This morning after my customary meander round Booths I decide to go and have a stroll over Green and Great Gable, with the possibility of the Corridor route if I felt like it.
Green and Great Gable and I have had some unfinished business for some years now. It all started with a trip that Emma Pryke, Joe Cartwright and another chap (who's name escapes me) made. We had an epic. Strong winds. Heavy packs. Rain. What had started out as a 2 day self sufficient trip over the lakes ended in my roping Emma back down to the Mountain Rescue Box. The winds were so strong she was being blown off her feet. That, fortunately, is the past. The present is somewhat different.
Green and Great Gable and I have had some unfinished business for some years now. It all started with a trip that Emma Pryke, Joe Cartwright and another chap (who's name escapes me) made. We had an epic. Strong winds. Heavy packs. Rain. What had started out as a 2 day self sufficient trip over the lakes ended in my roping Emma back down to the Mountain Rescue Box. The winds were so strong she was being blown off her feet. That, fortunately, is the past. The present is somewhat different.
I set off from Seathwaite (the wettest part of the country) and made good time to Stockley Bridge. This must be one of the most photographed bridges in the Lakes, so I resisted the urge to take another photo of it. I then over took several other parties up the well made path towards Sty Head.
This path goes up the South side of Styhead Gill and the rock has been worn to a polish by the countless tread of boots. There is another path for the more adventurous of you, on the North side of the gill. This is a mere strip of gravel on a steep slope, slip on the rocks and you will end up in the gill and going over the waterfall. It was that path that we had taken on my first visit with Emma.
The sun today was baking. In fact I was too hot. Anyway I left the motorway of a path just before Styhead Tarn and cut up the slope/gill to the saddle between the two gables. It was one of those paths that just seemed to go on and on and on. Eventually I reached the pass and turned East to the summit of Green Gable. It is rather green.
This path goes up the South side of Styhead Gill and the rock has been worn to a polish by the countless tread of boots. There is another path for the more adventurous of you, on the North side of the gill. This is a mere strip of gravel on a steep slope, slip on the rocks and you will end up in the gill and going over the waterfall. It was that path that we had taken on my first visit with Emma.
The sun today was baking. In fact I was too hot. Anyway I left the motorway of a path just before Styhead Tarn and cut up the slope/gill to the saddle between the two gables. It was one of those paths that just seemed to go on and on and on. Eventually I reached the pass and turned East to the summit of Green Gable. It is rather green.
A cheeky summit selfie with the Corridor route in the background.
The view from this mountain is simply superb. I sat for the best part of half an hour and several people came and went to the summit before I was ready to leave. It was while I was sitting here that I found out that I had been awarded Leader of the Month by Mountain Training
http://www.mountain-training.org/latest-news/leader-of-the-month---april
which made me very happy. If I'm honest I burst out laughing, I couldn't believe it! Anyway I headed back to the pass and started up Great Gable.
The trudge up the walkers path can be avoided by picking a line up the slabby rock, which adds a greater level of interest to the walk. Again the summit has spectacular views. The trudge up the mountain is not the most interesting, but the views make the walk worth it.
Seriously I would suggest you go up it just to sit and look.
http://www.mountain-training.org/latest-news/leader-of-the-month---april
which made me very happy. If I'm honest I burst out laughing, I couldn't believe it! Anyway I headed back to the pass and started up Great Gable.
The trudge up the walkers path can be avoided by picking a line up the slabby rock, which adds a greater level of interest to the walk. Again the summit has spectacular views. The trudge up the mountain is not the most interesting, but the views make the walk worth it.
Seriously I would suggest you go up it just to sit and look.
Anyone know what this plant is?
Anyway after a while it became apparent that I could not sit on the side of a mountain for ever. So I headed back down to Styhead Tarn. I sat a the Mountain Rescue box and ate a snack or two, it was now lunch time. Looking around me I was shocked to see that Scafell Pike was covered in cloud and that a large expanse of gloomy clouds were filling the sky.
My resolve to set out on a 6-10h walk died. Instead I decided that I had covered new ground and there was no need to revisit old ground. I headed back to the van for lunch and coffee.
All in all a good 5h trip out, taking in two classic summits. Now to plan for tomorrow.
My resolve to set out on a 6-10h walk died. Instead I decided that I had covered new ground and there was no need to revisit old ground. I headed back to the van for lunch and coffee.
All in all a good 5h trip out, taking in two classic summits. Now to plan for tomorrow.
I met a beetle.