Sharp Knott

About Sharp Knott

This modest Birkett sits on the western edge of the Lake District, forming a rugged shoulder of Gavel Fell. Overlooking the Ennerdale valley, its grassy slopes offer a quiet, untracked feel. It provides a sharp, earned perspective of the High Stile ridge and the expansive forestry surrounding Ennerdale Water.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is a straightforward topographical description; 'Knott' is a common Cumbrian term derived from the Old Norse 'knutr', meaning a rocky hill or mound, while 'Sharp' refers to its distinct profile when viewed from the Ennerdale valley floor.
• •While Alfred Wainwright omitted it from his main guides, the hill is recognised as a summit by both Bill Birkett and Tim Synge, usually visited as part of a wider circuit of the Loweswater Fells starting from Ennerdale Bridge.
• •The summit provides one of the best angles for viewing the massive northern crags of Pillar across the Ennerdale valley, a sight often obscured when standing on the higher, more central fells.
• •Navigating to the top from the direction of Hen Comb requires a keen eye for the best line through Floutern Moss, a notorious stretch of Lakeland bog that stays wet in almost all weather.
• •It is the perfect summit for those who find the neighbouring Gavel Fell a little too crowded, which, given the remote nature of the Western Fells, usually means seeing more than two people at once.