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511 m · Wainwright — Western Fells · Birketts to bag nearby, parking, buses, my hikes and live summit weather.

Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top), a Lake District fell
Wainwright — Western FellsAlso a Birkett

Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

Mellbreak at 512m (1,680ft) is a distinctive double-summited ridge above the western shore of Crummock Water, its steep flanks rising directly from the lake edge.

511 m
Height
~3.5–4.5 h
Typical time
+7
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

511 mWainwright — Western Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+7 bonus Birketts within 3 km Serious in Clag

Is it worth going? — Today’s conditions & 7-day summit forecast

Modelled guidance for the 511 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 15° to 14°C, gusts to 34 mph, 2.2 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌦️
15° / 14°
💨 34 mph
🌧 2.2 mm (99%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
15° / 12°
💨 27 mph
🌧 12.8 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
13° / 5°
💨 28 mph
🌧 2.8 mm (87%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
15° / 3°
💨 22 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (86%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
15° / 6°
💨 15 mph
🌧 1.2 mm (82%)
Sun 2 Aug
🌤️
16° / 5°
💨 16 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (35%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
16° / 5°
💨 17 mph
🌧 0.4 mm (23%)

Forecast snapshot from 28 Jul 2026, 04:58 UTC — refreshed nightly and updated live in your browser. Temperatures and gusts adjusted to the 511 m summit altitude via Open-Meteo. Summit conditions are always harsher than the valley — check the professional mountain forecasts before you go.

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

About the walk

Key information

Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top), a Lake District fell
© Lee McCoy

Mellbreak at 512m (1,680ft) is a distinctive double-summited ridge above the western shore of Crummock Water, its steep flanks rising directly from the lake edge. Wainwright described the views from both summits as outstanding — Crummock Water, Loweswater and the Grasmoor massif all visible from the ridge. The ascent from Lanthwaite Green is steep and direct, rewarded immediately with excellent lake views. The descent via Scale Beck to Crummock Water gives a fine circular walk.

Routes up Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

Hand-mapped, with GPX to download — full maps further down.

Mellbreak and Crummock Water
11.7 km · ~3.2 hr
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Western
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
Marilyn
511 m
Height
1,677 ft
In feet
NY 1484 1861
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right). Parking positions are approximate.

Nearest parking: Maggie's Bridge, Loweswater (NT, free), about 2.8 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top) (within 3 km)

These Birkett tops are not Wainwright summits — detour to them on this walk and they are pure profit. Distances are straight-line; allow extra for terrain.

0.8 km SScale Knott338 m · Western
1.0 km NNWMellbreak North Top509 m · North Western
1.8 km WNWLittle Dodd (Loweswater)362 m · North Western
2.4 km ENELad Hows426 m · North Western
2.7 km SSWGale Fell518 m · Western
2.8 km WGavel Fell - High Nook (Gavel Fell North Top)488 m · North Western
2.9 km WSWFloutern Cop451 m · Western

Routes over Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

Mellbreak and Crummock WaterLive
11.71 km · ~530 m ascent · loop · ~3–4.5 h
Summits: Mellbreak North TopMellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

The View from Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

A computed 360° skyline — every visible named top labelled by distance and bearing, from the terrain model in perfect clarity, not photographed. Drag to pan; reveal the far four-nations horizon.

