High Crag stands at the southern end of the High Stile ridge
which divides the valleys of Ennerdale and Buttermere in the west of the
English Lake District. It is often climbed as part of a popular ridge
walk from Black Sail youth hostel, or from Buttermere via Scarth Gap.
Panoramas of the Great Gable and the Scafells are visible.
The Western Fells occupy a triangular sector
of the Lake District, bordered by the River Cocker to the north east and
Wasdale to the south east. Westwards the hills diminish toward the
coastal plain of Cumberland.
At the central hub of the high
country are Great Gable and its satellites, while two principal ridges
fan out on either flank of Ennerdale, the western fells in effect being
a great horseshoe around this long wild valley
section of the northern branch is formed by the trio of Buttermere
fells, High Crag, High Stile and Red Pike.
The Buttermere Fells, also known as Buttermere Edge,
form the watershed between Buttermere and Upper Ennerdale. The Ennerdale
flanks are steep and rough with only small areas of crag, the lower
slopes being planted with a ribbon of conifers.
Across the narrow
ridge-top to the north are deep corries and dark walls of crag glowering
down over the lake.
The ridge continues south east to Haystacks
and the Great Gable group. Beyond Red Pike to the west are Starling
Dodd, Great Borne and the Loweswater Fells.
High Crag forms the
eastern terminus of the Buttermere Fells, its most arresting feature
being the great scree slopes of Gamlin End where the high ground falls
700 ft below, the ridge levels out once more and throws up
the craggy top of Seat (1,840 ft). A final steep descent then leads to
Scarth Gap, a walkers' pass between Buttermere and Ennerdale.
three Buttermere Fells throw out a rocky spur toward the lake, these
walls enclosing Birkness and Bleaberry Combs.
Birkness Comb, also
called Burtness Comb on Ordnance Survey maps, lies between the truncated
and unnamed northern ridges of High Crag and High Stile. Drained into
Buttermere by Comb Beck, its headwall is rimmed by crags on all sides.
Sheepbone Buttress flanks High Crag, which also has a share in Comb
Crags, lining the onward ridge. It is the great scooped hollow of the
Comb which results in the narrowness of Buttermere Edge.
northern spur also ends abruptly as High Crag Butress, a further tier of
rock lying just above the lakeshore.
The triangular summit has a
cairn at the high point above Gamlin End. The view is restricted by High
Stile, but the head of Ennerdale - backed by the Scafells - presents a
More distant glimpses of Skiddaw and the Helvellyn
range are also granted. A short walk north west toward the top of the
crags brings Buttermere and Crummock Water into sight.
can be gained from the head of Ennerdale, but this is a long walk from
anywhere except Black Sail Youth Hostel.
Scarth Gap provides the
more regular approach from the Buttermere valley, where parking is
available at Gatesgarth.
On the Buttermere side, a path cuts off
the corner at the top of the pass and removes the need to first ascend
Seat, before the long assault on the screes of Gamlin End.
the shore of Buttermere Wainwright noted that an ascent may be made via
Birkness Comb, climbing a grassy rake through the crags.