the summit from behind.

There are various routes directly to the summit. A walk to ‘bag’ this fell alone begins in Eskdale, but is around a 15 km (9.5 mi) round trip. Many walkers instead begin in Great Langdale with the aim of visiting more than one peak: neighbouring fells in the area include Bowfell, Pike of Blisco, Rossett Pike and Cold Pike.