Route: Great Mell Fell
Area: Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 8th September 2016
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 2.4 miles
Ascent: 900 feet
Weather: Cloudy, warm and windy with a few spots of rain
My plans for a high level walk were scuppered by torrential rain in the morning, so I decided to revisit Aira Force and if the weather improved I’d climb Gowbarrow Fell, but on arrival at the car park I realised I’d left my waterproof jacket at home. Curses! (This is the censored version of my words at the time). I’d remembered to pack the waterproof bag for the camera though so a walk was still on the cards, even though I ran the risk of a soaking
Great Mell Fell is nearby and would make a worthwhile walk. It’s a short but very sweet walk to the top and commands good views thanks to its isolated location. I parked in one of the roadside spaces near Brownrigg Farm and followed the track for a short distance before heading up the gentle slopes of the fell. The trees on the fellside have been battered and almost flattened in some cases by the prevailing winds, and many of them have assumed grotesque shapes
I was soon at the top – this is one of the easiest fells in the district – and having enjoyed the excellent view I retraced my steps back to the start
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Red squirrel in the garden before I set off this morning (a healthy male!)
Aira Force
A short while later, I follow the track near Brownrigg Farm leading to the foot of Great Mell Fell
I follow a path beside the woodland which clothes the lower slopes
Looking back towards Little Mell Fell…
...and now towards Gowbarrow
The fell is well known for the trees which have been bent into grotesque shapes by the prevailing winds
Little Mell Fell, with the Eden Valley and the Pennines beyond
Threatening skies
More leaning trees…
Matterdale…
This tree has almost been flattened, but continues to grow horizontally
Blencathra and the North West Fells
The insignificant summit cairn on Great Mell Fell, looking over the Eden Valley
The North Western Fells again, with Latrigg on the right
A tiny glimpse of Ullswater on the way back down
More interesting trees…
Almost back to the start
