Date & Time: Wednesday 14th June 2006. 11.15 am start. ( Map ref: NY 407 247 )

Location of Start : Roadside parking near Brown Rigg Farm, Matterdale End, Cumbria, Uk.

Places visited : Great Mell Fell.

Walk details : 2.4 mls, 975 ft of ascent , 1 hrs 25 mins.

Walked with : Ann and the two dogs.

Weather : Warm and sunny with virtually no breeze.

Where 'ewe going ? - Inquisitive sheep at the start of the walk.

 

Today we decided to do two smaller walks, the first of which was up Great Mell Fell.

Last time we were here, seven years ago believe it or not, we walked from Penruddock and struggled up through the forest on a direct ascent. This time we gave the matter a little more thought and decided on an anti-clockwise circuit of the fell, taking advantage of the cool dappled shade of the woodland, and climbed towards the summit once clear of the trees on the northern side. Our route down would use the only real path on the fell, directly down the south eastern slope back to the Racy Cottage lane, and the roadside where we had parked the car.

( For those who enjoy the Wainwright books, the firing range on the northern side is now closed and the warning signs are gone allowing those of a nervous disposition to once again tackle this fell without fear of their lives.)

   
The first gate up the Racy Cottage track.
New bracket fungus in the woodland.

 

Cool enough in the trees for Ann to "borrow" my Salomon T shirt.

I'll have to make sure I get it back as she took rather a liking to it.

Clearing the deciduous woodland we climbed more directly for the summit.

To the north was Carrock Fell, with a bright yellow lorry on the A66. (Try saying that six times in a row if you can !!)

It's funny weather we've been having this year.

Wouldn't surprise me if it was snow - but it is actually new season Cotton Grass - in profusion.

The open fell and more delightful cotton grass swaying in the lazy warm breeze.

Behind is a hazy Cross Fell on the Pennines.

The summit of Great Mell Fell with the Skiddaw Fells behind

The very top was a circular patch of green grass devoid of the cotton plants . It also looked like a golf tee with its small raised area of turf.

Looking at the map it turns out to be an old Tumulus or ancient burial mound on the very top of the fell.

The view south to Gowbarrow and the Patterdale Fells.

 

The hill top is characterised by these isolated, wind-blown fir trees

all looking extremely old and battered.

   
A complex multi-branched trunk on this one.
Our route down, and back to the deciduous woodland and bracken

 

   
Where Racy Cottage track meets the road.
A small deer, almost to quick for the photographer.

 

- - - o o o - - -

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

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

This site best viewed with . . . Cuckoos in the woods, and the song of the larks above the open fell.

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Previous walk - 8th June 2006 The Fairfield Round on a hot summer's day

The previous time up here - April 1999 - (Sorry no photos on line )