Get Lost Mountaineering

Great Gable & Kirk Fell from Wasdale Head

Start/Finish

Wasdale Head village green where, in 2015, it was free to park. This is likely to change for 2016 when the National Trust will have a Pay and Display car park up and running. Wasdale Head is at the far end of Wast Water. The approach road is narrow, twisting and undulating and vehicles are likely to be met which are being driven in the middle of the road.

Distance/Time

11 km    About 6 – 7 hours

Peaks

Great Gable, 899 m, NY 211 103.

Kirk Fell, 802 m, NY 195 105.     OS 90: Penrith & Keswick.    OL6 South Western Lakes.

Introduction

This is a tough walk over two very distinctive mountains of which Great Gable is, by far, the more famous. On a clear day, there are excellent views to the Scafell range, Glaramara and Allen Crags, Pillar, Scoat Fell, Red Pike and Yewbarrow, Haystacks and High Stile plus many more. The descent of Great Gable to Beck Head (col to Kirk Fell) is rough and rocky with much care being needed but it isn't really a scramble. The descent from Kirk Fell to Black Sail Pass is even rockier with two awkward sections. The first is a short rock wall, just over a metre high. The second is an awkward “groove”. Neither is really a scramble but needs to be taken carefully and they will be much more awkward if wet. Both descents can be very hard on the knees. Those not happy with such descents could attempt this route in reverse so these descents becomes ascents and will be much easier. This will mean that the “new descents” will be down Kirk Fell to Beck Head which is fairly straightforward and from Great Gable to Sty Head where there is a stepped path for much of the way then a good path from Sty Head back to Wasdale Head.

Route

(1) From Wasdale Head village green, take the signed path past the house then St. Olaf's Church. Follow the path for over 3 km to reach Sty Head, the pass between Wasdale and Borrowdale, where there is a distinctive stretcher box which is used by the Mountain Rescue. From the box, an obvious path starts to climb, roughly W. The path soon becomes stepped and is so for much of the ascent. Eventually, an outcrop is reached with a medium cairn on top which is the summit of Great Gable, 899 m. On one side of the cairn is a memorial for members of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club, who used to own the mountain, who died in the World Wars. A remembrance service is held every November at this spot.

(2) From the summit, head roughly NW, following a line of large cairns which take one down the steep flank, with some rocky sections, to Beck Head – the col between Great Gable and Kirk Fell where there is a small tarn, Beckhead Tarn. Continue up the other side on an obvious path. Higher up, the main path seems to drift to the left to bypass the NE top but it can easily be visited by following the line of fence posts which pass very close to the top. From here, continue past Kirkfell Tarn then up, SW, to the large shelter cairn which is the summit of Kirk Fell, 802 m. There is no separate summit cairn but there is a lower cairn about 30 m to the N.

(3) Pick up the line of fence posts and follow them, roughly N. The going is easy at first until one reaches the top of a rocky ridge down to Black sail Pass. This is more awkward than difficult but care is needed and some will take almost an hour to reach the pass where there is a large cairn. From the pass, go left, W, and follow the very obvious path all the way down to the Wasdale Head Inn and thence to the village green.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 13^th September, 2015.