My nephew Sam and his wife and two children were in The Lakes for Easter, staying in Keswick.

Unfortunately Lucy had to return home for work, but on Easter Tuesday Sam, Josh and Lily were free to come over for a walk.

The choice of fell was up to them . . . but the desire was to climb the steepest looking one and include a waterfall on the way back.

The "steepest climb around" and the group, ready to go, pausing to start at the red phone box, for a photo.

Personnel are Sam, Loes Abi and Tom, Lily and Josh plus Dougal in the front row.

Loes and Tom came along for the start of the walk,

then they broke off at the Kirkgate Woods and stayed low for their own walk part way up Mosedale and back.

[ Note: If you're climbing this route try and avoid the scree. There are several zig-zag options that avoid the erosion and makes the climbing easier.]

Reaching one of the levels . . hot climbing so Abi sheds a layer of clothing.

Behind them is Loweswater and a hazy Scotland through the gap.

Steady climbing with the occasional 'scramble moment' before the slope started to ease.

Chance to look behind at the extensive view of the Lorton Valley.

We've climbed above the top of Low Fell, which is about 240 feet lower.

However, despite Josh's lofty pose, this still leaves Carling Knott some 100 or so feet higher, with Blake away to the left topping us all with another 250 feet on top of that.

If you like metric, that's 423m for Low Fell, 509 for this end of Mellbreak, 544 for Carling Knott, with Blake coming in at 573m above sea level.

Sam, Abi and Lily, wrapped up a little bit warmer as the breeze on the exposed top is slightly chilling.

The youngsters claim the summit.

All that distance across from the shaded north top, all for just 3 extra metres of height . . . but now you've done it, you've ticked off another 'Wainwright' summit.

We stroll over to the left (east) from the summit to get a view down to Crummock Water and Buttermere Village.

It was decided that it would also be a great place to enjoy our lunch !

- - - o o o - - -

Looking down on the green Scale Knott

and across to the wooded cleft between Lingcomb Edge and Gale Fell that is home to the waterfall known as Scale Force.

A steep but grassy descent down the southern end of Mellbreak and we pick up the fence line that will take us down to the bridleway.

Here we're looking across the top end of Mosedale to Great Borne, (hidden) Floutern Tarn and the triangular Floutern Cop.

A left turn takes us down the Black Beck valley towards the lake, but we turn again, off our new pathway and cross over the stream.

It's just a slight climb from here, up the other side towards Scale Force.

Opinions vary about how its precise height is calculated, but the total height is normally stated as 170 feet.

Climbing up to the main falls is a wet and very slippery scramble in places. Fortunately today's low water means there's little enveloping mist in the air.

William Wordsworth described Scale Force as "a fine chasm, with a lofty, though but slender, fall of water",

while Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote, "Scale Force, the white downfall of which glimmered through the trees, that hang before it like the bushy hair over a madman's eyes."

My thanks to Wikipedia for those words of wisdom !

I hope my prose occasionally gets somewhere close to that standard.

From the falls, we follow Scales Beck down towards Crummock.

The bridge which brings one of the round-the-lake paths over from Buttermere has suffered slightly in recent months.

The side rail has become rotten and has been removed, but the bridge is assessed as okay to use.

It seems to need a Health and Safety notice to tell horse riders that it is okay to cross . . . not that I've ever seen horses being ridden out here.

As we approach the lakeside we pass through the old summer sheilngs, a group of old ruins that must date back over 600 years.

When the bracken is low you can make out enclosures and central stone ruins of potential black houses.

It doesn't warrant a mention on the map but has been identified as dating from the earliest centuries of farming in this area.

Down by the lake shore and we turn north once again, starting our return leg towards home.

The tombolo peninsular of Low Ling Crag with its matching shingle beaches, one on each side.

If you ever get to look down on the feature from High Ling Crag, it looks just like the head of a golden retriever.

Here's an archive picture from January 2022

However, back today and our slightly more cloudy walk back alongside the lake.

It's been sunny for a few weeks now and the paths are nicely dry.

The peace and quiet of the Lakes is shattered by the sound of low flying aircraft.

- - - o o o - - -   As locals we are quite attuned to the distant roar of approaching aircraft. Sometimes they are the gentle buzz of the four engined Hercules, sometimes the higher pitched sounds of the Tocanos or the small Gnat jet trainers.   SOMETIMES THE ROAR OF THE F16's OR IN THIS CASE A FLY PAST BY THE EUROFIGHTER TORNADO !!   The first caught the girls by surprise, the second Sam caught on video as it passed a few minutes later on a second, higher up run through the valley.   Click here for a short video. (Make sure your PC speakers are switched on) Backspace to return here.   - - - o o o - - -

All's quiet again as we reach Flass Woods and the gate to Low Park.

We complete the circle at the Negative Signpost outside The Kirkstile Inn.

As it was such a fine afternoon, we sat outside and chatted to some of the many visitors to the area.

We had a fine conversation to a young couple who were just starting out on their journeys round the wainwright Fells.