Rannerdale Knotts

About Rannerdale Knotts

Rising steeply above the shores of Crummock Water, this diminutive Wainwright punches well above its weight. Its rugged, spine-like ridge offers a spectacular perspective on the High Stile range and the secret valley of Rannerdale. It is a characterful fell that proves height is no barrier to a dramatic mountain experience.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is rooted in Old Norse, with 'Rannerdale' likely deriving from rann (house) and dalr (valley), suggesting an ancient settlement once occupied the glen. The 'Knotts' refers to the hard, rocky outcrops that form the fell’s distinctive profile.
• •Alfred Wainwright was a notable admirer of this peak, describing it as 'a very small hill... but a very grand one.' He argued that its central position in the valley offered a sense of scale and drama that many higher, more isolated summits lacked.
• •Local legend identifies the hidden valley below the summit as the site of a 12th-century battle where native Cumbrians and Norsemen ambushed Norman invaders. While historical proof is scarce, the story is often used to explain the exceptional density of bluebells here, mythologically said to be the blood of the fallen Normans.
• •The summit provides an unparalleled 'birch-eye' view of the two great lakes of the valley. To the west, the dark, scree-flanked massif of Mellbreak rises directly from Crummock Water, while to the south, the jagged High Stile ridge towers over the quiet waters of Buttermere.
• •The fell is a popular extension for those descending from the higher North Western peaks like Whiteless Pike and Grasmoor, acting as a scenic final flourish before the descent into Buttermere village.
• •It is a hill of such modest proportions that a determined walker can be up, down, and halfway through a pint in Buttermere before their boots have even begun to feel damp.