Crinkle Crags - Gunson Knott [Fifth Crinkle]

About Crinkle Crags - Gunson Knott [Fifth Crinkle]

Standing as the northernmost peak of this rugged five-summit ridge, this Birkett offers a raw, rocky plateau overlooking the deep hollow of Upper Eskdale. Often passed quickly by those heading for Bowfell, it marks the dramatic conclusion of the traverse from Three Tarns, providing a final, rugged scramble before the terrain levels out.

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Did You Know?

• •The name 'Gunson' likely refers to a local family or individual from the surrounding dales, while 'Knott' is a traditional Cumbrian term for a rocky hill or outcrop. The broader 'Crinkle Crags' name derives from the Old English cringol, meaning twisted or wrinkled.
• •Known as the Fifth Crinkle, this is the final summit for those traversing the ridge from south to north. It sits directly above Three Tarns, the shallow pools that occupy the col between this fell and its giant neighbor, Bowfell.
• •From the summit cairn, the view north is dominated by the massive eastern flank of Bowfell and the Great Slab, while looking west provides a clear sightline down into the wild, roadless upper reaches of Eskdale.
• •While Alfred Wainwright grouped the entire ridge into one chapter in his Pictorial Guides, Bill Birkett and Tim Synge both recognize Gunson Knott as an independent summit in its own right due to its distinct position at the northern end of the range.
• •Most walkers arrive here having lost count of the specific summits behind them, only to find that the 'crinkles' are much easier to distinguish from the valley floor than they are when you are actually standing on them.