Grey Knotts

Grey Knotts
Grey Knotts seen from above the Stonethwaite valley
Highest point
Elevation	697 m (2,287 ft)
Prominence	c. 15 m
Parent peak	Brandreth
Listing	Wainwright, Nuttall
Coordinates	54°30′11″N 3°12′29″W / 54.503°N 3.208°W / 54.503; -3.208Coordinates: 54°30′11″N 3°12′29″W / 54.503°N 3.208°W / 54.503; -3.208
Geography
Grey Knotts Location in Lake District, UK
Location	Cumbria, England
Parent range	Lake District, Western Fells
OS grid	NY217125
Topo map	OS Landranger 89, 90 OS Explore Outdoor Leisure 4

Grey Knotts is a fell in the English Lake District. It is situated one kilometre south of the B5289 road as it crosses the Honister Pass. It is well seen from mid-Borrowdale as it rises above Seatoller. Grey Knotts reaches a height of 697 metres (2287 feet) and is part of a ridge which ascends from the woodland behind Seatoller and continues south-west and then south for four kilometres to Great Gable. The fell's name really only applies to the summit rocks, but has been adopted for the entire fell with the high ground in this area, locally known as Seatoller Fell on Ordnance Survey maps.

Grey Knotts is a “Wainwright” fell and also qualifies as a Nuttall, but this must be considered a borderline case, as it barely has the required 15 metres of prominence to the adjoining higher fell of Brandreth.

All the highlights of Grey Knotts are situated on the eastern (Borrowdale) side of the fell, Raven Crag, known as Gillercombe Buttress to rock climbers. It is a popular area for bouldering, using the large amount of large boulders that have become detached from the main crag. There are also several conventional climbing routes up the main crag. Gillercomb (spelt like this on map) is a fine example of a hanging valley from which issues the stream of Sour Milk Gill, which descends into Borrowdale in a series of picturesque cascades.

The principal rock types are the plagioclase-phyric andesite lavas of the Birker Fell Formation.

Also on the Borrowdale side of the fell at the upper end of Newhouse Gill at grid reference NY231128 is the site of the former Borrowdale graphite (then called Plumbago) mines. The mine was started in the 16th century by German immigrants; the graphite found was in a very pure form and in those early days was used only for marking sheep. Later, however, graphite was found to be suitable for lining the casting moulds for cannon and musket balls, which caused its value to soar in the 17th century, as England, France and the Dutch Republic built up their armies. The graphite was also used in pencil-making, which in 1790 led to the founding of the Cumberland pencil industry based in Keswick. The mine closed in 1891 after new techniques meant that graphite no longer needed to be so pure, so the Borrowdale mine became uneconomic.