The unmistakable outline of Crinkle Crags

Crinkle Crags

Height859m (2,818ft)

Prominence138m (452ft)

RegionSouthern Fells

Climbed6 Times

Crinkle Crags is easily one of the most characterful and entertaining ridges in the entire Lake District. True to its name—which comes from the Old English word 'cringol', meaning wrinkled—the summit crest is a high-altitude rollercoaster of rocky knobs, sudden gullies, and small depressions. Walking along it feels less like standard hill walking and more like an extensive mountain playground, keeping you constantly engaged with the terrain as you track from one rise to the next.

"Some mountains are obviously named by reference to their physical characteristics. Crinkle Crags is one of these, and it was probably first so called by the dalesfolk of the valley to the east and around the head of Windermere, whence its lofty serrated ridge, a succession of knobs and depressions, is aptly described by the name." — Wainwright 1958, Book Three

Alfred Wainwright famously earmarked this ridge as a walk "much too good to be missed," and it only takes one visit to see why. The full traverse leads you over five distinct peaks. If you're tackling the ridge from south to north, you'll eventually encounter the infamous 'Bad Step'—a sheer, polished ten-foot rock face tucked into the path. Coming down it can cause a moment of hesitation, but with a bit of deliberate hand placement, it's a fun puzzle to work through. For misty days or when the legs are tired, a clear bypass path runs around the base to keep things straightforward.

The summit of the highest crinkle, Long Top

The true high point of the entire mass sits on the second peak from the south, known as Long Top. It's a wonderful, jagged crown of bedrock marked by a neat stone cairn. Standing here, the drop-offs into Oxendale on one side and the upper reaches of Eskdale on the other feel beautifully dramatic. Because you're standing on the main spine of the Southern Fells, the panoramic views across to the massive walls of Bowfell and the Scafells are exceptional, making it the perfect spot to lean back against the stones and take a breather.