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.