Great Gable - Monday 16 May 2016
Route
Wasdale Head - Burnthwaite - Gavel Neese - Beck Head - Great Gable - Sty Head - Burnthwaite - Wasdale Head
Parking
Wasdale Head (Free) - Grid Ref NY187085
Mileage
6.6 miles
Terrain
Good mountain paths for the most part. The path to Beck Head via Gavel Neese contains a loose scree section which requires care to be taken.
Weather
Dry with sunny spells. Visibility good.
Time Taken
5hrs 30mins
Total Ascent
3346ft (1020m)
Map
OL4 - The English Lakes (North Western Area)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge with Jon Hardwick
Wasdale Head - Burnthwaite - Gavel Neese - Beck Head - Great Gable - Sty Head - Burnthwaite - Wasdale Head
Parking
Wasdale Head (Free) - Grid Ref NY187085
Mileage
6.6 miles
Terrain
Good mountain paths for the most part. The path to Beck Head via Gavel Neese contains a loose scree section which requires care to be taken.
Weather
Dry with sunny spells. Visibility good.
Time Taken
5hrs 30mins
Total Ascent
3346ft (1020m)
Map
OL4 - The English Lakes (North Western Area)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge with Jon Hardwick
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GPX File
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Walk Description
Any ascent of Great Gable is sheer joy. We have climbed this iconic Lake District classic a fair few times now and today gave us the chance to take a very good friend up to climb Great Gable for the first time. We were staying near Wasdale therefore decided to utilise a route we had never done before - that via Gavel Neese & Beck Head. From Wasdale, Great Gable appears in pyramid form but from most other directions is dome in shape. At just under 3000 feet it is a special mountain and with superb views from its ascents & descents, deserves lingering over and taking your time with.
Leaving Wasdale Head we took the well used route to Burnthwaite Farm via St Olaf's Church. The Church is one of England's smallest and earliest records date from 1550 although it is said that the beams used to build the Church were from a Viking Longship. From Burnthwaite we carried on the path to Sty Head along Moses Trod, crossed the footbridge and took the left hand fork to begin the ascent up to Gavel Neese to pass Moses Finger. The walking, whilst steep in most part, was on a good grassy path before steepening again to become loose stone. Whilst the scree moved beneath our feet, the transit up the path was not overly difficult.
Approaching Beck Head, the scree eventually gave way to become a pitched path that levelled out to reach the col between Kirk Fell & Great Gable. Here there are excellent views down into Ennerdale and over to the High Stile Ridge and beyond. From Beck Head there was now a delightful walk to the summit of Great Gable that started off gently but became steep with the odd moment of hand on rock and a bouldery obstacle course. Bearing in mind this was a Monday in May there were still plenty of people about on the summit and we therefore made our way east to drop down to enjoy the superb vistas from the Westmorland Cairn. This viewpoint is so worth the short downward excursion as the views, particularly over Wastwater and down to Great Hell Gate are amazing. Back up to the summit and it was time to take in the far reaching views over Lakeland, in particular the Scafell Massif to the South.
It is easy to become slightly confused on Great Gable's summit therefore it is worth taking a couple of minutes to get your bearings before making your particular descent off the mountain. We were heading to Sty Head therefore aimed South East on the well cairned path down the mountain. The descent was rocky and bouldery at first, steepening all the time but again was not overly difficult. Reaching the Stretcher Box at Sty Head we then followed the good path back down to the West, eventually hand railing Lingmell Beck to reach the junction for Gavel Neese to join our outward route back to Wasdale Head.
Leaving Wasdale Head we took the well used route to Burnthwaite Farm via St Olaf's Church. The Church is one of England's smallest and earliest records date from 1550 although it is said that the beams used to build the Church were from a Viking Longship. From Burnthwaite we carried on the path to Sty Head along Moses Trod, crossed the footbridge and took the left hand fork to begin the ascent up to Gavel Neese to pass Moses Finger. The walking, whilst steep in most part, was on a good grassy path before steepening again to become loose stone. Whilst the scree moved beneath our feet, the transit up the path was not overly difficult.
