Circuit of Cogra Moss from Lamplugh

A 7km run on largely flat ground, the second run in two days after a fallow period, hopefully to start a return to fitness.

Route: Parking on the large lay-by opposite St Michael’s church, Lamplugh, and crossing a ladder stile 100m to the north to take a marshy track along field edges to a gate in the corner. Then turning right to step across a beck on treacherous stepping stones (thus deciding not to return this way), and across another field to join a track, steeply down and up to Dockray Nook. Thence passing Felldyke Bunkhouse on the right, to the track junction above Felldyke to turn left uphill at a junction on a gravel track, at a walk initially, and then, descending slightly, running with the gorge of Rakegill Beck to the left, to reach the dam at the west end of Cogra Moss. 

Continuing straight on a level track anti-clockwise round the reservoir for 3km. Returning, on a newly-made soft gravel path, rising a little, and then descending past the dam. Running back down to Felldyke and, after the bunkhouse, turning left, marked Stegcroft Bridge, through a farmyard with horses, diagonally across one field and then left on a path past two fields to emerge onto the road just south of Inglenook caravan park. Continuing right on the road, past a junction, uphill back to the church.

Conditions: occasional glimpses of sun, cold, dry, still. Soft going across the fields.

Pub: The New Cock and Bull, Cockermouth, for Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold and Timothy Taylor’s Golden Best.

Low level circuit of Sale Fell

An 8km jog, walking the up-hills: T's first run in about 10 weeks.

Route: leaving the car opposite the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite, and running and then walking up the road to Routenbeck and then past St Margaret’s Church, Wythop to Wythop Mill. Walking left up the hill to the informal car parking area and along the road with Sale Fell to the left to Kelswick and then right on a grassy track to the remains of a chapel and then on a lowly rising path through woods. 

Turning right along an avenue of wind-blown stunted trees and then into the forestry commission land. Descending to a junction and running left downhill and then walking uphill, right at a fork and right onto a path. On reaching a metalled track, taking a slight right turn to reach the road near access to the lake and back along the road to the Pheasant to meet Kate R for lunch.

Conditions: initially cold (4C) with a threat of rain that never arrived.

Pub: the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite, for Bowness Brewery Swan Blonde.  

Rannerdale Knotts

An impulse walk on a cold, frosty, sunny day, the first Monday after the Christmas and New Year break.

Route: leaving the car at the NT carpark (plenty of space at noon on a Monday after the holidays) and taking a gate across the road, directly opposite, uphill, trending left, to the start of the Rannerdale Knotts ridge. Following this to the end. 

Returning the same way but staying on the ridge to the very last moment and descending steeply towards Buttermere, then turning left on a path to a stile into the woods by Mill Beck. Following this back to Buttermere village.

Conditions: very cold but bright sun.

Pub: the Buttermere Courts Hotel, hotel lounge area for keg Brixton Reliance Pale Ale.

High How, Low Swinside and the Wheatsheaf

An impulsive late afternoon 9km stroll to work out access to High How and savour our new surroundings.

Route: Leaving Midtown Cottages and walking north along the road to reach the hand-gate to the left of Oaklands and follow the path marked for Fernwood, across a field, the foot of the Whinlatter Pass, and another bit of field before turning left onto a track running just below the house. At the end, turning right on the road, bending left and then right to arrive in the large, empty parking area beside Highside Cottage (holiday rental, unoccupied only two days after NYE).

After some deliberation opening the rusty farm gate on the far side to walk uphill to another farm gate and, through that, turn immediately right, in front of a patch of defended patch of woodland, onto a track leading uphill through an open farm gate. On the far side, turning left to follow uphill to the right hand side of the woodland and then through a rusty hand-gate into a small plantation with paths going all directions across it (perhaps for tree planting). Turning right and then left and then right again to cross it (tracking uphill again), emerging at a handy stile over the newish perimeter fence.

There joining a farm track leading up and then bending right in front of fence to a junction of tracks - one going on up towards the summit of Kirk Fell, one heading on, contouring round the fell and one leading diagonally down towards woodlands. Taking the last and soon branching off left on a path to contour round the fell and join another very clear farm track heading east towards the junction of walls northeast above the summit of High How.

Finding the wall-crossing much easier than previously (built up by some kind soul), stepping over this easily, walking to the summit of High How and down the ridge, west, towards Lorton, to bend left and join the established zigzag track to the farm gate back down on Whinlatter. At the gate crossing over to the bench above Tenter Lane and then taking a slight footpath, through an old slate opening, down to join the green lane and dogleft left right to carry on down Tenter Lane.

At the end, turning left and walking round to find the village shop closed, ducking back to walk down the land to High Mill and gradually on up to Low Swinside. There taking the track on the far side of the parking area and following it, now a faint path (in the gloaming), southwest across four fields towards the road descending from High Swinside. 

Turning right to follow the road north-northwest all the way, across the crossroads, to St Cuthbert’s and there talking the path from the churchyard to Low Lorton, by the light of the moon, fortunately over frozen ground, and walking right to the pub.

After the pub stop, continuing on to the ‘new’ made path at the end of the village and following it across the first field to Church Lane - and taking the continuing path across the next field to reach the B5289 and walk south--southwest back to Midtown.

