The Gable Girdle Revisited 30-5-2015

This is a repeat of a walk I did last year with some members off the WALKERS FORUM Last year it was hot and humid with good views and visibility for the most part until we did the traverse path round GREAT GABLE, known as the Gable Girdle, on which there are great views down both Ennerdale & Wasdale valley's. You also pass under famous climbing rocks such as Napes Needle and Sphinx Rock, to name two and we did Thread the Needle :-) Also, like last year we started at Seathwaite farm and made our way up Sour Milk Ghyll, under the Hanging Stone and onto BASE BROWN before the ascent on to GREEN GABLE 

Our Route For The Day

Up following Sour Milk Ghyll to Base Brown

Sour Milk Ghyll Falls

On Top Of Sour Milk Ghyll

The Hanging Stone From Below

Hanging Stone From Above With Seathwaite Valley Below

View from Base Brown towards Green Gable

Green Gable Summit with the rocky face of Great Gable

Green Gable Summit view down Ennerdale Valley

From here we followed a faint path along the scree path that bought us out at the col and a junction of paths from various directions and we met up with Catherine and her three delightful dogs who always enjoy a good walk in the mountains. That made a total of 5 people and 4 dogs, and Frankie, the male, didn't know where to put himself half the time as one of the girls was in season :-)
The path took us round the scree and rocky slopes of Great Gable and beneath the rock climbing territory where there were on or two enjoying the conditions and where me and Richard enjoyed a little scramble "through the Needle" Not for everyone and great care must be taken as it's a short rock climb through the gap behind Napes Needle.

Looking back towards Green Gable from the scree path

Meeting up with Dib's and her dogs

Wasdale Valley from the scree path

Wasdale & Wastwater from the scree path

Approaching the Needle with some climbers enjoying the day

The scramble upto the Needle

Looking down the thread

The scramble down the otherside

After the excitment of the Needle, we made our way round to Styhead and the junction of paths where we were met by a small herd or cattle that free roam this area and one of them seemed to be getting a bit friendly, or she was after my last bit of food!! This is where we also said goodbye to Dib's and the dogs as she made her ascent back down to wasdale while we made our descent back down to Seathwaite by way of the Taylor Force Waterfalls which were looking quite good today after a bit of rain over the last few days.

Great views across to the Scafell Range

More climbers enjoying the day

Styhead Cattle station

Helloooooo

Our route past Styhead Tarn

On the rocky path to Taylor Force Ghyll

Taylor Force Ghyll

Taylor Force Ghyll

Back to the start some eight hours later

Well another great day out with good people. My thanks to Jacklyn, Colin, Catherine all the dogs and Richard who organised the walk.
Great day
Cheers :-)