The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 3.76 miles (6.05km)
Time to walk: Just over 2 hours, although there’s lots to explore so you could take a lot longer
Difficulty: On a mixture of surfaces. The final climb to the top of Castle Crag is steep & on a slate path which would be slippy in wet weather
Dog Friendly?: There are 2 large ‘up & over’ wall stiles, but apart from that it’s a good one
Parking: Carefully & considerately in Grange Village
Postcode: CA12 5XA
what3words: lamenting.buzzer.rooftop
Public toilets: Cafe in Grange at the start & end
Map of the route:
Castle Crag sits in the wonderful Borrowdale valley – the wettest place in the UK & also one of the most stunning. Wainwright included it in his ‘Pictorial Guides’ with the words…
“If a Visitor to Lakeland has only two or three hours to spare, poor fellow, yet desperately wises to reach a summit and take back an enduring memory of the beauty and atmosphere of the district……let him climb
Castle Crag”
It’s only 700 ft of ascent, but the views are simply amazing. My original intention was to park & take the path from Rosthwaite, but heavy rain the night before meant the River Derwent had flooded the path
So I drove down the valley to Grange where it was passable. As you drive down the valley it appears to block you…
“Castle Crag conforms to no pattern. It is an obstruction in the throat of Borrowdale, confining passage therein to the width of a river and a road hiding what lies beyond defying cultivation”
Every time you go down Borrowdale, you’ll be amazed by the view as you drive through the creatively-named ‘Jaws’ at the head of the valley, just south of Keswick. The valley is so narrow at this point that the crags on either side seem enormous
Grange is overlooked by Grange Fell & Castle Crag, which flank either side of the narrow section of Borrowdale in which it sits. Its origins date back to medieval times, when the monks of Furness Abbey built a monastic grange on the site
The double-arched bridge that links the village of Grange across the River Derwent was built in 1675. Holy Trinity Church followed in 1861
I’ve wanted to visit this Fell every since I watched it on ‘Wainwright’s Walks’ with Julia Bradbury so…
Let’s Walk!
1. There’s a few parking spaces just over the bridge if you’re a member of the National Trust, but otherwise just park carefully in the village…
Bear left…& firstly admire the view…
2. Just after passing the Grange Cafe & Tearoom, which I can highly recommend for coffee & cake, turn left & follow the lane…
Eventually you’ll pass through a wooded area & then reach a junction…turn left
3. Castle Crag is ahead of you…
Follow the lane & pass through the barrier
4. Follow the path &, when it dips down near the river, cross the bridge…
On reaching the junction of paths…take the right one
5. There’s lots of streams flowing down the hillside so be careful as the path continues up the hill…
Pass through the gate & continue upwards…
6. The Col of the Crag is looming ahead…
At this point I’d like to suggest that you turn around & look back down the valley towards Derwent Water…this really is an amazing view
7. On reaching the Col turn left & it’s time to start climbing up the narrow path…
There’s a little bit of scrambling here but nothing too tricky…
8. Follow the path to the right & then round to the left. Walk over the stile & then the one over the wall…
Bear right & ahead you’ll see the steep, winding, path up through the slate
9. Climb it slowly until you reach a plateau & then STOP. Just admire the view & remember what Wainwright said…”If there was just one walk”…
10. Turn around & explore a strange area on this fell which feels a bit like a ‘Monument Valley’. Julia Bradbury even found it a little strange
Once you’ve finished exploring go right & look for the summit path heading up by a tree
10. The top of the Crag is quite flat, but delightful, & a place where, to be honest on a warm summer’s day you could just sit for hours.
Wainwright’s comments made me smile…
“The summit is circular in plan, about 60 yards in diameter & a perfect natural stronghold. Even today one man in possession, armed with a stick could prevent its occupation by others whatever their number”
To the North is an amazing view over Derwent Water…
…& back to the South is an incredible view back down Borrowdale to some of our highest peaks including Scafell Pike & Great Gable
11. Look at the memorial stone on the rock. In 1918, Sir William Hamer & his wife, Agnes, purchased the land at the summit of Castle Crag for £150 from the executors of the estate of Colonel C.V. Conway Gordon
They did so as a memorial to their son, John, aged 20, who was killed in France in March 1918 during the First World War
In 1920, William & Agnes transferred the land to the National Trust, requesting that a plaque affixed to the summit rock on Castle Crag be dedicated solely to their son
However, shortly before his death on 28th May 1920, Canon Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsle, one of the founding members of the National Trust suggested that the dedication also include the ten men of Borrowdale who died in the First World War
Canon Rawnsley was also a Chaplain to the King & to the Border Regiment Territorials, holding the army rank of Colonel. The plaque, made from local green slate, was erected on 11th June 1921
12. It’s time to continue the walk so retrace your steps carefully back down the steep slate path, cross the wall stile & then turn immediately left down the steep, well-marked path…
Take care as the path is quite steep. Pass through a gap in the stone wall & keep heading down
13. Eventually the path reaches a gate. Pass through this & turn left to follow the track…
Although it rises & falls the path now follows the river once more
14. You’ll reach a large cairn & may wish to branch off to the left & explore one of the numerous caves in these woods…
Keep on the main path…there’s more evidence of slate mining here
15. At the fork the path continues up to the right, but if you wish to visit more caves take the left one & then come back…
Pass through a gap in the stone wall & turn right down towards the river
16. Turn left & follow the river…
Climb over the stile to arrive back at the junction at Point 4
Cross the bridge again & follow the track back to Grange & the start of this walk once more
What a walk!
And I’d wholly agree with the man himself…if you have just one day to spend in the Lake District then this is the one
Go Walk!