High Crags (Newlands)

Situated on the northern shoulder of Dale Head, this rugged promontory offers a quiet perspective of the Newlands Valley. Though often bypassed for the main ridge path, it provides a superior vantage point for looking across to the slopes of Hindscarth and the steep eastern faces of Robinson.

• •The name is a straightforward descriptive term of Old Norse and Middle English origin; 'crag' derives from the Celtic creig, referring to the shattered rock faces that drop steeply from this point into the head of the Newlands Valley.
• •While overlooked by Alfred Wainwright, the fell was included by Bill Birkett in his 'Complete Peaks' and by Tim Synge, making it a specific target for those completing the more exhaustive Lake District lists.
• •It is most commonly visited as a short detour from the popular Newlands Horseshoe, sitting roughly half a mile north of the Dale Head summit. The terrain here is noticeably more rugged and broken than the broad, grassy main path nearby.
• •From the edge of the crags, there is a direct and dramatic view down the length of the Newlands Valley toward Skiddaw and Blencathra, framed by the parallel ridges of Hindscarth and Catbells.
• •Most walkers treat this summit as nothing more than a particularly bumpy bit of scenery on the way to Dale Head, unwittingly stepping over a Synge top without breaking their stride.