Meal break after Mellbreak!
 An eagle's eye view of the walk Mellbreak is a real individualist, quite unlike all its neighbours in the greater Buttermere valley. Viewed
from Crummock Water it has the appearance of an upturned boat compressed in its middle. Like a pantomine horse, the impressive northern aspect, a characterful head with the higher southern portion, beyond the saddle, the plainer rump. Whatever the analogy, it is a fine stand alone objective with no ridge ties to any other fell. The fell-name is shrouded in more mystery than would at first appear likely ‘the dappled bare hill’ is not a conclusive explanation. Loweswater, however, is more clear cut, ‘the leafy lake’, it would seem the woods that give verdant dappled tones to the vale have long graced this wonderful setting. Full stride aheadThe walk begins effectively from the most nucleated element of the Loweswater parish close by the church of St Bartholomew and the Kirkstile Inn. Follow the road signed ‘No through road’ leading right, crossing Church Bridge, swinging from west to south in rising past Kirkgate Farm and the subsequent modern house, bereft of vernacular taste. The bridle-lane rises, and soon becomes flanked by sturdy walls, winding attractively through pastures mingled with cattle and sheep. At the second right-angle turn in the lane notice a large low square earthwork over to the right. Tradition holds that it was a church site, and it has been postulated to have been a tenterbank covering a henge, but the evidence of this or any other origin remains enigmatic. The views across the valley north feature the woods surrounding the largely unseen head of Crummock Water and the grand heather-clad peaks of Whiteside and Grasmoor. The lane leads up to and through a gate, now leave the bridle track and head straight up through the break in the plantation strip onto the fell pasture. The popular path climbs up through the bracken, keep to the rising line, ignoring the right fork into Mosedale - frequently used on a shorter return descent from the saddle of Mellbreak. This is an excerpt from Mark's original article. To see the full article, you will need to download the PDF using the link below  Download complete PDF (415KB)
© Mark Richards 2007 |
