Oak Cottage - Loweswater

Retreat to the quiet of the Western Lakes

The Cottage, and  the view up the Buttermere Valley
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Date : Friday Mar. 21st 2003 pm.

Place : Mellbreak, Loweswater, Cumbria.

A walk with : Ann and Jill, and our two dogs.

Weather : Blue skies and sun, an occasional cool breeze keeping haze to a minimum.

Distance and time : approx 5.7 miles, 2057 feet of ascent, and 4.5 hours (including a very nice lunch stop !)

= = = o o o = = =

Jill joined us for a walk from the cottage to Mellbreak, the impressive peak which overlooks the valley at this point.

It is only 1670 feet at its southernmost summit, but is an excellent climb nevertheless.

The lane past Loweswater church.

Once out of the small wood, the lower slopes allow fine views of the area.

The hills behind are Whiteside, Hopegill Head and Grasmoor.

The path takes a left to start the zigzag climb of the northern face of the fell.

To the right is the scree starting high up on the hill.

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As we climb there are magnificent views of the Kirkstile Pub (!!) Darling and Low Fells, and Loweswater itself.

Directly below us was a birds-eye view of High and Low Park, and Mellbreak's shadowy outline.

Suddenly, round a bend, the view of Buttermere and Crummock, with the nearer slope in silhouette.

The haze of the last few days has disappeared,

and once again we can see Fleetwith Pike, Green Gable and Gable itself, at the head of the valley.

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From the north summit views were panoramic, with Helvelyn behind and to the left of the Robinson massif.

Red Pike is the shapely peak in the right hand shot, and behind it and to its left, the loftier High Stile Ridge and Gable.

To the right of Red Pike, Steeple and Caw and Haycock complete the skyline.

From our lunch spot below the summit - what better view do you need !!

South summit with the ever present, and brilliant view of Buttermere Valley.

From the top, we kept more to the left, aiming for Ling Crags, rather than Scale Force.

Our route took us down the grass slope, in front of of the shoulder.

Its quite a steep slope - don't put your rucksack down Jill or it might just roll away !!

Above Ling crag, even the dogs stopped to admire the view.

The view from High to Low Ling Crags at Crummock.

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Above, a slow but steady number of cars round the built up road at Rannerdale,

whilst the brilliant sunshine emphasizes the yellow grass on the lower crag below us.

Home is that way. A view of the lower end of Crummock with Low Fell and Fellbarrow in the distance.

After reaching the Lake, we made our way back to Loweswater.

The dry weather and reduced number of walkers during the winter, meant the path was not as boggy as usual.

A final look back at the dramatic summit of Red Pike,

but the southerly breeze has just enough power to spoil the chance of a reflection.

The large rock in the foreground is proudly named the Iron Stone, but why I don't know.

From here, it was a pleasant walk back to the beach, past High and Low Park, which we viewed earlier from above, and then back of course to quench our thirst at the end of the day.

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