Black Crag

Perched on the northern edge of the Pillar massif, this rugged subsidiary summit offers a dramatic perspective of the Ennerdale valley. It is an atmospheric, rocky spot that serves as the gateway to the climbing routes on Pillar Rock, providing a vertiginous feel often missing from the broader main plateau.

• •The name combines the descriptive 'Black'—referring to the dark, shaded nature of the north-facing cliffs—with 'Crag', a word of Celtic origin meaning a steep, rugged rock. It describes the sombre, precipitous face the hill presents to the valley floor below.
• •While omitted from Wainwright’s pictorial guides, it is classified as a Synge summit. Author Tim Synge included it in his survey of the Lakeland fells to acknowledge significant high points that possess a unique character independent of their parent peak.
• •This is the premier vantage point for inspecting the north face of Pillar Rock; from the edge, walkers can look directly down onto the 'High Man', the summit of the most famous detached crag in the Lake District.
• •The view north is exceptionally framed, looking across the deep U-shaped trough of Ennerdale toward the High Stile range and the sharp, pointed profile of Steeple, with the silver thread of the River Liza visible 700 metres below.
• •It is the ideal destination for the contrarian hiker; it offers the best possible view of Pillar's summit precisely because you aren't actually standing on it.