BY Lake District standards, approaching the big western fells from Ennerdale still feels like sneaking in through the back door.
While Wasdale and Buttermere heave with cars and coaches, this long, glacial valley remains quiet, its forestry tracks and rough hill paths used mostly by locals, long‑distance backpackers, and those willing to work a bit harder for their summits.
From the head of Ennerdale, Pillar looms as a dark wall of rock, its famous north face rising abruptly above the River Liza.
Walkers heading for the top leave the forest roads near Black Sail and gain height via Looking Stead, a stiff pull that suddenly opens up a classic view back along the valley, the Red Pike–High Stile–High Crag ridge soaring above the water.
From here, the high‑level route beneath Pillar Rock tempts the confident, threading through crags more often seen in guidebooks than in person.
It is a serious country, but on a clear day, you are more likely to share it with ravens than with other people.
Across the valley, that Red Pike–High Stile chain offers an equally rewarding outing from the Ennerdale side.
Paths from near the YHA climb steeply through the trees, breaking out onto a high traverse that links summits with sweeping views down into Buttermere on one side and Ennerdale on the other.
Here, the sense of separation from the busier valleys is palpable: instead of café queues and traffic,c you get the sound of wind over the combs and, if you are unlucky, the rattle of loose scree on the descent towards Scarth Gap.
Great Gable is usually climbed from Wasdale or Borrowdale, but its Ennerdale face is the one many fellwalkers quietly cherish.
From the valley, you see its full profile: a compact pyramid framed by Green Gable and the ragged skyline of Kirk Fell. Routes via Windy Gap or Moses’ Trod give lung‑busting ascents and balcony‑like views straight down the valley, with Ennerdale Water glinting far below.
On a good day, you can stand on Gable’s summit, look back over the line of fells you have crossed, and feel as if you have traced the entire story of this “forgotten” valley in one long, quiet arc.
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