Seathwaite, Green Gable, Base Brown

The walk, stage by stage

1. 1

   Start → Seathwaite Fell (Wainwright summit) (5.1 km, 485 m)

   Climb of about 485 m over 5.1 km (around 10% average).

   From the Seatoller south-east field car park on the Borrowdale road, where our track starts, the route heads about 2 km south-west up the valley to Seathwaite Farm, then continues on the wide, stony track south to the packhorse arch of Stockley Bridge. From here it climbs on the main path toward Sty Head, then branches off onto the rugged, chaotic plateau of Seathwaite Fell. The fell is less a single peak than a sprawling, confusing mass of rocky knolls, peat hags and small tarns. The Wainwright summit is at its northern end, overlooking the Borrowdale valley you walked up.

   Waypoints

   Seatoller, south-east field car park: The start and finish of our track, on the Borrowdale road. Seathwaite Farm (approx. 120m): The wettest inhabited place in England. You can also park here, on the free verge by the lane or in the farm's field, which saves about 2 km at each end. Stockley Bridge: The historic stone bridge where the Styhead and Grains Gill paths divide. Seathwaite Fell Wainwright Summit (601m): A small cairn on a rocky outcrop at the plateau’s northern end, looking straight down the Borrowdale valley.

   Decision point

   Valley Line of Sight: If you are unsure you are on the Wainwright summit, look north: it is the knoll with the clearest view straight back down to Seathwaite. Styhead Gill: The deep trench of the gill runs parallel to the west, hemming you onto the plateau.

   Easy to get wrong

   The Hummocky Plateau: Seathwaite Fell is notoriously difficult to navigate: a maze of minor rock steps, deep boggy hollows and braided sheep trods that lead nowhere. Wet Ground: Even in high summer, the hollows between the knolls hold a lot of water. Expect wet boots.

   If you need to get off

   Go back down the way you came up, to the heavily engineered Styhead Tarn path, which will lead you directly back to Stockley Bridge and Seathwaite.

2. 2

   Seathwaite Fell (Wainwright summit) → Seathwaite Fell (Great Slack - Seathwaite Fell) (0.7 km, 32 m)

   Undulating section of about 0.7 km.

   A short, undulating traverse south across the spine of the fell to its true highest point. The walking is rough in places, weaving around rocky outcrops and small pools. Little height is gained, but the uneven ground demands high-stepping and constant micro-navigation.

   Waypoints

   The Plateau: The undulating ground between the two summits. Great Slack (631m): The true highest point of Seathwaite Fell, marked by a cairn further back towards Great End.

   Decision point

   Sprinkling Tarn: Heading south toward Great Slack, the irregular shape of Sprinkling Tarn appears in the depression ahead. Use it as your forward marker.

   Easy to get wrong

   Clag Disorientation: In thick mist, telling Great Slack from the half-dozen other rocky bumps on the plateau is very difficult. Braided Paths: With no single, definitive path, you must read the terrain rather than follow your feet.

   If you need to get off

   Do not bail east down the sheer crags into Grains Gill. If you need to exit, go back the way you came, or carry on to Sprinkling Tarn and the main path down to Sty Head.

3. 3

   Seathwaite Fell (Great Slack - Seathwaite Fell) → Green Gable (3.5 km, 366 m)

   Descent of about 191 m, then a climb of about 366 m, over 3.5 km.

   From Great Slack, drop south to the shore of Sprinkling Tarn, beneath the cliffs of Great End. From the tarn, follow the rocky path west down to the major crossroads at Sty Head. From the stretcher box, the route follows the main path north beside Styhead Tarn for about 0.5 km, then turns left and climbs violently upwards, tackling Aaron Slack. It is a steep, punishing gully choked with loose red scree, funnelling between Great Gable and Green Gable. At its top is Windy Gap, where a short, steep rocky pull to the right (north) brings you to Green Gable’s summit.

   Waypoints

   Sprinkling Tarn: The large tarn sitting at the base of Great End. Sty Head: The major mountain pass, marked by the wooden mountain rescue stretcher box. Aaron Slack: The steep, scree-filled ravine ascending from the far end of Styhead Tarn. Windy Gap: The deep col between Great Gable and Green Gable. Green Gable Summit (800m): A rocky dome with a fine view of Great Gable’s imposing northern crags.

