At the central hub of the high country are Great Gable and its satellites, while two principal ridges fan out on either flank of Ennerdale, the western fells forming a horseshoe around this valley.

[1] The upper section of Great Gable has a roughly square plan, about half a mile on each side, with the faces running in line with the four points of the compass.

About 30 feet (9 metres) deep, this tarn occupies a scooped hollow, dammed by boulders fallen from the slopes above.

[2] The southern flank of Great Gable falls 2,300 feet (700 m) direct to Lingmell Beck, one of the main feeders of Wastwater.

From the north-western corner of the pyramid the connecting ridge to Kirk Fell runs out across the col of Beck Head (2,050 feet (620 m)).

Stone Cove lies on the Ennerdale side while the rough gully of Aaron Slack runs down toward Styhead Tarn.

[3] The summit of Great Gable is strewn with boulders and the highest point marked by a rock outcrop set with a cairn.

[1] The club bought 3,000 acres of land including Great Gable and donated it to the National Trust in memory of these members, and the plaque was dedicated on Whit Sunday 1924 by Geoffrey Winthrop Young in front of 500 people.

[5] Due to its central position within the Lake District and great prominence the summit offers panoramic views.

This cairn was erected in 1876 by two brothers named Westmorland to mark what they considered to be the finest view in the Lake District.

A popular route is to climb Sour Milk Gill from Seathwaite in Borrowdale, first ascending Green Gable before traversing Windy Gap.

[1] This links a number of existing paths, namely the north and south traverses, Styhead Pass, Aaron Slack and Moses Trod.

The south traverse climbs westward from Sty Head and provides access to the Napes and Kern Knotts for rock climbers.