Parking
Use the small roadside pull-in at the rough lane north of Brownrigg Farm, near NY 407 247 and CA11 0SB, reached by the road northeast from Matterdale End. Only a few cars fit. Do not block the lane, gates, or farm access.
Overview
About Great Mell Fell
Why go
- Big views from a very short outing
- Wind-shaped woodland and pines add character
- Straightforward route with a clear summit goal
Heads up
- Very limited parking by Brownrigg Farm
- Steep, muddy, and boggy in places
- Open slopes are exposed to wind
Great Mell Fell is a compact, isolated hill with more character than its height suggests. The lower slopes mix oak, larch, and Scots pine; higher up, wind-battered trees give way to tussocky grass and open views. The summit looks toward Blencathra and Bannerdale Crags, with the Helvellyn and Far Eastern Fells, Little Mell Fell, and the Pennines also visible in clear conditions.
Parkwolf’s verdictThe payoffMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake District map
Full mapElevation281–532 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
8 active Lake District alerts
- ClosureChapel Stile footpath closed for retaining-wall riskPart of Footpath 543030 between Chapel Stile and Baysbrown campsite is closed because a retaining wall beside the path could collapse and material it supports could fall across the footpath.Official details
- ClosureStanley Ghyll Lower Falls footpath closed for rockfallThe section of Footpath 408037 leading towards Stanley Ghyll Lower Falls is closed because severe rockfall damage has made the path unstable and further rockfall remains a danger.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Lake District Tour Guide
Your drive to Great Mell Fell, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Lake District National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Great Mell Fell: Pines and a Summit View0:00 / 0:52
“You're nearing the starting point for Great Mell Fell, a compact hill walk with wind-shaped trees and a wide summit view.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Little Mell Fell: A Forty-Minute Summit
- Glencoyne: The Seldom Seen Walk
- Rowan: A Meal That Moves the Seeds
- Common Sandpipers: Watch the Waterline
- 298 audio storiesacross Lake District’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red Deer, Eurasian Otter, Osprey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 265 trails, 89 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Great Mell Fell
The routeThis is a 2.1-mile (3.
This is a 2.1-mile (3.4 km) out-and-back, measured round trip from the small roadside pull-in and rough lane near Brownrigg Farm. The mapped line follows the access lane to the main footpath, then continues to the summit and is stored once because the same route is retraced. Allow about 1.5 to 2 hours, with 1.75 hours a realistic sightseeing pace.
From the lane, walk through the lower woodland and ignore the first side gate. Continue to the next gate or stile, then bear left beside the fence. After roughly 200 metres, take the path that forks right and climbs the grassy fell. It winds through bracken and Scots pine before reaching the small summit cairn and ancient mound. Return by the same route.
Practical detailsParking is extremely limited, so this is best as an early or flexible outing.
Parking is extremely limited, so this is best as an early or flexible outing. Dogs can accompany visitors, but keep them close and use a lead around livestock or wherever needed. Stay on the public route around the farm access and gates. Little Mell Fell is a nearby alternative if you want another short summit, while the combined Mell Fells walk is a substantially longer outing.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Lake District
81 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
13 sightingsEurasian OtterMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
76 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
51 sightingsEuropean BadgerMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
233 sightingsMute SwanMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
176 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Lake District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
