Lake District
Kettle Crag
395M
1296FT
About Kettle Crag
Sitting on the lower eastern slopes of the Pike o' Blisco massif, this rocky outcrop provides a quiet vantage point overlooking the Great Langdale valley. Accessible from Chapel Stile, the terrain transitions from valley pastures to rugged fellside, offering intimate views of the Langdale Pikes and the winding road to Blea Tarn.
Key Statistics
Rank
617th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Fells
Prominence
?
4m
Nearest Town
Elterwater
Geology
You are hiking across ancient layers of hardened volcanic ash and sandstone. These rocks are the remnants of explosive eruptions that once shaped this rugged landscape.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY279048
Latitude
54.4338°N
Longitude
3.1125°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely stems from the Old Norse 'ketill', meaning a cauldron or deep vessel, commonly used in the Lake District to describe a hollow in the hillside or a scooped-out rock formation nearby.
- •The hill is classified as a Synge, appearing in Timothy Synge’s 'The Lakeland Fells', a guidebook that highlights summits with at least 50 feet of prominence that are often ignored by those focusing solely on higher peaks.
- •From the summit, the view across the valley to the Langdale Pikes is exceptionally clear, providing a perspective of Harrison Stickle and Pike o' Stickle that feels far more immediate than the view from the surrounding higher fells.
- •To the southeast, the summit offers a direct bird's-eye view of the village of Chapel Stile and the grey scars of the Elterwater slate quarries, illustrating the deep industrial heritage of the Langdale landscape.
- •Despite the domestic name, the summit is strictly self-catering; the only steam rising from these rocks on a cold morning will be your own breath.