The weather the last few days has been gloriously sunny with summer clouds and deep blue sky.

Following a busy Friday morning, Jo and Neil arrive for an afternoon walk and to stay on for a meal in the evening. 

Despite the hour there's bags of daylight left so we set off to climb the northern end of Mellbreak.

Once on top we extend the walk to conquer the true summit.

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Let's take you back a day or so to the start of the really nice weather.

Phone pictures taken on a quiet afternoon walk down to the shores of Crummock . . . and Sandy Yat beach.

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It was with this settled weather in place that we started our Friday afternoon walk

Did you notice the start time today . . . yes 4pm . . . a time that lots of people think about ending a walk.

Group photo below the Kirkstile Inn . . . where they have a lovely wild display of wild ox-eye daisies.

The object of our desires . . . Mellbreak and the northern ascent up through the crags.

Travelling light for a fell walk, we set off up the Kirkhead Farm track,

the bridleway that eventually would take you over to Ennerdale if you stayed on it for the full distance.

Up through the fire break, a new fence graces the right hand side.	Dylan races back down the slope to check on the photographer.

The route climbs up through the crags, avoiding the scree as far as possible.

In this view from above the firebreak the prospect of the climb is not quite so daunting as that from the pub earlier.

Hold your cursor over the picture to see the approximate route up (may not work on all computers)

The view down the Lorton Valley from the start of the diagonal path that crosses the first scree slope.

The dogs had already found a muddy pool further down, in which to cool themselves

so their darker colour blend well with the stones.

Life on the edge . . . the crags have two or three of these short, false trails.

They look well used but that's because people (and dogs) walk out to see the view and then walk back, doubling the wear factor.

The steep climb on loose stones that have spilled onto the path.	Still, on the way up the vegetation  is delightful.

In this mountain environment we have heather, bilberries, bracken and a selection of more delicate ferns and flowers.

An elevated view looking down on Loweswater . . . and beyond it to the Solway Coast.

Notice the old medieval earthworks in the field with the cows . . . it is thought to be an old stockade or fortified enclosure.

No time to get dizzy as we climb alongside "Dropping Crag".	An aerial view of the Pump House down in the trees.

[ The small orange dot seen in the water towards the far side is a long distance swimmer towing a marker float.]

The houses at High Park . . . only we're even higher.	Looking across to the Kirkstile Inn, some distance away now.

A change of lens solves that problem . . . do you suppose there is anyone looking up at us from the beer garden ?

A pause for breath and a photo . . . the perspective of which makes me look a giant !

Giant steps up the "rock band" . . . it is not as bad as it looks !	Another short side track brings more views.

This is Wainwright's "Peep round the Corner" to Buttermere and Fleetwith Pike at the head of the valley.

Nearing the top and the slope eases after the steep climb.

It is a favourite way up, defined as a light scramble, because sometimes you use your hands to balance or for a quick pull up.

From near the top the views north include the two lakes plus Low Fell and the Lorton Valley.

Scotland is visible over Loweswater . . . but it is rather hazy to see it clearly.

" It's the first cairn you meet and looks a worthy top but is this the highest point ? " 

Jo wanted a summit photo for herself . . . so afterwards she was roped into taking one with my camera too !

Move across to the second cairn and the first does looks lower.

I picture Ann and Jo on the true northern summit . . . and to reciprocate the earlier favour I took a second and similar photo on Jo's camera.

Dylan with a backdrop of the High Stile Ridge and the Ennerdale fells of Pillar, Steeple, Scoat Fell and Haycock.

It is ten to six and time most folk would be heading down . . .  but the weather was good and the sun was a long way off setting.

We decide to add the southern summit to our agenda . . . time wise it should take an extra half an hour or so on top of the planned walk.

Height wise it is just 3 metres taller and so qualifies as Mellbreak true summit but there's a 50m (150ft) drop in between !

It looks like Dougal's found another pool to cool down . . . this time it was a lot more muddy.

Another forward rush and another dog in cool, peaty water.	This hollow we know as "Tom's Pool", named after our grandson.

The grassy summit of Mellbreak after crossing the coll and climbing up other side.

A few stones mark the top of the fell

Again an adjacent rock outcrop (seen on the previous photo) confusingly competes as the highest point.

An arty shot of the summit cairn against the backdrop of Haystacks, Green Gable and Great Gable.

While my back was turned . . . the others have started for home . . . but they looked this way for the photo.

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

Back on the original planned descent route.

Our walk back from the summit took advantage of a new short cut that avoided the peaty section on the old footpath up to the top.

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Panasonic Lumix TZ60, or my Panasonic Lumix Gx8 Camera.

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

This site best viewed with . . . evening supper already prepared.

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Previous walk - 14th June - The Railway Children Event 2019

A previous time up here - 12th Dec 2009 A frosty ascent of Mellbreak 2009

Next walk - 28th June - Brackenthwaite Hows with the National Trust