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I have new neighbours who are long-term renting the Vicarage here in Loweswater.

They have never lived in the Lakes before and are delighted with the area and particularly the view from their front door.

Martin said he would love to climb the fells but didn't know where to start.

Perhaps snow covered Grasmoor is a bit optimistic for a beginner . . . so shall we start with Mellbreak ?

After all it is the fell he looks out at first thing every morning.

A nice weather day in prospect . . . well at least the forecast suggests only a few intermittent wintery showers.

There are other walkers about today but the triangle isn't full of cars as it has been on sunnier days.

[ The Vicarage is the house half way up the hill, in the trees above Rose Cottage.]

How are we climbing it Rog ?

I thought we might go straight up the front Martin !!

Dylan leads the way, Dougal more concerned with bringing a stick to play with.

To be fair . . . I've stopped several times to take pictures.

Well, with a photogenic 'hound in heather' you just have to.

Okay . . . Dylan wanted his picture taken too.

The Loweswater Fells seen from the little plateau two thirds of the way up the climb.

From here there's a rather nice view of Grasmoor . . . and Wainwright's "View round the corner" just around the corner.

Shuffle around that slight corner and Buttermere and Fleetwith Pike come into view.

There's a hoar frost on the heather now we are above the snow line.

Grasmoor and Whiteless Pike seen over the snow-laden vegetation.

Martin and the dogs at the first cairn at the top of the climb.

It has remained a nice day and so I've created a panorama so you can enjoy the views as well.

Click here or on the photo above for a 360 degree annotated panorama.

One for my grandson . . . Tom's Pool . . . about three feet deep, full of peaty water and frozen over today.

That's where we've come from . . .

Looking back at the northern top of Mellbreak.

To claim the Wainwright point you have to climb the summit on the southern end of the fell.

It is over half a mile walk to achieve a mere three metres height difference.

After a bright walk so far, the light suddenly faded and a big grey cloud gathered above us.

Most striking was the fact that Helvellyn was still shining bright through the gap formed by the Newlands Pass.

There was a wintery shower in the air, but fortunately it passed us by.

Instead it was the Gatesgarth area at the far end of Buttermere that was getting wet.

Great Borne from the gate on the Floutern Pass bridleway.

Underneath the crags and level with Floutern Cop is a small tarn, remote and hardly visited.

Martin stops for his own photographic record of the view down towards the lake.

. . . but nice enough out here for a little fell-walking refreshment.

A change of lens and a closer look at the top falls . . .	. . . and the lower cascade, before we depart.

Scale Force is the highest single drop waterfall in Cumbria, but is quite remote so few visitors.

The path continues across the bridge and climbs up the iron-red stones towards Buttermere Village,

but we'll walk down the path on the left hand side of the river, as we're heading back towards Loweswater.

The footbridge over Black Beck just before it joins Scale Beck and heads off towards the lake.

We pass through the medieval village, the remains of which are hidden in the confusion of the ground cover.

However, when you're there you can make out several rectangular wall shapes that would have been old buildings in their day.

We reach the lake just short of Low Ling Crag.

	- - - o o o - - -   " Graceful curves of nature "   I'm  talking about the scenery !   The pristine symmetry is only spoilt by one set of human footprints ahead of us and those of a bouncy dog just under our feet.   Yes, he's found another stick !   - - - o o o - - -

Looking up to High Ling Crag from Low Ling Crag . . . it shouldn't be possible to look down, just by definition !

We leave to darker weather behind . . . another winter shower heading somewhere ?

There's beautiful sunshine on Robinson Fell, as viewed up the Rannerdale Valley.

Sunshine ahead as we head for home.

The shadows at our feet are due to the low winter sun being hidden behind Mellbreak.

Rather than leave you to walk home by yourself,

follow us to Low Park and we'll cross over the bridge ahead.

Across the fields, with a view across to St Bartholomew's Church and the Kirkstile Inn.

Back at 3.30 pm and by four the sun was setting, leaving us with a clear night sky in prospect.

- - - o o o - - -

Martin returned the short distance up the road to his home . . . and after a wash (for me) and brush up (for the dogs)

we have another appointment in life's busy schedule . . . haven't we Dylan ?

Dylan has been invited out to celebrate his seventh birthday, at Sophie and Chris's House.