North along the Mint

A 7km run along the Kent and the Mint.

Route: leaving the car parked on Mintsfeet Road in the Mintsfeet Industrial Estate and running to the footbridge over the Kent but diverting under the bridge to head north on the east side on a muddy path and across a scrubby field to Sandy Bottom. Contining between industrial buildings and the River Mint to cross the A6 and to continue on the south side of the Mint past the Thirlmere-Manchester aqueduct to join the Mealbank Road and cross the river at a bridge. Turning south near Dodding Green to run back, now on the north side of the Mint, to the rugby club and then returning to Sandy Bottom. Here taking a green lane for 200m and then turning right along the top edge of the industrial estate to rejoin the outward route.

Conditions: initially cloudy but with blackening skies and a heavy shower near the end.

Pub: the Lakes Brew Co brewery during one of its monthly opening for half pints of Pale Ale, DDH Pale, NE Session IPA and Lost in Mosaic DDH IPA.

Black Crag, Hugill Fell and Reston Scar

A short wet walk with Andrew and Helen and to mark Froggie’s birthday a couple of days late.

Route: Parking on the road by the Eagle and Child and walking to St Margaret’s Tower, right on the path to cross the river and then left along the road and left again past Scroggs Fam to re-join the road and cross the river. Heading south for 500m and right up a steep drive and then a footpath heading uphill to Black Crag. Continuing using planks very gingerly to cross the bog - wetter today - and go through a gate to the summit of Hugill Fell. Turning southeast to head down into the new(ish) plantation and following the track through a gate and up to the summit of Reston Scar. Descending on the newish path on a ridge towards Staveley and then back along Brow Lane and School Lane to return to the pub.

Conditions: cloudy followed by showers of rain.

Pub: the Eagle and Child Staveley, joined by Angie and Alistair for Lakes Brew Co Pale and Tirril Staveley IPA and an iffy lunch.

Stile End, Barrow Door and Barrow

A late Friday afternoon 5km stroll as a pretext to go to the pub.

Route: leaving the car outside the Coledale Inn and walking round the inn and along the road gaining altitude towards the hills. Joining a stony track to a grassy path and then following the ridge to the right up to Stile End. Descending to the pass at Barrow Door and ascending the gentle incline to Barrow. Descending the ridge to a slight divergence to the left and following a grassy path initially merely slightly left but then bending fully back round to head for Barrow Gill below the outward path with the intention of crossing it. With a change of mind in the face of marshy conditions, turning right to head downhill parallel to the stream as though heading back to Braithwaite Lodge. But, on finding a faint path left, descending to the stream again at the edge of the Right to Roam land, crossing it and climbing steeply through brackeny marshy ground to reach the outward route just before the road. Following this down to the start.

Conditions: mainly cloudy but with hints of sun.

Pub: the Coledale Inn, Braithwaite, for Corby Blonde and Tractor Shed Mowdy Pale.

Buttermere to Lorton via Hen Comb

A bus-enabled linear 21km walk over Hen Comb and Fellbarrow.

Route: taking the 10:45am 77 Honister Rambler (having, we assumed, missed an earlier already full Cockermouth-Buttermere free shuttle) to Buttermere and starting walking at 11:20am to the west side of Crummock Water, initially along the shore level stony path. At a stream (GR: NY136170), turning left on a less obvious path ascending to half way up the lower slope (of Lingcombe Edge) and then later turning left again, with the path, perhaps in the vain hope of avoiding marshy ground and following this round to a footbridge by Scale Force. Crossing Scale Beck and continuing on the upper of two paths, keeping left under the slope of Starling Dodd on marshy ground past a ruin. A little later, the path trending right across the floor of the valley but surprisingly less marshy than might have been expected. Once on the far side of the valley, at a fork, staying left to head directly for a hill mistaken for Floutern Cop, the ascent of which required a course correction to the right. Retracing the initial route from the Cop across the saddle for a fairly steep ascent of Hen Comb and down the ridge, bending right over a stile to reach the end wall and down to cross the stream, gingerly, helped by stepping stones, and on to the Kirkstile for a pint. 

