It's been a typical Autumnal mix of low cloud and plenty of rain this past week which is why I had planned to stay below the low cloud on todays walk. It's that time of the year I guess when we have to admit that gone are the long days where we can spend up to ten hours on the fells and where a little more effort is needed to accommodate the shorter daylight hours, with this I have planned a number of walks best suited for this time of year which should see 2015 out just nicely.

On todays walk I had originally planned to collect the three summits of the Mell Fells and Gowbarrow Fell, a walk that would indulge in around eleven miles starting from Brownrigg Farm close to Matterdale End, the weather forecasters gave me four rain free hours which I thought was enough to collect all three summits, even if I had to return in the rain.

Said forecast never materialised, in fact after checking the forecast before I left for Lakeland my four hours had been reduced to just two meaning I was in for a soaking. I have walked in all weathers that Lakeland can throw at me but rain, I have trouble planning walks around it.

Last nights heavy rain had stopped but the run off from the adjoining fields was spilling over the lanes washing leaves and twigs across the narrow lanes. I had timed my arrival a little later this morning so I would arrive after the rain had passed and thankfully, my timing was just about spot on - only a light misting here and there was all that was left as dark clouds hurried across the skies ready for the next ones to develope. There is space for around half a dozen well parked cars here and seeing as there was no one else here I park easily reversing my car as close to the wooden fence as possible. Despite the fact that it had stopped raining large droplets of water hit the windscreen from a canopy of tress that line the track.

Here the mighty Scots Pines take on mother nature adapting to lean rather than grow horizontally like the younger Larches, Birch and Rowan trees found in the lower woodland, even so evidence of Scots Pines that had been blown over still continue to grow along the path which provided me with shelter during a heavy rain shower.

With the woodlands behind me I squelched my way towards the summit which is named as Tumulus on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer Maps as history states that the summit of Great Mell Fell was once the place of a ancient burial ground during the Bronze Age, it was only up until the mid 1950's was the ruins of an old tree stump that grew here was removed to make way for the stone cairn as we know today.

It had now started to rain and what started out as a shower shows no signs of ending sometime soon, with this I de-shoulder and get into my waterproof trousers before making my way to see what views, if there are any to see that is.

By now the cloud had thickened and the rain shower turned to a drizzle, still the mildness persist, after passing through the Pines my view opened up a little towards lower woodland and even glimpses of Little Mell Fell can be seen through gaps in the cloud, soon the drizzle stopped as I pass two women and a Terrier making an ascent, I must have looked a sight with my muddied and wet waterproofs but only 'Mornings' are passed.

I reached the steep bit after making my way through lower woodland, here the grass is short and the foot holes are muddied and slippery having nearly 'gone over' minutes earlier, only the retreating Bracken offers minimal grip as I ease my way down the steep grass slope. I soon re join the track thanking my stars I didn't slip, the lower track which as if by magic, is now bathed in light.

It had taken me less than one hour to ascend and descend Great Mell Fell and by the time I had reached the parking spaces only one more car had arrived which I guessed was the two women's I had seen earlier. In order to gain Little Mell Fell my options were limited to two routes but I wanted to open up more, my first option was to use the track which passes through Brownrigg Farm, my second option was to walk the main road and head towards The Hause and make an ascent from there, but that didn't really appeal to me. Instead I head north towards Nabend Farm to try my luck with the Little Mell Fell north ridge, there is no permissive path shown on my map with the exception of a gate that I had found using Google Earth during the week, should I be unable to pass through I can always back track the half mile and use the lane from Nabend to Lowthwaite.

It always seems odd having to pass your own car having only left it an hour earlier, it had a scattering of leaves across the roof and bonnet as I walk past, ahead, I have just over a mile of road walking to do first passing what seemed to be a newly converted barn conversion, I was somewhat impressed as I tried not to look through the gleaming new windows or over the carefully manicured lawn that had been edged by old railway sleepers. To my left I can hear cows grunting and snorting, they are aware of my presence as I am theres but I can't see them as they are hid behind a high stone wall.

I recognised the old farm building from my Google Earth research, I should find my answer around the bend shown in the photo ahead, before I would reach the bend however I am passed by the two farmers in their 4x4, followed by around four of five more 4x4's one of which resembled a golf buggie but I think you know which type I mean.

The sound of banter and laughter awaited me around the corner up ahead as all the 4x4's including their drivers had stopped at the gate which had been left open, I approach cautiously making note of any sign on the gate but find nothing 'morning' I get a rumbled return from most of the farmers as I ask 'am I ok to pass through the gate' aye ok if your on your own, I explained my intention of rising quickly in order to get to the ridge ahead, use the path 'Quad path' o'theer but mind the cows, which meant I wouldn't be ascending the ridge pathless, this was great news and I thanked them for allowing me to pass through.

Despite having permission to gain access to the north ridge I still felt like I had cheated my way up there, after all the farmer was only being polite and for that I could only thank him for. There was a show of light during my ridge ascent and it looked at one point like the sun might break through the thick cloud, but nothing materialised despite the suns best efforts.

The north ridge was by means a short crossing over grassy ground which rose steadily as I now flanked high above Foxhill Farm with murky views over towards Great Mell Fell, up a head a short but steepish ascent is all that is needed in order to gain Little Mell Fell summit. Soon the familiar wire fence is reached and I am now walking with path underfoot al-beit a drenched one, more so as I reached the col seen up ahead where negotiating a rather sodden bog whilst being watched by dozen sheep took place, with just the one steep push and with no false summits I soon found myself at the trig point.

Having negotiated the boggy ground at The Hause I made my way towards Matterdale End via Goosegreen and Bald How, having already passed Goosegreen where a farm worker was tidying up his front lawn I passed with a 'morning' before heading towards the white cottage you can see through the trees over in the right of the photo.

It had stopped raining by now but Gowbarrow Fell still remained below cloud, content with my decision I was able to enjoy the quaint lanes and Autumn scenery at my own pace which made the walk back to the car a rather slow, and enjoyable one.

Cutting a walk short is a decision that I never like making, but the pro's simply out weighted the con's and despite the cloud still lingering over Gowbarrow Fell by the time I reached Brownrigg Farm, it doing so made my decision that much easier to swallow.

Having just spent three hours walking in cloud and drizzle it was that last mile and a half back to the car that I enjoyed the most whilst dawdling beneath a canopy of Autumnal leave kicking stones not wanting my walk to come to an end by which time, the drizzle had returned and the mist had descended once again. It still wasn't quite midday and I was feeling hungry, so rather than rush back home I ate lunch in my car, soon the windows start to mist up causing me to drop the front two, I take a deep breath of Lakeland air, start my engine and bring a close to three hours of great walking before the rain finally set in.