Mellbreak to Haystacks Picture Gallery (apologies for the poor quality of the first few images)
A team walk today, we met at the National Trust car park at Honister Pass, leaving one car there we drove in another to the small NT car park at Maggie’s Bridge close to Loweswater. We walked back to the road, then through the hamlet, past the Kirkstile Inn and over Church Bridge and continued along the lane. The lane leads to a gate at a conifer plantation, where I optimistically changed into shorts. We walked up through the trees to the start of the path up the north ridge of Mellbreak.
The initial climb is a steep green path to the bottom of the first zig of a path zagging across the steep scree. The steepness of the path means you quickly gain height giving good views back over Loweswater, Lorton Vale and the far western fells. As you arrive at the first grassy ledge you can peep round the corner and see most of Crummock Water that until now had been hiding on the other side of the fell. The next section of the path is steep and occasionally slippery, the only available handholds on the eroded path are made of heather and peat, old friends of mine from the last time I passed this way.
The strenuous climb ends at the second grassy ledge where Grasmoor, Whiteside and Hopegill Head present a handsome view across Crummock Water. Still more hard work is required up another steep eroded path, although easier that the previous section it is still a relief when the gradient eases and the North top is reached. This rocky summit with its substantial cairns and excellent views deserves to the the highest point on this or any other fell. If I had checked the settings on my camera I would have been able to share the views with some un-fuzzy photos.
Apart from the chilly breeze it was a very pleasant walk southwards over the unexpectedly wide depression rather than a ridge to the duller but higher South summit. This summit is much less inspiring than the northern one although it made an excellent view point for planning the next stage of the route, two obvious paths rising either side of Scale Force. I hoped that the thick mist would clear from Red Pike and the High Stile ridge before we got there.
It seemed to be a long way down from Mellbreak, losing almost all of the hard gained height, to the footbridge at the bottom of Scale Force. A delightful place at the foot of an impressive waterfall and I had still not noticed the wrong settings on the camera so I am still not able to share it. It is worth going to the foot of the waterfall, you really can't see how high and impressive they are unless you do.
The redder of the two paths goes up on the left hand side of Scale Force, a reconstructed path takes you up the steep side of the waterfall. As the gradient eases you walk along by the side of Scale Beck, a very pleasing walk at first through trees until the heather takes over. Ignore the first path on the left, the walk up to Lingcomb Edge is tedious enough without having to struggle through the heather. There is no doubt about the path, it turns left and no alternative is offered, it looks and feels a long way up to the boulder on the horizon after that long descent from Mellbreak.
Having arrived at the boulder Lingcomb Edge comes into view, only the extent of the view and the prospect of a fine summit enables you to ignore the pain in the calf muscles. The path along the left hand edge gives great views over Crummock Water, the path up the right hand shoulder that we took gave us equally good views over Ennerdale and its Water. The summit of Red Pike was clear of mist by the time we reached it and the views were extensive.
From Red Pike the walking is excellent, easily up to the undulating ridge of High Stile where you should follow the line of substantial cairns. Don't start to descend, the last cairn on the high ridge gives a view of Red Pike at its reddest. Double back and bear left to find a path leading down to the craggy col between High Stile and High Crag. The col is wonderfully sheltered, a place where I always sit for a while overlooking Burtness Comb and looking up to the crags on High Stile.
The walk up to the summit of High Crag is also surprisingly easy, unlike the descent down Gamlin End. Well, that used to be true but the reconstructed path makes it relatively easy to get down the very steep path, Seat and Haystacks beyond look very innocuous. At the bottom of the descent of Gamlin End it looks impossibly steep looking back up the path.
The path up to the top of the intermediate summit of Seat is harder than it looks and the descent is steeper than you would expect. Suddenly Haystacks doesn't look as innocuous any more especially towards the end of a long day. The climb of Haystacks is pleasantly hard, ignore the pain in the legs and look back in amazement at the steepness of Gamlin End.
The climb of Haystacks is as rocky as any fell, the summit is as varied as any with many small summits and a small summit tarn. Having found a way over the summit you eventually reach Innominate Tarn, it could easily be named Innocuous Tarn until you look more closely at just how much detail there is to see.
At last the climbing is finished, the stony descent from Haystacks reveals just how rocky and desolate this little fell is, eventually you reach Black Beck,the outflow from the Tarn of the same name. Don't make the mistake of following the path going down to the left following the beck, it only leads to a painful slide down bouldery scree.
Cross the beck and yes, you have to climb some more up to the path that passes behind Green Crag. Either side of Green Crag is a classic view down over Buttermere and Crummock Water. The path descends easily to Dubs Bottom and then crosses Warnscale Beck for one last climb up through the spoil heaps of Dubs Quarry.
Finally the long straight former tramway takes you back to Honister Pass and the drive back to Loweswater makes you realise just how far you have walked and just how much you deserve that drink in the Kirkstile Inn.
Andy Wallace 27th May 2003