Ben Vrackie

A **km steep walk up the nearest fell to Pitlochry while staying to celebrate Lois’ and Emma’s 60th birthdays.

Route: leaving the car at the first Ben Vrackie car park just above Moullin (because unconvinced of the existence of the slightly higher second car park) and walking steeply uphill. At a tall hand-gate, signed ‘The Ben’, turning left and walking uphill, in trees, past the first of many benches with a dry stream (Moulin Beck) to the left. Existing the path onto a track and then joining a single track patch to the right, finally existing the trees onto open fellside. Continuing uphill past a signpost, marking the arrival point of the return route, up to a saddle between Stac an Fheidh and Creag Bhreac and then down to the dam. 

On the far side of the dam, immediately joining a stony stepped path uphill which eventually became constant steps to the summit. Descending the same way, no faster than the ascent, but turning right on a clear path, though unmarked on the map, round the dam and then uphill, under Meall n h-Aodainn Moire to the pass Bealach na Searmoin and then down to the rejoin the outward path.

Conditions: initially grey and cloudy but gusty higher up and then sometimes hot in the developing sun.

Pub: Moulin Hotel for Moulin Light, Orchard Thieves cider and lunch with James, Jo, Emma and Nathan.

Stroll from Pitlochry to Moulin and back

A **km stroll with James meeting Jo, Emma and Nathan at Black Spout Fall and at the Moulin Hotel.

Route: leaving the AirBnB at 2 Tummel Crescent and walking into the town centre via a shortcut path through trees, under the railwayline and onto Atholl Road to visit the Post Office. Then east to and right on Ferry Road and back in the direction of ‘home’, at this point spotting J,E and N driving the other way. Circuiting a sports field on the bank of the River Tummel to turn left on Bridge Road and right on Perth Road, past the Blair Atholl Distillery, and then left to the Black Spout car park and following signs to the waterfall to find the others. 

Continuing upstream before turning left on paths signed Moulin, across a field with views of Ben Vrackie, having a glancing occultation with the edges of Pitlochry again before crossing a field to Moulin and the Moulin Hotel for lunch. 

Afterwards, turning left to reach Craiglunie Road and left down Golf Course Road. Bending left off that onto a track into suburbia and heading downhill, via some steps, across Atholl Road to Station Road and Rie-Achan road, passing under the railway and following paths to the stony beach by the lake (Loch Faskally). Then along a rising path towards the dam but finding the footpath across the dam closed for building works and instead descending the 100 Step path and following the river back to the start.

Conditions: initially cloud and cool. Later (from lunch) sunny and 23C.

Pub: The Moulin Hotel for Ale of Atholl (strangely sour and unpleasant), Old Remedial (strange and unlikeable but not unpleasant), XX (off) and Braveheart (a perfectly fine light beer) and lunch.

Sale Fell

A 4km late morning walk with James.

Route: leaving the car at St Margaret’s Church and walking through the churchyard to the gate to the left, crossing laterally to a footpath and then heading uphill to the right and then round the hill gaining ground 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 and then descending on a large clear grassy path between bracken to the church. 

Conditions: a warm (23C) sunny day.

Pub: The Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite, for Lakes and Dales Bitter and Pale.

Brackenthwaite Hows stroll

A 5km stroll with James, en route to the Kirkstile Inn for supper.

Route: leaving the car in the Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park (two thirds full at 5:30pm and many people swimming in the lake) and taking the steep shortcut to reach the start of 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 as far as the pumping station, turning right along the banks of Park Beck to Park Bridge. From there, along the road to the Kirkstile Inn.

Conditions: a warm - but not overly hot - sunny evening.

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn for Cumbrian Ales Session IPA, Loweswater Gold and supper.

6km Newlands run from Braithwaite

A 6km running loop on a cool damp day, the longest run since T’s broken ankle.

Route: leaving the car opposite the Coledale Inn and descending a snicket to a track towards the village shop and then left down Croft Terrace to join the path between the brook and caravan park heading south east to Little Braithwaite. Turning left on the road and then right at a fork, gradually rising and then along past the Swinside Inn to descend to a path on the right across fields to a packhorse bridge and then uphill to Uzzicar. 

Turning right along the road under Barrow to the diagonal path uphill towards Braithwaite Lodge, walking 0.5km and thus the bulk of the ascent, before descending through Braithwaite Lodge and down to the road and then left, past the shop, on then briefly on the outward route but continuing to the Orthodox church and then left up a slightly gentler snicket to the start.

Conditions: low cloud and 14-15C but in a gap in the rain.

Pub: the Coledale Inn for Lakes and Dales Bitter.

First run post-broken ankle (in Cockermouth)

A 3.4km run round Cockermouth: T’s first run since his ankle break on 2nd April. 

Route: leaving the car at the Kirkgate Centre and exiting to the rear to run along Melbreak and Thirlmere Avenues and Windmill Lane and Bellbrigg Lonning to cross the Greenway and enter the cemetery via its central gate. 

Running through it to exit onto the Greenway and run along to the bridge over the Cocker. Just before that turning left to Double Mills and then back, hugging the river, then over the footbridge to Market Place and a beer at the Crooked River tap.  

Conditions: after a week of almost intolerable heatwave, a mere 24.5C. 

Pub: the Crooked River Beer Shop for Crooked River West Coast IPA, chatting to a friendly couple from Workington.

Easdale Tarn

A hot near 8km walk as belated birthday walk for Froggie. T only meeting L fresh from a weekend retreat at Rydal Hall.

Route: leaving the 555 bus at the Grasmere Blacksmiths stop and crossing the road-bridge over the river Rothay to take a woodland footpath to the right to join Easdale Road. Following this to a left turn onto the stony cobbled track (tricky on a recovering ankle) to turn right over New Bridge and then left near Lancrigg onto the track up Far Easdale. 

Following this until shortly after a substantial footbridge and then turning left up a recently repaired, now stepped, path over the ridge which descends ultimately from Tarn Crag. The path becoming a series of stepping stones across marsh before a final ascent to Easdale Tarn. 

A slightly tricky crossing of the stream on stepping stones yielding access to the much busier main path to the tarn from Grasmere. Following this all the way back down Easdale Road before detouring slight right to finish on the track/drive to Allan Bank, meeting Lois there.

Conditions: 23C, bright sun and still.

Pub: Tweedies, Grasmere for Left Handed Giant, Folded Page Pale (5%) and Lakes Brewery PAL and lunch.