Knock Fell

About Knock Fell

Rising steeply above the Eden Valley, this substantial Hewitt is a characterful highlight of the North Pennines' western escarpment. It offers a rugged, often peat-hagged landscape typical of the high fells, providing a wilder, quieter experience than its radar-topped neighbour, Great Dun Fell, located just a short distance to the north.

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Did You Know?

• •The name 'Knock' is derived from the Old Irish or Gaelic word cnoc, meaning a round hill. This Celtic influence is a notable linguistic relic in a landscape otherwise dominated by Old Norse and Old English place names, suggesting an ancient presence in the Vale of Eden.
• •Situated on the edge of the great western escarpment, the summit provides an exceptional vantage point across the Eden Valley to the Lake District. On a clear day, the distinctive profiles of Blencathra and the Helvellyn range are clearly visible to the west.
• •The Pennine Way national trail passes directly over the fell's western shoulder. Most long-distance walkers traverse the summit as part of the high-level 'glory leg' that connects the village of Dufton with Cross Fell, the highest point in the Pennines.
• •The hill is capped by hard-wearing Carboniferous limestone and sandstone. This geology creates the distinctive 'terraced' appearance common to the western fells of the range, where harder rock layers form steep, stepped cliffs known locally as 'scars.'
• •Despite its respectable height and expansive views, Knock Fell is often treated as a mere waypoint; it appears that even a 794-metre mountain struggles to compete for attention when standing next to a giant white radar dome.