Gt Gable to Windy Gap

A bit of discussion on this has already started in another thread, but I though opening a new one might bring in more contributions. Keswicksimon led me a good way on a recce, but I'm not sure I'll find it without him on the day!

The normal walkers' route is to head N then NE from the summit, then E along the top of Gable Crag, & NE again to reach the gap. "Rough & stony all the way" says Wainwright, & he's not wrong.

Baggins's recommended route, posted the other day on the "Legs 3-5 This Weekend" thread: "Follow the Styhead path down until the large boulder where the path turns 90 degrees "new variation" keep heading down on grass for 30m then traverse left (you are now slightly above the height of windy gap) until you join the main path below the rocky section. Once you know it easy to follow in thick cloud or the dark."

But Simon took us down between the two - I'd guess about E - down grassy slopes to join a traverse line above the crags, joined at about the same height as Windy Gap, or a bit higher, & we could actually see Windy Gap (visibility was good). There appeared to be a bit of a path, although since it was all covered with snow we couldn't tell how easy it would be to follow.

Simon's route is more direct than Baggins', which presumably takes the same traverse line but joins it further to the right. And it was a good fast route, even in the snow. But...how do I find it again?

Thanks for picking this one up Splatcher.
I think we took the route you describe with KeswickSimon.
We actually picked up a grassy section after some rocks as you describe, then traversed at same (ish) height as windy gap.
Not too bad really, but my feet knew about it with my full pack on !
At least that's the only last hard bit on the round as one saving grace!

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Originally Posted by AlanB

Thanks for picking this one up Splatcher.
I think we took the route you describe with KeswickSimon.
We actually picked up a grassy section after some rocks as you describe, then traversed at same (ish) height as windy gap.
Not too bad really, but my feet knew about it with my full pack on !
At least that's the only last hard bit on the round as one saving grace!

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Simon showed me the same route and I managed to find it last week in thick clag without too much trouble, it definitely takes a lot of the pain out of the Gt Gable descent and joins the main descent path before you hit Windy Gap. I could be persuaded to chop up a GPS trace and post it here if anyone is interested.

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Originally Posted by Martyn P

Simon showed me the same route and I managed to find it last week in thick clag without too much trouble, it definitely takes a lot of the pain out of the Gt Gable descent and joins the main descent path before you hit Windy Gap. I could be persuaded to chop up a GPS trace and post it here if anyone is interested.

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p.s. I should add that I think that traverse is probably the same one that Baggins describes, you just join it further back. The Styhead descent must (obviously) bisect it.

Think I did Baggins' version on mine. The mythical Bob took the helm and I followed. Seemed an easy way down, certainly more so than the usual walkers' path I'd used in the past.

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Originally Posted by Martyn P

Simon showed me the same route and I managed to find it last week in thick clag without too much trouble, it definitely takes a lot of the pain out of the Gt Gable descent and joins the main descent path before you hit Windy Gap. I could be persuaded to chop up a GPS trace and post it here if anyone is interested.

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Or an bearing ? Think I might be able to guess the bearing when I get home and check the map anyway...

I'll be following this thread... I lose time in spades on that loose descent off Gable... never liked it. I have a damned good navigator for Leg 4, and haven't been down there since last year, but any easier (more runnable) route has to be worth a good look. If I do end up postponing, it's one tweak that's worth going over.

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Originally Posted by AlanB

Or an bearing ? Think I might be able to guess the bearing when I get home and check the map anyway...

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Here's something might be of even more use. The light blue line marks the route up, across and down to the traverse. Ignore the blue line to the NW, that's just my earlier trog over the Moses Trod.

Attachment 6114

Just checked on google earth

tourist route 485m
borrowdale race route (keswicksimon) 540m
down styhead path and across 550m

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Originally Posted by Baggins

Just checked on google earth

tourist route 485m
borrowdale race route (keswicksimon) 540m
down styhead path and across 550m

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Tourist route much shorter then. Worth pointing out that my earlier assumption was wrong, your route (down Styhead path) doesn't bisect the Borrowdale/Simon line at all, it actually starts behind it and then I presume it joins the same traverse? Might be easier to find.

Yes its the same traverse.

The grassy section can be seen from both tourist paths with the Borrowdale race route straight through the middle, that means you can cut across to it from either side.

I used to cross from the Styhead path about 10m before the large boulder, you cross about 6-10m of scree to get on the grass then head down at an angle in the direction of the gap and you will be funneled down to the traverse because you get on very rocky ground if you go too far.

The final drop to the traverse is on steep grass so it slows you down a touch, especially if you're doing a BG, by getting on the traverse by going below the boulder its less steep so better for tired legs.

I think in poor visibility I'd traverse from above the boulder still as going down felt vague ie no definite feature to give an indication on when to traverse but I'll try it a few times before deciding.

One thing to remember about any "short cut" on a round its only of use if you know where you're going, you could waste loads of time trying to relocate if it goes wrong!

All good stuff. Any idea of a bearing? Roughly? Anyone?

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Originally Posted by Martyn P

Here's something might be of even more use. The light blue line marks the route up, across and down to the traverse. Ignore the blue line to the NW, that's just my earlier trog over the Moses Trod.

Attachment 6114

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Hi Martyn - looking at this useful jpg again, is there anyway you can make the blue line more visible ? Can barely see it, in fact I've only just noticed it goes straight through the "star" which is what i thought it should do. It's looking like ENE from summit the due E. Really hard to see...