St Sunday Crag
The snow-capped mountain of St Sunday Crag in the Lake District, heading up Griesdale.
Location: NY 369 134
Getting there: Choose an approach from Ambleside/Grasmere, or from Patterdale (parking available in all three)
Height (spot height near cairn on summit): 841m
Prominence: 166m
Map: OS Explorer OL5 Lake District North Eastern Area
Towering above Patterdale, yet dwarfed by the peaks around it, the curiously-named St Sunday Crag provides an arduous, though never-overly challenging mountain walk with jaw-dropping views on a clear day.
Looking across towards St Sunday Crag from Striding Edge
The unusual name of this Wainwright fell is something of a mystery. We do know that ‘St Sunday’ is the colloquial name for ‘St Dominic’, a Spanish priest from the 13th century, who was famous for founding the Dominican Order, a strict Catholic order, and the patron saint of astronomers. It is unknown why the fell is dedicated to him - the Dominican Order became established in southern England in the middle ages, but there is no indication of significant influence on St Sunday Crag, or in the wider Lake District.
The grassy and rocky summit of St Sunday Crag
Indeed, St Sunday Crag is fairly devoid of human history - although several abandoned mines dot nearby fells, St Sunday Crag seems to have been solely dedicated to sheep farming. Not that you’ll find many sheep on its summit - the rocky terrain of the surprisingly wide plateau comes across as quite inhospitable. The highest point is not easy to find - with no trig point on the summit, several piles of stones and cairns sit atop the plateau.
Looking towards the summit of St Sunday Crag on the right, from Griesdale Tarn
A spectacular freshwater body, Griesdale Tarn, lies nestled between St Sunday Crag and its neighbour, Fairfield. From here, views extend into Griesdale, and across to Striding Edge, which lines the other side of the valley. Ullswater is easily visible beyond the valley.
Most will tackle St Sunday Crag from Patterale, taking in Birks along the way, and returning via Griesdale. If your legs are up to it, Fairfield and Nethermost Pike and Hellvelyn are all available to slot into your walking plans - the latter can be combined with a saunter along Striding Edge for an epic adventure.
But for something different, you can also approach from Grasmere to the west, or even add a leg into the Fairfield Horseshoe.
A dramatic, snowy St Sunday Crag
