Date & start time: Monday 10th November 2008. 11.45 am start.

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

Places visited : Mellbreak direct, along to the south top and down to Crummock via the Pinnacles.

Walk details : 4.6 ml, 1850 ft of ascent, 2.5 hours.

Highest point : Mellbreak 1,676ft ( 512m )

Walked with : Pete Burgess and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : Dry with sunny periods. Strong, blustery winds on top.

Those two dogs look remarkably like mine !

An unfrequented Wainwright route done in reverse compared to the book.

Our descent rather than ascent followed a visit to both tops by Pete and myself.

A shorter walk as he had to return to London that evening.

Kirkgate Farm and the cattle are in for the winter. The fields are too wet for them now.

They would just churn them into mud and destroy what little grass is still growing. Best to leave it for the sheep.

Mellbreak and Flass Woods with a nice show of Autumn colours.

Our route climbs this northern end of the fell.

Harry has a roll in the moorland grass.

Fortunately it's due to the excitement of being out, rather than finding something smelly to revel in !

The recent wet weather has caused a lot of damage to the path.

A new gully has cut its way down the fell side and ploughed through the lower path. We clamber carefully round the desstruction.

Onward and upward to the steeper section.

Low Fell enjoying one of many fast moving sunny patches.	Further up, the gully has carved a deep rut in the path.

I can see Joan's house from here . . . and the pub . . . and the cottage !

Pete looks down on Loweswater and the Lorton Valley.

There's a great view of Buttermere too as we walk out to a Wainwright viewpoint, about two thirds of the way up the climb.

Looks like the dogs have made the top first . . . again.

Harry playing windometers . . . it is suddenly very windy as we reach the top.

Pete tries it too . . . but his hair isn't so long or so expressive.

Fast moving clouds and patterns of sunlight cross Mosedale from Great Borne.

A short while later and we are on the southern top

enjoying views of Fleetwith Pike at the head of the Buttermere valley.

More fun and games . . . we're obviously not trying them hard enough to tire them out.

I doubt we ever will !

Pete enjoys the view down to sunny Ling Crag, the lower one of which juts out into the lake.

Difficult to portray here but the wind was producing wonderful shapes and plumes of spray as it funneled across the water.

Sunshine and clear skies as well over Grasmoor and Whiteside.

We double back over the summit ridge and find the notch on the eastern side that leads to the route described as Pillar Rake.

At first it appears an impossible descent but the grass is firm and there is a trace of a path, if only a sheep trod.

Dramatic views as we traverse along the grassy rake.	It's easy enough if you keep close to the rock.

There are fine views down to the lake from the pinnacles.

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The last of the pinnacles towards the outer end of the grassy rake.

Some of the clefts between them would be climbable but most include vertical drops over the edge.

Whiteless Pike and Rannerdale across the water.	Pete enjoying the view from his exposed location.

Once clear of the grass ledge the only way down is the scree. The heather is too steep and rocky to attempt safely.

A steady but rapid descent, the quickest way down Mellbreak.	The rake started at the distant notch, easier in descent I think.

The more familiar view as we reach the upper of the two lakeside paths and turn for home.

We pass High Park, a classic courtyard farmhouse . . .	. . . and Low Park with its beautiful garden.

Multi-coloured sheep in the fields near Loweswater Church.

The cattle are indoors, the new summer lambs have gone

and it's time for the ram to earn his keep as he is put out with the ewes at the start of the new farming year.

The Tup is the one in bracers as you may guess.

His smart straps hold a dye marker that spreads colour on the back of the ewes he has serviced.

This indicates to the farmer the readiness of next seasons breeding flock.

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Happy New (sheep farming) Year

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Technical note: Pictures taken with with my Cannon G7 or Ann's Ixus 75 Digital cameras.

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

This site best viewed with . . . the satisfaction of completing a new route on a familiar fell.

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Previous walk - 9th November 2008 Castle Crag Remembrance Service

A previous time up here - 18th Feb 2005 Melbreak and Scale Force with Ben and Sarah