Scalebarrow Knott

Guarding the entrance to the quiet valley of Swindale, this modest grassy mound serves as the introductory climb for the Naddle Horseshoe. Despite its low elevation, it offers a grandstand view of the rugged Gouther Crag and the lonely, undulating moorland characteristic of the Far Eastern fells near Shap.

• •The name derives from the Old Norse 'skali', meaning a temporary hut or shieling, and 'berg', meaning a hill; 'Knott' is a common Cumbrian term for a rocky or craggy outcrop.
• •In his book 'The Outlying Fells of Lakeland', Alfred Wainwright uses this summit as the starting point for a clockwise circuit of the Naddle Beck valley, a walk he championed for those seeking solitude away from the busier central fells.
• •The summit provides a particularly clear view of the massive cliffs of Gouther Crag across the valley, a site renowned among rock climbers for its high-quality mountain routes.
• •Walkers should be careful not to confuse the nearby Naddle Beck with the better-known stream of the same name that flows north toward the River Greta near Keswick.
• •The hill is one of the few places in the Lake District where you can enjoy a sense of true isolation while still being able to hear the distant hum of the M6 motorway on a still day.