Great Gable from Wasdale Head

Great Gable stands at 899m above the head of Wasdale, a near-perfect pyramid of scree and crag that is one of the most beloved summits in the Lake District. The direct ascent from Wasdale Head follows Gavel Neese and the steep slog above Beck Head before a final rocky scramble to the cairn, with a memorial plaque to the fell walkers lost in the First World War. This is a dog friendly hill in the sense that dogs on lead are welcome throughout, but the terrain is steep and stony and not suitable for every four legged companion.

Park at the National Trust car park at Wasdale Head, pay and display and free for members, where Herdwick sheep graze right up to the wall and dogs must be on a short lead from the off. The ascent is relentlessly steep with loose scree in the upper section, demanding good paws and a dog who will not pull on exposed ground. There are no facilities on the mountain and no reliable water once above the valley floor. The Wasdale Head Inn and nearby Barn Door Shop are the only refreshment options at the trailhead.