Dow Crag
778m (2553ft)
The Southern Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
Not familiar with this top?
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9.5ml (15km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,523ft (1,074m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Walna Scar Road (nr Seathwaite (Duddon Valley) - Long Houses - Brown Pike - Dow Crag - Goat's Hawse - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Swirl Band - Swirl How - Great Carrs - Grey Friar - Seathwaite Tarn - Walna Scar Road.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 12.75ml (20.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,191ft (1,277m) |
| Time: | 8.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Coniston - Walna Scar Road - Boo Tarn - Torver Beck - Cove Bridge - Goat's Water - Goat's Hawse - Dow Crag - Goat's Hawse - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Grey Friar - Great Carrs - Swirl How - Prison Band - Keld Gill Head - Black Sails - Wetherlam - Swirl Hawse - Levers Water - Crowberry Haws - Walna Scar Road - Coniston
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*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks.
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Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Dow Crag
Melfyn Parry walked up on November 16th, 2025 [from/via/route] Started at the Walna Scar car park (pay & display £6.50 for 4 hours or £9 for the day), walked up to Boo Tarn & then followed a grassy path around the quarry to reach the summit of The Old Man of Coniston, from here we headed over to Brim Fell, an easy walk. Then dropped down to Goat's Hawse before making the ascent to the top of Dow Crag. The top is reached by a short scramble & then return to the path to lead over to Buck Pike & then Brown Pike. Drop down from here back to the Walna Scar Road & return to the car park. [with] With DS [weather] A glorious day with long spells of sunshine, quite cold when the breeze got up, which wasn't often. - Lots of people out today, taking advantage of the weather. A clear day with good views over towards Scaffell in one direction & Morecambe Bay could be seen over Coniston Water.
Sarah Gunn climbed it on July 27th, 2025 [with] Martin Gunn
John Ramsbottom bagged it on September 22nd, 2024 [from/via/route] Dow Cragg, The Old Man of Coniston,Brim Fell,Swirl How, Great Carrs & Grey Friar [with] Lola [weather] Mainly warm & Sunny - Good day with & Lola, went to Wilson Inn Tover, for a quick pint
Clare Tait hiked it on August 11th, 2024 [from/via/route] Our no:100 Wainwright on the most beautiful day. [with] Charlie [weather] Sun 🌞 - Did not scramble up to the top sadly, but it looked beautiful
Tim Winn summited on July 24th, 2024 [from/via/route] Coniston [with] Simon [weather] Sunny & clear.
Richard Fulcher conquered it on July 7th, 2024 [from/via/route] Parked at the pay & display car park (£9) at the end of the drive-able section of Walna Scar Road just outside Coniston village. From there we set off on the track up 'Big Hill' turning sharp left at Crowberry Haws to follow the well trodden path through the quarries up to the Old Man of Coniston. We then traversed across the ridge to Brim Fell. We retraced our steps to where the path branched off down to Goats Hawse & followed that path across to Dow Crag. (This route was taken due to lack of visibility in low cloud). After scrambling up to the summit of Dow Crag we then followed the ridge across to Buck Pike & Brown Pike. From there we descended to the Walna Scar road & slowly descended back to the car. [with] Jen [weather] A complete mixture of weather. Initially fine & then heavy rain, very cold on the tops, low cloud blocking out all views. At times the visibility improved providing some views across Low Water & Goats Water tarns & later the weather cleared up providing lovely views from the Dow Crag ridge. The last stage of the walk was very warm with direct sun. - After the walk we visited the Ruskin Museum in Coniston (£10 entry fee) to see the fully restored Bluebird.
Christine Shepherd scaled on July 31st, 2007 [from/via/route] Coniston using walk c420 Did the Coniston Seven again on 4.8.23 in wonderful walking weather. [with] On my own [weather] A gloriously sunny day - This was part of a wonderful walk. Once on the Coniston Fells I didn't want to come down. I did this walk again on 1.10.11.
James Hughes walked up on March 27th, 2023 [from/via/route] Walna Scar Road, Brown Pike, Dow Crag, Old Man Coniston, Brim Fell, Swirl How, Great Carrs, Grey Friar [with] Solo [weather] Clear, sun beginning to have some warmth, but cold on tops. Very boggy descent. - Awesome, if not brutal climb. Completed within 5 hoursish. Pint of Keswick Gold Bitter at Newfield Inn.
Paul Roddam climbed it on February 5th, 2023 [from/via/route] from Walna Scar Car Park [with] Bri, Barber, Tom and Bowers [weather] Amazing sunny winters day
John Tippins bagged it on October 23rd, 2022 [from/via/route] From Seathwaite (c179) [with] Alone [weather] Very low cloud, continual rain & strong winds almost all day.
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Dow Crag
Sun setting in the Duddon Valley and the Seathwaite Fells (Dow Crag, Brown Pike & Walna Scar) from the path up Harter Fell (Eskdale)
Top o' Selside summit cairn with the Coniston Fells: White Maiden, Walna Scar, Dow Crag, The Old Man of Coniston, Brim Fell, Swirl How and Wetherlam as a backdrop
Walna Scar, Dow Crag and The Old Man of Coniston from the summit of Yew Bank
Walna Scar, Dow Crag and The Old Man of Coniston from Beacon (Blawith Fells)
Low Light Haw (Top o' Selside) summit cairn with the Coniston Fells: White Maiden, Walna Scar, Dow Crag, The Old Man of Coniston, Brim Fell, Swirl How and Wetherlam in the background
Dow Crag, Buck Pike, Brown Pike and The Old Man of Coniston from White Maiden the high point on Walna Scar
Duddon Valley and the Seathwaite Fells (Dow Crag & Brown Pike) from the path up Harter Fell (Eskdale)
Coniston Water from the summit of Brock Barrow (Top o' Selside) with Beacon (Blawith Fells) prominent (centre) and the Coniston Fells: White Maiden, Walna Scar, Dow Crag, The Old Man of Coniston, Brim Fell, Swirl How and Wetherlam in the background (right)
White Maiden, Walna Scar, Dow Crag and The Old Man of Coniston across Coniston Water from Crab Haws Woods
White Maiden summit cairn with Grey Friar (left), Dow Crag, Brown Pike and The Old Man of Coniston (right) in the background
. . . see all 28 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on or of Dow Crag
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