It stands at the head of Scandale, six kilometres (3+3⁄4 miles) north of Ambleside, at a height of 637 metres (2,090 ft).

On its west side it is connected to Dove Crag by the boggy hollow of Bakestone Moss and to the north east a ridge falls away towards Patterdale going over High Hartsop Dodd before dropping steeply to the valley.

The summit is an outcrop of Middle Dodd Dacite, the underlying rock being volcaniclastic sandstone.

The western top is the higher and is marked by a cairn, while the eastern one is more shapely but a few metres lower and has quartzite set into its rocks.

The most direct route from Patterdale starts at Brothers Water and firstly ascends High Hartsop Dodd before continuing to the summit of Little Hart Crag.