Approaching Beck Head, the scree eventually gave way to become a pitched path that levelled out to reach the col between Kirk Fell & Great Gable. Here there are excellent views down into Ennerdale and over to the High Stile Ridge and beyond. From Beck Head there was now a delightful walk to the summit of Great Gable that started off gently but became steep with the odd moment of hand on rock and a bouldery obstacle course. Bearing in mind this was a Monday in May there were still plenty of people about on the summit and we therefore made our way east to drop down to enjoy the superb vistas from the Westmorland Cairn. This viewpoint is so worth the short downward excursion as the views, particularly over Wastwater and down to Great Hell Gate are amazing. Back up to the summit and it was time to take in the far reaching views over Lakeland, in particular the Scafell Massif to the South.
It is easy to become slightly confused on Great Gable's summit therefore it is worth taking a couple of minutes to get your bearings before making your particular descent off the mountain. We were heading to Sty Head therefore aimed South East on the well cairned path down the mountain. The descent was rocky and bouldery at first, steepening all the time but again was not overly difficult. Reaching the Stretcher Box at Sty Head we then followed the good path back down to the West, eventually hand railing Lingmell Beck to reach the junction for Gavel Neese to join our outward route back to Wasdale Head.
The parking area at Wasdale Head looking to the Inn with Looking Stead & Pillar to the left - Kirk Fell is to the right
Kirk Fell & Great Gable
Dave & Jon with Fudge going through his pre walk paw wax routine
Heading out of Wasdale towards St Olaf's Church & Burnthwaite
Looking back to the small collection of buildings at Wasdale Head
The beautiful and extremely small St Olaf's Church in Wasdale
Herdwick Lamb - how cute is that!!
Our route up Great Gable via Gavel Neese. Our route to Beck Head via Gavel Neese can be seen moving from right to left above Gable Beck.
Initially the Sty Head path is taken from Wasdale and soon after the Footbridge the path splits.
Head right to Sty Head or left to Gavel Neese & Beck Head
Head right to Sty Head or left to Gavel Neese & Beck Head
Looking back to Wasdale Head & Wastwater. Illgill Head sits above Wastwater with Yewbarrow to the right
Lingmell
With a lull in the proceedings Fudge decides it is time for a bit of a howl
Moses Finger on Gavel Neese
Looking back to Wastwater
The path continued up to Beck Head on loose scree in part but was generally ok underfoot
This was about the worst section of the ascent to Beck Head but what a view
Interesting but not overly difficult - Fudge is just switching to 4 paw drive
Jon at Beck Head - Kirk Fell is to the left with the High Stile Ridge & Haystacks in the distance
Dave & Fudge looking to Haystacks & the High Stile Ridge. Black Sail YH can just about be seen in the valley below
Kirk Fell over Beck Head in mono
Wastwater & Kirk Fell panoramic
Haystacks, Grasmoor & Robinson amongst others
The first part of the ascent of Great Gable from Beck Head
After a fairly gentle start the path steepens and becomes loose scree and bouldery a bit further up
Looking back down the scree section to Beck Head & Kirk Fell
A quick bouldery scramble & the summit is in sight
The FRCC memorial plaque on the summit of Great Gable
Seathwaite Fell, Glaramara & Sprinkling Tarn - the Langdale Pikes can be seen in the distance
It is always worth having a bimble down to the Westmorland Cairn to look down over the Napes
The Westmorland Cairn looking to Wasdale & Wastwater - just a shame the light was poor today
Looking down into Great Hell Gate & Tophet Bastion from near the Westmorland Cairn
Zooming in on the Langdale Pikes
Looking over to The Scafell Range from near the Westmorland Cairn
Descending to Sty Head - boulders & scree in part but ok underfoot today
The descent of Great Gable to Sty Head affords superb views over Lakeland
Dropping steeply now, Styhead Tarn comes into view.
Fix the Fells & the NT chaps were doing a bit of work on the path and we stopped and had a quick chat on the way down
Fix the Fells & the NT chaps were doing a bit of work on the path and we stopped and had a quick chat on the way down
Sty Head below Great End
A Sty Head descent panorama
The view back up to our descent
Almost down at Sty Head now
At last - the Mountain Rescue Stretcher Box at Sty Head
Heading back to Wasdale from Sty Head
Piers Gill & Lingmell
Looking back to Great End
The walk back to Wasdale seems a long one but with views like this who is complaining?
A final look back at Great Gable from Wasdale Head