Steel Knotts via Steel End
Walk date – 3rd December 2025
Distance – 3.5 miles
Weather – very overcast, many showers, very gusty south-westerly wind, no sunny spells, cool but not very cold
The weather has reverted to its usual overcast, damp and showery self since our last walk and today was no different. The early morning sunshine soon disappeared and was replaced by low cloud, rain showers, and eventually, as we gained height, a strong and blustery southerly wind. In the distance the occasional sight of sunshine over to the north and east was the best the weather could manage today. Maybe we should have stayed home! We have been waiting to do this walk and others in this area for a few weeks, the only thing preventing us was the road closure beyond Sharrow Bay which was finally re-opened at the end of November. There are many such road closures at present which makes it difficult to get to where you want to be.
Route
Howtown – Steel End – Pikewassa – Martindale path – Cotehow – St Peter’s Church – path below Steel End – Howtown
The northern ridge of Steel Knotts, known as Steel End, is the route by which we’ll ascend the fell today. The surfaced road to the left of the shot runs from Howtown up to Cote Farm beyond which there is a walkers track up Fusedale. See our walk of 2nd December 2014 for details about Fusedale. Parking is very limited in Howtown but out of season and especially on a day like today, and with the hotel’s tea room now closed until March ’26, it shouldn’t be a problem. When the holiday season begins in 2026 forget about parking in Howtown and try the parking spaces which are available at the hause at the top of the zig-zags, and at St Peter’s Church. As usual they are likely to be occupied unless you arrive early. We take to the path across the grass to the crest of the rise where we turned left and began the climb through the crags.
The path up through the crags was running with water today and, although there was no overnight frost to contend with, the rocks were very greasy too so a lot of care was needed.
A bit higher up we noticed the ‘steamer’ leaving Howtown and making its way back to Glenridding. I’d bet that many of its passengers were huddled into the saloon to keep warm rather than being out on the exposed upper deck especially as they were heading into the south-westerly wind.
We have just reached the top of a particularly wet and awkward gully so having reached the top of the gully, and where there was the opportunity to stand upright again, I took this shot looking back down to the path through the bracken we had started out on. The left turn we took up to the crags is visible and the view back down to it gives some idea of the steepness of the climb. Both hands were brought into play from time to time.
A little higher up we had a good view of the flooded fields around Howtown. Ullswater is very full at present and as we drove along the road towards Howtown we could see that the water level in the lake had risen and had flooded all the land from which boats are usually launched. You could have launched a boat from the road today.
The view ahead as we clambered up another set of crags and no, that’s not the top. As the top of each set of crags is reached there is another set waiting for you. There is also some exposure to steep drops in one or two places along Steel End.
A tiny glimpse of a rainbow over Sharrow Bay caught my eye which might need a zoom in to identify. We are quite high now and having reached a level section, more or less, at the top of another set of crags we could stop for a breather and a look around. The house at Mellguards is to the bottom right and over on the left is the curved bay where the Howtown jetty is located and from where all sorts of boats are launched. Even the trees alongside it are under water.
As we progressed along we had a murky view of Hallin Fell and the zig-zags between Howtown and St Peter’s church at the hause.
Another set of crags and that’s not the top either. From our start point across the grassy path up to Pikewassa, the summit of Steel Knotts, the distance is about a mile according to J, our in-house navigator. The shot shows him waiting for me while I take a shot of the view ahead.
A look back at the murky view after cresting another set of crags and started on the next lot, although to be fair, the higher we went the greater the distance and with only minor undulations between them. The rainbow glimmer is long gone and there isn’t a great deal of definition but we could just about make out Dunmallard Hill at the far end of the water.
Another murky shot of Hallin Fell and the path from the hause up to the beacon on its summit. Also in view over on the left is the roof of St Peter’s church which is situated at the top of the hause.
Eventually we reach the waymarker cairn above Birkie Knott from where we could see the summit rocks on Steel Knotts in the distance. We still have a bit more distance to cover though between here and there and it was a very windy trek across, although staggered across would be more appropriate because that’s what we ended up doing.
The strong and gusty wind was now coming straight at us so we only stayed long enough to take this shot of J leaning against the cluster of rocks, known as Pikewassa, on the summit of Steel Knotts …..
….. this one of The Nab …..
….. Brownthwaite Crag with Gowk Hill behind it …..
….. and Beda Fell. As the gusty wind was blowing us every which way we decided that was enough to be going on with and began our descent down to less windblown slopes.
During the descent from Pikewassa we met a couple who were going up and in passing had a quick chat along the lines of only daft folk would be out walking today but at least it wasn’t crowded! When we reached a more sheltered spot I took a quick look back but they were hidden by a dip in the slopes and were no longer visible.
We had intended to return via Fusedale but we’d had enough of being windblown and opted to return via the path along the side of Steel Knotts above Martindale where the wind would be at our backs rather than in our faces. This path was also very squelchy and running with water in places.
A somewhat clearer view of Beda Fell, with Winter Crag farm below it, across Martindale now that the rain has stopped.
J takes advantage of some puddles along the path to give his boots a rinse and to remove some of the clag which has accumulated.
It had turned murky again as we looked across Martindale towards Winter Crag farm.
Further along the path we could see the rooftops of the buildings at Cotehow …..
….. which the path led us around the front of and then onto the track …..
….. leading back to the road between the Hause and Sandwick. From this vantage point we could see that Sandwick beck was also overflowing.
From the deserted houses (holiday rentals?) at Cotehow we walked back up the hill to the church where I took a look back at Beda Fell …..
….. followed by a look back towards Place Fell.
We saw two more people at the church who had just passed through the gate after having a look around it. They headed straight for their car and we followed the uphill path from the church and made our way towards the path below Steel Knotts and around Steel End. Not many cars were parked at the hause or the church today.
Sunshine over in the east and cloud filled skies above us as we headed for the path around Steel End.
Dunmallard Hill and its surroundings are still in the sunlight but we are still under gloomy skies as we make our way over to Steel End.
The final photo of today’s walk and a look back along the path between Steel End and the hause. This path too was wet, even waterlogged in many places so diversions had to be taken. It definitely wasn’t a day for the high fells and, to be honest, it wasn’t a day for any outdoor activity really. We had several heavy showers, the wind was strong and blustery, we are now quite cold and anything which hasn’t been covered by our waterproofs is soaked. Its a good little walk though but probably best done on a drier and clearer day than we’ve had today. Let’s go home and get the kettle on.