Afterwards, taking the road to Foulsyke and then a path left into a wood and along under the hill before doubling back, initially planning to continue on the lateral path to the solitary tree. Lured by a zig-zag right, hoping the awful direct route had been changed, taking this though then disappointed that the path quickly reverted to the original relentless direct ascent route. Along the ridge, skipping Sourfoot Fell to the left and Hatteringill Head beyond, to descend the long straight farmer’s track and then Mosser Fell Road to Lorton Low Bridge and back home.

Conditions: still, dry and positively warm in the sun.

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater, for Cumbrian Ales Pacific Voyage (and, later, the Swan, Cockermouth, for Fyne Ales Jarl and the Liverpool FA Cup victory).

Burneside to Staveley 8km run

An 8km run, with walking intervals, while Lois preached at Burneside.

Route: saying goodbye to Lois at St Oswald’s, Burneside, and crossing the river via Bridge Street (a road never previously noticed!) and heading east to find the Dales Way path and then north west for two fields before diverting north to cross the road and continue across fields to Braben House and thence by track to cross the Fell Road to Mirefoot. Deciding on impulse to walk uphill to Potter Tarn and then run down to Birk Field, up to the road and then left to the track towards Spring Hag but turning off right on the path through Mike’s Wood to join the road to the sewage works and thus by fields to the Millyard.

Conditions: warm sun.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley, for Mystic Jester, Session IPA and WPA, joined by Lois for the second pint.

Cockermouth 6km run

A 6km run round Cockermouth with some novelty.

Route: leaving the car parked outside the Swan Inn (riskily pushing the 1 hour disk parking with the time needed for a post run beer) and heading south down Lorton road to the link joining the railway footpath. Heading east for 200m and then turning left into a housing estate and onto Bellbrigg Lonning and then through a snickle-way to dog-leg left-right onto Kirkfell Avenue and then left onto Waste Lane: a pleasant enough green track between housing estates. Emerging and turning right onto St Helen’s Street and then left onto a path through to the leisure centre and then left and right onto Wyndham Row, crossing the Cocker on a footbridge and running along Waterloo Street to turn right onto a riverside path. Taking this under and beyond the footbridge and then bending back round to cross the bridge to turn right on a path along the river opposite the Jennings Brewery and then castle. Finding a hand-gate onto a field and a stile on the far side, taking this to turn left onto a footpath back towards the earlier footbridge across the Derwent but heading right to take the road bridge, instead. Following Horsman Street to a footpath slightly uphill to join the railway footpath and along this - across a car park and a road - to go under, and then back onto, Lorton Road and back to the start.

Conditions: cloudy with hints of sun and surprisingly warm.

Pub: the Swan Inn, Cockermouth, for Fyne Ales Jarl.

Lorton to Buttermere via Hopegill Head linear walk

A 13km linear walk with cloud on the tops.

Route: from the cottage, taking the Boonbeck road to Scales and then heading west before turning south on a green lane. At High Swinside Farm crossing the road to find a parallel path to discover a brand new footbridge over Hope Beck. Continuing a little southwards and then arbitrarily and a little too soon turning left uphill under the Dodd across marshy terrain, eventually finding a path more easily because of no new bracken growth yet. Then heading upwards and leftwards on a clear path to gain altitude. At the saddle between Dodd and the slope towards Whiteside, turning left to head steeply up Whiteside (in cloud from 600m) and turning left along the summit ridge to Hopegill Head, down to Sand Hill, and further down to Coledale Hause. Rejecting the possible scramble onto Eel Crag and Crag Hill and instead following the gradually ascending well-made path beside Liza Beck to a crossroads. There continuing straight to ascend a little more (north of Wandope) and then descend via Whiteless Edge onto Whiteless Pike, reaching Grasmere Village via Mill Beck and thence to the pub. Later taking a half full 4:24pm 77A Honister Rambler bus home (being two days too early for the free Cockermouth Bluebell Shuttle which would have left an hour earlier!).

Conditions: damp with cloud above the Dodd though later, after the walk, some sun and cloud lifting over lunch.

Pub: the Buttermere Court Hotel (née Fish) for Corby Brewing Company Blonde and Signal Peak APA and a light £7 lunch - followed by cortados at Sykes Farm