Loweswater, Mosedale Holly Tree, Gale Fell, Little Dodd, Mellbreak, Cumbria. Thu 25 Jan 2007

I drove to Lowewater, past the Kirkstile Inn, and on to the bridge over Park Beck. I parked in a lay-bye at the bridge and began to get my stuff ready. I was surprised to see a few schoolchildren walking down the lane, presumably to catch a school bus. I set off south along the lane and past Kirkgate Farm. There was hardly any wind and the weather looked good. The fells above 500m were all covered a snow, though I didn’t know how deep. The tarmac ended at the farm and I was then on stony ground between walls. The track continued higher and when in Mosedale valley the walls were left behind. There were great views all around; Mellbreak to the left, Hen Comb to the right and Gale Fell in the distance. The track is firm and almost flat. After a while it took a turn to the left and started to climb diagonally up Mellbreak. However, in the distance I could see the Mosedale Holly tree, which is quite a way off the track. I set off on a direct line to the tree. According to A. Wainwright’s book ‘The Western Fells’ the tree is the only single tree marked on the Ordnance Survey map that is individually named.

Grasmoor from the climb of Gale Fell.

Straight ahead was Gale Fell and I wanted to make a direct ascent from the valley. It was a bit boggy in places as I headed across the marsh and reeds but I managed it without getting my feet wet. I started the climb at a sheepfold and took a steep diagonal route up towards what looked like a shelf. The ground was firm and not as bad to climb as it looked from a distance. The gradient was fairly constant until I emerged on to the flat area of Gale Fell.

I was now high enough to be out of the shade and into sunshine, though it was still quite cold at 2degC. A light dusting of snow covered the fell and I wandered across the heather towards Starling Dodd. Looking back across Loweswater Fell I could see across the Solway Firth and the distant hills of Scotland behind.

Mellbreak and Grasmoor from Gale Fell

Red Pike from Little Dodd.

I was now high enough to be out of the shade and into sunshine, though it was still quite cold at 2degC. A light dusting of snow covered the fell and I wandered across the heather towards Starling Dodd. Looking back across Loweswater Fell I could see across the Solway Firth and the distant hills of Scotland behind. Up ahead I took a left turn through the snow to Little Dodd. The snow was frozen hard here and great to walk on. The views all round were excellent and I was now high enough to see Great Gable. In the distance I could see a man and two dogs climbing Lingcomb Edge towards Red Pike, the first person I saw on the fells. I headed that way and found a nice sheltered cove just over the ridge to stop and eat my sandwiches.

There wasn’t much wind on the tops but it was quite cold and not pleasant to hang around in. The descent to Scall Force (waterfall) was quite tricky as the steep path was covered in ice, so I had to take a parallel route through the heather. At the waterfall I took a minor path across Black Beck and up the south end of Mellbreak. It is an easy and firm route up the mountain and there are wonderful views. I bit of thin high cloud was now blowing in and it seemed to get a bit colder. Several sections of the path were coated in ice so again I had to wade through the heather. The descent at the northern end of the mountain is quite steep but it is worth it as part way down is a flat shelf with a short path round to the right. This gives a wonderful view across the steep eastern slope of Mellbreak and down to Crummock Water, Buttermere and on to Fleetwith Pike in the distance. At the bottom of the scree the path runs through a clearing in the pine trees to join the main track back to Loweswater.

Across Crummock Water and Buttermere.