   Decision point

   The Stretcher Box: At Sty Head, the mountain rescue box is a landmark confirming you are at Sty Head. The Aaron Slack path leaves the main path about 0.5 km further on, at the far end of Styhead Tarn; the path that climbs straight from the box goes up Great Gable instead. The Gully Walls: Once in Aaron Slack, it is hard to go wrong: the walls of the Gables box you in until you reach Windy Gap.

   Easy to get wrong

   Aaron Slack Scree: The climb is a miserable, lung-bursting slog; the red scree slides away under every step like a treadmill. The Windy Gap Funnel: The col is aptly named: a natural wind tunnel, where winds that feel manageable on the valley floor can be ferocious enough to knock you off your feet. Once you are halfway up Aaron Slack, bailing is harder than pushing to the top: descending the loose scree is a prime ankle-rolling hazard.

   If you need to get off

   At Sty Head: This is a good bail point. Turn north and walk the well-pitched path past Styhead Tarn back to Seathwaite.

4. 4

   Green Gable → Base Brown (1.4 km, 41 m)

   Descent of about 157 m, with about 41 m of climbing, over 1.4 km.

   From Green Gable’s rocky dome, the route drops steadily down its grassy northern flank into a shallow depression. From here it is an easy ridge walk north-east, the ground changing from shattered rock back to a broad, undulating grassy spine. The ascent to Base Brown is barely noticeable—a gentle 40m rise to the summit cairn.

   Waypoints

   The Saddle: The grassy saddle separating Green Gable from the Base Brown ridge. Base Brown Summit (646m): Marked by a cairn.

   Decision point

   The Hanging Valley: Keep the bowl-like depression of Gillercomb on your left (west) as you walk the ridge; it is your handrail.

   Easy to get wrong

   False Paths: In mist it is easy to drift too far east coming down from Green Gable, toward the dangerous, craggy drops above Styhead Gill. Deceptive Edges: The western edge of Base Brown drops vertically into the Gillercomb hanging valley. Keep back from the rim in poor visibility.

   If you need to get off

   If the weather turns, your best option is to press on to the saddle before Base Brown and take the Gillercomb path down from there, as retreating back up Green Gable requires unnecessary climbing.

5. Base Brown → Finish (5.2 km, 36 m)

   Descent of about 530 m over 5.2 km.

   From the summit of Base Brown, head south-west back along the ridge to the saddle. There the path drops north, descending steeply into the bowl of the Gillercomb hanging valley. You must rock-hop across the infant Gillercomb Beck before the path swings right (north-east) to exit the lip of the valley. From here, the route plunges alongside Sourmilk Gill. It is an aggressively steep, heavily pitched stone staircase beside waterfalls, down to Seathwaite Farm. From there, return the way you came, about 2 km north-east down the valley to the start.

   Waypoints

   Gillercomb Valley: The elevated, marshy bowl hiding behind Base Brown. Gillercomb Beck Crossing: The point where you cross the water before the steep descent begins. Sourmilk Gill: The roaring series of cascades that guide your descent. Seathwaite Farm: where the descent ends; the start is about 2 km further, back down the valley.

   Decision point

   The Waterway: Once you cross Gillercomb Beck and hit the lip of the valley, the roaring water of Sourmilk Gill is your handrail. Keep beside the gill and follow it all the way to the valley floor.

   Easy to get wrong

   Knee-Destroying Descent: The pitched path down Sourmilk Gill is unrelenting: a massive staircase of stone slabs that will brutalize tired quads and knees. Slippery Slabs: Near the waterfalls the stone path is often coated in spray and algae and dangerously slick. A few steep rock steps near the bottom need minor scrambling, using your hands. Beck Crossing: After heavy rain, Gillercomb Beck may be impassable. Do not enter water you cannot cross safely; decide whether to turn back before you commit to the descent.

   If you need to get off

   This is the final exit route and there is no alternative. Once you drop over the lip of the hanging valley beside the waterfalls, you are committed. Take the stone steps slowly, use trekking poles if you have them, and stay strictly on the pitched path to avoid the dangerous ravine edges.