Green Crag
Encyclopedia
Green Crag is a fell
in the English
Lake District
. It stands between Eskdale
and the Duddon valley in the Southern Fells
.
. This line of high ground continues over many twists and turns for 15 miles, finally meeting the sea on the slopes of Black Combe
. From Crinkle Crags the first fells on this ridge are Hard Knott
, Harter Fell
and Green Crag. Alfred Wainwright
considered the remainder of the range unworthy of inclusion in his influential Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
, stating that "south and west from Green Crag the scenery quickly deteriorates. This summit has therefore been taken as the boundary of fellwalking country." Later guidebook writers have disagreed, adding Great Worm Crag, Yoadcastle, Whitfell
, Buck Barrow, Black Combe and the low hills around Devoke Water
to their hill lists. Wainwright himself later relented and included these lesser hills in a supplementary volume, The Outlying Fells of Lakeland.
Green Crag is the highest of a series of rocky tops which stand out from the Birker Fell
moorland. Running from north to south these outcrops present a fine serated skyline when viewed from Eskdale. Birker Fell itself is roughly square and about two miles across, with Eskdale to the north and the River Duddon
to the south.
Above the wooded valley of Eskdale there is a skirt of crags before the open moor is reached. Over this edge tumble the waterfalls of Stanley Force and Birker Force, the former easily reached by made paths from the road. The farmers of Eskdale once extracted peat
from the plateau and the remains of graded paths and peat huts can still be found on the fellside. On this flank the remains of Gate Gill iron
mine can also be found. Haematite was won from a number of levels here in the 1880s. The Duddon flanks have shallower gradients, divided by dry stone walls into long strips of pasture land. This rough grazing supports a series of farms along the valley between Ulpha
and Seathwaite.
To the east of Green Crag is a marshy depression before the ground rises again to Harter Fell. The western boundary is formed by the Birker Fell
Road, an unenclosed route from Ulpha to Eskdale Green with fine views of the Scafells
. Summiting at 885 ft with hairpin climbs at either end, the road is frequently closed in winter by snow and ice. Beyond the road the moorland climbs via Seat How to the summit of Yoadcastle. From here it turns south, forming a more definite ridge on the long march to Black Combe.
The high point of the fell lies on a line of tors which break through the peat and fellgrass toward the east of the plateau. Travelling south from the Eskdale rim the tops are Kepple Crag, Great Whinscale, Crook Crag (1,538 ft), Green Crag and White How. The crest then turns west toward the Fell Road, passing over Great Worm Crag (1,400 ft), considered by some to be a separate fell. To the west of the summit ridge is Low Birker Pool, a tarn
which feeds Birker Force. This shallow waterbody is contained by a low moraine
and overlooked by Tarn Crag.
-phyric
andesite
lava
s of the Birker Fell Formation of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group.
on the summit gives a fine prospect of the southern fells, together with a sight of the sea due south.
Fell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
. It stands between Eskdale
Eskdale, Cumbria
Eskdale is a glacial valley and civil parish in the western Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. It forms part of the Borough of Copeland, and has a population of 264....
and the Duddon valley in the Southern Fells
Southern Fells
Image:Annotated Scafell range.jpg|thumb|300px|The Scafellsrect 23 372 252 419 Slight Side rect 173 794 560 834 Scafell East Buttressrect 707 787 893 861 Esk Pike or Crag rect 245 303 409 358 Sca Fell rect 408 238 637 280 Mickledore Image:Annotated Scafell range.jpg|thumb|300px|The Scafellsrect 23...
.
Topography
The headwaters of Eskdale and the Duddon are separated by a ridge falling south west from the summit of Crinkle CragsCrinkle Crags
Crinkle Crags is a fell in the English Lake District in the county of Cumbria. It forms part of two major rings of mountains, surrounding the valleys of Great Langdale and Upper Eskdale. The name reflects the fell's physical appearance as its summit ridge is a series of five rises and depressions ...
. This line of high ground continues over many twists and turns for 15 miles, finally meeting the sea on the slopes of Black Combe
Black Combe
Black Combe is a fell in the south-west corner of the Lake District National Park, just four miles from the Irish Sea. It lies near the west coast of Cumbria in the borough of Copeland and more specifically, an area known as South Copeland...
. From Crinkle Crags the first fells on this ridge are Hard Knott
Hard Knott
Hard Knott is a hill in the English Lake District, at the head of Eskdale.-Topography:The headwaters of the River Esk and the Duddon are separated by a ridge falling south west from the summit of Crinkle Crags. This line of high ground continues over many twists and turns for , finally meeting the...
, Harter Fell
Harter Fell (Eskdale)
Harter Fell is a mountain in the western part of the English Lake District located between the Eskdale and Duddon valleys. Its height is 649 m . There are several walking routes to the summit.-Topography:...
and Green Crag. Alfred Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright MBE was a British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator. His seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, published between 1955 and 1966 and consisting entirely of reproductions of his manuscript, has become the standard reference work to 214 of the fells of the...
considered the remainder of the range unworthy of inclusion in his influential Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells
A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells is a series of seven books by A. Wainwright, detailing the fells of the Lake District in northwest England...
