Brackenthwaite Hows run

A 6km run plus 1km walk back to the car 

Route: leaving the car at the Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park and taking a steep shortcut to reach the start of the the small path up Robin’s Steps to the summit plateau of Brackenthwaite Hows. Descending south and picking up the path within the wood by its eastern wall to join the small path descending to the boat house. Thence, round the lake, round the ‘Horn’, along the further swimming beach to walk up the hillside beyond the wall and to join the higher level path from along the lake. Experimenting, by taking a faint path on the left to attempt to maintain altitude and cut a corner but in fact finding no continuing path and running across a steep slope on soft ground hidden by leaves (so, not to be repeated). Continuing round the end of Mellbreak before descending to the Kirkstile Inn for lunch. Afterwards walking back along the road to the car park. 

Conditions: cold but bright and sunny.

Pub: The Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater for Cumbrian Legendary Ales, Esthwaite Bitter, Vanilla Oatmeal Stout and lunch.

Scout Scar 6.5km

An Outdoor Day because, as the first post Couch to 5km solitary off-road run, there seemed to be some jeopardy. (T only; L at church.)

Route: Route: from the normal midway layby (at GR 494899), a short steep ascent then bearing left to reach and then descend the escarpment and south across the fields towards Helsington before bending right onto the green track with views of the estuary. At the three-way junction, taking the middle track at a walk to reach the top of Pook’s Peek, to the next gate heading back left and then right to reach the the cliff edge of the Scar to the trig point and then the Mushroom. Back to the trip point and through the gate in the wall corner to descend along the edge of the escarpment to the start.

Conditions: after a damp autumn, a lovely sunny day.

Pub: after an Asda shop, Romneys for Agnes Ghost and **

High Crag via Sheepbone Rake

A walk on a blustery day with Ian Rawe.

Route: leaving the car at the NT car park, Buttermere, and walking to the west side of the lake and ascending the steps towards Red Pike for 10m, then turning left onto a grassy horizontal track, parallel to the lakeside path. Following this - marshy and wet after recent rain - as far as a fork, shortly after a stream crossing, where bearing right on a fainter path to a stile out of the woods. Turning left along a faint path above a wall, then gaining height more steeply into Burtness Combe. Picking up the path to High Stile for a while before turning left off it to head back into the combe towards the start of Sheepbone Rake, which involved some hand over hand work over moss and bilberry plants. Eventually ascending the Rake on a mix of path and scree and then heading right, surprisingly steeply, up chimneys to the summit plateau. Changing plans because of the wind and descending to Scarth Gap and back along the west of the lake.

Conditions: dry and warm for November but very windy on the summit.

Pub: the Buttermere Court (aka Fish) Hotel for Allendale Brewery Wolf and Wagtail and Great Corby Lakeland Summit and Mandarina

Fellside Wood and Old Hutton

A 4km stroll in a brief dry spell in a day of rain.

Route: Leaving the car on the road east of the top of Old Hutton by Fellside Wood and walking south through it. On exiting, turning left on a sodden footpath to the road to turn right. At a farm, turning left on a track and then right to cross fields to Popplemire Lane, rescuing a trapped sheep from a wire fence on the way. Turning an immediate right to cross a field of sheep and climb slightly to the middle of the Old Hutton settlement and then right uphill to the edge of the village. There turning right on a footpath across fields to re-join but slightly vary the outward route so as to visit the millennial four-way seat.

Conditions: largely dry, contrary to the forecast.

Pub: the Station Inn, Oxenholme, for Bowness Brewery Swan Blonde.

7km Kentmere run including the Three Rivers path

A 7km run constituting the end of the NHS Couch to 5km programme. 

Route: leaving the car parked near the Ullthwaite Bridge, crossing the bridge and running along the track past Croft Head and right along a path through the pottery to the Hollingworth & Vose factory. Running through the factory yard to take the green valley bottom path towards Kentmere Hall but at a crossroads in the woods near the end, bending slightly left to rise to reach the return path, climbing slowly onto the moors. At the crossroads of paths at a stream crossing, taking the left turn descending the Three Rivers path, to the controversial resurfacing. Past Croft Head and down the road to Ullthwaite Bridge and the car.

Conditions: a brief interlude in the rain on a grey autumnal day.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley, for Hawkshead Session IPA and Windermere Pale Ale.

Orrest Head

A short walk with Jamie on a Wednesday.

Route: leaving the car in the Booths car park (free for 2 hours) and taking the marked path to Orrest Head, for the first time since access had been improved for wheelchairs, cutting corners on available footpaths to reach the summit. Then heading east off the summit to reach a clearly marked path in a wall corner through Common Wood to reach the A591 a little to the east of the station and back to the start.

Conditions: a dry spell during a generally wet day.

Pub: earlier, the Watermill Ings for Windermere  Blonde, Bit r Ruff and a Winter's Tail and lunch. Later various beers in Indiecraft, Kendal, joined by Anne and Frank.

Midtown Cottages to Buttermere

A spontaneous 7-mile walk to Buttermere with Jamie (Lois only), despite the weather forecast.

Route: Leaving the cottage for a short circuit out via High Swinside Farm and back via the village shop for lunch but, the rain still distant and the air still, continuing on past the summit of the road at High Swinside Farm to join the footpath to see whether it was possible to cross Hope Beck. Having crossed, deciding to duck out of climbing up the Dodd and carry on and following the footpath (very damp in places) all the way to Lanthwaite Green where the rain started to fall beside a barely visible but well-filled Crummock. 

From there following the road down to Rannerdale, round the Knotts (in increasingly blustery wind and rain) and on to Crummock South Beach - briefly trying to find the path to cut the corner but finding the branches a bit low and lively at the wall around Great Wood to make it any fun and returning to the road. Walking on to Buttermere along the road and stopping briefly at the Bridge before catching the next bus back to Lorton.

Conditions: Initially still and dry with high-ish cloud but walking towards a socked-in Buttermere with increasing wind and rain from about half way

Pub: The Bridge, Buttermere, for Tractor Shed Mowdy Pale