Mellbreak and Scale Force

From Maggie's Bridge return to the road and turn right, bear next right signposted to the "Kirkstile Inn". At the junction beside the Inn bear right, and right again to cross in front of, and below, the buildings to our start point.

From Scalehill Bridge leave the car park and return to the road, turn left, and continue straight ahead at the crossroads. At the junction with the telephone box bear left signposted to the "Kirkstile Inn". Bear left again as you reach the Inn, and then right to cross in front of and below the buildings to our start point.

From our start point follow this lane past the farm buildings and onto the track between dry stone walls. Continue to the gate, go through and, rather than following the track round, take the rough track straight in front of you through the trees. Cross the narrow track above the trees and continue on the grass path to the bottom of the obvious tongue of scree.

The brave will tackle the scree head on, while lesser mortals might try the bypasses left or right. The right, as shown in our track, is not much nicer than the main tongue. Just as steep, and you still need to negotiate the rock gateway at the top. It does however have a few variations and clumps of heather.

The path going right to left from the base has a number of variations evident. With luck you might end up on a broken path on the nose of the first knoll, or it might get a bit exposed through the crags. Your choice!

Tackling the tongue or the right hand side bypass is not too bad and there is no trouble route finding. Both ending up at an obvious 'gateway' gully through the crags which is filled with loose rock scree. Heather on the edges can be a useful climbing aid. Continue through the gateway until the headwall and turn left to climb out. Continue on to the first knoll.

If you wish, part way up the gateway you can escape out to the right and climb through the heather. In another small gully continue to its headwall and scramble out. Swing left above the top of the gateway and continue on to the first knoll.

There is a little more, easier, scree on the way to the second knoll. Thereafter it is an easy walk through heather to the north top. There are two cairns here, the one to the right is perched on marginally higher ground at 509m.

The south top lies across the col approximately SSE just over 1.0km (0.6 miles) away. Continue over the north top, heading due south. The many narrow paths all seem to join at various points to form a well trodden and boggy path down to the col.

Cross the low point, keep left and start the climb back up to the south top. The path meanders round knolls, bogs, the odd tiny tarn, and heads generally south east.

Blink and you may miss the south top, there is not a cairn despite it being the highest point on the fell (and on this walk).

Continue over the south top following the path as it meanders south again. The fence marked on the OS 25K map is but an occasional isolated post. Just rounding a knoll the path descends steep grass. Reaching the small col with Scale Knott, bear left across pathless grass tussocks and moss to the highest point. Turn right and return to the path. Bear left and continue descending. Cross the fence where many people have done. It's fairly low anyway, and there's enough room under the bottom wire for a collie or similar to slip under.

The path continues to a cross-roads, go straight over and meander down to the beck, cross over the stepping stones, and then climb through bracken up the other side. Reaching the stile, cross. There is a hole in the fence for dogs. Wander up to Scale Force and admire its 52m (57 yards) drop.

After exploring the force, return to the metal gate near the stile. Go through and follow the fairly boggy path alongside Scale Beck. Don't cross the wooden bridge. At the fence bear right and follow the path very close to the Beck. At the second bridge turn left onto the circular path round Crummock Water.

Continue round the lake. Part of the path is stone pitched across a very boggy section. Low Ling Crag juts out into the lake and is a good place for a breather.

After 2.0km (1.2 miles), approaching the wall bear left and climb the hillside to the upper path. Head for the wall corner, and continue on the path with the wall to your right. Continue down to and through Green Wood which appears to be a lovely stand, mainly of oak.

Don't drop through the gate to the houses, but continue above the houses to the far gate at the top of the lane.

Go through the gate into the lane and down to the tarmac road. Turn left, over the Park Bridge, and at the road junction turn left again. This brings you back to the Kirkstile Inn.