Wren Crag

About Wren Crag

Don't be fooled by its modest height! Wren Crag is the rocky, exciting southern finale to the High Rigg ridge. It offers fantastic easy scrambling and superb views into St John's in the Vale, making it a highlight of this classic short walk.

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Did You Know?

• •Though it feels like a fell in its own right, Wren Crag is actually the southern top of High Rigg. The whole ridge is what's known as a 'Marilyn', standing proudly separate from its taller neighbours with at least 150m of prominence all around.
• •The direct ascent up the front of Wren Crag is a popular short scramble, often called a 'bad step'. It's nothing too tricky for a seasoned walker, but it adds a lovely bit of hands-on excitement to an otherwise gentle ridge walk.
• •Alfred Wainwright was a big fan of the High Rigg ridge, dedicating a chapter to it in his Central Fells guide. He described the traverse over its many knolls and bumps, including Wren Crag, as 'a delectable half-day's walk'.
• •Its name likely comes from the small birds that nest among its nooks and crannies. Geologically, it's part of the tough Borrowdale Volcanic Group, giving it that wonderfully rough and grippy rock that's so good for scrambling.
• •From its summit, you get a fantastic, framed view down the length of St John's in the Vale, with the mighty crags of Clough Head looming to the east. It's one of those lower fells that really punches above its weight for scenery.