Great Gable


Motor car parked close to Seathwaite Farm 08:55 My car is parked on the verge near Seathwaite Farm   Although I had climbed to the summit of Great Gable several times before, I had never done it from the Borrowdale valley floor. Neither had I driven to Seathwaite before. Fortunately, I arrived quite early and was able to park within about 50 yards of the farm. Later in the day, cars were parked all the way back, for over a mile, to the Seatoller Road itself.

My intention was to climb Sour Milk Gill but I could not find the footpath to take me across the valley floor so continued walking up the farm track as far as Stockley Bridge.

It was bitterly cold and I was pleased to have a good hat, coat and gloves but my ears were suffering.


Farm track leading into the hills 09:06 Just beyond the farm this track leads into the hills   The high ground on the right of the track is called Base Brown. The top of it is just in the morning sunshine. At 646m it is a Wainwright peak and is said to command a fine view of Borrowdale.

About a mile along the track, when alongside Base Brown, you will see Stockley Bridge. By crossing this bridge and following the climbing footpath, I was able to walk alongside Sty Head Gill.

Walking is, perhaps, too strong a word for I was hopping from boulder to boulder and making very slow progress.

Had I not crossed the bridge but continued ahead, I would eventually have arrived at Esk Hause above Sprinkling Tarn


As the climbing footpath passed Greenhow Knott, I was able to look back towards Seathwaite and take the photograph with frost visible on the meadows. It was still bitterly cold.

The footpath on the eastern side of Styhead Gill was difficult because of the numerous boulders, already mentioned. Across the gill the footpath was both in the sunshine and looked in far better condition. I looked forward to reaching the other side by way of Airy's Bridge.

As I approached Airy's Bridge I could see, in the distance, the Scafell Pike range from Great End to Scafell Pike itself and Lingmell. 		  Looking back towards Seathwaite 09:40 Looking back towards Seathwaite


Styhead Gill 10:07 Scafell Pike range left, Lingmell centre, Styhead Gill right   Airy's Bridge 10:14 Airy's Bridge crosses Styhead Gill


Styhead Tarn 10:25 Styhead Tarn with Great End, Broad Crag, Scafell Pike and Lingmell visible.   Styhead Tarn appeared suddenly as I gained height. What a difference it made being in the sunshine.

According to the Harvey's map, I had started at 126m above sea level by Seathwaite and climbed to 433m at the tarn.

The climbing now become more serious, as I turned right to climb Aaron Slack to reach the 700m contour at Windy Gap, the col between Great Gable and Green Gable.


Aaron Slack 10:35 Aaron Slack   Styhead Tarn 11:21 Styhead Tarn is now some way below


The climb from the tarn to Windy Gap took almost an hour.

The footpath continues a little further and then it is a matter of scrambling over rocks to reach the summit of Great Gable. My aim, however, was to go beyond the summit and find the Westmorland Cairn on Westmorland Crag.

The view from the crag is said, by some, to be the finest view in the whole Lake District. The cairn was carefully built and has stood the test of time.

I spent about 30 minutes at this spot eating my lunch and taking the three photographs that follow. 		  Windy Gap 11:22 Windy Gap looking at the final ascent of Great Gable 899m


Wast Water 12:00 Wast Water viewed from Westmorland Crag on Great Gable


Lady walker arrives at the cairn first 12:01 A lady walker beats me to the cairn   Westmorland Cairn 12:18 Westmorland Cairn


I then retraced my steps over Great Gable summit and descended to be at Windy Gap once again.

This time I looked in the other direction, to the west north-west, to look down Ennerdale. The large mountain on the left is Pillar, the subject of another of my walks. 		  Ennerdale 13:10 Ennerdale with the bulk of Pillar on the left. The top of Pillar Rock is just visible.


Kirk Fell 13:10 Kirk Fell is the main subject but Pillar and Ennerdale are still visible on the right   I swung my camera slightly to the left to record the flat top of Kirk Fell that lies between Great Gable and Pillar.

I then walked up onto the rounded summit of Green Gable and could easily see the footpath I needed to the north east and towards Base Brown.

Not wishing to visit Base Brown, on this occasion, I followed the footpath down into the valley alongside Sour Milk Gill. The valley turned out to be what I would call a 'hanging valley' and Sour Milk Gill descended quickly from the 375m contour to 126m at Seathwaite.


Footpath from Green Gable 13:15 A well-cairned footpath leads from Green Gable   Sour Milk Gill valley 13:42 Descent into Sour Milk Gill valley; Base Brown up to the right


Sour Milk Gill meanders 14:15 Sour Milk Gill does one big meander to centre picture   The stream drops away suddenly 14:36 Our gill drops suddenly into the valley below and so too must I


The descent was a series of very short sharp 'S' bends often in the water of the gill itself. Sometimes I walked upright but more often than not I was sliding down stone slabs on my backside.

At the bottom of the descent a ladder stile led into a farm lane with a campsite to one side. The lane itself led straight through the centre of the farm buildings and under an arch. Looking back at the arch there was no indication that it was a public right of way and it actually looked as though you were walking into a private farm building.

Now I know how to cross the valley, I might climb up through Sour Milk Gill next time, or, maybe not!

I was back in my motor-car by 15:00 so the walk took about six hours in total.

Editor: Peter J. Cosker   peter@the2coskers.com   other Lake District walks   Updated: 01/01/2018