Walk 60 - Great End - 28th August 2021
 

Wainwright's Walking Guide to the Lake District Fells - Book 4 The Southern Fells
 

#143 Seathwaite Fell 2073 ft
#144 Great End 2986 ft
Distance
10 miles
Time
7 hrs
Lowest Point
261 ft
Highest Point
2986 ft
Total Ascent
3290 ft
 
Walk Rating - moderate
 

Mini Route Map
(larger map at the bottom)

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  8.09 An early morning walk around the field with the weather looking promising.  
 
 
 

8.18 Pillar was in cloud behind the farm.

 
 
 
  8.19 And Great Gable never wants to let go of its cloud.  
   
  15.00 We set off up the track in the early afternoon having not really decided whether to do Great End or Great Gable. We let the weather decide and only really made the final choice at the stretcher box. This is looking back at Great Gable about 20mins up the path from Styhead. After passing Styhead we stopped to chat to a Polish lady who wanted her photo taken. I realised that the rest of her group, and another group behind them, were all following us, thinking we were heading for the corridor route, which we had already passed. When I told them, the Polish group turned back but the other group opted to continue and go for the higher route to Scafell Pike. None of them had a map of course.  
 
 
  15.01 Great Gable and Green Gable.  
 
 
  15.14 Having passed Sprinkling Tarn we met a second smaller tarn just below Great Slack.  
 
 
  15.15 Esk Pike in the background. Great Slack on the right with Great End behind it.  
 
 
  15.15  
 
 
  15.19 Nearing the summit of Seathwaite Fell.  
 
 
  15.25 There are quite a few small tarns on Seathwaite Fell.  
   
  15.28 Panorama 555 Seathwaite Fell summit looking west (Wainwright #143 2073ft)  
   
  15.29 Panorama 556 Seathwaite Fell summit looking east  
 
 
  15.30 Looking across the valley towards Great Gable.  
 
 
  15.37 Great Gable  
 
 
  15.37 The mountain rescue box at Styhead is visible with Wasdale Head in the background.  
 
 
  15.41 Glaramara  
   
  15.56 Panorama 557 We stopped for a paddle in Sprinkling Tarn on the way back to the main path.  
       
   

Sprinkling Tarn is a most attractive sheet of water with an indented rocky shore, its scenic quality enhanced by the massive cliffs of Great End nearby and soaring above.
The tarn is a delightul place, well provided with heathery couches amongct grey boulders on the water's edge.

  
   
Alfred Wainwright - The Southern Fells. Wetherlam 10.
  
       
   
  16.35 Panorama 558 Further up the main path alongside Ruddy Gill with small parts of Sprinkling Tarn just visible.  
 
 
  16.43 The Langdale Pikes come into view as we climb the path.  
 
 
  16.45 Looking back down the path with Base Brown visible behind Seathwaite Fell.  
   
  16.57 After turning the corner at Esk Hause. The path up the back of Great End is pretty easy.  
 
 
  17.14 Looking across to Esk Pike as we climbed above Calf Cove col. Bowfell clung on to its cloud for most of the day.  
 
 
  17.15 Ill Crag clear but Scafell Pike in cloud.  
 
 
  17.16 Scafell Pike behind Broad Crag.  
       
   

While the multitudes are milling around the top of nearby Scafell Pike, the cairn on Great End often remains lonely and here one may enjoy, uninterrupted, a view scarcely less extensive or less interesting and certainly no less beautiful than that from the Pike. In one direction, to the north, the view is near perfection: this scene of Borrowdale and Derwent Water, backed by Skiddaw, is among the fairest of Lakeland pictures.

 
   
Alfred Wainwright - The Southern Fells. Wetherlam 10.
  
       
   
  17.27 Panorama 560 Great End summit looking west (Wainwright #144 2986 ft). All the high fells in view were quickly hiding and showing as the clouds blew around and yet Great End was completely clear the whole time we were there and also completely still.  
 
 
  17.27 Broad Crag with Scafell Pike behind.  
 
 
  17.39 Scafell Pike floating in the clouds.  
 
 
  17.40 Kirk Fell and Great Gable  
 
 
  17.40 Lingmell.  
 
 
  17.41 Wasdale Head below us.  
 
 
  17.41 Lambsfoot Dub, a small tarn close to the corridor route.  
 
 
  17.41 Ill Crag.  
 
 
  17.43 A few clear moments for Scafell Pike.  
   
  17.49 Great End summit looking north  
   
  17.55 Great End summit looking east  
   
  17.57 Panorama 561 Great End summit looking east  
   
  17.57 Panorama 562 Great End summit looking south  
 
 
  18.07 Bowfell briefly clears behind Esk Pike.  
   
  18.26 Panorama 563 Esk Hause looking south  
   
  18.30 Panorama 564 Esk Hause looking north  
 
 
  18.32 Rossett Pike with Windermere in the distance behind Lingmoor Fell.  
 
 
  18.34  
 
 
  18.39 A glimpse of Derwent Water as we descend the path back to Styhead  
 
 
  19.03  
 
 
  19.17 Styhead Tarn  
 
 
  19.20 Leaving Styhead for the main Wasdale Path.  
   
  19.25 Panorama 565 At the top of the path with Lingmell in the centre and Wasdale in the distance.  

 
   
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