Rogerscale with Mirk Lane epicycle

A 15.5km cycle trip to revive the Bad Boy (L only) on a perfect late spring morning.

Route: Cycling from the cottages north and out of the valley to Hundith Hill (four lane ends crossroads) and turning left down to Southwaite. Bending round back up past the farm to the Rogerscale corner and then turning left down to Sandybeck Nature Reserve. Pausing there for photos and then deciding to turn right and check out the condition of Mirk Lane (grass in the middle as ever) and turn right at the end up to rejoin the Paddle Road.

There pausing for more photos and turning right, back to the Rogerscale turning and this time following down, over the bridge over the beck and up to High Barn (to deliver the cat sitting key) and cycle on down to the Cocker at Low Lorton and back up through the village, past the school and Boon Beck (families paddling) back home.

Conditions: Hot sun with only the gentlest of breezes, loud sheep and birdsong everywhere

Pub? Elderflower cordial back at the cottage and, much later, beer at the Mason’s Arms, Gilcrux with Tim, Steve, Kathryn and Alex (it being Bank Holiday Monday)

High Swinside road from Boon Beck stile

A sunny Bank Holiday Saturday afternoon 6.5km run (L only, T still broken) - the first in exactly a month!

Route: Leaving Midtown Cottages to run along the road and over the bridge to Boon Beck and taking the stile on the right past Boon Beck fold to run across fields, first over Whit Beck and then across the little bridge over the next beck. There encountering a wire across the onward footpath route and turning right down the track down from Scales to join the lane up to Low Swinside.

Running along and through the farmyard and on to the lane and then footpath leading across three fields to the Hopebeck Road.

Turning left onto the road and running along to cross Hope Beck and turn up left at the junction and run up the gated road to above Low Swinside and on to the copse above Blaze Beck.

There forking back to run back down to Boon Beck, stopping above Scales and diverting 50 yards to the left to inspect the ‘watering place erected by WL and Frances Alexander in the year of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee, 1887’, across the bridge and back to the cottages.

Conditions: Beautifully warm and sunny (but not quite the ‘heatwave’ hitting the south of England) and largely dry under foot

Pub? As soon as humanly possible, Jennings Cocker Hoop, with Tim, at the Brewery.

High Swinside (by road) and Low Swinside loop

A very slow 7km shuffle in hot sunshine to redeem a bleak day (L only)

Route: Leaving the cottage and running down to Boon Beck and up the road, past Scales, first for a break on the bench on the left at the brow and then on to the top above Blaze Beck where the High Swinside road comes in. Turning sharply back round the copse to run up along and down the gated road under Swinside, above High Swinside Farm, down past the Hope to Hopegill Farm and turning right at that junction.

Running down this road until a bend with a farm gate on the right and a series of footpaths leading directly northwest across fields to Low Swinside. At the wide muddy area before the farm buildings going through the gate to the left to cut across two more fields and reach the gate onto the lane after the buildings.

There turning left and running down to High Mill barn and High Mill and shortly afterwards stopping to sit on the bench on the right in blazing sun and recover a bit. Carrying on down the lane to High Lorton, turning right past Yew Tree Hall and back round to Midtown.

Conditions: Almost completely dry and hot sun even at 7pm after an exceptionally sunny spring day

Pub? A couple of shots of red wine at supper with T, celebrating 3 weeks since breaking his fibula

Great Clifton and back by bike

Inaugural 19-mile cycle commute from Lorton to Great Clifton (L) on a sunny Monday. 

Route: from Midtown out north to 4-lanes end (Hundith Hill) and there left and down to Southwaite bridge and on up to Paddle School. Across the A5086 and up Hotchberry Brow and straight on through Eaglesfield, turning right at the end of the village towards Brigham and taking the first left forking to Greysouthen.  

Reaching Greysouthen and turning right on Main Street to cycle through the village and turn left at the end, down past the village hall and out of the village, bending right at the junction, northwest and up to the Brigham-Bridgefoot road. There turning left to dip down and up through Bridgefoot and, on Chapel Brow, take the cycle path to the A66 roundabout and follow round to exit towards Great Clifton.

In Great Clifton, having meetings at the Old Ginn House, Low Middlegate Farm and Witsend before cycling back.

On the way back, taking a left turn just before Hotchberry Brow to detour past John Dalton House and then bend back to HB. Also turning right off the Paddle-Southwaite Road to return through Rogerscale, down to Lorton Bridge and home via Lorton School, Village School and Yew Tree Hall.

Conditions: bright warm sunshine all day, but with a chill in the wind on the bike

Pub: An hour or two later, the Wheatsheaf, Lorton, with T, for Black Sheep Bitter

Sale Fell with Paul and Katya

The standard 5km ascent by L with Paul and Katya (T injured) from the church

Route: leaving the car at St Margaret’s Church and walking through the churchyard to the gate to the left (broken so having to squeeze round the outside of the gate post).

Then crossing laterally to a footpath and heading uphill to the right and then round the hill gaining grounding slowly towards the west. At the end of the ridge (level with a wall) turning left uphill on clear paths to the top. Thence down to a subsidiary summit and round to Lothwaite.

Afterwards, descending on a large clear grassy path between bracken to the church. (Popping into the church but finding its Easter flowers not yet in place.)

Conditions: Light rain and high winds coming and going - a bit slippery underfoot, clear on top but no views of Skiddaw or Scotland.

Pub: Picking up T for Jennings Castle Bitter, Cruzcampo (and copious nuts) at the Embleton Spa Hotel

Aborted loop from Lanthwaite Wood due to injury

What was planned to be a 7km run over Brackenthwaite Hows to under Whiteside End and back along the shore became a 2-3km run for T and a 5km run for L when T slipped and broke his ankle.

Route: leaving the car at the Lanthwaite Wood car park (2/3 full at 11am on the Thursday before the Easter weekend) and running along the longer flatter zigzag to reach the foot of the path up Robin’s Steps. Walking this path all the way to the top of the summit (Scale Hill). Then back-tracking a little to run down the ridge and then left down hill to pick up the path to Beck How. 

Crossing the road and a foot bridge and walking uphill to turn right on the lateral footpath under Whiteside End. Part-way along, T taking a tumble and thus continuing at a slow unsteady walk to cross the footbridge under Whin Ben and reach the cattle grid at Lanthwaite Gate. L then continuing to the saddle to the south of Brackenthwaite Hows and then along the track to the car park.

Conditions: An unexpectedly glorious warm sunny morning but pretty wet and slippery (!) underfoot

Pub: Kirkstile Inn for Cumbrian Legendary Ales Esthwaite Bitter 

Lorton variant 4km short running circuit

A 4.2km run round the village in a gap in L’s schedule.

Route: from the cottage, running north along the road, ignoring the path on the left to the church and on to take the frequently damp path (not too bad today), left, across a field to cross Church Lane and take the still new-feeling path to the new development on the edge of the village. Pausing for a second attempt to capture the Percy Kelly view and then continuing past the pub to take the path to the church and then the continuing path. 

Dog-legging left-right across the road to take a path cutting a corner across a field, then across the Whinlatter Pass and up the track to Fernwood. Turning right on the track and then downhill again (less wet than the last time) to reach the Whinlatter Pass again. Left, uphill, along this, to the green track half right to Tenters Lane and then, via a detour to the village shop, home.

Conditions: a warm, 12C spring day (also the equinox) with sun shining through a thin layer of cloud.

Pub? At 11am, for one of us, some of a bottle of Wilces Medium Cider, back at the cottage. Later, at 4pm, Cumbrian Ales, American Invasion and Esthwaite Bitter at the Kirkstile Inn.