Castle Crag (Shoulthwalte)

Tucked away above the Shoulthwaite valley near Keswick, this quiet Birkett is often overlooked in favour of its famous namesake in Borrowdale. It offers a rugged, wooded character and the remains of an Iron Age hillfort. The summit provides a superb, low-level perspective of the Helvellyn range rising sharply across the Thirlmere valley.

• •The 'Castle' in its name refers to a significant Iron Age hillfort located on the summit. The site is protected by triple ramparts on its western side, while the precipitous eastern crags provided a natural, vertical defence against intruders.
• •To avoid confusion with the lower, more famous Castle Crag in Borrowdale, locals and guidebooks usually append 'Shoulthwaite' or refer to it simply as 'The Castle'.
• •The summit offers a unique, framed view of the Helvellyn range; specifically, the soaring western face of Lower Man and the long ridge leading towards Great Dodd are seen clearly across the waters of Thirlmere.
• •While Alfred Wainwright omitted it from his primary seven-volume series, the hill holds a respectable place in the Synge and Birkett lists, serving as a prominent sentinel at the northern end of the High Seat ridge.
• •It remains one of the few locations in the Lake District where you can stand within the ruins of a prehistoric fortress and still hear the distinct gear changes of cars on the A591 below.