Great Gable
Napes Needle
The Sphinx
View to Scafell Pike
WALKING
Walking standard - Extremely difficult due to rough terrain, precipitous paths and scrambling sections. It should only be attempted in a period of prolonged dry weather. Inexperienced walkers would benefit from an introductory rock climbing session at Keswick climbing wall to develop confidence in exposed situations. Route finding is difficult and extra time is needed for this. A leader who has done the route is the ideal solution for novices. This route is not recommended when wet or in snow and ice conditions.
Navigation -
follow the path to Sty Head Pass, turn left and ascend for 150 yards to reach the Climbers Traverse Path on the left. Pass Kern Knotts crag and continue on to the Napes Ridge. 'Thread' Napes Needle and rest at the Dress Circle. Scramble on towards the Sphinx Rock. Head up the ridge and eventually scramble through an outcrop to reach the summit. Then walk south west (in mist you will need a bearing) down to Sty Head Pass to reach the path you ascended.
Max height - 899m
Distance - 6 miles
Minimum Time - 4 hrs
Suggested Map - OS SW 1:25,000
Start/Finish - Wasdale Head (NY186085)
Parking - on the green at Wasdale Head (free)
Public Toilets - Beside the Wasdale Head Inn.
Refreshments - The Wasdale Head Inn has a Climbers Bar with beer, coffee, snacks, meals etc.
DRIVING
This is a challenging route crossing two major mountain passes. From Windermere take the main road to Ambleside and turn left on to the Coniston road. Pass through Skelwith Bridge and at the top of the hill look out for a right turn which takes you through Little Langdale across Wrynose Pass, across Hardknott Pass and down into Eskdale. Follow the valley road to Irton. Now drive into Wasdale and at Santon Bridge turn right to reach the lake. Drive up the valley and park at Wasdale Head. (NY186085)
Estimated times:
09:00 Depart Windermere
on A591
09:12 Arrive at Ambleside
and go over Wrynose and Hardknott Passes.
10.11 Arrive Santon Bridge
10:36 Arrive at Wasdale Head
Buy 'Scrambles in the Lake District' by Brian Evans. It describes this route and other scrambles.
Buy a map
OS South West Area 1:25,000
ROUTE
Park at the green and take the lane up the valley, passing the tiny church to reach the farm at Burnthwaite. Continue on a pack horse track to Sty Head pass.
Pause at the Mountain Rescue box and admire the view down to Styhead tarn. Great Gable is on the leftand a prominent path leads upwards. Follow this for 150 yards and bear left on to the Climbers Traverse. The first Rock climbing outcrop is called Kern Knotts Buttress and the boulders beneath it provide your first scrambling experience on the walk.
Continue on the gradually rising path, which often skirts precipices and enjoy the views down Wasdale. Crags loom above on the slopes of Great Gable and the Needle Ridge eventually comes into view. The rocky pinnacle about 60 feet high (18 m) is a major landmark and you will need to leave the path and scramble up to the gap between the Needle and the ridge. The hand and footholds are good and the wide crack is soon ascended. Descending the other side requires a different technique. Always keep three points of contact, look carefully for the next foothold and keep your hands about chest height. If you stretch out your body it will be difficult to look down for the next foothold.
Leave the gully now and ascend the wall opposite to reach a ledge called the 'Dress Circle' which is a great place to rest and observe climbers on the Needle. Walter Hasket Smith first climbed it alone in June 1886. The final move on to the smooth block is challenging and the exposure is extreme. Reversing this move must have required considereable guts, as he had no rope, slings or carabiners for protection!
The scramble continues with a drop and a traverse to the Sphinx rock. The situation is again impressive and the route now leads upwards across a small slab to an easier ridge section which ends on a grassy belvedere with fine views across to Scafell Pike.
Follow the path upwards to reach a rock outcrop. The path follows a gully but there is some scrambling to the side.
On the rocky moonscape summit there is a war memorial. On Remembrance Sunday at 11am there is always a short service to remember those who fell in the First World War.
In good weather go south to Westmorland Cairn, which was built by two brothers to mark what they thought was the finest view in the Lake District.
In thick mist conditions on the summit plateau your compass will guide you to the south west and the easy path down to Sty Head pass. Without a compass and with visibility down to yards, the numerous cairns will only confuse your route finding. You may end up in the wrong valley or standing above a precipice!
At Sty Head Pass follow the pack horse track back down to Wasdale Head and the satisfaction of a refreshing drink in the Climbers Bar of the Wasdale head Hotel.
MAP FROM PLACE NAMES
Use streetmap.co.uk and click on the GB place button. Type in Great Gable. Click on SEARCH to view a location map.
To see a 1-25,000 map click in the middle of the 7 icons below it.
To see the walk in sections type in:
Wasdale Head
Sty Head Pass
Napes Needle
Great Gable
When you stand at the summit of Great Gable the rock here is volcanic in origin. Lava and ash formed the local mountains with their crags, gullies and precipices. The extremely tough rock has resisited erosion for thousands of years.
ESCAPE ROUTE
Each person walks at a different speed. The rule for a fit healthy person is
'Allow one hour for every 3miles (5km). Add one hour for every 2000 ft (600m) of ascent'.
This is usually an underestimate and each walker should try to form an assessment of his performance over one or two walks. The Rule also makes no allowance for rest or food stops, for the roughness of the ground or the influence of weather conditions.
It is good practice to plan an escape route in the event of bad weather, foot blisters or an accident. This really only involves looking at the map and seeing where a path leads down into a suitable valley.
On this walk, there is a steep path which goes vertically down the screes from Napes Needle (at the half way point on the walk) It provides an escape route but should only be taken with extreme care. The staff at the Wasdale Head Inn will phone the Wasdale Mountain Rescue for you.
MAP FROM GRID REFERENCES
OS grid references from your own map can be used to get a 1:25,000 OS map. eg. Great Gable is NY212104
Enter these into the search box at Streetmap.co.uk and click on the 'OS grid' button. Now click on the SEARCH button. The map that appears is high resolution so click on the central icon in the seven below to get a 1:25,000 OS. map.
Please follow the Country Code - close gates and take your litter home.
Always carry map, compass, waterproof jacket and leggings, plastic bivvy sheet, extra food, basic first aid kit and a plastic whistle.