Last Updated on April 29, 2024 by Sam
The Rannerdale Knotts walk in Buttermere Valley is home to spectacular views of the Lake District. Standing at an elevation of 355 metres Rannerdale Knotts is one of the smaller Cumbrian hills, yet it still provides amazing views of Crummock Water, Lake Buttermere and the surrounding peaks. Despite the stunning scenery, this spot remains relatively quiet – which is why it’s on our list of hidden gems in the Lake District! It’s a somewhat steep hike to the top, but it’s one of our favourite walks in this part of England. Find out everything you need to know before you visit with this guide to the Rannerdale Knotts walk in the Lake District!
Rannerdale Knotts Parking
The best car park to use for visiting Rannerdale Knotts walk is the National Trust car park just north of Buttermere village, located on the B5289. Parking is free for National Trust members, with prices for non-members being £5 for 2 hours, £7 for 4 hours, and £8.50 for the day. An all day ticket is transferrable to any other Lake District National Trust car park, so it’s a good option if you want to visit multiple spots in one day!
Unfortunately the National Trust car park at Rannerdale Knotts isn’t marked on Google Maps, which is slightly inconvenient. Thankfully the exact location can be found by clicking here to visit the What3Words website.
The National Trust car park can get quite busy, but thankfully there is another good option nearby. Free parking is available near Rannerdale Knotts in lay-bys on the B5289 near Crummock South Beach.
Rannerdale Knotts parking postcode: CA13 9UZ – takes you nearby to the car park
If you don’t have any luck finding parking at Rannerdale Knotts at the above spots, then there is another small car park on the B5289 next to Crummock Water. Listed on Google as ‘Access to Rannerdale‘, it’s a free car park with space for around 10 cars, so it can get busy quite quickly. It’s a good backup though if you’re struggling to find a parking spot!
Rannerdale Knotts Circular Walk from Buttermere
The Rannerdale Knotts circular walking route starts either from near the lay-bys at Crummock South Beach or opposite Cragg House Farm. We personally started the walk from Crummock South Beach and prefer this option as it gets the steepest section out of the way near the beginning of the hike.
Next to one of the small lay-bys there is a signposted footpath leading slightly upwards through with fern bushes either side. Click here to see the exact start point of the walk on What3Words.
Walk along this route uphill for just over 5 minutes and then take the path to your right once you reach it. At this point the path will become steeper as you begin hiking up the Rannerdale Knotts peak.
As you begin to make your way up you will get some lovely views of Crummock Water and the surrounding peaks. There are a few good vantage points to stop and enjoy the views, which is also a good way to give your legs a break from the climb!
The next section as you approach the summit is the toughest and steepest part of the hike up Rannerdale Knotts. It becomes a bit of a scramble towards the top, but thankfully it shouldn’t take too long until you reach the summit. In total it should take a maximum of around 30 minutes to reach the Rannerdale Knotts peak from the start of the walk.
At this point you will be rewarded for your efforts. From the summit of Rannerdale Knotts you get amazing views of Lake Buttermere, Crummock Water, Loweswater and a number of other peaks. If you’re lucky, on a clear day you can even see as far as Scotland.
After you’ve enjoyed the breathtaking views it’s time to continue onwards, but thankfully from here on out the walk is substantially easier. Walk along the Rannerdale Knotts ridge for just over a kilometre, keeping Lake Buttermere and Crummock Water to your right.
There will then be a path to your right which will begin to lead you downhill towards Cragg House Farm. Follow this path for around 15-20 minutes, at which point you reach the B5289 and will be a very short walk from the National Trust car park. You can then walk along the road back to the lay-by where you parked earlier.
If you want to do the Rannerdale Knotts walk from the National Trust car park then you can follow this route in reverse. Doing this will mean you have a steep descent down from the summit, but if that doesn’t phase you then it shouldn’t be an issue!
In total the Rannerdale Knotts circular walk can be done in around 1½-2 hours, but can take longer depending on how long you spend enjoying the views!
This walk around the Rannerdale Knotts amongst others can also be found on the useful AllTrails app. It’s useful to have this to help guide yourself on the hike as well as check out other hikes you may want to do in the area. Click here to see what hikes around the Rannerdale Knotts are on AllTrails!
Tips for visiting Rannerdale Knotts
Bluebells – The Buttermere Valley and Rannerdale Knotts are famously home to thousands of bluebells, which normally bloom in late April to May. If you visit the area at this time it adds to the beautiful scenery on your walk.
Take extra care to stick to the paths as walking through the bluebells damages them, and they can take years to recover.
Opt for all day parking – If you’re going to pay for parking at the National Trust car park near Rannerdale Knotts, then it makes sense to pay £7.50 for the whole day. This ticket can then be transferred to any National Trust car park in the Lake District. We personally recommend using your parking ticket to then visit the scenic Blea Tarn – and you can also enjoy a walk to the unique Cathedral Quarry whilst you’re there!
Dog-friendly – The Rannerdale Knotts walk is dog-friendly if your dog is capable of a steep ascent. We were housesitting for an amazing border collie called Puffin at the time, and she seemed to enjoy the walk just as much as we did!
Busyness – Despite the natural beauty of the Buttermere Valley, the Rannerdale Knotts walk isn’t particularly busy. We met some locals at the peak, who told us it’s one of their favourite spots in the Lake District because it’s still relatively quiet even when other spots are busy with crowds. Although the parking can get a bit crowded, the walk itself doesn’t get too busy – so as long as you can get a parking spot then any time of day is a good time to visit! If you like less crowded walks like Rannerdale Knotts make sure to check out High Dam Tarn and Gummer’s How in the Lake District too.
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