Embleton Spa from home by road

Less than 8km road run from home to Embleton Spa on a grey September weekday evening (L only, T injured)

Route: Leaving home and following the road north to the end of the village and on to the right-hand turn up to Armaside Farm. Taking this to run up to and past the farm and on north and then north west to the road between Hundith Hill and St Cuthbert’s Embleton.

Turning right there to run along the road past the Strawberry How turnoff to the next left turn down past the vicarage to the A66.

Then crossing the A66 to the back road through Embleton and turning right to run along the road to the Embleton Spa Hotel.

Conditions: Barely spitting with rain until the A66 and then beginning to rain lightly - torrential once safely in the bar.

Pub? Embleton Spa Hotel for Cumbrian Ales Esthwaite Bitter with Tim.

A stroll on the shore of Derwentwater with Andrea

A 5km stroll (T only; L at Greenbelt) with Andrea Higginson along the start of the shore of Derwent Water with an attempt on the Castlehead Wood viewpoint.

Route: walking from near the Crosthwaite Church (and bus stop for the 77) along the B5289, past the Shell garage, into Keswick turning right at the roundabout, past Booths and along Crow Park Road to the end. Taking a slight left turn through a hand gate onto a gravel foot path across the grassy park and following this round the park to the Theatre by the Lake. 

Turning right to the boat jetties (very busy on a bank holiday) and then along the lakeshore to Friar’s Crag (also busy) and then onward and left round the shore. At an obvious junction, turning left on a gravel path to Cockshott Wood, staying to the east and then right on a newly-surfaced path to cross the B5289 into Castlehead Wood. 

Following the hill round clockwise and ascending a slippery path up to its very shoulder. But, deeming the final rock steps impractical, retreating to the north to turn left on Springs Road, Ambleside Road and St John’s Street to the Wainwright Pub. Afterwards, a quick walk back to catch the 3:30pm 77 home.

Conditions: the forecast rain not arriving until safely in the pub.

Pub: the Wainwright Pub for Fell Tinderbox and Inches cider.

Cockermouth and Embleton 26km cycle circuit

A 26km cycle ride to try out cycling to Cockermouth for the first time (for T) since living at 1-2 MTC. (T only; L at Greenbelt.)

Route: from the cottage, cycling down to Low Lorton, over the bridge and then right steeply but briefly uphill past High Rogerscale and then along and mainly slightly down to the junction with the Paddle School road. Turning right and descending to Southwaite and then rising up a noticeable incline to the Hundith Hill crossroads. Across this, descending and re-ascending gentle inclines to turn left, over the A66, onto Strawberry How to Lorton Road and down Kirkgate to the Jennings Brewery.

After a pint sitting outside, ascending Brewery Lane, then left on Castlegate Drive and continuing on a gradual but cumulative uphill for 1km. Then descending at speed past Lambfoot to Embleton for a brief pause at the pub for fortifying beer and crisps. Crossing the A66 and heading uphill to Wythop Mill and then more steeply up the road between houses to the right before descending to the St Margaret's Church, Wythop, rising again to the junction with the road from Lambfoot, past the Cockermouth turn-off to the right to take the short cut on the left on terrible tarmac past Armaside Farm back to Lorton Road. Left along this home.

Conditions: thin sun giving way to cloud but not the forecast rain.

Pub: the Jennings Brewery, Cockermouth, for Jennings Cocker Hoop; the Embleton Spa Hotel for Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold.

Watch Hill

A damp 6km evening run before L departed for a long weekend away at Greenbelt the next day.

Route: leaving the car at GR 137312 at a lay-by at the intersection of the Cockermouth to Embleton road with the road to Setmurthy Common and taking the hand gate to a clear path running slowly uphill for about 1km towards Watch Hill though slowing to a walk for part of the later stages. 

Bending left again at a run on the marked path to enter the woods and taking the rightmost of two forks to follow a path in a clear part of the woods until it descends to a rough forest road. Following this east to a small path on the right through older deciduous trees, gaining ground to the summit tree-free. From here on a lower clearer path to the left to the end of the ridge and the spot named ‘Watch Hill’ overlooking Cockermouth. Then running downhill back to the road and thus the car. 

Conditions: high cloud and drizzle but surprisingly warm.

Pub: the Bitter End, Cockermouth, for Alnwick American IPA.

Cycle pootle to the Kirkstile Inn

A solitary (T) cycle ride to test riding post ankle break.

Route: from 1-2 Midtown cycling past the shop to turn left at the mid-Lorton crossroads to take the Hopebeck Road, climbing slowly and then descending to rejoin the recently resurfaced main road to climb to Scale Hill and descend past the Lanthwaite Wood car park. 

At the next crossroads, turning left to take the minor road (a rather less good road surface) bending right to reach the pub. After a pint, along the Thackthwaite road home. 

Conditions: sunny and warm though not hot. Easily warm enough to sit outside the pub in the shade.  

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn for Cumbrian Ales Session IPA.

5km run to High Rogerscale

A practical run to feed Charlie, Rosemary’s cat.

Route: from the cottage, along the road past the village hall, shop, mid-Lorton crossroads, Low Lorton crossroads, over the Cocker and uphill to High Rogerscale. 

Returning, after cat feeding, the same way, until the Low Lorton crossroads where turning left along the road and then right, before the pub, on the path to the church and then doglegging across Church Lane to the next path, to Lorton Park and home.

Conditions: a warm sunny late afternoon/early evening.

Pub: later, for supper with Kate Clark and her friend Michael Semple, the Queen's Head Troutbeck for Robinsons Patterd’Ale.

6km 'balcony path' to High Swinside

A 6km run ending up, briefly, at Lorton Fest. An Outdoor Day because the first use of the balcony path in about a year.

Route: Leaving the cottage and running south to Boonbeck, and slowly up the road to the footpath to cross a field with views down the valley to Mellbreak. Descending to a hand gate and turning left up hill out of a farm yard, left and again on a road and then right at the start of the enclosed track up hill from Scales to the southerly ‘balcony’ path to High Swinside Farm, finding it very overgrown. 

Descending south and turning right at a T junction on the road from Hope Beck, to a path across fields to Low Swinside and then along the track to High Mill, Church Lane and left through the church yard to the pub.

Conditions: a warm but not too hot sunny late afternoon.

Pub: the Wheatsheaf, Lorton for Crooked River Pale (from the outside bar) and a a bit of Lorton Fest.