Author Topic: TR - Great Gable and other Wainrights from Honister Hause  (Read 1465 times)

clyoung

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When my eldest son and I last left the reach of phone signal last Sunday evening before spending the night at YHA Honister Hause, the forecast for Monday was for a dry morning with thunder storms from mid-afternoon. We decided to set out to do a half day of Wainrights, with the option of visiting the slate mine afterwards.
 
 First up was a steep climb up to Grey Knotts. The path was running with water, something we were to see throughout the day thanks to the recent heavy rain.
 
 
   
  After a redundant stile, it was a short walk to our first summit of the day. From there we had views to Buttermere and Crummock Water. 
 
 
    The next target was Brandreth. It wasn't clear where the summit was as lots of piles of rocks could have been the highest so we wandered around taking pictures at various points. We spotted a hardy Tortoiseshell butterfly (and later in the day a peacock butterfly). 
 
   
   On the walk to the next summit, Green Gable, there were fantastic views to the East and West: 
 
 The highest point of the day, Great Gable, loomed behind us as we took summit pictures on Green Gable.
 
 
  I got my walking poles out for the descent to Windy Gap. The climb from there up to Great Gable starts off as a path with lots of loose stones but then turns into a short scramble up some rocks. We had views across to Styhead Tarn, Sprinkling Tarn and the Corridor Route, which we planned to do the next day.
 
 
 The summit plateau on Great Gable is a large boulderfield. We headed across it to the summit, where there is a memorial to the members of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club who died in the First World War.
 
 
  A 360 degree panorama from the summit.
 
  Before we set off on the next stage of our route, I walked south west from the summit to take some pictures across to Scafell Pike, our challenge for the next day.
    The Westmoreland Cairn was built to mark what is supposed to be the best view in the Lake District. In this picture you can see the cairn with Wast Water beyond.
 
  Although the route I'd looked at had us doubling back down to Windy Gap, I thought we could continue down the north west ridge of Great Gable. Unfortunately in trying to follow a path on the ground, rather than checking back with the map, I went off course and we ended up descending a horrendous scree field. Bad for us and bad for the ecosystem as we slid down it.
 
 
   
  If you look very closely in this photo you can see one of the low flying jets that screamed through the valley. 
   
 
 It was a great relief to get to the bottom in one piece. From Beck Head, we went round below Stone Cove and Greengable Crag, across Tongue Beck and on to Moses' Trod, allegedly named afer a smuggler who used the path. The weather was holding and R wasn't keen on going underground at the mine so we pressed on.
 
 
 
   
  Where the path turned to go between Green Grag and Little Round How there were some people taking photos of each other on a rock with Buttermere and Crummock Water in the background. It seemed like a good idea so we did it too. 
 
   
  There were stepping stones to cross Warnscale Beck. I did ask my eldest if he was getting his phone ready to video me falling in.
   
  By now it was late afternoon and the thunderstorms still hadn't arrived. My son decided he wanted to head back to the Youth Hostel so I pressed on alone to Fleetwith Pike. Not a great summit in itself but it gave more lovely views of Buttermere.   
 
  On the way back I stopped off at Black Star on Honister Crag and skirted some old mining workings with some very deep holes to avoid.
 
 
   
  We'd been out the whole day and now the clouds were looking ominious. It was one of those annoying walk outs where you can see where you're heading from some way away and it seems to get closer very slowly indeed. Thankfully I made it back to the hostel in the dry and we were sitting down to the Supper Club meal of spaghetti and meatballs before the thunder and lightning arrived.
 
  It had been a rather longer day out than I'd first imagined as our warm up for Scafell Pike but we'd been very lucky with the weather. You can see the full route here - just don't follow our way off Great Gable!

