Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap up Great Gable: route map, distance and time
899 m · Lake District
Great Gable is a rocky dome at the head of Wasdale, climbed for its summit views down the valley and its paths from Honister, Borrowdale and Wasdale Head.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Seatoller National Trust car park.
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap starts at about 118 m and gains 781 m over 7.9 km to 877 m on the track. The first 4 km are the easy part, averaging 1%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 7.9 km, which climbs 230 m at an average of 26%, with a 500 m stretch from 6.5 km at about 37%. That last pull ends at the summit. About 21% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap at a glance
| Distance | 7.9 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 810 m |
| Climb on the track | 781 m up, 26 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 102 m to 878 m (summit 899 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 37%, from 6.5 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 21% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 55m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 4h 30m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Seatoller National Trust car park, CA12 5XN |
| Start grid reference | NY 245 138 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 210 103 |
| Parking | Seatoller National Trust car park |
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap map
The track from the start (green) to the summit (blue), with a marker at each kilometre.
Height profile and getting to the start
Near the start
- The Yew Tree Pub0.1 km
- The Langstrath Inn1.7 km
- Borrowdale YHA1.0 km
- The Flock-in1.5 km
- Peathouse Tea & Coffee Shop1.6 km
- Public toilets0.1 km
- Public toilets1.6 km
- Public toilets1.9 km
- Seatoller Farm0.3 km
- Chapel House Farm Campsite1.1 km
- Seathwaite Farm Campsite2.0 km
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap GPX
Ascent only: plan your way down. A planning track, not checked on the ground; it doesn't show safe scrambling moves. Track data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), heights from a terrain model.
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap kilometre by kilometre
Height, climb and average gradient for each kilometre of the track, with a grid reference at the end of each one to check your position on the map.
| At | Height | Climb | Gradient | Grid ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 109 m | -9 m | -1% | NY 249 134 |
| 2 km | 120 m | +11 m | 1% | NY 243 127 |
| 3 km | 133 m | +13 m | 1% | NY 236 121 |
| 4 km | 163 m | +30 m | 3% | NY 234 113 |
| 5 km | 302 m | +140 m | 14% | NY 230 109 |
| 6 km | 429 m | +127 m | 13% | NY 223 102 |
| 7 km | 647 m | +218 m | 22% steep | NY 216 103 |
| 7.9 km | 877 m | +230 m | 26% steep | NY 211 103 |
How long Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 2h 25m | 3h 45m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 55m | 4h 30m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 35m | 5h 35m |
Times leave out stops. Coming down the same way, the table counts the ascent once; steep descents on rough ground can be as slow as the climb.
- Today: sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:08. Start by 12:38 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 30m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:06. Start by 12:36 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 30m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Great Gable summit weather for this route
-
Good Today Sunday 18 October
Partly cloudy, up to 6°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -5°C, summit wind 17 mph gusting 21 mph, 0% chance of rain. Rated Good. Sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:08.
-
Poor Tomorrow Monday 19 October
Dense drizzle, up to 7°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -3°C, summit wind 42 mph gusting 53 mph, 51% chance of rain. Rated Poor. Sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:06.
Best day of the next seven for Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap: Sunday 18 October, with summit gusts around 21 mph and a 0% chance of rain.
Hour-by-hour Great Gable forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Great Gable?
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
What to take today
- An insulated jacket, hat and warm gloves: it feels like -5°C on top.
- A waterproof jacket. It can rain on the tops in any forecast.
- Microspikes for icy paths. In snow, an ice axe and crampons and the skills to use them.
- Map and compass, and the skills to use them. A phone is a backup, not a plan.
- A head torch, food, water, a charged phone and a small first aid kit.
About Great Gable
Great Gable is a rocky dome at the head of Wasdale, climbed for its summit views down the valley and its paths from Honister, Borrowdale and Wasdale Head. More about Great Gable, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Marilyn, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Green Gable (800 m), 0.5 km north-east
- Kirk Fell East Top (787 m), 1.2 km west
- Kirk Fell (802 m), 1.6 km west
- Brandreth (715 m), 1.6 km north
- Seathwaite Fell (631 m), 1.7 km east
- Base Brown (646 m), 1.8 km north-east
Challenges that include Great Gable
- Lake District 24 Peaks Challenge · 24
- Ennerdale Horseshoe · 14
- Bob Graham Round · 42
- Hewitts · 523
- Nuttalls · 442
- Wainwrights · 214
- Marilyns · 1,555
More walks from Seatoller National Trust car park
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause up Allen Crags
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause up Esk Pike
- Seatoller via Thornythwaite Fell up Glaramara
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap up Green Gable
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause up Scafell Pike
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and the Corridor Route up Scafell Pike
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge, Grains Gill and Esk Hause up Broad Crag
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and the Corridor Route up Broad Crag
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Seathwaite Fell paths up Seathwaite Fell
- Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Seathwaite Fell paths up Seathwaite Fell South Top
Other routes up Great Gable
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honister Pass via Green Gable | 4.1 km one way | 621 m | 1h 50m | Moderate |
| Wasdale Head via Sty Head | 5.6 km one way | 828 m | 2h 30m | Moderate |
| Seathwaite via Styhead Tarn | 4.6 km one way | 765 m | 2h 10m | Moderate |
| Wasdale via Beck Head | 5.4 km one way | 840 m | 2h 30m | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 245 138, the summit at NY 210 103), what happened and how many are in your group. If you have no signal for a call, a text to 999 works once you have registered your phone with emergencySMS: text "register" to 999 before you go.
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap: questions and answers
How far is Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap?
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap is 7.9 km one way to the summit of Great Gable, with 810 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 15.8 km.
How long does Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap take?
About 2h 55m to the summit of Great Gable and 4h 30m there and back by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops. A relaxed group takes nearer 5h 35m for the round trip.
How steep is Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap?
The steepest 500 m averages about 37%, starting 6.5 km from the start, and 21% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap climbs 781 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap?
Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap starts from Seatoller National Trust car park (postcode CA12 5XN). The grid reference is NY 245 138. Seatoller National Trust car park
Is Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap suitable for beginners?
Not as a first mountain. Peakify grades it Hard: steep, rough ground where a slip matters. Build up on an easier route first, such as Honister Pass via Green Gable.
What time should I start Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap today?
By 12:38 at the latest. Sunset on Great Gable today is 18:08, Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap takes about 4h 30m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Seatoller via Stockley Bridge and Windy Gap?
Yes. Download it from this page. It is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.