Great Gable
| Great Gable | |
|---|---|
The crag at centre is the Great Napes. |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 899 m (2,949 ft) |
| Prominence | 425 m (1,394 ft) |
| Parent peak | Scafell Pike |
| Listing | Marilyn, Hewitt, Wainwright, Nuttall |
| Coordinates | 54°28′55.2″N 3°13′8.4″W / 54.482000°N 3.219000°WCoordinates: 54°28′55.2″N 3°13′8.4″W / 54.482000°N 3.219000°W |
| Geography | |
 Great Gable
|
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| Location | Cumbria, England |
| Parent range | Lake District, Western Fells |
| OS grid | NY211104 |
| Topo map | OS Landrangers 89, 90, Explorer OL4 |
Great Gable is a mountain lying at the very heart of the English Lake District, appearing as a pyramid from Wasdale (hence its name), but as a dome from most other directions. It is one of the most popular of the Lakeland fells, and there are many different routes to the summit. Great Gable is linked by the high pass of Windy Gap to its smaller sister hill, Green Gable, and by the lower pass of Beck Head to its western neighbour, Kirk Fell.
The Western Fells occupy a triangular sector of the Lake District, bordered by the River Cocker to the north east and Wasdale to the south east. Westwards the hills diminish toward the coastal plain of Cumberland. At the central hub of the high country are Great Gable and its satellites, while two principal ridges fan out on either flank of Ennerdale, the western fells in effect being a great horseshoe around this long wild valley.
Great Gable and its lesser companion Green Gable stand at the head of Ennerdale, with the walkers' pass of Sty Head to their backs. This connects Borrowdale to Wasdale, giving Gable a footing in both valleys. The Borrowdale connection is quite tenuous, but Great Gable is "the undisputed overlord" of Wasdale in that it is paramount in almost any view up the lake. Once this view is seen, the naming of the fell Great Gable requires no explanation.
The upper section of Great Gable has a roughly square plan, about half a mile on each side, with the faces running in line with the four points of the compass. The fells connecting and subsidiary ridges occupy the corners of the square.
The northern face is formed by Gable Crag, prominent in views from Haystacks and the surrounding fells. This is the longest continuous wall of crag on the fell and reaches up almost to the summit. Scree slopes fall away below to the headwaters of the River Liza, beginning their long journey down Ennerdale. There are few crags on the eastern slopes, although these fall steeply to Styhead Tarn, a feeder of the Borrowdale system. About 30 feet deep, this tarn occupies a scooped hollow, dammed by boulders fallen from the slopes above. It is reputed to contain trout and is a popular location for wild camping. The southern flank of Great Gable falls 2,300 ft direct to Lingmell Beck, one of the main feeders of Wastwater. Right below the summit are the Westmorland Crags, and then a second tier breaks out lower down. These are Kern Knotts, Raven Crag and Great Napes, all footed by great tongues of scree. Finally on the west rough slopes fall below the rocks of White Napes to the narrow valley of Gable Beck, a tributary of Lingmell Beck.
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Wikipedia