Carlisle & District Rambling & Fellwalking Club

Walk & Event Reports

Sunday 8th October 2017

A Walk

Great Gable

9 Miles Grade 1

Leader: Peter Flynn

Report & Photos by Peter Flynn

Old favourites are usually old favourites for a very good reason.  Whether it be pullovers,  girl/boyfriends, sofas,  recipes or whatever,  they have been tried and tested and found to  be very desirable.  The category does take in walks,  and for most people familiar with the Lake District,  a walk up Great Gable on a lovely,  sunny, autumn day must be up there with the best of the rest.  There were 9 of us on this walk,  including Martin,  an experienced and knowledgeable walker on his first outing with the club.  A warm welcome from all of us.

We arrived at Seathwaite to find a) a very big sign offering £3 a day parking and b) a large number of the traditional parking spots blocked off by means of large boulders,  no doubt brought by the cunning entrepreneur who opened his field to people (like myself and,  I suspect,  many other club members who have been parking there for many years with no hassle) prepared to pay his fee.  Needless to say,  we didn’t.

That apart,  the walk was lovely.  The first part,  the steep ascent of the path next to Sour Milk Ghyll,  was bathed in warm sunshine and very enjoyable.  We were in the shade along the path that skirts Base Brown,   and arrived at the top of Green Gable in light mist,  where the surrounding fells and crags were occasionally visible.  The same was true once we had gained the summit of Gt Gable.  One minute we were immersed in cloud,  the next,  the Scafells,  Gt End and Sprinkling Tarn were completely clear.  We had a fascinating discussion about what each of us had for breakfast -  Andy must hold the Lake District all-comers title! No wind or even breeze on top of Gable while we had lunch,  and, when we reached Styhead Tarn, Alison had to  see whether there were any dead bodies stored in the stretcher box (none).  Above Cockley Beck Bridge we came across two artists doing pen and ink drawings of the fells – very impressive.  A lovely walk,  thanks to all who came along, and we all trust that we will see you, Martin, again in the not too distant future.

Peter