A 20km walk with Kathryn, Steve, Tom and Alex Woodcock.Route: from the cottage to Low Lorton via fields, across the river and rising past Low Bank Farm and High Bank on a green road rising onto the shoulder of the hill. Taking a track south at first muddy and then grassy to reach open access land. Then steeply uphill to reach Hatteringill Head. T at this point returning on the outward path suffering fatigue. Everyone else descending and ascending to reach Fellbarrow. Following the summit on the far side of the fence steeply down (the boys running) to a marshy saddle and then bearing up left across the fellside towards the top of the zig-zag path down to Thackthwaite (suddenly busy with people coming up).
Walking briskly down this (the boys running) to the C-road and deciding to turn right towards Loweswater. Following the road to the end, past Foul Syke, and turning left on the main road and then right past the village hall to walk down to the Kirkstile Inn. Perching by the door to fortify ourselves with nuts and crisps and then carrying on.
Taking the road from the pub to the old phone box and then joining the main road, past Lanthwaite Wood and over Scale Hill to the footpath through the wood under Tindle Crag, turning left through the gate in the wall at the far side to follow round the right side of the wall across very marshy ground and on past Picket Howe and across the field to cross the C-road to Buttermere.
Taking up the path on the other side - initially clinging to a new fence, and walking along a tumbledown wall to avoid the mud but then just striking up the field to the gate in the intake wall and up to join the Lorton-Buttermere bridleway and follow it north 2km, through occasional gates, favouring the higher options, to the footbridge at Hope Gill, and on to the road and High Swinside.
Walking down through High Swinside farm to the muddy fenced track running due north to Scales, where turning left down beside the farm and right onto the road, and left down to Boon Beck, over the bridge and along the road home!
Conditions: a blustery day with some very light rain in the wind, with heavier showers coming and going later in the walk - muddy underfoot but not as waterlogged as it had been
Pub: the Kirkstile Inn for Loweswater Gold, cider and various soft drinks (halfway round)
