Grey Knotts: 697m Height, Walks and Western Fell Views

Grey Knotts rises above Honister Pass, a rocky fell whose modest height belies its place among some of Lakeland’s best-known summits. At 697m, it is often combined with Brandreth or included in longer days towards the Gables. Its appeal lies in the contrast between the busy pass below and the rough, open fell above, where scattered crags give the summit its character.

A rocky summit above Honister

Grey Knotts stands south of Honister Pass, on the upland ridge that continues towards Brandreth and the Gables. Its summit reaches 697m, or 2,287ft, at grid reference NY217125. Rather than a single pointed top, the upper fell is a collection of rocky outcrops separated by grass. These grey rock bosses give it a distinctive texture: this is a fell to appreciate at close quarters as well as from a distance.

Honister is an important part of its setting. The pass links Borrowdale with the Buttermere valley, placing Grey Knotts between two familiar sides of the western Lake District. The road, slate workings and buildings belong to the landscape below; above them, the ground becomes open and rough. Starting at the pass reduces the amount of ascent compared with a valley start, though the summit remains exposed mountain terrain.

Grey Knotts in the Western Fells

Grey Knotts appears in The Western Fells, Book Seven of Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. It ranks 91st by height among the 214 Wainwrights. That places it well below the highest Lakeland summits, but its position gives it a useful role in walks linking several substantial fells.

Brandreth is its immediate ridge neighbour to the south. Base Brown, Green Gable and Great Gable belong to the same nearby group, although they are not all directly connected to Grey Knotts without intervening ground. Walkers commonly pair Grey Knotts with Brandreth, while longer outings take in more of this network of ridges and summits. The attraction is the relationship between the fells rather than any need to treat Grey Knotts as an isolated objective.

Views and walking character

The Gables are a major presence in the outlook, with their steeper, more imposing forms contrasting with the broken ground around Grey Knotts. Looking north across Honister brings Dale Head into the picture. The surrounding ridges help explain the geography of this part of Lakeland: passes, valleys and high ground sit close together, yet offer very different walking experiences.

Grey Knotts is less celebrated than Great Gable, but it rewards attention beyond a summit tick. Its rocky top adds interest to a ridge walk, and its position above Honister makes it a familiar starting point for exploring the wider group. In mist, those outcrops and the open ground between them demand proper navigation; proximity to the pass should not be mistaken for valley conditions.

Where Grey Knotts stands

Summit at grid reference NY217125 · open full map

The real Grey Knotts

Walking Grey Knotts

We make artwork, not route guides — these are the guides we'd point a friend to:

• Guide links to be curated.

Weather on Grey Knotts

Conditions estimated at summit height (697 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Grey Knotts on your wall

A painting of Grey Knotts can bring back the quieter details of a fell day: grey outcrops, rough grass and the Gables beyond. As a print or canvas, that familiar landscape has a place at home long after the boots have dried.

Own “Winter Shadows on Grey Knotts” — our painting of Grey Knotts → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Western Fells

• Brandreth 715 m
• Base Brown 646 m
• Green Gable 800 m
• Great Gable 899 m

Part of our guide to all 214 Wainwrights — see the full index.