Mountain (Hewitt), Wainwright, Nuttall & Marilyn Icon

Great Gable
899m (2951ft)


The Western Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England


Record Great Gable as Bagged, Climbed & Conquered


English Mountain Icon

English Mountain
9th highest in England,
25th in England & Wales

English Nuttall Icon

English Nuttall
11th highest in England,
28th in England & Wales

English Marilyn Icon

English Marilyn
4th highest in England,
238th highest in Great Britain

Walk Great Gable walking UK Mountains in The Western Fells The Lake District National Park Cumbria, England

The view from the summit of Great Gable

Photo: Ian Mansell

You can find Great Gable & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)

The Lake District National Park


1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):

OL4 The English Lakes - North Western area


1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (the ones with pink/magenta covers):

89 West Cumbria, Cockermouth & Wast Water


90 Penrith & Keswick, Ambleside


See Great Gable and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:

See Great Gable and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Map:


You can walk to the top of Great Gable by using any of these 9 easy‑to‑follow route maps:
Walking Boot Print Icon

Walk c442 Great Gable and Green Gable from Honister Hause

Easy to follow paths - a Lakeland classic

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 5.75ml (9km)
Ascent:2,340ft (731m)
Time:4½ hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 5 Icon (Moderate)
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Walk c118 Great Gable from Seathwaite (Borrowdale)

Clear paths & superb views on glorious gable

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 6ml (9.5km)
Ascent:2,845ft (867m)
Time:5 hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 6 Icon (Moderate)
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Walk c338 Great Gable and Kirk Fell from Honister Hause

Easy to follow paths - a Lakeland classic

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 7.5ml (12km)
Ascent:3,289ft (1,002m)
Time:6 hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 6 Icon (Moderate)
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Walk c241 Great Gable and Honister Pass from Seatoller

Easy to follow paths - a Lakeland classic

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 8.25ml (13km)
Ascent:3,016ft (919m)
Time:6 hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 6 Icon (Moderate)
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Walk c151 Great Gable, Kirk Fell and Hay Stacks from Honister Hause

Good paths on rough ground

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 8.5ml (13.5km)
Ascent:4,260ft (1,298m)
Time:7.25hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 7 Icon (Hard)
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Walk c417 Base Brown, Great Gable and Kirk Fell from Honister Hause

Easy to follow paths with great views

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 9ml (14.5km)
Ascent:3,965ft (1,208m)
Time:7½ hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 7 Icon (Hard)
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Walk c174 Glaramara and Great Gable from Seatoller

Rough paths but generally easy to follow

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 10.5ml (17km)
Ascent:4,693ft (1,430m)
Time:8½ hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 8 Icon (Hard)
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Walk c141 Great Gable and Pillar from Wasdale Head, Wast Water

Superb high level route from remote Wasdale

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 11.25ml (18km)
Ascent:5,819ft (1,773m)
Time:10 hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 9 Icon (Very Hard)
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Walk c120 The Ennerdale Horseshoe

Strenuous, high level route worth every step - if you have the energy!

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Vital Statistics:

Length: 18.75ml (30km)
Ascent:7,309ft (2,408m)
Time:14.75hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 9 Icon (Very Hard)

Other walkers who hiked, climbed, bagged and summited Great Gable Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Great Gable

James Hughes walked up on August 10th, 2025 [from/via/route] c417 Base Brown, Great Gable & Kirk Fell from Honister [weather] Warmish, sometimes overcast, sometimes sunny. - Stomp up to Grey Knotts from Honister - didn't feel too bad as started at decent height. Easy yomp over to Brandreth before hitting the path to descend to Base Brown. Good views then steepish ascent back to Green Gable. Good vista of Great Gable & Moses Trod below. Hard trek up Great Gable on rocky terrain. Topped & then overshot after the memorial to return to path down to Kirk Fell. Took one of the false boulder paths cited by Wainwright which ended in scree Sunday. The error of my ways became more apparent looking back as the scree looks quite severe. Had actually ascended Great Gable before from Kirk Fell col which was easier, although easy to understand how it would be hard in the mist. Another there & back on Kirk Fell - big flat top. Return via Moses Trod back to tramway track. Pint of Wainwright Amber Ale at Borrowdale Hotel. Average.

