About Grey Knotts

Grey Knotts is a fell in the English Lake District and is situated one kilometre south of the B5289 road as it crosses the Honister Pass. It is well seen from mid Borrowdale as it rises above Seatoller.

The fell reaches a height of 697 metres (2287 feet) and is part of a ridge which ascends from the woodland behind Seatoller and continues south-west and then south for four kilometres to Great Gable. The fell's name really only applies to the summit rocks but has been adopted for the entire fell with the high ground in this area locally known as Seatoller Fell on Ordnance Survey maps.

Grey Knotts is a “Wainwright” fell and also qualifies as a Nuttall but this must be a borderline case as it barely has the required 15 metres of prominence to the adjoining higher fell of Brandreth.

All the highlights of Grey Knotts are situated on the eastern (Borrowdale) side of the fell where Raven Crag is known as Gillercombe Buttress to rock climbers. It is a popular area for bouldering using the large amount of large boulders that have become detached from the main crag. There are also several conventional climbing routes up the main crag.

Gillercomb is a fine example of a hanging valley from which issues the stream of Sour Milk Gill which descends into Borrowdale in a series of picturesque cascades.

The top of the fell is dotted with grey pinnacles of rock and two of these give the fell twin tops of equal height and the eastern top has an Ordnance Survey trig point.

There are also several small tarns on the summit as well as some fence posts which can be an aid to navigation.

The view from the summit is very good with the Buttermere valley well seen to the north west and the Scafell massif standing out to the south.

Grey Knotts can be ascended from Seathwaite or Seatoller in Borrowdale or from the top of the Honister Pass.

The route from Seathwaite goes up Newhouse Gill thus allowing the walker to inspect the old graphite mines while the path from Seatoller has to use the B5289 road for a kilometre before going onto the fell. Then following a wall for some distance then climbing the northern end of Raven Crag to reach the summit.

Grey Knotts is often climbed from the top of the Honister Pass which gives the advantage of starting at a height of 356 metres (1167 feet).

Walkers often use Grey Knotts as a stepping stone for the ascent of Great Gable from Honister Pass also passing over the adjoining fells of Brandreth and Green Gable on the way.