Time and place : Sunday 28th Dec Loweswater Occasion : An winter afternoon walk with Ann and the dogs up and along Melbreak. Walk details : Up the northern side of Melbreak to the summit, along the ridge and back down the diagonal side path above Mosedale. 4 miles and approximately 1550 feet of ascent Weather : Dry but with a stiff northerly breeze. The snow if the last few days is hanging on above the 1750 ft contours.

Loweswater Church and the object of our desires today - Melbreak

Passing the Kirkstile pub - hard but it has to be done sometimes.

The snow of the last few days remains on the tops, but it is more hard and icy than soft and fluffy.

The hills are Whiteside, Grasmoor and right to Robinson with Crummock Water in front.

From the end of the Kirkhead road we stuck up through the short section of trees and on to the lower slopes of the fell.

Below us the valley still shows signs of the recent rain with extra pools of water in many of the fields.

However the floods of the last few days have receded.

Crummock Water with delightful patches of sunlight on the hills.

However as the afternoon passed the strong northerly wind brought clouds to the tops.

Ann climbing the zig-zags on the northern face of Melbreak.

Behind the light snow covers Hen Comb and Gavel.

The classic view of the Buttermere Valley.

The Solway enjoys continued sunshine but we have to pull the scarf tighter on reaching the top.

Ann turns round to look at the view just as the shutter clicks.

A short panorama from the top of Melbreak northern summit.

Click here or on the picture for larger version.

Great Bourne above Hen Combe, with Mosedale valley below.

Summit to summit, north to south, along the fell.

We managed to stay below the cloud base all afternoon.

From the southern (higher) summit the view of Fleetwith and Buttermere is revealed again.

Turning back towards home we took a path to the left half way along the fell, but rather than drop down to the famous Holly, we traversed along the western side of the fell, on a path sometimes no more than a sheep track, but it took us gradually back down to the woods where we started the climb a couple of hours earlier. A delightful path.

Technical note: Pictures taken with a Canon IXUS 400 Digital camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

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