Green Gable: 799.9m Height, Walks and Summit Views

Green Gable is often walked alongside Great Gable, but it deserves more than a passing visit. Its grassy flanks and rocky summit offer a quieter-looking contrast to its larger neighbour, while the outlook into upper Ennerdale gives it a character of its own. At 799.9 metres, this Western Fell brings together high ridges, deep valleys and a close view of Great Gable’s formidable northern side.

A green shoulder beside Great Gable

Green Gable stands immediately north-east of Great Gable, separated from it by the saddle of Windy Gap. The contrast between the two helps explain its appeal: Green Gable has extensive grassy slopes beneath its stony summit, whereas Great Gable presents a much heavier mass of rock. Seen together, they form a distinctive pairing, but the smaller fell is a substantial summit rather than simply an approach to its neighbour.

The surrounding landscape belongs to the Borrowdale Volcanic Group, the ancient volcanic rocks that underpin much of the central Lake District’s rugged high ground. Below Green Gable, Gillercomb is a glacial hanging valley above Seathwaite. Its enclosing slopes and crags give the Borrowdale side of the fell a more enclosed character than the open ridges might suggest.

Green Gable in the Western Fells

Wainwright included Green Gable in The Western Fells, the seventh volume of his pictorial guides. Its recorded height is 799.9 metres, or 2,624 feet, making it the 35th highest of the 214 Wainwrights. The summit grid reference is NY214107. Although its height is commonly rounded to 800 metres, the more precise figure places it just below that mark.

Its neighbouring Wainwrights are Great Gable, Brandreth, Grey Knotts and Base Brown. These connections make Green Gable a natural part of longer days across the high ground between Borrowdale, Ennerdale and Honister. It is often combined with other summits rather than treated as an isolated objective, yet its position rewards a pause before continuing along the ridges.

Summit views and walking connections

The close view of Great Gable is the summit’s most distinctive feature. From here, its northern slopes rise directly beyond Windy Gap, allowing walkers to appreciate the scale and roughness of the larger fell. Looking into upper Ennerdale brings a different perspective, with the valley extending away between its enclosing fells and Pillar forming a prominent part of the surrounding skyline.

Seathwaite in Borrowdale and Honister Pass are established starting points for walks that include Green Gable. Approaches from these places offer different experiences of the fell, from the enclosed ground around Gillercomb to the more open northern ridges. Whichever combination of summits is chosen, this remains high mountain terrain: mist can obscure the connections, and the exposed ridges call for sound navigation and suitable equipment.

Where Green Gable stands

Summit at grid reference NY214107 · open full map

The real Green Gable

Walking Green Gable

We make artwork, not route guides — these are the guides we'd point a friend to:

• Base Brown, Green Gable, Great Gable and Seathwaite Fell (walklakes.co.uk)
• Green Gable and Great Gable from Seathwaite (walkingenglishman.com)
• Great Gable (where2walk.co.uk)

Weather on Green Gable

Conditions estimated at summit height (800 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Green Gable on your wall

A painting of Green Gable can recall more than the summit itself: the grassy ridge, the dark bulk of Great Gable beyond Windy Gap, or a clear spell over Ennerdale. As a print or canvas, that familiar contrast gives a room a lasting connection to the fells.

Own “Vibrant Green Gable and Tarn” — our painting of Green Gable → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Western Fells

• Great Gable 899 m
• Brandreth 715 m
• Grey Knotts 697 m
• Base Brown 646 m

Part of our guide to all 214 Wainwrights — see the full index.