Andrew Gayne climbed it on May 15th, 2025 [from/via/route] From Honister Pass, Tin Slate Mine [with] Becky Gayne [weather] Really sunny & hot day. - Overnight stay at Ravenstone Manor near Bassenthwaite having walked Howtown to Glenridding the previous day, went up Grey Knotts then Brandreth before going up Green Gable & finally Grey Gable. Steepish scramble up & down Grey Gable. Visited Westmorland Cairn for amazing views

Angeline Grieveson bagged it on October 5th, 2024 [with] Rick & Dotty

Geoff Hand hiked it on September 3rd, 2024 [from/via/route] Walk C417 Great Gable & Kirk Fell from Honister. Set off from Honister & climbed Grey Knotts, from there onto Glamara. We then climbed towards Green Gable but went South to pick up Brown Base. We retraced our steps, climbed green gable & onto Gt Gable. Leaving Gt Gable in cloud we found the path down to Beck Head. When reached there the cloud had lifted off Kirk fell so we went for it. Came back by Moses's trod & the dismantled tramway to Honister. [with] Tess, my Jack Russell [weather] Started off quite sunny, however cloud moved in & covered Gt Gable. A bit drisly towards the end. - A really tough walk, one I would think twice about in the future. Very pleased with my navigation of Gt Gable as it was spot on! According to my garmin I didn't quite hit the top of Grey Knots & Brandreth. I find this incredible as I did a lot of tramping around to make sure I hit the tops today. So I'm claiming them anyway. NB I've also done them both before.

Simon Myerscough summited on November 27th, 2023 [from/via/route] From Seathwaite dry to start then progressively colder & misty - some snoe above 2000ft. [with] Joanne [weather] Light winds & dull all day - Scramble coming down Sourmilk Ghyll was challenging but made it after change of line

Christine Shepherd conquered it on July 19th, 2003 [from/via/route] Walked from Honister via Brandreth. Second & Third times from Seathwaite Fourth & Fifth times from Honister again. [with] Andy, Miriam and Ishmay (aged 7) [weather] Sunny - Got half way up Gable again in July 07 but turned back in heavy rain. Reached the summit again twice in 2010. On 18.6.10 Jenny & I had a glorious walk from Seathwaite taking in Fleetwith Pike before a descent via Honister. I then led a church group to the top just over a week later on 26.6.10, in lovely sunshine. Climbed again 30.11.19. Had to walk back to Honister along Moses Trod in the dark! Climbed for a fifth time on 8.6.23 using walk c417, in gorgeous sunshine with a pleasant breeze.

John Ramsbottom scaled on April 10th, 2023 [from/via/route] walk c442 parked at Honister slate mines [with] Lola [weather] misty/rainy/windy - solo walk with Lola, bad visibilty, glad i had digital mapping

Richard Fulcher walked up on April 3rd, 2023 [from/via/route] Parked in the NT car park at Honister Slate Mine & walked up the steep path to Grey Knotts. We then traversed over the rock strewn ridge to Brandreth & across Gillercomb Head to Green Gable. Just before reaching the top of GG I diverted left down the fell & across to Base Brown. I then returned by the same route & we carried on up to the summit of GG after having some lunch. After a slippery descent from GG to Windy Gap we then started the rocky ascent to Great Gable. We returned to WG by the same route & then descended down another scree strewn path to join the Moses Trod path before branching off towards the dismantled tramway at Honister. The rocky paths continued pretty much all the way back. [with] Jen [weather] Sunny, blue skies, cold at times when in exposed sections, very good visibility. - Be prepared for some climbing over rocks in certain stretches esp. up Great Gable.

