A tiny stroll on an unpromising, though dry, autumn Sunday but with warm sun slowly breaking through the cloud cover.Route: leaving the car in the NT car park (full at noon on an unpromising October Sunday) and taking the path north-west through a gate to cross the clear gravel path and take merely a hint of path (for the first time) and then wandering left to ascend Long How with views of deer. Descending to the north of Long How to the lakeshore.
Turning left to cross a footbridge and ascend Nether How, descending to the path round it, for once following the beach south west to its end for a different view up the lake, and returning to the path to walk beside the beck, passing the campsite and heading for the pub. After a pint and a visit to Sykes Farm to pick up ice cream, taking a path uphill parallel to Mill Beck to exit the woods on a stile to the left and then turn sharp left on a track to descend to the car park.
Conditions: low cloud shrouding the hills but with sun slowly burning through it for views of the summits.
Pub: an empty Buttermere Court Hotel (more people in the pub garden) for Tirril Honister Pale.
