Recommended Ordnance Survey Map - Outdoor Leisure Map 4 - North Western Area (1:25,000)
Start and End Point - Seathwaite, South Borrowdale. Free limited roadside parking.
Distance - 10 kilometres, 6.21 miles
Time - 6 hours (longer in winter and adverse weather)
Maximum Height Achieved - 2949 feet, 899 metres above sea level
Total Ascent - 2904 feet, 885 metres
Accommodation - Seatoller, Rosthwaite and Stonethwaite have hotels, B&B's and Inns including
the Langstrath Country Hotel in Stonethwaite (Excellent for a beer afterwards!). There is a Youth Hostel in Borrowdale situated at Longthwaite.
There are also several campsites in the area.
See Accommodation Guide
Public Transport -
By Rail - Stations at Windermere and Penrith
By Bus - Summer Service (May - October)- Daily Services from Keswick to Seatoller available with the last bus back at 18:10 from Seatoller. Winter services (November - April) run 5 times daily excluding Sundays. Check with Keswick Tourist Information Office before setting out.
Tourist Information Office - 017687 72645.
The description and pictures are from October 23rd 1997. The conditions started overcast but soon cleared leaving a glorious sunny, still, autumnal day.
Great Gable is the most majestic of the Lakeland mountains. It is an incredible mountain that offers something for everyone. A climber simply has to bag Napes Needle. If a scramble is what you want, then the climbers traverse along the screes offers various routes, one of which is 'threading the needle' (This involves making the ascent up to Napes Needle and 'threading' yourself around the back of it through what has become known as 'fat mans agony'). If all you want is a good day's walking then there are several less taxing routes to the summit.
In 1923, over a thousand acres of land that includes Great Gable was purchased by 'The Fell and Rock Climbing Club'. The summit is a fitting home for a plaque in memory of its members who fought in the European War 1914-1918, and to this day, prayers are held each year on the summit on Remembrance Sunday.
The walk from Seathwaite is not an easy stroll. There is a rocky ascent by Taylorgill Force, and a tricky descent down Sourmilk Gill upon return. In wet conditions, the walk can be transformed into a very difficult one where much care should be taken. There is a choice of paths to the summit from Styhead. The screes can be intimidating to some, although with care, there should be little problem. There is a more straightforward route straight to the summit for those who do not like the thought of the screes.
The views and landmarks along the way are hard to beat with the Screes providing more enjoyment per metre than many other walks.
From a personal point of view, Gable has been the one I always had to do. My first walk, aged 17 years, took me atop of the Scafell's, with a slight detour to the top of Lingmell. From Lingmell, Great Gable was then and still is an incredible sight. The screes rise to awe inspiring cliffs and then onto the summit. The elevation and gradient from the valley below is, without a doubt, beyond words. From the very first moment I saw, I just had to bag that mountain!
Many thanks to my companions for the day; Lee Ashworth and Mike Dunmore.
P.S. All photographs are point and click. Click on them for a larger, more detailed image.
Map
There is only limited roadside parking, so an early start is recommended if you need to park a car.
Head South towards Seathwaite Farm. Turn right at the gate and through the farm buildings toward the stream. Cross the bridge and immediately turn left (South) through the gate. Continue to head south along the grassy, sometimes muddy path. The path gently turns right (South West) and the walk begins in earnest. The path climbs steeply and requires the use of hands in places, although it is reasonably easy to negotiate. Some may find the drop on the left to be of concern although, with care, the ascent is straightforward. The path affords good views of Taylorgill Waterfall and also the valley below. Go through the gate and continue.
The path is flanked to the left with a fence, and meanders through a wooded area before opening out at Styhead Gill. Both paths up from Seathwaite meet at the stream. The stream is superbly structured as it flows down from Styhead towards Taylorgill Force. It collects in the many rock pools then cascades along its rocky route, through an occasional waterfall down towards Seathwaite and beyond. The source of the stream, Styhead Tarn is soon reached. The tarn is often flanked by tents, mainly in the Duke of Edinburgh season, but provides a good point for photographs.
Continue (South West) beyond the tarn for 500 metres and the mountain rescue point will be reached. This is a good point to take stock and admire the views. To the East and Southeast the corridor route can be seen ascending up towards Sprinkling tarn and the Lakeland giants. Whilst to the North West, Gable awaits. It is here where the choice to ascend Gable is made. If the ascent by Taylorgill Force was enough, it may be wise to ascend Great Gable without traversing the screes. Head North West to the summit and skip the next section. If on the other hand, your appetite has been whetted, the screes will be without doubt, irresistible.
