Summits: Caw itself stands at 1735 feet above sea level. There are also two subsidiary summits named in the chapter, Pikes at 1539’ and Green Pikes at 1350’.
Volume: Book Eight: The Outlying Fells.
Date bagged: First visit: 16th July 2015 (walk 99). Second visit: 12th June 2022 (walk 199).
Bagged as number: First round: The three summits, in the order given above, became numbers 312-314 of the 330 Wainwrights. [ << Carron Crag (311) (315) Cold Fell >>]
Second round: 293-295 of the 330 (in the same order as before). [ << Rest Dodd (292) (296) Eel Crag >> ]
Route of ascent and descent: First visit: Came up from the east, starting the climb proper at the footbridge over the River Lickle at SD240940. To get to that point involved a walk of several miles from Coniston, though this could be shortened by starting at Torver. After having then bagged the two subsidiaries I left Caw to the north-east and then went up Walna Scar.
Second visit: Undertook the walk described in the book from Seathwaite (this is the Seathwaite in the Duddon Valley, not the more famous one in Borrowdale), though added a couple of additional Birketts on the way up.
What Mr Wainwright says (from page 121 of volume 8): “Caw means calf, but there is nothing docile and gentle in its temperament. In fact, the upper slopes are concave (the Ordnance column can be seen from the valley below) and aggressively steep, being defended by innumerable outcrops of rock, especially to the west, there forming crags. Caw is an abrupt pyramid on the long undulating ridge bounding the lower Duddon valley on the east with sundry rocky eminences in support…. it is the view to the Scafells, at any time of year, that will win most hearts… The picture is a classic.”
What I say: Caw is a good climb, and definitely a good summit with an excellent view in all directions, not just to the Scafells. The top is a fine little crag, as are those of its two subsidiary pikes as well. Worth a visit, and the time it will take to get there, which is lengthy enough even with a car: without one, the journey will be even more considerable.
Caw has the shortest name of any of the 330 Wainwrights — there are several with four-letter names, but Caw is the only one that gets it down to three letters. Not to be confused with Caw Fell, which is a few miles away, in Ennerdale.
The 214 Wainwright fells: without a car 
[…] a week ago, walk 98, I headed for Coniston again and this time took in the three new summits of Caw as well as a revisit to Walna Scar. All good walking with fine […]
[…] of Wainwright’s volume 8, were intended to be only the first part of a walk that also took in Caw; but they turned out to be my only two summits of the day. The energy just ran out. Still, they […]
[…] 199: Caw (1,735 feet above sea level, number 293 of my second round), Pikes (1,539′, no. 294) and […]