Terrain Overview
Walk Overview
A number of walking firsts today on these 2 minor Eastern region Fells. Sue`s first
walk of the year and me walking with newly fitted contact lenses. We also had the
dubious pleasure of the company of Jones (the Bastard) our 8 year old stroppy
Cairn Terrier. These two Fells are ideal "tasters" for people wishing to get into Fell
walking, requiring minimal effort and the reward of great views from both tops
The walk up to Great Mell Fell starts approximately a mile North East from
Matterdale End just past Brownrigg Farm. A stony track branches off the minor
road to the left and provides very limited parking space for no more than 2 or 3 cars
So, before we start the walk, Sue lays out the ground rules as to what is expected
in terms of behaviour from Jones
Jones exercises his right of reply
So now we are all on the same page, we set off along the stony track
Heading off down the track
It seems obvious that you should go through the first gate you come to on the
right; however, ignore this
About two to three hundred yards on the right is a gate and stile through which
a path leads on to the open Fell side
Out on the open Fell side path and the views start to open up. Here looking
across to the snow capped Helvellyn range of Fells
Looking behind us to what will be the second Fell of the day .. Little Mell Fell
Stay on the track until a very obvious path on the right with foot holds carved
into it cuts a route up the side of the Fell
Looking over Matterdale towards Stybarrow Dodd and Great Dodd
The track heads towards a plantation. There are a number of tracks but this
one seems to be the more popular
The path through the plantation
Once out of the wooded area, within ten minutes the summit cairn comes into view
Click here for a 360 degree view from the summit
We journey back down to go onto Little Mell Fell and are lucky enough to
bump into these guys
Runner and rider for next week`s Cheltenham Festival?? - maybe not
We journeyed by car to the start of the second walk up to Little Mell Fell. This starts
on a minor road between Matterdale End and Watermillock. A steel gate near a small
covered Reservoir leads across a field
Wade through the mud to reach a broken gate to gain direct access to the
open Fell side
Through the gate and a wooden sign post indicates the grooved
path to take to reach the summit
Looking back to Ullswater from the path
At an obvious point the path veers off right
Looking back to the start of the walk
After a short distance the crest of the slope is reached and the summit trig point
comes into view
On the summit of Little Mell Fell
On the way back we made a quick detour to the nearby Aira Force waterfall
