Hazard: Moderate
A boggy, fairly featureless top on the high ground between Honister and Great Gable, its summit a scatter of stones and rusted fence posts. The main hazard is navigation: in cloud the broad, sodden plateau is easy to misjudge, and the steep crags of neighbouring Gillercomb lie just to the east. The old fence posts help, but take a bearing as well. Keswick Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.
- Featureless boggy plateau (navigation): The broad top has few landmarks beyond the ruined fence posts, and the ground is wet and confusing in mist. Use the old fence posts as a guide, take a compass bearing, and don't trust a vague trod across the bog.
- Gillercomb crags to the east: Steep crags drop into the deep bowl of Gillercomb just east of the col toward Grey Knotts. Don't drift down into the Gillercomb hollow in cloud — keep to the broad col and the gentle rise.
- Deep bog & exposure: The ground between Brandreth and Green Gable / Grey Knotts is among the boggiest around, and this is high, shelterless ground. Pick careful lines, allow extra time, and dress for fast-changing high-fell weather.
Who should attempt this fell: Brandreth is gentle underfoot but a navigation fell — use the old fence posts as a guide and take a compass bearing in cloud so you don't drift toward the Gillercomb crags. Expect deep bog, allow time, and treat it as exposed winter ground when there is snow. There's little here to catch you if you wander, except the steep edge into Gillercomb.
What to watch for: Navigation errors on the featureless boggy plateau in cloud · Drifting toward or into the Gillercomb crags/hollow · Floundering in deep bog along the fence line · Exposure in poor weather on high open ground
Local Mountain Rescue: Keswick Mountain Rescue Team (opens in new tab)
Safety: Always check current conditions, carry proper navigation equipment, and seek qualified instruction before heading onto the fells. In an emergency, call 999, ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue.
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