Brunt Knott

Rising quietly above the village of Staveley, this modest fell marks the start of the Longsleddale and Kentmere divide. It is a rocky, often boggy outlier defined by its small craggy outcrops and a lonely trig pillar, offering a peaceful alternative to the busier high fells further north.

• •The name likely derives from the Middle English 'brunt', meaning steep or sharp, paired with the Old Norse 'knott', which describes a rocky hill or mound.
• •Alfred Wainwright included this hill in his 'The Outlying Fells of Lakeland', noting that it provides a surprisingly grand vantage point for its height, particularly for viewing the steep-sided profiles of Ill Bell and Froswick across the Kentmere valley.
• •The summit is marked by an Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar situated right beside a drystone wall, looking directly down into the deep, narrow trench of Longsleddale to the east.
• •The hill is frequently climbed as part of a circular walk from Staveley that includes Potter Fell, passing the secluded upland waters of Ghyll Pool and Lily Mere.
• •Despite its modest elevation, the summit plateau is remarkably adept at maintaining deep, black peat hags that can catch out anyone distracted by the views of the distant Coniston Fells.