My niece is over for a few days over the Easter holidays so I have chance to introduce her to the delights, not only of the fells

but also of the coast, as we do a little sightseeing, explore unseen places, subsequently climbing our local fell, Mellbreak by the north face !

To this end we were accompanied by my friend and companion Loes but the visit started with a trip out west to the coast.

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Before we go just a few recent pictures from the last few days here in the garden . . .

Hold your cursor over the left hand picture to see what I mean.

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I had an invitation to a cuppa over at St Bees today . . . so Rachel's Cumbrian visit started with a trip to St Bees.

Driving towards the coast we passed Rowrah and the sign to the Cumbrian Kart Racing Circuit.

Having never been there myself (but seen it on Top Gear a short while back) we decided on a brief diversion.

An old open-cast iron ore quarry has been converted into a racing circuit with spectacular effect.

We stopped the car to take a look over the fence.

There were several karts practising on the circuit.

The chairs were obviously a fine vantage point to watch races when they were in full progress.

Apparently many a fine Formula 1 driver started his career here on kart racing, including apparently Mr Lewis Hamilton.

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We continued on and parked down at the St Bees waterfront.

Sunshine but a blustery day.

The only tourists that were about were spotted taking coffee behind the brick wind shelter.

No-one playing on the kids climbing frame today.

The main reason was the fact that there was a storm blowing.

The tide was high and the sea rough so 'buckets and spades' were out of the question today.

The largest of the waves had made it up the slipway as the promenade was wet.

Still it was warm, the sun shining and no reason not to to walk up onto St Bees Head.

There were some lovely bunches of flowers by the caravan park.

Lovely primroses on the grassy bank.

Climbing the footpath we could see the full extent of the wild water below.

An old  wartime coastguard lookout post has been converted into a viewing point with signboards.

The prospect was not matched by reality . . . Rachel would just have to imagine the Isle of Man today.

Looking north along the cliffs from South Head.

If you look carefully you can just see the St Bees lighthouse.

We continued the walk along the top of the cliffs in the direction of Fleswick Bay

till we had a clear view of the light, albeit with the telephoto lens on the camera.

Fleswick Bay on a rough day with the tide in . . . is no place for sand castles either.

We retraced our steps back to South Head but diverted slightly up onto the high ground behind the cliffs.

Here we got a view down over St Bees village and the caravan parks and a very slight view inland of the high fells.

How could we finish off the walk nicely . . . perhaps a cup of tea . . . but the cafe was shut !

I had spoken to Loes yesterday and she had offered us refreshment today if we wanted some.

Her lounge was a good place to enjoy the view without the prospect of being blown away.

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" Walk Two with Rachel - Mellbreak " Date & start time:      8th April 2022.  11 am start. Location of Start :     By the red phone box, Loweswater, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 143 211). Places visited :          Mellbreak (north and south tops) back via Mosedale. Walk details :              3.75 miles, 1450 ft of ascent, 3 hours 35 mins. Highest point :           Mellbreak summit, 1,666ft - 512m. Walked with :              Rachel, Loes, myself and the dogs, Dylan and Dougal. Weather :                     Sunshine and blue skies, gone are the gales of yesterday.

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number PU 100034184.

First photo of today's walk . . . at the red phone box with Rachel and Loes.

Taking the Kirkhead track below the Kirkstile's beer garden.

The prospect of Mellbreak's "north face" ahead of us as we walked.

Loes had wanted to do this walk for a while but didn't know if she was fit enough . . . we would soon find out !

Hopegill Head and Sand Hill at the head of Gasgale Gill

with whiteside and Grasmoor either side.

Carling Knott and the Loweswater Fells that I had walked recently.

Looking back at the Kirkstile and the Lorton Valley, with Loweswater on the left.

Rachel and Dougal enjoying the climb.	Loes is too, but it was not easy.

One problem was the residual overnight frost on the north facing slope !

A huff and a puff . . . and the worst was over.	Time for a well earned rest on the way up the fell.

After yesterday's blow, the gentle breezes were much more acceptable.

The views were better too . . . that is the Scottish Coast seen over Loweswater and the Solway.

Even the wind farms in the estuary can be seen today.

Don't look down to High Park if you suffer from vertigo !

Up here you can have a "peep round the corner" instead.	Gable and Haystacks . . . I don't remember the tall tree here before.

We're not at the summit yet . . . so Dylan checks out the prospect ahead.

Now we can relax a bit . . . the climb is more or less done.

Rachel pleased at such a nice day in the Lakes . . . Loes just pleased at making the summit in one piece.

Someone has been here before . . . and left a coloured memento.

We're at the north top so chance to look around and enjoy the view . . . feel free to do likewise.

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

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We walked on, across the top of Mellbreak, to show Rachel where her cousin Tom fell in the bog (not once but twice in his life).

The northern faces of Red Pike and High Stile were holding some snow too.

. . . as we strode out to the southern top.

Sadly for all Wainwright baggers, the less dramatic southern top is nine feet higher that the northern summit, so the extra walk is needed.

Still, the views of Helvellyn are worth the effort of walking the extra distance.

The summit is temporarily occupied . . .

. . . but these fellow-walkers were just on their way, so the top was clear when we took our summit photo.

Object achieved, it was time to head home.

This was the view of the walk across from the northern top that we had just completed . . . time now to reverse the route, at least in part.

On the slopes below Dylan has found another small pool in the moorland vegetation.

Almost an infinity pool,

with a view of the sky if not a reflection of the fells beyond.

This time the water was clear and the frogs spawn was a lot cleaner.

[Apparently sometimes on the high fells, the cool temperatures delay the tadpoles from maturing into frogs for two years instead of one.]

We walked to the centre of the fell and then took the path off to the left, down towards Mosedale.

There's two paths down here, one straight down and this one that traverses more gently towards home.

The Mosedale Holly way below, but a few seedlings of spruce are also growing reasonably well up here.

The path varies between grass, heather, gorse and bilberry and here stone, as we crossed a wide scree slope.

The bracken hasn't started to re-grow so we have the chance of an easy descent to the Mosedale Track.

Down in the valley now, with Darling Fell and Low Fell featuring in the view ahead.

Dylan waits for someone to open the gate.

The walk is almost done but we are in need of refreshment.

To celebrate a successful climb . . .	. . . and because we didn't stop for lunch on the fell !