Conditions: About 0C, still but the ground largely frozen, cloud scattered and high, with good views across the Solway until dusk (and a beautiful almost-full moon for the homeward leg)

Pub?: The Wheatsheaf, Lorton, for Brakspear’s Oxford Gold and caffe latte

Powter How

A short, 3km, stroll up a tiny hillock and to the lake shore.

Route: leaving the car in the free car park for Powter How Wood in Thornthwaite and starting an anti-clockwise loop but almost immediately spotting a steep path to the left (north) uphill. Taking this, negotiating a few fallen trees, to an obvious summit ridge with a tiny cairn to mark the actual summit. Continuing on the path in the same northerly direction, slowly descending to meet the circular path at a modest shoulder and turning right to go round the woods. Then descending left to find an underpass under the A66 to the shore of Bassenthwaite. 

Heading round the little headland and then north on a marshy and obviously recently flooded shoreline as far as the first stile left to join the path immediately alongside the A66 back to the underpass.

Experimenting by continuing along the lakeshore through two gates on what seemed a path but retreating in the face of increased marshiness and fallen trees (where to all practical purposes the route terminated). Returning to the underpass and turning right for a longer route back round the hillock to the carp ark.

Afterwards, walking a little along the road to view Swan House (the original Swan Hotel) and then down a track to a group of cottages, including Powter How B&B, turn left (north) along the path and then switch back left on the path going round Powter How to complete the circuit.

Conditions: cool and cloudy with a cold wind beside the lake.

Pub: the Coledale Inn, Braithwaite, for Corby Blonde and Keswick Thirst Run.

Keswick End-to-End via the Railway Path/Cumbria Way

Inaugural 7.5km New Year’s Eve stroll with pubs

Route: Parking halfway up Church Lane (unrestricted except during Keswick School bus times) and walking up to Crosthwaite Church (dedicated to St Kentigern) but, finding the main entrance closed, retracing our steps to Church Lane and continuing north, with the churchyard to our left, on an unmade track, as far as the railway path. 

Here crossing under the path and turning left to ascend steps to the churchyard and the path and turning left to cross the track again and follow on an increasing path, through trees, on an embankment, for about a kilometre, to Crosthwaite Road.

At the road, turning right to walk down to the Pheasant for a quick half by the roaring fire at opening time. Then continuing down the road and turning left on Brundholme Road, talking the footpath to the right of the road, bearing right and climbing up to follow a section of railway path for less than half a kilometre and then descending to the north edge of Fitz Park. 

There bending left round the leisure centre to the old station to join the crowds promenading along the railway path, heading east over Calvert’s Bridgeand over the A591. 

Descending from the path on the far side and onto a snickleway behind the roadside houses and turning up to slip into the beer garden of the Twa Dogs pubs - but returning on finding no hand-pulled beer on to tempt us in. 

Back at the railway path, crossing underneath it towards St Herbert’s Primary School. Walking round the school and doglegging across Trinity Way and Windebrowe Avenue to reach a deserted circular parking and play area and a gate onto field - unfortunately padlocked!

Thrice thwarted, turning back across the open area and taking another snickleway bearing left to make our way slowly uphill through the estate onto Brandlehow Crescent and Manesty View to Manesty House, turning downhill on a path cutting round left to join Manor Brow.

Once on Manor Brow turning right to walk down to, and cross through, the vicarage/bishop’s house driveway and St John’s Churchyard to the lane leading left and down to Borrowdale Road and, finally, right to walk down to the Wainwright.

After a second drink, walking along Lake Road and Market Place to Booths and the Coop, and then taking the Cumbria Way for less than half a kilometre, through ‘the Hadrows’ to Stormwater Bridge and the road leading back up to the B5289. At the road, doglegging across to follow a footpath round to the left of the ‘new’ detached house (Quinta) and along beside fields to the church music centre and the church itself to return to the car.

Conditions: Rising from 2C with very occasional patches of frozen ground and ice, with a slight breeze towards the end and a light smattering of rain, otherwise grey and settled but with high cloud and all the tops visible.

Pub?: Theakstons Old Peculier at the Pheasant (first stop) and Fell Tinderbox and Strands Brewery IPA at the Wainwright (by happy coincidence joining Maddie and Rob beside the fire).

Sale Fell (Christmas 2025)

A 5km walk with Anne and Frank.

Route: leaving the car at St Margaret’s Church, Wythop, walking in through the left-hand lych gate and across the churchyard to the gate to the left and crossing laterally to a path junction. Turning right there to follow a gentle stream of people heading uphill to the right and then round the hill gaining ground slowly towards the west. At the end of the ridge (level with a wall) turning left uphill on gradually emptying paths to the top. 

Ambling down from the summit towards Bassenthwaite with views of the Dodd and Ullock Pike, to a subsidiary summit and then bearing left to Lothwaite to descend on a large clear grassy path between bracken to cross the stream (Routenbeck?), turn right through the gate and follow the narrow path down the initial path junction and bench, and across to the churchyard.

Conditions: Cool with cloud over Skiddaw and the Solway but otherwise pretty clear views and a little breeze at the very top.

Pub: the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite, for Bowness Brewery Swan Blonde, Jennings Castle Bitter and lunch.