The fell forms a partnership with the lake, running parallel to it, falling sheer into it, and regularly providing the backdrop for pictures of it.

To continue the hand metaphor, the opposing thumb of Mellbreak is the tenuous northern extremity of Starling Dodd, whilst the other Loweswater Fells are satellites of Great Borne.

The fell has been likened (by Alfred Wainwright and others) to the shape of an upturned boat, having north and south tops of roughly equal height and a wide flat depression in between.

At the head of Black Beck is the connection to Starling Dodd, running south west from Scale Knott.

This could hardly be considered a ridge in walking terms, since it begins at the foot of an 800 ft scree slope on the northern flank of Starling Dodd.

The northern end of Mellbreak rises direct from the valley behind the village, precipitous like a sand castle on a flat beach.

[2] A popular route up the fell is a path from the village of Loweswater, that threads its way between the crags and rocky outcrops on the north side.

From the shore of Crummock Water an ascent can be made following Pillar Rake, a diagonal breach in the central rim of crag.