- Mellbreak with Helen -

Date & Time: Monday 3rd Sept 2007. 2.30 pm start.

Location of Start : The red phone box, Loweswater, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 143 211 )

Places visited : Kirkgate Farm, Dropping Crag, Mellbreak north top, the side traverse into Mosedale, back via the Kirkstile Inn.

Walk details : 3.75 mls, 1400 ft of ascent , 3 hrs.

Walked with : Our Anglo/Australian visitor Helen, Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : Beautifully sunny.

Helen, a long term friend of Ann's (we're talking school days here) emigrated to Australia in the 1980's but has returned on an extended holiday to visit family and friends. Before she returned, she was able to make the journey north and spend a few days with us.

When asked what fell she would like to walk it had to be Mellbreak, as she had been sitting in the garden all morning looking at it !

Great Gable and Haystacks at the head of the Buttermere Valley	Mellbreak, the target of today's walk, much closer at hand.

Several of the photos today have been taken by Helen including the ones above.     Two school chums pause by the wall on the way up the Mosedale bridle way track towards Mellbreak.   Behind is the heather clad Whiteside Fell.

Above the larch forest as we start the climb towards the crags.

In the background now is the steep front face of Grasmoor.

A tranquil rural view of the hamlet of Loweswater with the Vale of Lorton extending into the distance.

The larger grey building is the church, the long white building next to it, the pub.

( I've listed the buildings right to left this time so I can call this shot . . . "Thirst after Righteousness" )

Left to right this time . . . Ann and myself.

The start of the climb, avoiding the direct scree path . . .	. . . by taking the diagonal route from end of the grassy ascent.

Part way up we met and got talking to this couple, Nigel and Teresa, who were climbing Mellbreak as part of their "around Crummock Water" walk.

They started from Buttermere and were on the home leg now, having walked down the other side of the lake this morning.

A reciprocal photo deal produced this excellent group shot from today's walk.

Climbing steadily now up past the section known as Dropping Crag.     We didn't tell Teresa that. I think the name might of put her off ! The exposure was bad enough for her as it was.

But we did suggest that she ventured out, as we did,

to catch this classic view of the Buttermere Valley from high on Mellbreak.

Near the top now, the sunlight and shadows on Grasmoor and Whiteless Pike were a real delight.

Leaving Nigel and Teresa to enjoy their lunch on the top, we continued on.

The fells in this photo are Robinson and the steep-sided Fleetwith Pike at the head of Honister Valley.

Blue sky and fluffy clouds over the High Stile Ridge.

The lighter green foreground is the southern summit of Mellbreak, with High Stile and Red Pike behind.

Our route today was never going to be a long one and we turned west towards Mosedale once we reached the central part of the Mellbreak ridge.     A short distance down the fell side there is a feint path which skirts the top of a dry gully and then traverses slowly down towards the valley floor.

Low Fell in the sunshine, from the valley track.

Harry and Bethan requested we take a sight diversion down to the river

so they could have swim and chase sticks down the small waterfall.

After a brief visit to sample the wares of the Kirkstile . . . we returned home.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with a Canon Ixus Digital camera.

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

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Previous walk - 26th August 2007 Haystacks with Paula and Al

A previous time up here - 26th May 2006 Mellbreak with Al and Richard, and the boys

Next walk - 4th September 2007 Dale Head with Helen