Alcock Tarn

A damp 6km walk with Angie and Alistair, Anne and Frank.

Route: leaving the car at the Broadgate Meadows car park and heading north along the road, over the bridge and then right on a footpath to cross the A591, walk up Swan Lane, bend left and take a path by a stream uphill. On reaching open fell, keeping straight on to cross a new footbridge - just below an exposed part of the Thirlmere to Manchester aqueduct crossing over Greenhead Gill - and ascend a large-stoned paved path weaving its way up the vague end of a ridge before levelling off to the tarn. Descending on another very clear path, in zigzags then a straight section and then further zigzags to reach a junction. For the first time, turning right on a path parallel to the hillside and descending very gradually, sometimes wading through water to reach Forest Side and thence back to the start.

Conditions: constant drizzly rain; windy higher up; very wet under foot.

Pub: Tweedies, Grasmere for Fell Tinderbox, Brew York Tonkoko and lunch with A&A.

Loop to Rogerscale and Southwaite by road

A late-afternoon 10km road run (Lois only) to redeem the day.

Route: leaving the cottage to run down clockwise to Lorton Low Bridge and up the road through High and Low Rogerscale and on over Sandybeck Bridge and Abbeygate Bridge to the corner of the Paddle School/Hundith Hill Road. Turning right down to Southwaite, over the bridge and back up to Hundith Hill crossroads. Turning right along Lorton Road to run back down into the Vale and home.

Conditions: Still, silent, largely overcast darkening through sunset and dark by the time home. (Fields too muddy to risk an off-road route in the dark.)

Pub? Christmas cake and lashings of tea back home with T.

From Southwaite to Cockermouth along the Cocker (plus Slate Fell)

A 13km Boxing Day expedition.

Route: leaving the car by the small waterworks building approaching Southwaite Bridge and taking the path north on the east side of the Cocker, recently much flooded and somewhat marshy, to Simonscales Mill and then on under the A66 to Double Mills, crossing the footbridge and heading to the Cockermouth Paper Shop with due dispatch to try to secure an Observer before noon. Then, for the first time, to the Cock and Bull for a pint. On a beer-infused whim, then walking down South Street to the footbridge and heading for Castlegate Drive to reach a footpath behind the swimming pool to join St Helen’s Street. Following along this to the second footpath to the right into Brick Kiln Wood. Taking this path to almost the far end of Slate Hill and then heading up on a diagonal, across the bridleway, to reach the summit. Descending to the other footpath heading due west slowly down the fell to the newest building site on the edge of Cockermouth, briefly joining Bellbrigg Lonning and turning down across the old railway path and through the cemetery. Across Lorton Road taking Rose Lane to Simonscales Lane, over the A66 and then left on a footpath 200m from the river back to Southwaite.

Conditions: very muddy under foot, still, mild and grey but with high cloud.

Pub: the Cock and Bull, Cockermouth, for Corby Ales Blonde and Wychwood Bah Humbug. 

Ling Fell and Seacross Lonning

A 7km Christmas Day walk.

Route: leaving the car by the side of the road at the entrance to Ling Fell near Eskin and climbing onto the fellside and uphill left to join a level track heading clockwise round the fell. After about one quarter circuit, heading sharply back right on a clear path very slowly climbing the fell. At about where the map shows it ending, turning left at a clear path crossroads and then following an obvious route (crossing other paths) to the summit. Continuing south-west and then west at a fork towards a wall and then right down a shallow valley then right parallel with the wall to a gate. For the first time, going through the gate and following a grassy path across a field approaching Green Lonning and joining this at Highside Farm. Descending the track to St Cuthbert's church (stopping in for a quick visit) and then east along the road to descend to a very wet and muddy Seacross Lonning. Following this to Wythop Mill and then taking a path shortcut back to reach the upper road and walk along to the car.

Conditions: after a bitterly cold and windy morning, slightly less cold and windy with some blue sky and even sun.

Pub: the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite, for Cumbrian Legendary Ales Loweswater Gold.

Two Lorton lonnings

A 6km evening stroll in the gloaming.

Route: leaving the cottage and heading to Low Lorton and across Lorton Low Bridge to examine a demolished wall. Climbing the lane towards the Mosser Fell road over Fellbarrow but, just before open country, turning right along a muddy track/lonning descending gradually to Rogerscale (under a recently-fallen victim of Storm Arwen or perhaps Storm Barra). Back along the road to the village, past the shop to ascend the steep road towards Whinlatter to look at the new building at High Tenter. Turning left along the short lonning to the pass and back home along the road.

Conditions: a chill wind and dropping dark.

Pub? Tea/coffee and mince pie/lebkuche. Later G&T.

Underbarrow 5+km stroll

A 5km stroll on a wet and cloudy day.

Route: leaving the car at the Black Labrador, Underbarrow, and heading northeast on a road and then right on a footpath through a farm complex and onto wet fields, climbing. Passing through the muddy farmyard of Tranthwaite Hall and then along a track to a junction of paths, taking a route across fields to the west of a stream. Joining a clearer track heading north past Bell Hill on the left before turning left on another track to circumnavigate the hill and head south. Taking a track and then path to the right and - missing a possible turning - continuing on a wet Chapel Lane to the church in Underbarrow and then back along unmade lanes to the start.

Conditions: ground level cloud; light rain increasing.

Pub: The Black Labrador, Underbarrow, for Windermere Winter’s Tail and Fell Brewery Late Night John.

Wansfell Pike

A snowy walk with a surprisingly non-sick Neil.

Route: Leaving the car parked just over the river at the bottom of Troutbeck (perhaps 50m up the road) and taking Robin Lane round to the south of the fell, keeping with the lower track round to High Skelghyll. On entering the wood, taking a path rising diagonally eventually to reach the observatory and the ridge to the summit on snow. For the second time taking a path to the left and higher than the normal route, gaining the ridge sooner. Thence straight down the path to Nanny Lane and back to Troutbeck.

Conditions: initially cloudy and misty later clearing to some sun, though cold. Snow under foot.

Pub: the Watermill, Ings for Windermere Blonde, Winter’s Tail and (for Neil) lunch.