Grey Knotts
Grey Knotts | |
---|---|
Lake District National Park
| |
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 (2⁄3 mile) 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 (2,287 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.
Topography
Grey Knotts is a
All the highlights of Grey Knotts are situated on the eastern (Borrowdale) side of the fell, Raven Crag, known as Gillercombe Buttress to
Geology
The principal rock types are the plagioclase-phyric andesite lavas of the Birker Fell Formation.[1]
Graphite mine
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 uneconomical.
Ascents
Grey Knotts can be ascended from
Summit
The top of the fell is dotted with grey tors of rock and two of these give the fell twin tops of equal height, the eastern top has an Ordnance Survey
References
- Alfred Wainwright (2005). A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, Western Fells. London: Frances Lincoln. ISBN 0-7112-2460-9.
- Dave Bridge. "Industries of Cumbria - Wad". Retrieved 18 May 2008.
- Samuel Carradice (May 2001). "Borrowdale Wad Mine". RRCPC Newsletter. 38 (2). Retrieved 18 May 2008.
- ^ British Geological Survey: 1:50,000 series maps, England & Wales Sheet 29: BGS (1999)