Helm Crag

About Helm Crag

Rising steeply above Grasmere village, this diminutive Wainwright punches well above its weight. Its summit is a chaotic jumble of fractured rock, famous for the silhouettes of 'The Lion and the Lamb' and 'The Howitzer'. It offers a short, muscular ascent with a genuine sense of mountain scale.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is likely derived from the Old Norse 'hjalmr', meaning helmet, a reference to the craggy profile of the summit rocks when viewed from the valley floor.
• •Alfred Wainwright held the hill in high regard, describing it as an 'exhilarating little climb' and a 'brief essay in real mountaineering' despite its modest elevation.
• •The true summit is 'The Howitzer', a steep, protruding slab of rock. It is notable for being the only Wainwright summit that the author himself admitted he did not officially stand upon, citing the awkwardness of the final scramble.
• •The hill is famous for its changing shapes; from the A591 it looks like a Lion and a Lamb, but from the ascent via Mill Gill, the rock formations are often said to resemble an 'Old Woman Playing the Organ'.
• •The summit provides an exceptional, bird's-eye view directly down into the Vale of Grasmere, with the waters of Rydal Water visible beyond and the bulky mass of Fairfield dominating the eastern horizon.
• •Many walkers technically fail to bag this peak every year, as the final three-metre leap onto the sloping top of the Howitzer is frequently deemed a bit too 'sporting' for a casual afternoon stroll.