You can see the pictures a bit larger at https://claire-walking-blog.blogspot.com/2019/08/august-2019-great-gable-and-other.html
« Last Edit: 14:52:57, 18/08/19 by clyoung »

Mel

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That looks like a smashing day out and what better way to appreciate avoiding the bad weather rattling around outside than by sitting eating spaggy and meatballs inside  O0

karl h

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Thats looks a lovely day out and i'ts always great when you beat the weather  O0


I have been down that scree and it is horrible >:(  and whats worse is I had been down the correct way not long before so I've no excuse  :-[  
PS ..and I've stood on that rock for a photo ;D

vghikers

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A very fine circuit before the weather turned O0.
I too remember trying to find a good line off the north-western end of Gable, one of the worst descents ever with a constant unnerving clatter of falling rocks!. Never again.

clyoung

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That looks like a smashing day out and what better way to appreciate avoiding the bad weather rattling around outside than by sitting eating spaggy and meatballs inside  O0
Indeed! I said to my son I think it would be great to turn up at Honister Hause on foot on a stormy winter's day when they've got the log burner lit and spend a cosy evening eating filling food and drinking beer. He suggested it sounded more like the start of a murder mystery...

clyoung

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Thats looks a lovely day out and i'ts always great when you beat the weather  O0


I have been down that scree and it is horrible >:(  and whats worse is I had been down the correct way not long before so I've no excuse  :-[  
PS ..and I've stood on that rock for a photo ;D
Thanks - that makes me feel better. I can't for the life of me work out looking at the track on Viewranger why we suddenly veered completely off course, there was no excuse on such a clear day.
I think it must be a very popular rock  ;D

clyoung

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A very fine circuit before the weather turned O0 .
I too remember trying to find a good line off the north-western end of Gable, one of the worst descents ever with a constant unnerving clatter of falling rocks!. Never again.
Thanks. Completely agree - never again. Couldn't believe I'd left any mountain behind so much came clattering down.

Ridge

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Lovely report and pics.  O0
Grey Knotts is properly steep straight from the Honister isn't it. We too once spent some time trying to decide which was the top. 

clyoung

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Lovely report and pics.  O0
Grey Knotts is properly steep straight from the Honister isn't it. We too once spent some time trying to decide which was the top.
Thanks. Yes, no real warm up at all before you're into the steep bit.

photonut

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A very fine walk indeed - one of my favourites.  Nice pics Claire.

"Although the route I'd looked at had us doubling back down to Windy Gap, I thought we could continue down the north west ridge of Great Gable. Unfortunately in trying to follow a path on the ground, rather than checking back with the map, I went off course and we ended up descending a horrendous scree field. Bad for us and bad for the ecosystem as we slid down it" - yep, made that error too!  The scree is not pleasant as it is soooo steep.  I always find the NW route of Gable is quite difficult to keep to (but then I can loose a path with ease  ::) ).


Enjoying your TRs - please keep posting


Cheers
Lee

clyoung

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Re: TR - Great Gable and other Wainrights from Honister Hause
« Reply #10 on: 11:50:33, 19/08/19 »
A very fine walk indeed - one of my favourites.  Nice pics Claire.

"Although the route I'd looked at had us doubling back down to Windy Gap, I thought we could continue down the north west ridge of Great Gable. Unfortunately in trying to follow a path on the ground, rather than checking back with the map, I went off course and we ended up descending a horrendous scree field. Bad for us and bad for the ecosystem as we slid down it" - yep, made that error too!  The scree is not pleasant as it is soooo steep.  I always find the NW route of Gable is quite difficult to keep to (but then I can loose a path with ease  ::) ).


Enjoying your TRs - please keep posting


Cheers
Lee
Thanks. I'm reassured that other people have made similar mistakes, I was blaming my lack of hill walking this year due to other commitments.

richardh1905

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Re: TR - Great Gable and other Wainrights from Honister Hause
« Reply #11 on: 14:10:41, 20/08/19 »
Another grand day out on the fells, and you took some lovely photos.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

sunnydale

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Re: TR - Great Gable and other Wainrights from Honister Hause
« Reply #12 on: 15:25:39, 20/08/19 »
Fab report & pics  O0
***Happiness is only a smile away***

clyoung

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Re: TR - Great Gable and other Wainrights from Honister Hause
« Reply #13 on: 09:36:32, 21/08/19 »
Another grand day out on the fells, and you took some lovely photos.
Thanks, it certainly was.

clyoung

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