Shipman Knotts

About Shipman Knotts

Marking the southern start of the Kentmere Horseshoe, this rocky Wainwright serves as the gatekeeper to the high ridge leading toward Kentmere Pike. Its summit consists of rugged, heathery outcrops that offer a sharper character than the northern fells, providing an earned perspective over the deep trench of Longsleddale.

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Did You Know?

• •The 'Knotts' suffix derives from the Old Norse knutr, meaning a rocky hill or mound. This perfectly describes the fell’s summit, which is a collection of distinct craggy 'knots' rather than a singular high point.
• •Alfred Wainwright praised the fell's southern approach as a 'staircase' of rocky steps, suggesting that despite its modest height, it possesses a rugged dignity often missing from the smoother, grassier fells nearby.
• •The fell is most commonly climbed as the first peak on the classic Kentmere Horseshoe when starting from the south, acting as the introductory climb before the ridge levels out toward Kentmere Pike and Harter Fell.
• •The summit offers an exceptional view of the Coniston Fells to the west and the massive bulk of Harter Fell to the north, but it is best known for the vista looking south-east into the quiet, steep-sided valley of Longsleddale.
• •A well-built dry stone wall crosses the summit area; for many walkers in a Lake District 'clag,' this wall is a significantly more reliable navigational tool than the official summit cairn.