From Wasdale Head
The Mountain
Great Gable is a mountain hallowed by many generations of people. To the ancient Norse settlers who first farmed Wasdale, its lofty summit was the home of the gods. To fellwalkers ever since the Victorian age, it is widely loved as the most iconic peak in Britain, and indeed its distinctive outline has become the logo of our Lake District National Park.
Gable, as it is affectionately known, is considered by many to be the finest mountain in England, despite being significantly lower in height than the Scafells. This is a view I share wholeheartedly: in fact, Gable is my personal favourite. The day I climbed Great Gable was Friday the 13th of May, a day I remember as the single best day I have ever spent in the mountains. The sun was shining as I made my way along the Valley Route to the pass of Sty Head. I then progressed along the South Traverse (also known as Gable Traverse), a superb high-level route with intimate views of both Wasdale and the rock architecture of the Napes.
Many famous landmarks are passed along the way, including Kern Knotts, Napes Needle (where rock-climbing was "invented" by WP Haskett-Smith in 1886), the Sphinx Rock, and Little Hell Gate. You're walking in the footsteps of the pioneering rock climbers of the Victorian era. With Gable, there's a tremendous sense of living history wherever you go. World-famous mountaineers first honed their skills on these crags.
After completing the South Traverse, the path winds around the western flank of the mountain before arriving at Beck Head, a windy col between Gable and Kirk Fell. All that now remains is to climb the steep and boulder-ridden North-West Ridge to the summit.
[Back to top]
The Summit
The summit itself, an outcrop of rock often bearing wreaths of poppies and other flowers (plus the scattered ashes of cremations), rests on an elevated plateau. Very little grows in this environment, and although it isn't quite as bouldery as Scafell Pike or Bowfell, stones are everywhere.
On most days of the year, Gable's summit will have many visitors, and on fine days in summer, the summit will be crawling with walkers. Most will be in the immediately vicinity of the summit crag, for this is where everyone wants to get their photo taken: standing in front of the famous Remembrance Day plaque. This plaque, attached to the rock, commemorates the names of Fell and Rock Climbing Club members who died in the First World War, and every year it is the site of a Remembrance Day service. This is one of the long-standing traditions of Wasdale, much like the World's Biggest Liar Competition.
Although the view is extremely good from the main summit, it suffers somewhat from the broadness of the plateau. You have to walk to the edges to see the best views in any particular direction. The finest view of all, and arguably the best anywhere in England, is to be seen from the Westmorland Cairn looking down Wasdale towards the sea. There is a picture below. It speaks for itself.
[Back to top]
Conclusion
In good weather, the ascent of Great Gable is one of the most worthwhile fellwalks in Britain. There is great variety, beautiful scenery, and impressive rock architecture for the entire duration of the ascent. The mountain has a bold pyramidal outline, a legendary history, the best views in the Lake District ... even the very name "Great Gable" has a rugged, adventurous ring to it. Gable certainly ranks as one of the finest mountains in Britain.
For up-to-date views of Gable from the WasdaleWeb, see the webcam image in the top left of every page on this site!
[Back to top]
 From Wasdale Head |
 From the lakehead |
 From the lakehead (zoomed) |
 Looking across Wastwater |
 View from the summit |
 Looking into Ennerdale |
 From the Westmorland Cairn |
 The Remembrance Day plaque |
 Looking down Great Hell Gate |
 The classic Wastwater view |
