Watch Hill Cto5Km

Week 8 run 1 of the Cto5Km, walking for about 10 minutes before starting the run so as to minimise the initial uphill.

Route: leaving the car at GR314 531 (space for 10 cars) and walking west along the road to the start of a footpath uphill. Pausing the Cto5Km app after its initial 5 minutes warm-up walk to get within one field of it levelling off before starting running, turning half left on the signed track to a gate into trees and then leaving the right of way to follow the right-most path of three uphill to reach a cleared cut in the trees, descending to a forest track. Following this until just east of the summit, according to the map, where a small path leads west into trees and then bends back left uphill to a stile onto the summit grassy plateau. Then running more freely along the summit and then downhill on the outward path and, eventually, back to the car.

Conditions: after a muggy, drizzly day, a brighter evening with a cooling breeze.

Pub: the Swan, Cockermouth, for Bowness Brewery Swan Gold.

An attempt on Souther Fell

A short walk with Janet Hornby on a warm, humid, drizzly day.

Route: leaving the car parked in the Mill, Mungrisdale, car park (because booked in for lunch) and heading south on the c-road (also Sustrans Route 71). Just after the gate, turning to the right to find a path heading gradually and diagnoally uphill except for an earlier steeper section straight uphill. At the 400m contour, in part because of deteriorating visibility in increasing rain, turning round and heading for an earlier-than-planned lunch.

Conditions: low cloud and periods of drizzle.

Pub: the Mill, Mungrisdale, for Robinson’s Trooper and lunch.

Sizergh to Helsington Cto5Km

Week 7 run 3 of the Cto5Km.

Route: leaving the car parked by the Strickland Arms and running into the grounds of Sizergh Castle and left onto a grassy path cutting a corner of the drive to reach the carpark and exit on the clear straight gravel path ahead to reach a path sheltered in a narrow band of trees. Exiting this after a short high level back track through a gate to climb across two fields to reach a tarmac track to Heslsington Church. Turning left along a stony track, going straight ahead through a gate to descend a grassy path across parkland cutting a corner to the left before a large grove of trees to join another track briefly uphill and then down to the Sizergh Castle car park and back to the start.

Conditions: a sunny evening after a few days of rain.

Pub: the Strickland Arms, Sizergh for Pennine Pacific.

River Kent and Levens Deer Park Cto5Km

Week 7 run 2 of the Cto5Km.

Route: leaving the car at the road bridge near Sedgwick House (space for several cars nearby) and heading south along the B-road to cross the A590 and turn onto a path near Archer’s Hill through Levens Deer Park, eventually bending right (having detoured into the long grass so as not to disturb the Bagot goats). Crossing the A6 road bridge back over the river and heading north through the Park, up hill to the road at Park Head and under the A590.

Conditions: after a morning of rain (the June heat wave having finished 2 days earlier), muggy and hot.

Pub: the Strickland Arms, Sizergh, for Settle Hoffman Gold.

Staveley Cto5Km

Week 7 run 1 of the Cto5Km.

Route: leaving the car at the Mill Yard and crossing the river heading past Staveley Park to the back road. Turning right to reach the entrance to Spring Hag and then turning left to climb past Mike’s Wood to the road. Passing Littlewood Farm to take the next left turn, for the first time, for a slight further ascent and then glorious descent across fields with a view back to Staveley. Back along the road to the footbridge and Mill Yard.

Conditions: initial cloud but direct sun and 23C. More humid than of late.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley, for WPA and Mosiac and, for the first time, cheese toasties.

Scout Scar Cto5Km

Week 6 run 3 (25 continuous running) of the Cto5Km.

Route: diverted to the Underbarrow Road because of a closure of the (usual) Brigsteer Road and so parking in the quarry car park and heading south along the edge of the Scar, overshooting the Gate in the Corner and thus roughing pathlessly back to it and returning on the path further to the east.

