Lake District
Dove Crag
792M
2598FT
About Dove Crag
Rising above the Dovedale valley, this high Eastern Fell is a staple of the Fairfield Horseshoe. While its summit plateau is broad and stony, its eastern face is a dramatic wall of broken rock, home to the famous Priest’s Hole cave and offering clear views down to Brothers Water.
Key Statistics
Rank
70th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Eastern Fells
Prominence
?
50m
Nearest Town
Ambleside
Geology
You are walking on layers of hardened lava, volcanic ash, and volcanic mud. These rocks formed from powerful eruptions and volcanic debris settling over time.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY374104
Latitude
54.4854°N
Longitude
2.9669°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely derives from the Old Norse 'dúfa', referring to the wild pigeons that nested in the steep, inaccessible recesses of the eastern crags.
- •Alfred Wainwright praised the summit as a superb vantage point, specifically highlighting the 'aerial view' of the Deepdale valley and the sprawling High Street range across the Kirkstone Pass.
- •Tucked away on the sheer eastern cliffs is the Priest's Hole, one of the Lake District’s most iconic wild-camping spots. This natural cave offers a stone-walled sleeping platform and a framed view of the sunrise over Hartsop Dodd.
- •The summit is marked by a large cairn and a distinctively gnarled old fence post, acting as a junction where the main ridge path from Fairfield meets the wall leading down towards Little Hart Crag.
- •The 'hole' in Priest's Hole is often more of a shared dormitory than a mountain retreat; on a summer weekend, you may find the cave has a higher population density than some of the surrounding hamlets.