Great Gable 10th August 2012

Fantastic weather forecast for the weekend, so too good a chance to miss. I had Friday off work and booked a nights stay at the Honister Hause YH.
Up at 4 AM. Off at 4.30. Arrived Honister Hause just after 8 AM.
Headed up from the YH straight up (literally) the steep footpath to Grey Knotts. Hard work in the warm morning sun. On my first stop for a breath, looking down across the spectacular views across the pass, there was no breeze...silence...except my heart thumping away. It is little magic moments like that that make hill walking so rewarding. On my second stop – just before I crested the first ridge before losing sight of the pass, I stood sipping my water and an RAF jet zoomed along the pass with a huge roar of sound....what is amazing is that I was looking down on it. What a contrast, but I really enjoyed the noisy break also. Steady climbing brought me to the summit of Grey Knotts with a short scramble to the top of the rocky outcrop on the summit. Taking heed from Wainwright that heading east of the summit leads to sudden death, I set off on the path along the fence towards Brandreth. I must admit that it is great to have an easy summit thrown in now and again amongst these Wainwrights , and the ½ mile stroll to Brandreth is one of them.

looking back on the slate mine on the way up Grey Knotts

The one mile steady climb to Green Gable was also straightforward with superb views across Ennerdale and the ominous north face of Great Gable looming ever closer.

Great Gable on the horizon

So three peaks in less than 2 hours ...how easy was that. Hmmmm.....Great Gable is a different proposition!!

Windy Gap wasn’t very windy – the view down to Styhead Tarn beautiful at the lowest point of the dip. Then a steep walk with some scrambling to the top of Great Gable. It felt like a great achievement to get to the summit. Similar to Scafell Pike it is actually a harsh boulder desert on top but with fantastic views across to the Scafell range , Ennerdale valley and Pillar.

Great Gable

I stopped for a break to soak in the views and mentally pat myself on the back. I had a chat with a fellow walker and I explained I might now have a go at Kirk Fell. He advised that there is a path of the West face dropping down to the col. I followed a few cairns which soon disappeared and I found myself (like a muppet) on a steep scree slope. So slipping , sliding , falling down, crapping myself...yipee. Halfway down I saw my fellow fell walker strolling along the col below me. It took me an hour to get down ...in the end I adopted a sideways step and slide using my walking pole as a sort of break. Great to get down – but absolutely battered and bruised.

Great Gable summit

Windy Gap - Looking down to Styhead Tarn

Scree slope to the right - my unintended way down!

After lunch I started up Kirk Fell (reluctantly) and after about 200 feet I threw the towel in and headed back on the Moses Trod path to Honister Hause. Just before I got back met up with a fellow walker with a border collie heading in the same direction - had a chat about all things walking and dogs ...more reasons why hill walking is so good.

After a nice evening meal at the YH, I felt so guilty about saying no to Kirk Fell , I put my boots on and headed up Fleetwith Pike. A bit different from my normal MO – taking my time – stopping – taking pics . However, given the time and pressure to get back before dark, this was more like a route march. I had to stop at the end of the old tramway track – A couple (Dutch/German) stopped me to ask the way ... that was easy as they were stopping at the same youth hostel - spent some time explaining what the Slate Mine was !!, but they were pleased that they weren't far off.
At the summit I felt like an interloper as there was a couple on a wild camp. They were great – we had a chat about the beauty of the lakes , midges, and the fact I am a sad old git stumbling onto their special moment. After a few pics of Buttermere with the sun setting , I set of down the fell. Lost my bearings on the way down , so cheated and followed the Slate Mine track back down to the hostel.

Buttermere from Fleetwith Pike summit

I love this part of the world - I am so envious of folks who live in the Lake District.

Not sure of the distance - probably no more than 10 miles on the map, but I was out for 7 + 2  hours.

OS OL4 The English Lakes North Western Area