Friar's Crag

Friar's Crag from Strandshag Bay as the low cloud begins to lift

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Friar's Crag is a small promontory on Derwentwater, approximately 0.7 miles (1.2km) from the centre of Keswick. It is a popular spot for the casual walker and those that wish to walk around the perimeter of the lake or climb any of the surrounding fells. The views across Derwentwater are breathtaking in any season and Friar's Crag makes the perfect location for photography, amateur or professional alike.

Friars' Crag is owned by the National Trust, acquired on 13 March, 1922. In 1922, Friar's Crag and Calfclose Bay were bought by subscription as a memorial to Canon H. D. Rawnsley. The Ruskin Memorial on Friar's Crag was given in 1900.

Etymology

The word friar comes from Middle English and Old French from frere, meaning "brother" (of a religious order) and crag, from Middle English crag or cragge meaning a rocky outcrop. Other spellings include: Fryer Cragg (1771) and Friar Crag (1784). The current spelling of Friar's Crag can be dated from 1839.

In local folklore this little promontory has associations with the quaint village of Grange at the south end of the lake, which in history was an outlying farm or store owned by the wealthy Cistercian monks of Furness Abbey. One of the islands situated in the centre of the lake is St. Herbert's Island and was once the home of Anglo-Saxon priest and hermit Herbert of Derwentwater. His tenure there was in the late 7th century, so the history and connection between St. Herbert, the Cistercians and Friar's Crag go back to that period.

Getting there

The route to Friar's Crag from Keswick is very easy going and mostly level all the way, taking in both paved roads and gravel paths that run parallel with the lake. The route is also accessible for wheelchairs. Dogs are welcome but are requested to be kept on a lead. The easiest way to get there would be to park at Lakeside Car Park, follow Lake Road south past the Theatre on the Lake and the jetties until the road turns into a gravel path. Continuing on this path for a quarter of a mile will bring you out at Friar's Crag and the wide open views of Derwentwater and the surrounding fells. There is a bench set back from an opening in the trees.

Friar's Crag from a similar position to the postcard image below

Old photographic postcard of Friar's Crag

View from Friar's Crag looking towards Cat Bells and the Borrowdale Valley

Sources

• Whaley, Diana (2006). A Dictionary of Lake District Place-Names. English Place-Name Society. School of English Studies, University of Nottingham.

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