Today we attack Great Gable from Honister.
To make up for the high start, we take in Grey Knotts, Brandreth and Green Gable, and add a tour of the Hay Stacks Peaks on the return leg.
It was a beautiful day.
Green Gable ahead with Great Gable behind
Close to the mighty Great Gable
Styhead Tarn and Sprinkling Tarn behind. A little further than they look, we hope to visit them on a future Scafell Pike route from Seathwaite
Indy's favourite - Innominate Tarn. They say if your dog looks happy then your dog is happy. Who could argue with this pic?
And a nice swim to cool down
1) "Honister rambler" bus from Keswick to Honister
2) Car parking, toilets and café at Honister Slate Mine [Grid Ref: NY 22457 13570] [GPS 54.511478,-3.1992062] View on map
Honister, Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Green Gable, Windy Gap, Great Gable, Moses Trod, Hay Stacks Peaks, Innominate Tarn, Dubs Quarry
Distance 12.80 km, Time 5.13 h, Total Ascent 1,010 m
Wainwright Pictorial Guide: The Western Fells
Grey Knotts 697 m
Brandreth 715 m
Green Gable 801 m
Great Gable 899 m
Hay Stacks 597 m
Innominate Tarn - Innominate Tarn on Hay Stacks is a picturesque tarn to the E of Hay Stacks summit. It is smaller than the neighbouring Blackbeck Tarn. Innominate Tarn has importance as the final resting place of Alfred Wainwright.
"Every day that passes is a day less. That day will come when there is nothing left but memories. And afterwards, a last long resting place by the side of Innominate Tarn, on Haystacks, where the water gently laps the gravelly shore and the heather blooms and Pillar and Gable keep unfailing watch. A quiet place, a lonely place. I shall go to it, for the last time, and be carried: someone who knew me in life will take me and empty me out of a little box and leave me there alone. And if you, dear reader, should get a bit of grit in your boot as you are crossing Haystacks in the years to come, please treat it with respect. It might be me."
Moses Trod - Before the roads and tramways, it was more convenient to transport slate from Dubs to South Cumberland by packhorse directly across the high fells to Wasdale {...}
Moses Trod is a high level route which was planned to avoid steep gradients. The path is kept in being today by discerning walkers who appreciate the easy contours, fast travel, glorious scenery and superb views.
Moses Rigg is a well established 18th centry figure in local tradition, which describes him as a Honister quarryman who, after his day's work, illegally made whisky from the bog water on Fleetwith at his quarry hut, smuggling this potent produce to Wasdale with his pony-loads of slate A. Wainwright, The Western Fells