, stating that "south and west from Green Crag the scenery quickly deteriorates. This summit has therefore been taken as the boundary of fellwalking country." Later guidebook writers have disagreed, adding Great Worm Crag, Yoadcastle, Whitfell
Whitfell
Whitfell is a hill in the southwestern part of the Lake District. It is the highest point between Black Combe and Harter Fell on the broad ridge to the west of the Duddon Valley...
, Buck Barrow, Black Combe and the low hills around Devoke Water
Devoke Water
Devoke Water is a small lake in the mid-west region of the English Lake District, in the county of Cumbria. It is the largest tarn in the Lake District....
to their hill lists. Wainwright himself later relented and included these lesser hills in a supplementary volume, The Outlying Fells of Lakeland.
Green Crag is the highest of a series of rocky tops which stand out from the Birker Fell
Birker Fell
Birker Fell, also known as Birker Moor, is an upland wilderness area in the western portion of the Lake District National Park, in Cumbria, England. Rather than being formed of one single high peak, the fell is a broad, undulating area, approximately 6 km square, with numerous crags and...
moorland. Running from north to south these outcrops present a fine serated skyline when viewed from Eskdale. Birker Fell itself is roughly square and about two miles across, with Eskdale to the north and the River Duddon
River Duddon
The Duddon is a river of north-west England. It rises at a point above sea level near the Three Shire Stone at the highest point of Wrynose Pass . The river descends to the sea over a course of about before entering the Irish Sea at the Duddon Sands. For its entire length the Duddon forms the...
to the south.
Above the wooded valley of Eskdale there is a skirt of crags before the open moor is reached. Over this edge tumble the waterfalls of Stanley Force and Birker Force, the former easily reached by made paths from the road. The farmers of Eskdale once extracted peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
from the plateau and the remains of graded paths and peat huts can still be found on the fellside. On this flank the remains of Gate Gill iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
mine can also be found. Haematite was won from a number of levels here in the 1880s. The Duddon flanks have shallower gradients, divided by dry stone walls into long strips of pasture land. This rough grazing supports a series of farms along the valley between Ulpha
Ulpha
Ulpha is a small village and civil parish in the Duddon Valley in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. It forms part of the Borough of Copeland. At Ulpha a road leaves the Duddon Valley to cross Birker Fell to the valley of Eskdale...
and Seathwaite.
To the east of Green Crag is a marshy depression before the ground rises again to Harter Fell. The western boundary is formed by the Birker Fell
Birker Fell
Birker Fell, also known as Birker Moor, is an upland wilderness area in the western portion of the Lake District National Park, in Cumbria, England. Rather than being formed of one single high peak, the fell is a broad, undulating area, approximately 6 km square, with numerous crags and...
Road, an unenclosed route from Ulpha to Eskdale Green with fine views of the Scafells
Scafells
Image:Annotated Scafell range.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Scafell range as seen looking west from Crinkle Crags. rect 23 372 252 419 Slight Side rect 173 794 560 834 Scafell East Buttress...
. Summiting at 885 ft with hairpin climbs at either end, the road is frequently closed in winter by snow and ice. Beyond the road the moorland climbs via Seat How to the summit of Yoadcastle. From here it turns south, forming a more definite ridge on the long march to Black Combe.
The high point of the fell lies on a line of tors which break through the peat and fellgrass toward the east of the plateau. Travelling south from the Eskdale rim the tops are Kepple Crag, Great Whinscale, Crook Crag (1,538 ft), Green Crag and White How. The crest then turns west toward the Fell Road, passing over Great Worm Crag (1,400 ft), considered by some to be a separate fell. To the west of the summit ridge is Low Birker Pool, a tarn
Tarn (lake)
A tarn is a mountain lake or pool, formed in a cirque excavated by a glacier. A moraine may form a natural dam below a tarn. A corrie may be called a cirque.The word is derived from the Old Norse word tjörn meaning pond...
which feeds Birker Force. This shallow waterbody is contained by a low moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
and overlooked by Tarn Crag.
Geology
The summit knoll is formed by plagioclasePlagioclase
Plagioclase is an important series of tectosilicate minerals within the feldspar family. Rather than referring to a particular mineral with a specific chemical composition, plagioclase is a solid solution series, more properly known as the plagioclase feldspar series...
-phyric
Phenocryst
thumb|right|300px|[[Granite]]s often have large [[feldspar|feldspatic]] phenocrysts. This granite, from the [[Switzerland|Swiss]] side of the [[Mont Blanc]] massif, has large white [[plagioclase]] phenocrysts, [[triclinic]] [[mineral]]s that give [[trapezium|trapezoid]] shapes when cut through)...
andesite
Andesite
Andesite is an extrusive igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between basalt and dacite. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite,...
lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
s of the Birker Fell Formation of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group.
Summit and view
The summit of Green Crag is composed of naked rock and the ordinary walker will only find access from the north or west, mild scrambling being required. The view from the small cairnCairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
on the summit gives a fine prospect of the southern fells, together with a sight of the sea due south.