Lake District
Yeastyrigg Crags
761M
2497FT
About Yeastyrigg Crags
Rising above Ore Gap on the rugged approach to Bowfell, this rocky shoulder offers a wild vantage point over Upper Eskdale. Part of the high-altitude link between the Scafells and the Langdale Pikes, its terrain is defined by fractured stone and the stark, exposed character typical of the Southern Fells.
Key Statistics
Rank
103rd Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Fells
Prominence
?
6m
Nearest Town
Eskdale
Geology
You are walking over ancient layers of hardened volcanic ash, lava, and compressed rocky debris. This landscape was shaped by explosive eruptions and underground molten flows.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY236066
Latitude
54.4492°N
Longitude
3.1790°W
Did You Know?
- •While excluded from Alfred Wainwright’s primary list of 214 fells, it is classified as a Synge—a top identified by Tim Synge in his 1995 guide to the mountains of England and Wales.
- •The name likely refers to the 'frothy' or pale appearance of the crags and nearby water runnels during heavy rain, with 'yeasty' being a traditional descriptor for churning, white water.
- •The crags sit directly above Ore Gap, a high mountain pass named for the distinctively red-stained soil caused by the presence of haematite iron ore.
- •The summit provides a focused view across the Great Moss towards the Scafell massif, offering a particularly clear perspective of the massive rock architecture of Ill Crag and Broad Crag.
- •It serves as a common 'false summit' for those ascending from the north; many walkers reach these crags thinking they have attained Bowfell, only to see the true peak rising further south across a boulder-strewn plateau.