Start Point: Lane End at the foot of Great Mell Fell (NY 407 247)

Lane End – Great Mell Fell – Brownrigg Farm – Greenrow – Lowthwaite – Little Mell Fell – Greenrow – Brownrigg Farm – Lane End

Distance: 10 km
Total Ascent: 569 metres     
Time Taken: 3 hours 30 minutes
Start Time: 10:10
Weather: Everything – very windy, rain, hail, sun! 7ºC
Finlay’s Wainwright count: 16/214 (2 new this walk)

Route Map – GPX download available

I’ve had this walk planned for a little while, it seemed a good one for Finlay to tick off another couple of Wainwrights as he is still only a youngster. The slopes are quite gentle and no ‘rough stuff’ to speak of but the recent heavy rain coupled with strong winds and awkward stiles and gates made the walk a little more adventurous than I thought it would be!

Looking along the lane at the start of the walk, the surrounding fields and roads were very wet and it was raining once more so today’s walk was completed throughout in waterproofs.

Heading onto the fell – interesting to note that it is monikered ‘Mell Fell’ rather than ‘Great Mell Fell’.

The wind really picked up as I climbed and the showers were quickly blowing through. This is looking back to Little Mell Fell (at this point I was thinking I ‘might’ go there but there is a bail out option as we return to the car on the figure of eight planned walk).

I wasn’t really expecting to see blue skies today but the wind was so fierce it was blowing the clouds through quickly.

It was a real boggy squelch up to the top and the wind made it feel harder than it should have been to get here.

Finlay neatly sums up the weather at the top of Great Mell Fell, Wainwright #15 for him.

Great Mell Fell looking towards Blencathra.

Looking across Troutbeck to Blencathra and Souther Fell. The straight line of the disused rifle range can be spotted between the trees below.

There was a steep descent from here to pick up the lower level path that circumnavigates the fell where we arrived at the car…should I, shouldn’t I? Of course I carried on, I was here now! For anyone who is going to follow a similar route to mine, the paths between Brownrigg Farm and Greenrow are not the best to say the least. At this time of year and after so much rain, the field paths were a real bog fest. Coupled with this was the crossing of two stiles one after the other immediately followed by a footbridge crossing with a further two stiles on it – none of these were dog friendly. Further stiles at Greenrow were also not conducive to a dog getting through easily! I wasn’t particularly looking forward to coming back this way.

It was mostly rain on the way to Little Mell Fell, we walked a quiet tarmac lane to Lowthwaite and then the lower fell path to The Hause. From there it is the short, steep climb to the top of Little Mell Fell, Wainwright #16 for Finlay. He is one mucky pup now, that’s for sure and the wind was once more fierce up here.

Little Mell Fell.

A brief interlude of sunshine on Greenhead from the boggier than boggy descent.

The first (5 bar) gate on the descent was locked so Finlay had to learn the art of limbo dancing beneath it whilst I had to do the high jump.

Sunshine on the descent – amazing!

The sunshine spells were brief but welcome. The second 5 bar gate leading onto the lane above Foxhill Farm was also locked and this one proved trickier to get under for Finlay. From there we had to get back across to Brownrigg Farm but now I knew the lie of the land it allowed me to take a couple of small detours to make the return journey a little easier.

Mossy old wall at Brownrigg Farm.