Ill Crag

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Ill Crag
Cumberland
Ill Crag from Cockly Pike - geograph.org.uk - 917483.jpg
Ill Crag from Cockly Pike
Range: Lake District Southern Fells
Summit: 3,068 feet NY223073
54°27’18"N, 3°11’60"W

Ill Crag is a fell in Cumberland. By some counts it is the fourth-highest peak in England, though the great Alfred Wainwright deemed it no more than a subsidiary summit of Scafell Pike, albeit a fine one. It reaches a height of 3,068 feet.

Ill Crag overlooks Eskdale and has splendid views across to Bowfell and Crinkle Crags. It forms part of the Scafell chain, and lies about less than a mile east of Scafell Pike. Broad Crag lies immediately to the west, between Ill Crag and the Pike.

Ascent

Ill Crag may be climbed on the climb up to Scafell Pike, by way of a path from Esk Hause, but it is commonly passed by without going to the actual summit, which is rocky, making progress slow. Ill Crag's summit is a few hundred yards to the south of the path from Esk Hause to Scafell Pike.

Scafell and Ill Crag

Scafell Pike (L) and Ill Crag (R) from Eskdale

Ill Crag is one of very few fells in the Lake District not to be given a separate chapter in Alfred Wainwright's celebrated guide books, though Wainwright does give it a page in the Scafell Pike chapter. It therefore does not qualify for the accolade of being a "Wainwright", though its height, exceeding 3,000 feet, qualifies it as a Furth Munro.