Calf Crag

Calf Crag is a fell in the English Lake District, on the eastern side of the High Raise massif. It sits on the main north–south watershed of the Lakeland Fells, with Wythburndale to the north and Greenburn to the east. The fell has a broad-topped ridge and a summit plateau about 1.5 kilometres across. Two narrow eastern ridges extend from the plateau, one leading to Steel Fell and the other passing over Gibson Knott before ending at Helm Crag. Southwest of the summit, the ground rises over rocky terrain to Sergeant Man and High Raise. Calf Crag is worth the journey for its fine views of Grasmere and the Helvellyn range. The summit offers a rocky knoll with a small crag to the south, and a tidy cairn marks the highest point. A tarn lies between the summit and a subsidiary top to the west, though the patch of rushes noted by Wainwright is no longer present. The fell’s geology includes Quaternary deposits and an outcrop of the Lincomb Tarn Formation at the summit knoll. The eastern crags at Pike of Carrs display the underlying Esk Pike Formation of volcaniclastic sandstone. Visitors find a variety of paths on Calf Crag, including routes to Steel Fell, Gibson Knott and Sergeant Man. A bridleway over Greenup Edge passes southwest of the top, leading from Borrowdale to Far Easedale as part of the Coast to Coast Walk. Approaches to the fell can start from Grasmere village, with routes along Far Easedale or Green Burn. The Greenburn Horseshoe is a popular indirect climb, taking in Steel Fell, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag. The fell’s eastern face is craggy, with Far Easedale Gill and Green Burn descending to the River Rothay.