Cow Bridge via Dovedale up Dove Crag: route map, distance and time
792 m · Cumbria
Dove Crag is a grassy top on the eastern arm of the Fairfield Horseshoe, with a steep crag facing Dovedale and a bivvy cave below its edge.
Walk up Dovedale beneath the crag and climb on steep ground to the ridge north of the summit.
Cow Bridge via Dovedale at a glance
| Distance | 5.4 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 730 m |
| Time up | 2h 20m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 3h 25m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Cow Bridge car park, near Brothers Water |
| Start grid reference | NY 402 133 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 374 104 |
Cow Bridge via Dovedale map
The start (green) and the summit (blue). Peakify has no GPX track for this route yet, so follow the description and your map.
Height profile and getting to the start
Near the start
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
How long Cow Bridge via Dovedale takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 50m | 2h 45m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 20m | 3h 25m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 50m | 4h 10m |
Times leave out stops. Coming down the same way, the table counts the ascent once; steep descents on rough ground can be as slow as the climb.
- Today: sunrise 07:46, sunset 18:07. Start by 13:42 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 25m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:05. Start by 13:40 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 25m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Dove Crag summit weather for this route
-
Good Today Sunday 18 October
Partly cloudy, up to 6°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -3°C, summit wind 17 mph gusting 21 mph, 0% chance of rain. Rated Good. Sunrise 07:46, sunset 18:07.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Monday 19 October
Slight rain, up to 8°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 32 mph gusting 40 mph, 67% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:05.
Best day of the next seven for Cow Bridge via Dovedale: Sunday 18 October, with summit gusts around 21 mph and a 0% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Dove Crag forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Dove Crag?
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
What to take today
- An insulated jacket, hat and warm gloves: it feels like -3°C on top.
- A waterproof jacket. It can rain on the tops in any forecast.
- Microspikes for icy paths. In snow, an ice axe and crampons and the skills to use them.
- Map and compass, and the skills to use them. A phone is a backup, not a plan.
- A head torch, food, water, a charged phone and a small first aid kit.
About Dove Crag
Dove Crag is a grassy top on the eastern arm of the Fairfield Horseshoe, with a steep crag facing Dovedale and a bivvy cave below its edge. More about Dove Crag, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Hart Crag (823 m), 1 km north-west
- Little Hart Crag (637 m), 1.3 km east
- High Pike (657 m), 1.6 km south
- Hartsop Above How (586 m), 1.8 km north-east
- Great Rigg (766 m), 1.9 km west
- High Hartsop Dodd (519 m), 1.9 km east
Challenges that include Dove Crag
- Lake District 24 Peaks Challenge · 24
- Fairfield Horseshoe · 9
- Hewitts · 523
- Nuttalls · 442
- Wainwrights · 214
More walks from Cow Bridge car park, near Brothers Water
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass up Fairfield
- Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass up Hart Crag
- Cow Bridge via Hartsop Hall up High Hartsop Dodd
- Brothers Water via High Hartsop Dodd up Little Hart Crag
- Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass up Little Hart Crag
- Brothers Water by the north ridge up Middle Dodd
- Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass up Middle Dodd
- Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass up Red Screes
Other routes up Dove Crag
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambleside via Low Pike and High Pike | 6.5 km one way | 738 m | 2h 30m | Moderate |
| Cow Bridge via Caiston Glen and Scandale Pass | 6.5 km one way | 660 m | 2h 25m | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 402 133, the summit at NY 374 104), what happened and how many are in your group. If you have no signal for a call, a text to 999 works once you have registered your phone with emergencySMS: text "register" to 999 before you go.
Cow Bridge via Dovedale: questions and answers
How far is Cow Bridge via Dovedale?
Cow Bridge via Dovedale is 5.4 km one way to the summit of Dove Crag, with 730 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 10.8 km.
How long does Cow Bridge via Dovedale take?
About 2h 20m to the summit of Dove Crag and 3h 25m there and back by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops. A relaxed group takes nearer 4h 10m for the round trip.
Where do you park for Cow Bridge via Dovedale?
Cow Bridge via Dovedale starts from Cow Bridge car park, near Brothers Water. The grid reference is NY 402 133.
Is Cow Bridge via Dovedale suitable for beginners?
Yes, for fit walkers on a clear day. Peakify grades it Moderate: a long climb on a made path, but the top is high, exposed and colder than the start. Turn back if the cloud comes down and you can't navigate.
What time should I start Cow Bridge via Dovedale today?
By 13:42 at the latest. Sunset on Dove Crag today is 18:07, Cow Bridge via Dovedale takes about 3h 25m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Cow Bridge via Dovedale?
Not yet. The Peakify iPhone app can plan the route and export a GPX (Peakify Pro).