drag to pan · arrow keys
Computed 360-degree skyline from Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)36 labelled tops shown (13 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWHelvellyn · 20 kmGreat Gable · 10 kmRaise · 20 kmGrasmoor · 3 kmScoat Fell · 7 kmCrag Hill · 5 kmBlack Crag · 7 kmHigh Stile · 4 kmHaycock · 8 kmGlaramara · 13 kmWandope · 4 kmHigh Raise · 16 kmDale Head · 8 kmRobinson · 6 kmBrandreth · 9 kmGasgale Crags · 5 kmIron Crag · 7 kmStarling Dodd · 3 kmGreat Borne · 3 kmBlake Fell · 4 kmCarling Knott · 4 kmGavel Fell · 3 kmLoweswater End · 3 kmMellbreak North Top · 1 kmRed Pike · 3 kmCriffel · 47 km · clear daysGavel Fell · 3 kmWhiteside · 4 kmGraystones · 8 kmWhiteless Pike · 3 kmGale Fell · 3 kmBengairn · 52 km · clear daysHen Comb · 2 kmFloutern Cop · 3 kmLow Fell · 4 kmLittle Dodd · 2 kmStybarrow Dodd · 20 kmHigh Stile · 4 kmGreen Gable · 10 kmCombe Head · 13 kmLittle Gowder Crag · 8 kmSergeant's Crag · 14 kmBinsey · 19 kmLittle Dodd · 3 kmBanna Fell · 4 kmKirk Fell · 8 kmLoweswater Fell · 4 kmBengray · 66 km · clear daysCaermote Hill · 19 kmBennan · 67 km · clear daysClints Crags · 17 kmWatch Hill · 13 kmGrange Fell · 64 km · clear daysWhite Hill · 66 km · clear daysSlieve Donard · 174 km · a handful of days a yearMerrick · 98 km · a rare clear dayBroad Law · 105 km · a rare clear daySnaefell · 81 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Carsphairn · 97 km · a rare clear dayGreen Lowther · 97 km · a rare clear dayWhite Coomb · 96 km · a rare clear dayCairn Table · 114 km · a rare clear dayWisp Hill · 84 km · a rare clear dayRoan Fell · 80 km · a rare clear dayColt Hill · 92 km · a rare clear dayLaw Kneis · 96 km · a rare clear dayHods Hill · 92 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top), by direction
  • North-east: Grasmoor (3 km), Gasgale Crags (5 km)
  • East: Thirdgill Head Man (4 km), Wandope (4 km), Crag Hill (5 km), Robinson (6 km), White Side (19 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (19 km), Raise (20 km), Stybarrow Dodd (20 km), Helvellyn (20 km), Catstye Cam (20 km)
  • South-east: High Stile (4 km), High Stile (4 km), Fleetwith Pike (7 km), Honister Crag (8 km), Dale Head (8 km), Grey Knotts (9 km), Brandreth (9 km), Green Gable (10 km), Great Gable (10 km), Glaramara (13 km), Combe Head (13 km), Looking Steads (13 km), Sergeant's Crag (14 km), Low White Stones (16 km), High Raise (16 km)
  • South: Starling Dodd (3 km), Steeple (7 km), Iron Crag (7 km), Black Crag (7 km), Scoat Fell (7 km), Little Gowder Crag (8 km), Haycock (8 km)
  • South-west: Great Borne (3 km)
  • West: Gavel Fell (3 km), Blake Fell (4 km)
  • North-west: Mellbreak North Top (1 km), Loweswater End (3 km), Carling Knott (4 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Slieve Donard (174 km, Ireland), Merrick (98 km, Scotland), Broad Law (105 km, Scotland), Snaefell (81 km, Isle of Man), Cairnsmore of Carsphairn (97 km, Scotland), Corserine (94 km, Scotland), Lamachan Hill (92 km, Scotland), South Barrule (99 km, Isle of Man).

Computed from terrain in perfect clarity, not photographed · distances are straight-line.

Computed from Copernicus GLO-30 terrain; distant tops from the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

What you can see from Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
38Wainwrights in view 
100 kmFurthest sightlineMerrick
1Sea in viewSolway Firth

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Scotland and the Isle of Man.

Far horizons
  • Merrick ScotlandNW · 100 km clear
  • Snaefell Isle of ManWSW · 81 km clear
  • Criffel ScotlandNNW · 48 km clear
  • Solway Firth bay/estuaryNNW · 37 km in view
All 38 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Hen Comb, Rannerdale Knotts, Starling Dodd, Grasmoor, Whiteless Pike, Gavel Fell, Great Borne, Red Pike (Buttermere), Blake Fell, Whiteside (Whiteside West Top), Wandope, Low Fell, High Stile, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Robinson, Fellbarrow - Mosser Fell, Steeple, Haystacks (Buttermere), Scoat Fell (Little Scoat Fell), Fleetwith Pike, Haycock, Dale Head, Graystones (Graystones North Top), Maiden Moor, Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Green Gable, Great Gable, Glaramara, High Seat, Sergeant's Crag, High Raise (High White Stones), Binsey, White Side, Raise, Stybarrow Dodd, Helvellyn, Catstye Cam

How Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)’s view compares with all 214 — the View Report: every Wainwright ranked by what you can see from the top.

