 The fell is often climbed as part of the Fairfield horseshoe walk but a direct ascent from Patterdale is required to show the fell's full potential, displaying the impressive crags just to the north east of the summit.The highest point was originally unnamed on maps, being just a minor top, but over the years the summit has adopted the name of Dove Crag by mutual accord..

One of Dove Crag's claims to fame is that it was the first chapter ever written by Alfred Wainwright for his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells.He wrote the Dove Crag chapter on 9 November 1952 as he started Book One, after ascending the fell from Ambleside in the previous weeks, making notes and taking photographs.