Conditions: the evening of another hot cloudless sunny day though slightly cooler than the previous days.

Pub: the Factory Tap for Fyne Ales Jarl.

Around Ling Fell Cto5Km

Week 6 run 2 of the Cto5Km.

Route: leaving the car at the old school building at Wythop Mill and walking uphill to the entry point to Ling Fell, then continuing running and walking uphill clockwise on a track, becoming grassy and then a path. Then descending parallel with, and above, Tom Rudd Beck, bending off the right of way to maintain altitude and to join Green Lonning at a gate a little later, descending to the road and walking back to the car. Then a swim in Bassenthwaite.

Conditions: although in the middle of the June mini-heatwave (forecast 28C), shielded from direct sun by fortuitous cloud. Bassenthwaite feeling initially cooler than Crummock on the previous day but this may have been a trick of the lack of direct sun.

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

Lanthwaite Green to Buttermere with swim

An 8km bus-enabled linear walk and swim to mark Froggie’s birthday (Lois working in Kendal).

Route: taking the 10:44am 77 Honister Rambler to Lanthwaite Green Farm and walking to the boathouse and then anti-clockwise round the lake for a swim at Low Ling Crag (at roughly 4km and around noon). Continuing to the Buttermere Court Hotel for a beer (Two beers! - Ed) before catching the 2:24pm (on time) bus back to Lorton.

Conditions: sunny and too still at 29C.

Pub: the Buttermere Court Hotel for Corby Lakeland Summit and Blonde.

Further south of Kendal Cto5Km

Week 5 run 3 of the Cto5Km.

Route: leaving the car at Hawes Bridge (space for 3 cars within 20m of the bridge) and heading south down the west of the river on an initially muddy and wet path (crossed by tiny tributaries) first in the shelter of trees, then across field, then through the old gunpowder works (leats to the right of the narrow raised path) and then a caravan park. At the suspension footbridge, crossing the river and heading back up a clearer main path on the east side, less sheltered, requiring one explicit left turn, back to the start.

Conditions: 25C though some haze towards the end of the run.

Pub: The Strickland Arms, Sizergh for Hawkshead WPA.

South of Kendal Cto5Km

Week 5 run 1 of the Cto5Km.

Route: leaving the car in the residential area just north of the old K Shoes factory and walking and running along the road to join the southbound canal route, initially rather overgrown between fences and then across fields. At the road turning right towards Hawes Bridge and then right again to run along the east side of the River Kent back to the K Shoes factory.

Conditions: yet another hot sunny cloudless summer’s day.

Pub: Romney’s, Kendal for Tirril Borrowdale Bitter.

The Calf via Cautley Spout

A 10km walk with Steve, Kathryn, Tom and Alex.

Route: leaving the car just beyond the Cross Keys Temperance Inn (B&B and Tea Room) at Cautley (a choice of spaces at 10:30am on a sunny half-term Friday but full on return), crossing the river on a narrow footbridge and turning south west on a clear track then north west parallel to Cautley Holme Beck. On beginning to climb, forking left up grass and then a relentlessly steep set of stone steps to the top of the waterfall. Then following a narrow but clear path next to Force Gill Beck, passing an Andy Goldsworthy sheepfold. On gaining the saddle turning right for 300m to reach the summit of The Calf. Then retracing the last 300m and continuing on a wide path past Bram Rigg Top to Calders, here turning a sharp left to follow a grassy track, becoming a narrow path (taking the right at a fork) round Great Dummacks. Descending more or less south to the 450m contour and then turning left pathlessly and steeply down hill through bracken (not pleasant; it would be better to continue to the bottom of the ridge at the cost of a longer walk back) to reach the 'A Pennine Journey' path back to the start.

Conditions: surprisingly cool at the start (13C) but rising to 20C on a sunny cloudless day.

Pub: The Black Bull, Sedbergh, for Taylors Landlord, Farm Yard Sheaf and Fell Thunder Snow.