Lake District
Bannisdale Fell - Long Crag
493M
1617FT
About Bannisdale Fell - Long Crag
Tucked away in the quiet backcountry between the A6 and Longsleddale, this grassy Wainwright Outlying Fell offers a peaceful alternative to the busy central peaks. The summit at Long Crag provides a fine vantage point over the secluded Bannisdale valley, looking across to the distinctive, velvet-like folds of the Howgill Fells.
Key Statistics
Rank
432nd Highest in Region
Parent Range
Far Eastern Fells
Prominence
?
33
Nearest Town
Selside and Fawcett Forest
Geology
The ground beneath your boots is formed from the Coniston Group, consisting of layers of hardened sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY515052
Latitude
54.4404°N
Longitude
2.7479°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Bannisdale likely originates from the Old Norse personal name 'Bandi' combined with 'dalr', meaning Bandi's valley. Long Crag refers specifically to the modest rocky escarpment that forms the fell's highest point.
- •Alfred Wainwright included this summit in his 'Outlying Fells' guide, praising the surrounding valley as a beautiful and lonely place that has seen very little change over the centuries.
- •The hill is the focal point of the Bannisdale Horseshoe, a quiet ten-mile ridge walk that remains one of the most secluded circuits in the Lake District, often bypassed by walkers heading for the higher Kentmere range.
- •From the summit, there is a clear and direct view west across Longsleddale to the steep, craggy eastern flanks of Shipman Knotts and Kentmere Pike.
- •The ground between Long Crag and its northern neighbours is famously peat-heavy; in a wet season, it provides a very effective lesson in why the local dialect has so many different words for a bog.