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Great Gable Walk

4.97 miles (8 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap Great Gable is one of the most popular mountains in the Lake District for climbers. It's a steep ascent with rugged paths, a fair amount of scrambling and some of the most spectacular rock scenery in the Lake District.
This circular walk starts at the car park at Seathwaite and ascends to Stockley Bridge following Grains Gill along the way. You continue to Greenhow Knott where you will pass the beautiful Taylor Gill Force waterfall which drops an impressive 140 feet into the Seathwaite Valley. The next section takes you along Styhead Gill to the lovely Styhead Tarn turning north west to the summit of Great Gable.
The views from the peak are spectacular - you can see Ennerdale and Crummockdale, Pillar, Looking Stead, Haycock, Haystacks, High Crag, High Stile and Red Pike ridge.
The descent takes you through Great Gable's less famous (but still impressive) neighbour Green Gable, Mitchell Cove and Gillercomb. The final section runs along Sourmilk Gill to the finish point at Seathwaite car park.

Great Gable OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Great Gable Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Pubs/Cafes

The Glaramara House hotel in nearby Seatoller is in a stunning location. There's wonderful views of the Borrowdale Fells from the lovely outdoor seating area in the spacious grounds. It's the perfect place to relax after a long walk on a warm day. Indoors there's a cosy resident’s lounge with a log fire and a spacious bar. They do very good food and also provide top quality accommodation if you need to stay over. You can find the hotel just to the east of the National trust car park on the Honister Pass at postcode CA12 5XQ. From Seatoller you can also enjoy a climb to Thornythwaite Fell and Glaramara mountain.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

At Seathwaite you can pick up the waymarked Allerdale Ramble. If you follow it north it will take you into beautiful Borrowdale.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Lake District Walks page.

Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby

Photos

Beckhead Tarn from Great Gable. - geograph.org.uk - 1051966

Beckhead Tarn from Great Gable.

Southern slopes of Great Gable - geograph.org.uk - 887254

Southern slopes of Great Gable

Westmorland Cairn, Great Gable - geograph.org.uk - 1050775

Westmorland Cairn. Looking along Wasdale

Great Gable - Summit Plaque - geograph.org.uk - 16889

Plaque on the summit of Great Gable - Members of the Fell & Rock Climbing Club who died in the 1914 - 1918 war.

Summit of Great Gable - geograph.org.uk - 127954

The summit of Great Gable, looking southwest, with Wast Water in the distance.

Towards the summit of Great Gable - geograph.org.uk - 892434

Towards the summit. Cairns mark the way on this tricky stretch on the path from Sty Head.

Elevation Profile

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Great Gable.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Great Gable.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)