Sightlines from a bare-earth terrain model (forests and buildings not included), corrected for the Earth’s curvature and average atmospheric refraction. “Distant” sightlines and any over 100 km depend on exceptionally clear air. Modelled from Copernicus GLO-30 open elevation data — a guide to the view, not a guarantee of any single one.

Best parking to hike Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

Where we have the data, each parking spot also shows the nearest public toilets and facilities (cafés, pubs, shops).

Maggie's Bridge, Loweswater (NT, free) — 2.8 km from summit (straight line)
Small free car park for Mellbreak, Hen Comb and the Loweswater fells.
Directions
Lanthwaite Green (NT) — 2.9 km from summit (straight line)
At the foot of Grasmoor and Whiteside, Crummock Water.
Directions

Positions are approximate — zoom the map to confirm. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

Tip: pan and zoom the interactive map at the top of this page to spot other potential parking near your route.

Buses to Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top) from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

No regular bus serves the start points for this fell — this is one for the car (or a long approach from the nearest served valley). The nearest hubs are Penrith (X4/X5 & 508), Ambleside and Windermere (555, 505, 516).

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

Hazard & Incident Information for Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

Hazard: Moderate

A steep, isolated fell rising abruptly above Loweswater and Crummock Water, with twin tops and a famously abrupt northern nose. The usual ascent up that nose is steep and sustained, on loose scree and through crags, with a slippery hands-and-feet scramble — best saved for fair, dry weather. The flanks above Crummock are steep and broken. Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.

  • The steep, loose northern nose: The direct ascent climbs a very steep, sustained slope of loose scree threading through crags, with a slippery scramble where hands are needed. Care and concentration with footing are essential; it's treacherous when wet and a poor way down. Save it for dry conditions.
  • Steep flanks above Crummock & small crags: The fell drops steeply, with broken crags, toward Crummock Water and on its other flanks. Keep to the path and back from the edges, and don't try to descend the steep faces.
  • Twin tops & navigation: Mellbreak has two summits with a dip between; in mist take care to identify the right top and the right way down (the steep nose is best avoided as a descent). A compass bearing helps on the heathery top.
Who should attempt this fell: Mellbreak is a steep, characterful fell best climbed in fair, dry weather: the loose, scrambly northern nose needs careful footing and is unpleasant or dangerous when wet, and it's a poor descent — go down by a gentler line instead. Keep back from the steep Crummock-facing edges, navigate the twin tops carefully in cloud, and treat the steep ground as serious in winter.

Most common causes: Slips on the steep, loose scree and the scramble up the northern nose · Falls on the steep flanks/crags above Crummock Water · Navigation errors between the twin tops or choosing a bad descent line · Attempting the steep nose in wet or icy conditions

Local Mountain Rescue: Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team · Reviewed 14 Jun 2026

Safety: Hazard guidance compiled from published Mountain Rescue reports and well-documented accident history - editorial background, not a live feed of callouts. Always check current conditions, carry proper navigation equipment, and seek qualified instruction before heading onto the fells. In an emergency, call 999, ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue.

Report incorrect information

Navigating Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top) in cloud

Serious in cloud

A rough, rocky summit ringed by crags, with no single obvious way off in poor visibility. A serious place to be caught in cloud: carry map and compass (or GPS) and know how to use them, or save it for a clear day.

In winter — snow, whiteout, cornices, buried features — every top demands full winter navigation skills whatever its band, and a broad, gentle summit can be the worst place of all. See walking in bad weather and the navigation guide.

How Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top) compares with all 214 — the Clag Index: navigating in cloud. A relative, deliberately cautious guide; the site can’t navigate for you.

Other fells near Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

Maps & guidebooks for Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)

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