Grasmere Common Gullies

A guide to scrambling two grade 1/1.5 Grasmere Common gullies under Broadstone Head west of Grasmere in the Lake District. Summary verdict: definitely not worth doing on their own but West Gill makes a reasonable add-on after scrambling Far Easedale Gill.

Route in: park at Lancrigg Hotel west of Grasmere and take the main path that runs along the valley bottom of Far Easedale

Notes: these gills have no marked name on maps, but they run each side of Broadstone Head, so I’ve called them Broadstone Head East Gill and Broadstone Head West Gill. Also it was very sunny, so apologies for flare on the video

Start point: start Broadstone Head East Gill at OS ref NY 29822 09973; start West Gill at NY 29753 10057

Grading: the East Gill has Grade 1 elements but with gaps between; West Gill is up to Grade 1.5 in places: more continuous scrambling and some slightly more technical bits

End point: where each gill reaches the flatter tops among the crags: NY 29647 09663 for East Gill; NY 29483 09972 for West Gill

Route out: head north and west until you connect with a path that runs north along the tops; go along that until you hit the main path east down Far Easedale. Alternatively walk south and then east along a steep path that descends from Tarn Crag

Time: 100 mins from CP to start point or 5-10 mins from the end of Far Easedale Gill; then 30 mins up East Gill and/or 25 mins up West Gill; then about 80 mins to walk back

Combine with: Far Easedale Gill

Gear: possibly a helmet but otherwise nothing special

Verdict: definitely not worth doing on their own but West Gill is a decent add-on to scrambling up Far Easedale Gill, requiring different techniques to typical scrambles (East Gill is a bog-standard Grade 1 scramble)

Category: Standard scramble

Score: 6.5/10 for East Gill, 8/10 for West Gill

Video guide: