Great Mell Fell
| Great Mell Fell | |
|---|---|
 Great Mell Fell from Gowbarrow Fell | |
| Elevation | 537 m (1,762 ft) |
| Prominence | 198 m (650 ft) |
| Parent peak | Helvellyn |
| Listing | Marilyn (hill), Wainwright |
| Translation | Large rounded bare hill (Brittonic (Cumbric), English) |
| Pronunciation | /ˌɡreɪt ˌmɛl ˈfɛl/ |
| Location | |
  Great Mell Fell | |
| Location | Cumbria, England |
| Range | Lake District, Eastern Fells |
| OS grid | NY397254 |
| Coordinates | 54°37′12″N 2°55′59″W / 54.62°N 2.933°WCoordinates: 54°37′12″N 2°55′59″W / 54.62°N 2.933°W |
| Topo map | OS Explorer OL5, Landranger 90 |
Great Mell Fell is a hill in the Eastern Fells of the English Lake District. It is a north-eastern outlier of the Helvellyn range, but, like its twin Little Mell Fell, is isolated from its fellows, standing in the middle of a flat plain. Presenting a symmetrical domed profile from almost all aspects, Great Mell Fell conspires to appear almost artificial, akin to jelly turned out of a giant mould.
Topography and land use
The hill lies on a low ridge, barely perceptible in places, which provides the connection between the Northern and Eastern Fells. This watershed runs from Bowscale Fell, across Eycott Hill to Great Mell Fell, and then up the north eastern ridge of Great Dodd. It forms the boundary between the Derwent/Cocker system in the west and the wide catchment of the Eden Valley.
To the north west of the fell is an old rifle range, now disused but still with some fittings in evidence. This was once a reason to declare Great Mell Fell strictly off limits, but this is not the case nowadays and the fell is free land. The National Trust currently owns the fell above the fenceline.
Great Mell Fell is extensively planted with Scots pines on the east, and occasional trees dot the fell all around the base. Near the summit are a few stunted larches, blown almost horizontal by the prevailing winds.[1]
Name
Mell Fell is found in the earlier form Melfel (1279) and is probably derived from the Brittonic (Cumbric) word mel (c.f. Welsh moel), a bare hill, with Fell as a later addition.[2]
Summit and view
The summit bears a small cairn built on top of a mound. The Ordnance Survey maps identify this as a tumulus and it is believed to have been a Bronze Age burial mound.[1]
Due to its isolation from higher ground, Great Mell Fell is a Marilyn, and an excellent viewpoint.[3]
Ascents
The fell can be climbed most easily via a path from Brownrigg Farm to the south east, and additional access can be gained through the old rifle range.[1] There is also a footpath which circles the base of the fell, passing largely through woods and providing an enjoyable low level walk.
Geology
Both Great and Little Mell Fell are unique among the fells of the Lake District by being composed of the Mell Fell Conglomerate, a sedimentary rock formed from deposits of sand and gravel on ancient river floodplains. This rock dates from the Devonian Period, just over 400 million years ago. This is roughly 50 million years younger than the volcanic rocks which underlie it and which form most of the Lake District fells.[4][5]
Rocks of the Devonian Period are also referred to as the Old Red Sandstone. These should be distinguished from the younger New Red Sandstone of the Permian Period, found in Penrith and the Eden Valley.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Richards, Mark: Near Eastern Fells: Collins (2003): ISBN 0-00-711366-8
- ↑ Gambles, Robert: Lake District Place Names: Hayloft Publishing (2013): ISBN 1-904524-92-3
- ↑ Alfred Wainwright: A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, Book 1: ISBN 0-7112-2454-4
- ↑ British Geological Survey: 1:50,000 series maps – available through the BGS's iGeology smartphone app. Accessed 16th December 2013
- ↑ BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units: http://bgs.ac.uk/Lexicon – also available through the BGS's iGeology smartphone app. Accessed 16th December 2013
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