King's How - Grange Fell

About King's How - Grange Fell

Overlooking the 'Jaws of Borrowdale,' this rugged Birkett offers an exceptional perspective of the valley’s wooded depths. Though modest in height, its rocky, oak-clad slopes provide a classic Lake District scramble, culminating in a summit that feels far grander than its elevation suggests, particularly when viewing the Derwentwater islands and Skiddaw.

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Did You Know?

• •The name 'How' derives from the Old Norse haugr, meaning a hill or mound. The 'King’s' prefix was added when the summit was purchased by the National Trust in 1910 as a memorial to King Edward VII, making it one of the trust's earliest acquisitions in the Lake District.
• •The summit offers a celebrated view looking directly down the length of Derwentwater toward the Skiddaw massif, while providing a unique vantage point over the narrow valley floor and the pyramid-like profile of Castle Crag.
• •Both Tim Birkett and Walter Synge categorise King's How as a significant summit in its own right, distinct from the higher ground of Grange Fell to the east, due to its sharp, rocky profile and steep western drop-offs.
• •The ascent from the valley passes through the Troutdale Woods, a rare and protected fragment of ancient Atlantic oak woodland that thrives in the damp, high-rainfall environment of central Borrowdale.
• •Despite its modest height, the intricate maze of crags and dense bracken on the approach ensures that any walker treating it as a 'quick stroll' will likely spend more time relocating the path than they did climbing the hill.