Peak and Fell Walking - 9th March 2008 Loweswater Fells

LOWESWATER FELLS

A PHOTOGRAPHIC WALKING WEBSITE by NEIL HASLEWOOD

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Loweswater Fells - 9th March 2008

WALK STATISTICS

Date	9th March 2008	Description	Loweswater Fells
Start Point	Maggies Bridge	Peaks Climbed	Mellbreak 512m
Start Grid Ref	NY 13451 21046		Hen Comb 509m
Total Time	7hrs 00min		Gavel Fell 526m
Walking Time	5hrs 05min		Blake Fell 573m
Stopped Time	1hrs 55min		Carling Knott 544m
Distance	11.00 miles		Loweswater End 519m
Moving Average	2.2 mph
Elevation at Start	125 metres	Temperature	3-6°C
Total Ascent	1,250 metres	Weather	Sunny Intervals & Windy at times
Max Elevation	573 metres	Walking With	Mark

WALK NOTES

Maggies Bridge - Loweswater Village - Mellbreak - Mosedale - Hen Comb - Whiteoak Moss - Gavel Fell - Blake Fell - Carling Knott - Loweswater End - High Nook - Maggies Bridge

The clouds were covering the high peaks today so we decided to climb some of the lower "Wainwrights" instead. Starting from Maggies Bridge National Trust car park we walked back into Loweswater Village and passed the Kirkstile Inn (which we would visit later in the day). Continuing through a small pine wood and then walking up the lower slopes of Mellbreak we encountered the rocky north end of Mellbreak. This slowed the pace down but the ascent was certainly a thrill as we experienced excellent views throughout. On the ascent one arrives at the second promontory - the point where Wainwright called it "a peep around a corner" and where there are great views to Crummock Water, Buttermere, Rannerdale Knotts, Robinson and even Fleetwith Pike. Not long afterwards we arrived at the North Top Summit more or less at the same time as another couple of walkers had arrived at the summit from the opposite direction. The views from the North Top Summit of Mellbreak were fantastic. The sun was shining at this moment and therefore gave us superb views to Loweswater and beyond. Mellbreak has a North Top Summit and a South Top Summit (which in fact is the true summit). The photos taken from the South Top Summit were not as good as the ones taken from the North Top Summit because we were looking directly into the sun. However the view would have been great with Crummock, Buttermere, Grasmoor, Robinson, Fleetwith Pike, and the High Stile ridge all in sight. We left the South Top and headed west down steep grassy slopes into Mosedale. We then walked past the solitary holly tree (mentioned on os maps) and picked up the main path to the other side of the valley crossing a bridge over Mosedale Beck on our way. Our next Wainwright was Hen Comb which we ascended by climbing the steep grassy slopes next to Thrang Crags. There were views to Loweswater and to Buttermere. After a short stop we descended south westwards from the summit of Hen Comb and then crossed White Oak Moss which was very wet and boggy. Eventually we reached a fence which we then followed over White Oak and onwards to the summit of Gavel Fell. From the summit we could start to see the route we had taken today as Mellbreak was just across the valley. Mind you was very windy at this point. Continuing to follow the fence we headed towards Blake Fell - the highest point of the day at 573 metres. From the summit of Blake Fell to the west are Knock Murton and Cogra Moss reservoir. Instead of walking to Burnbank Fell we decided to walk to Carling Knott and Loweswater End. A great view of Loweswater from here. The route back took us below the summit of Carling Knott and then followed a small beck steeply down to the High Nook valley and ending back at Maggies Bridge. It was an excellent day's walk taking in 4 Wainwrights and 2 Birketts. Before we left Loweswater we had a pint in the Kirkstile Inn.

MAP

PROFILE

REFERENCE

Reference Books Used	Walking the Wainwrights by Stuart Marshall (Sigma Leisure)
Maps Used	OL4 Explorer - The English Lakes (North Western Area)

PHOTOGRAPHS

Kirkstile Inn - Loweswater

The signpost showing "No Road"

Darling Fell & Low Fell from the slopes of Mellbreak with Loweswater village below

Loweswater after walking through pinewood

Fellbarrow & Low Fell from ascent of Mellbreak

Fellbarrow & Low Fell from slopes of the ascent of Mellbreak

Loweswater with Fellbarrow & Darling Fell from ascent of Mellbreak

Loweswater with Fellbarrow, Darling Fell & Low Fell from second promontory of Mellbreak

The view to Crummock Water with Rannerdale Knotts from the "peep around a corner"

Crummock Water with Whiteside & Grasmoor from second promontory of Mellbreak ascent

Crummock Water with Grasmoor from second promontory of Mellbreak ascent

Crummock Water with Whiteless Pike, Robinson, Rannerdale Knotts, & Fleetwith Pike from the "peep around a corner"

Low Fell, Loweswater & Lorton Vale from Mellbreak's second promontory

Crummock Water with Whiteside & Grasmoor from second promontory of Mellbreak ascent

Mellbreak's North Top Summit (512 m) with Loweswater, Fellbarrow, Darling Fell & Low Fell

Mellbreak's North Top Summit (512 m) with Loweswater, Fellbarrow, Darling & Low Fells

Mark & I at the North Summit of Mellbreak

Mellbreak's North Top Summit with Loweswater

Looking back to Mellbreak's North Top Summit

"Hold on to your hat!!" on Mellbreak

Looking bck to Mellbreak's North Top Summit

Mellbreak's South Top Summit with Red pike & High Stile ridge

Hen Comb & Mosedale from Mellbreak

Walking to Hen Comb

Mosedale valley with solitary holly tree (mentioned on os maps)

Mosedale with Robinson & High Stile ridge from ascent of Hen Comb

Hen Comb Summit with Loweswater beyond

Hen Comb Summit with Loweswater beyond

Hen Comb Summit with Buttermere & High Stile ridge

Hen Comb Summit with Loweswater beyond

Whiteoak Moss (very wet & boggy) with Gavel Fell & Blake Fell beyond

Whiteoak Moss with Low Fell (on left) Mellbrake (dark peak in centre) & Hen Comb (on right)

Gavel Fell Summit with Mellbreak & Grasmoor

Gavel Fell Summit with Mellbreak & Grasmoor

View from Gavel Fell Summit to Mellbreak & beyond

Blake Fell Summit with Knock Murton & Cogra Moss

Knock Murton & Cogra Moss from Summit of Blake Fell

Carling Knott from Blake Fell

Carling Knott Summit (544 metres)

Carling Knott Summit "Lookout & Shelter"

View from Carling Knott Summit

Looking towards Loweswater End

Grasmoor & Crummock Water from path to Loweswater End (Mellbreak on right)

Grasmoor & Mellbreak from path to Loweswater End

Whiteside, Grasmoor & Mellbreak viewed on path from Carling Knott to Loweswater End

Loweswater End Summit with Whiteside and Grasmoor beyond

Loweswater End Summit with Grasmoor and Mellbreak

Grasmoor, Crummock Water & Mellbreak from near Loweswater End

Loweswater from Loweswater End

Loweswater, Lorton Vale, Loweswater village, Whiteside, Grasmoor & Crummock Water from Loweswater End

Grasmoor & Crummock Water from near Carling Knott

Looking back to descent from Carling Knott in High Nook valley

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