Head North West for 20 metres along the main path to the summit, before picking up the path branching to the left. Over the brow, the valley opens down towards Lingmell Beck, but it is the Screes path that beckons. The path is rocky, obviously, and often difficult underfoot. The terrain can be seen quite clearly in the photographs, and perhaps they offer the best description of this particular part of the walk. The views into the valley of Wasdale are nothing short of breathtaking, making the camera an essential part of the kit. Continue through Kern Knotts and along the path. It is hard to rush this section, and care is paramount to prevent a twisted ankle or worse. The path climbs slowly towards a distinctive rocky outcrop.
Needle Ridge comes into view within 1 kilometre with its centrepiece of Napes Needle standing arrogantly enveloped by climbers on most occasions. If you want to 'thread the needle' take care; the rocks up to Napes needle are fairly exposed and slippery in wet conditions. The descent into the gully to the west of the ridge is also rather steep.
There are several minor routes all along the Screes path, mainly around Needle Ridge. If you are confident, an ascent to the summit can be made by one of these, otherwise, it is far safer to follow the ridge round. In addition to Napes Needle, Sphinx Rock can also be seen when rounding the path at Needle ridge. Its form is somewhat unusual from the vantage point of the path, with the 'Sphinx' shape only really visible after a very tricky ascent up to it. Again, a head for heights is required if you wish to visit Sphinx Rock. This area of the walk tends to be a climbers playground. You may wish to allow some time to watch or participate yourself!
The intention this day was to traverse the screes towards Beck Head before making the ascent of Great Gable. There is an option along the Screes path, just after the Great Napes, to head straight up to Westmorland Cairn and on to the summit in a more direct manner. This path is steep and is not suitable for everyone.
The path descends slightly as it turns Northerly around White Napes. There are cairns, but they are hard to distinguish amongst the rocky landscape. Follow the compass in low visibility until the valley narrows at Beck Head. There are two small tarns here. The path to the summit travels back in a South West direction, and is steep and rocky. The ascent is straightforward, but very rugged. There may be times when a handhold may be required, although there is no real height exposure.
The summit is probably best described as a boulder field. Standing at 899 metres (2949 feet), the views are simply breathtaking. 360° of wonderful scenery. The peaks of the Langdales, the Scafell pikes, Wasdale, Wastwater, the Irish Sea, Lake Windermere, Buttermere, Skiddaw and beyond to Scotland. Magnificent! Above is the Fell and Rock Climbing Club memorial plaque. The inscription is clearly visible in the photograph.
Good views from the summit include the Langdales, with Seathwaite Fell, Great Slack, Glaramara and Allen Crags in the foreground. Sprinkling Tarn can also be seen in the above photograph.
Heading North East from the summit of Great Gable, pick up the path down to Windy Gap. The descent is rocky but with care, straightforward.
Looking right down Aaron Slack, Styhead Tarn can be seen. Great Slack is the largest foreground mountain with Esk Pike and Bow Fell behind it in the distance. The ascent from Windy Gap to Green Gable turns Northerly to the Summit.
At the summit of Green Gable, Base Brown comes into view. Head North East for 700 metres to the fork. Here a choice of descents can be made. A descent taking in Base Brown looks easy from Green Gable, but a very difficult descent of Base Brown awaits in the distance. The choice taken on this occasion was the Northerly path via Gillercomb and around Base Brown. The path meanders down the hill, gently turning North West to Sourmilk Gill then West down to Seathwaite.
After a walk containing so much there can surely be no more excitement? If you are not sure of the answer, then Sourmilk Gill will be new to you. It is probably the best return descent I have made.
The pictures above verify the astounding waterfalls but there is a scramble to negotiate. In winter or in adverse conditions I can imagine the descent to be very hazardous in places. In the conditions experienced this day, however, the descent was no problem, but did call on the use of both hands in places.
Finally, the descent is over with only an awkward stile to cross. The path crosses the stream and through the farm building. Turn left and find your car amongst the masses that will have, by now, congregated.
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Author - Antony Towers - 18 April 1998. I hope you enjoy this walk either virtually or in reality as much as I did. However, do not blame me if you get lost or have an accident. Your safety is your responsibility. Always use a map, compass and be equipped for the conditions. Conditions can change very quickly, especially at altitude. Check the weather conditions before setting off and always be prepared for mother nature.