Reston Scar and Hugill Fell

A short walk on a numb sort of day after the night my mother Mij died.

Route: Leaving the car in the mill yard carpark and heading north on Back Lane past the war memorial to the left turn on a broad switch-backing path up Reston Scar keeping to the left on a narrow ridge at the edge of the plateau to approach the summit. Then down on a clear grassy path, through a gate and then trending left through newly planted trees to another gate before turning sharp right to rise eventually to the Hugill summit. Taking a gate in the field corner beyond to turn right to walk round and then to cross a significant bog to the summit of Black Crag and then steeply down to the Kentmere road and back.

Conditions: Surprisingly warm, cloudy sun.

Pub: The Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley for WPA, and keg Cumbrian Five Hop.

Bowland Bridge circuit

A 13km run with Ian Lyne before lunch with Mitch and Steve.

Route: Leaving the car in the car park of the Mason’s Arms, Strawberry Bank (booked in for lunch 90 minutes later) and descending past Bowland Bridge taking the quiet country road on the east side of the river northwards past Barkbooth, dog-legging left and right after 3 miles. Crossing the A5074 at the Brown Cow at Winster and continuing up hill before dropping back to the west to join the A5074 briefly heading east for 200m and then taking a bridleway on the right. Following a rough path to join a track and climb the west side of the valley and then along empty tracks, then quiet roads to Hartbarrow and a descent back to the Mason’s Arms.

Conditions: despite the forecast rain, an almost dry if cloudy run.

Pub: the Mason’s Arms, Strawberry Bank, for lunch and Corby Blond and Stringers’ Wolf Warrior.

50km cycle pub crawl to Windermere and back

A 50km cycle pub crawl partly resulting from not fitting 3 bikes onto a cross-Windermere passenger ferry (the road ferry being closed for five year maintenance).

Route: from home up the hill past the Station Inn and then along Paddy Lane to descend to cross the A685 and, after a steeper descent, slowly to cross the River Mint south of Mealbank. Turning left to Skelsmergh, crossing the A6 and continuing by back roads to Staveley for a pint at the Hawkshead Brewery. Then past Staveley station and climbing along the route of the Dales Way to reach the Crook Road and a swift descent first to the (car) ferry terminal and then, having just missed the replacement ferry at Bowness (and hence the planned shore-line route to Ambleside), the Royal Oak for a pint. On failing to fit onto the next ferry 40mins later, giving up and cycling up to Windermere Station and along the main road to the Watermill at Ings for lunch. Then along the cycle route through Staveley and Burneside back home.

Conditions: low cloud and repeated rain showers, sometimes heavy.

Pubs: Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley, for Hawkshead WPA, Iti NZPA, Gold; The Royal Oak, Bowness, for Coniston Bluebird and Taylor’s Landlord; the Watermill, Ings, for lunch and Watermill Golden Retriever, Dogth Vader and Bit o’ Ruff and Cumbrian Legendary Ales Loweswater Gold.

Cartmel Fell circuit

An 11+ km circuit on Cartmel Fell, mainly on paths.

Route: leaving the car in the car park by Cartmel Fell Village Hall and running around the church to the right and northwards to the nearby farm before which turning left and following a footpath rising and bending right below Pool Garth after which turning right at an ornamental pond featuring a frog band sculpture (see photo). Down a track and right onto a field and then left at the bottom of the second field to find a level path heading north through damp grass eventually to cross the footbridge over the River Winster to join the road to Bowland Bridge. At the village junction turning left across the bridge and then right onto a footpath through woods and across a field. After a stile, keeping below the woods on through Hollins Farm farmyard and along an enclosed track along the valley floor, often muddy in places, to meet the road near Great Hartbarrow farm. Going left along the road up a steep hill, right at the junction and on until the road swings right after Oaks farm. Taking, instead, the footpath straight on, initially by the wall and then crossing to the other side of the valley and rising to bypass a house and taking a waymarked route across fields to the woodland in Moor How Park. Descending through woodlands to turn left at a footpath T-junction and rising uphill again to the top of the ridge. Then descending on a muddy and stoney path crossing streams and along a boardwalk to meet a path on the left which emerges from the wood, rises over a small shoulder and goes down the meadow, Whinney Knott, with good views over the Winster valley to Whitbarrow, to reach a gate at the bottom right of the field. After 100 yards down the road past Lightwood taking a track on the right for about a mile to join the road after a twisty descent (marred by a motocross event in full flow). Turning right and after 300 yards left onto a footpath just before the road signed Cartmel Fell Church down through the woods to the start.

Conditions: cloudy and some hazy sun but poor visibility.

Pub: the Castle, Kendal, for Loweswater Gold (meeting Paul, Amanda, the kids and friends (Seve, Dave and Steve) after a Kendal urban orienteering event).

Cycle circuit to Staveley

A 40km cycle ride to the Hawkshead Brewery and back.

Route: from home, steeply uphill to the Station Inn and then continuing to rise to the midpoint of Paddy Lane. Then a glorious descent to cross the A685 and a careful, steep descent to a bridge over the River Mint south of Meal Bank. Turning right to rise north east, on a wide road, onto high moorland from which, presumably, there would usually be good views. A steep descent to Patton Bridge and then a detour to look at Whinfell Tarn (hardly worth it). Back at Patton Bridge taking a pretty quiet road, west, rising within a narrow valley to reach a crossroads (left here) eventually descending steeply to cross the A6, wiggling through Garth Row and then a brief but horribly steep ascent to a right turn and then a left onto the Potter Fell Road. Along this to descend to the main back road to Staveley with bluebells in abundance. After beer and lunch (and replacing brake blocks) returning on the back road but sticking to the valley bottom to re-enter Kendal via the Mintsfeet industrial estate and then back along the canal path.

Conditions: very low cloud, occasional drizzly rain.

Pub: the Hawkshead Beer Hall, Staveley, for WPA and Red.

Clapham circuit

An 11km run north and east from Clapham, on the way back from visiting Mij and Grahame.

Route: from the car park in Clapham (£2.50 for 2 hours), taking the road north and then a track east of the church through two very dark and stony tunnels and then up onto the shoulder of the hillside of Norber. Straight on and down to a crossroads with a minor road, taking a left turn heading uphill, the road becoming a track. On this to a grassy bridleway which turns left and goes uphill again near Crummack. At this point mistakenly bearing too far left and thus ending up too far to the south to reach the cairn on Long Scar so striking across rough country to reach the gate in a wall and downhill on a stony walled track (Long Lane) eventually rising to meet the outward path and return through the tunnels.

Conditions: cloudy but stuffy and humid.

Pub: The Bunkhouse Café Bar, Clapham, for Taylor’s Landlord (joined by Mark and Sandra)