Little Mell Fell

This is a 0.75-mile out-and-back from the small lay-by at The Hause to the summit trig point and back. That distance is the complete round trip; the stored map follows the physical corridor once, from the lay-by to the summit. Allow about 40 minutes at an ordinary walking and photo-taking pace.

Cross the road, pass through the first gate, cross the short field, and use the next gate to reach the open fellside. The path climbs steeply through grass and bracken, eases into a traverse, then forks right for the final rise to the summit. The reward is a compact 360-degree view: Ullswater opens out to the south, with Great Mell Fell and the Far Eastern Fells, Fairfield, and Helvellyn ranges in the wider panorama. The rounded grassy top is pleasant, but this is a quick summit tick rather than a hike with a long sequence of features.

The start is on a public footpath and ordinary visitors may bring dogs. Keep dogs close and on a short lead around sheep and other livestock, and take care at the roadside crossing. If you want a fuller day, Great Mell Fell is the more substantial nearby summit; combining the two becomes a different walk with more road and fell-path mileage.