Martyn Atherton climbed it on September 20th, 2020 [from/via/route] c338 Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Green Gable, Great Gable, Kirk Fell [with] Martyn and Paul [weather] Cloudy at first then very warm & sunny - Great view of the mines

Neall Garrad bagged it on June 25th, 2022 [from/via/route] Wasdale Head [weather] Sunny, hailstones, windy

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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Great Gable

*Great Gable (left) and Skiddaw (far distance) from Esk Hause

*Great Gable (left) and Skiddaw (far distance) from Esk Hause

Photo: Wayne Hill (17)

Great Gable towering above Moses' Trod

Great Gable towering above Moses' Trod

Photo: Matt Delemare (42)

Wast Water from a misty Great Gable

Wast Water from a misty Great Gable

Photo: Simon Barnett (23)

Piers Gill with Lingmell (near left) and Kirk Fell (centre) and Great Gable (right) on the horizon

Piers Gill with Lingmell (near left) and Kirk Fell (centre) and Great Gable (right) on the horizon

Photo: Craig Carter (34)

Green Gable, Great Gable (left of centre), Kirk Fell (centre) and Pillar (right) with the Scafell Massif beyond (centre) from High Crag

Green Gable, Great Gable (left of centre), Kirk Fell (centre) and Pillar (right) with the Scafell Massif beyond (centre) from High Crag

Photo: Rob Barklamb (1)

Yewbarrow (left), Great Gable (in cloud centre), Lingmell (centre right) and the Wast Water screes (right) reflected in Wast Water

Yewbarrow (left), Great Gable (in cloud centre), Lingmell (centre right) and the Wast Water screes (right) reflected in Wast Water

Photo: Wayne Hill (29)

Descending near Great Gable

Descending near Great Gable

Photo: Mike Jennings (11)

Green Gable (left) and Great Gable (centre left) from the summit of Brandreth

Green Gable (left) and Great Gable (centre left) from the summit of Brandreth

Photo: Mike Walker (555)

Great Gable from Burnthwaite, Wasdale Head

Great Gable from Burnthwaite, Wasdale Head

Photo: David Swales (13)

Great Gable and Kirk Fell (left) from Illgill Head

Great Gable and Kirk Fell (left) from Illgill Head

Photo: Mick Fox (2)

*From Left to right: Caw Fell, Seatallan, Red Pike, Pillar, Yewbarrow, Kirk Fell, Great Gable, Lingmell and Sca Fell and Wast Water (foreground) from Illgill Head (NB. Scafell Pike is largely hidden behind Sca Fell)

*From Left to right: Caw Fell, Seatallan, Red Pike, Pillar, Yewbarrow, Kirk Fell, Great Gable, Lingmell and Sca Fell and Wast Water (foreground) from Illgill Head (NB. Scafell Pike is largely hidden behind Sca Fell)

Photo: Wayne Hill (34)

Wast Water with Illgill Head (left) and Yewbarrow (right) from Great Gable summit

Wast Water with Illgill Head (left) and Yewbarrow (right) from Great Gable summit

Photo: Matt Delemare (34)

Great Gable and Green Gable from Base Brown

Great Gable and Green Gable from Base Brown

Photo: Chris Brankin (16)

Yewbarrow (left), Kirk Fell (partially hidden), Great Gable (centre) Lingmell, Scafell Pike (partially hidden) and Illgill Head (right) from across Wast Water

Yewbarrow (left), Kirk Fell (partially hidden), Great Gable (centre) Lingmell, Scafell Pike (partially hidden) and Illgill Head (right) from across Wast Water

Photo: Mick Coxon (15)

Me on Great Gable

Me on Great Gable

Photo: Rachel Hill (1)

Yewbarrow, Great Gable, Lingmell, Scafell Pike and Sca Fell from Wast Water

Yewbarrow, Great Gable, Lingmell, Scafell Pike and Sca Fell from Wast Water

Photo: Alan Wainwright (76)

On the summit of Great Gable

On the summit of Great Gable

Photo: Ray Mather (1)

Northern Souls Walking Club at the Remembrance Day service on top of Great Gable

Northern Souls Walking Club at the Remembrance Day service on top of Great Gable

Photo: Paul Brown (2)

Sca Fell, Scafell Pike and the dome of Great Gable in the distance beyond Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell (Bowfell) with The Langdale Pikes in the mid distance from Yoke

Sca Fell, Scafell Pike and the dome of Great Gable in the distance beyond Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell (Bowfell) with The Langdale Pikes in the mid distance from Yoke

Photo: Rob Barklamb (36)

Innominate Tarn with Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Green Gable, Great Gable and Kirk Fell forming the backdrop

Innominate Tarn with Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Green Gable, Great Gable and Kirk Fell forming the backdrop

Photo: Alan Wainwright (241)


. . . see all 141 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on or of Great Gable


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