Cunswick and Scout Scar

Not really an ‘outdoor day’ but a reminder of how good a running course Scout Scar is (Lois being on a train back from the Big Smoke).

Route: from Greenside, Kendal, taking Serpentine Road to the tramway and along this to climb and cross the golf course before heading, past Highland cattle, over the bypass and on up to the cairn on Cunswick Scar. Then back, descending in the direction of the Scout Scar transmitter onto the broad saddle past gorse, hawthorn and rabbits before a lengthy but gradual climb, staying between 50m and 50 feet of the wall. Turning right as the wall turns right and slightly uphill for another 100m before bending left to cross the field towards a gate into a wood. Taking the first right and then bending gently left to reach the disused quarry, now a car park, and crossing the road to climb on a gravel path onto Scout Scar. Keeping along the edge and thus passing ‘the mushroom’, a lateral wall leading to the trig point and a large low cairn (‘Dave's cairn’), which marks the descent off the Scar into the Lyth Valley, before reaching the grassy combe that marks the end of the cliff. Here taking a hand gate to head forwards gently downhill and then up to join a broad grassy path with views of Arnside Knott and Morecambe Bay. Towards the end, bending left at a subtle fork to cut the corner of the south end of the Scar and to return towards a short steep escarpment. Keeping in the same direction beyond it until 1km later forced left, with a wall now to the right, and climbing back on to the top of the Scar and a gate in a corner. Here turning almost 180 degrees to descend on the other side of the wall for 150m where, after the path goes under a couple of trees, taking a faint path left and contouring along this until, just before another wall, it rises to meet the main path (back from Dave’s cairn). Along this to cross the race course and then turning left for a sore-footed 1.5km descent on a road back to Greenside, Kendal.

Conditions: cloudy but pleasantly warm.

Pub: the Rifleman’s for, unusually, Lancaster Bomber (because of a WW1-themed fete).

Dalbeattie Civic half marathon

A last minute whim on discovering that the road to our rented cottage at Netheryett, Haugh of Urr, would be closed for a running event.

Route: from Dalbeattie high school, south to the A711 and then west for a mile before heading north on a quiet C road. After three miles, turning west to climb uphill before a descent into Haugh of Urr and then east along the Military Road before turning south, descending past Halket Leathes, climbing and then descending to East Logan to cross the river and run for a couple of miles south back to the start.

Conditons: hot in direct sun; some early cloud.

Pub: the Laurie Arms, Haugh of Urr for Broughton Willacade and Ayr Brewing Company, Leezie Lundie.

Cycle ride to Kirkcudbright

A 63km cycle circuit from Netheryett Cottage, Haugh of Urr.

Route: heading south on the B794 and then west and south round the coast on the A711 before diverting south for coffee at Balcary Bay. Then back to the main road to continue uphill past a viewpoint (of Skiddaw) and down via Dundrennan Abbey to Kirkcudbright for lunch. Heading north to the hydroelectric power station at Tongland before crossing the river to head north east on a minor road to Castle Douglas and the Sulwath Brewery. Then back on the military road.

Conditions: warm cloudy sun.

Pub: The Selkirk Arms, Kirkcudbright, for Sulwath The Grace. The Sulwath Bewery, Castle Douglas,  for Galloway Gold.

Rhinns of Kells

A 22km, 5+ hour, walk in the Southern Uplands during which we saw no one, not a sausage.

Route: from the car park at Forrest Lodge, taking Prof Hans Heiberg Road - a rough forestry track - through a conifer forest and then across a felled landscape slowly to gain altitude before leaving the road on a boggy track to cross a stile onto fellside. Then following a very minor track up over hillocks onto a discernible ridge and keeping in touch with a wall to the top of Meikle Millyea. Detouring to a further summit cairn 1km to the west for a view, there and back, and then following the ridge north on boggy ground to the bumpy knolls of Milldown and Millfire and up a long but dry grassy path to Corserine. A 1km detour north down to a saddle and then up to Carlin's Cairn for lunch and back and then east to try to find the descent. In retrospect, obviously overshooting and so roughing it over tussocky grass down the edge of a combe to cross a stile back into the forest and taking Robert Watson Road - we think - back to the car park.

Conditions: a hot and generally still day but with a gentle breeze on the tops.

Pub: The Bridge of Ken Hotel, New Galloway, for Orkney Crosscrake.

Troutbeck tootle

An 8km run on a damp hot and humid day with very low cloud.

Route: Leaving the car on the first left turn before the church in Troutbeck and running through the Limefitt caravan park, past its Haybarn Inn and thus onto the bridleway towards the head of the valley on the eastern side which is flat or even downhill for 2km before rising gently. This time, at the Tongue, taking the first footbridge to cross the stream to pick up the track on the other side of the valley but diverging from it on a grassy footpath across a field to join the quiet road back along the valley bottom. At the point where the road turns right to Old Town, taking a narrow walled path (Truss Lane) straight on eventually rising to meet the main road. Crossing over and heading another 200m up a narrow road to take a left turn on a path descending to the church and hence back to the start.

Conditions: hot, damp and humid but no actual rain.

Pub: The Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley for WPA and NZPA.

Great Carrs, Swirl How and Wetherlam horseshoe

A circuit of Mij's most viewed, also painted and possibly favourite fell the day after her funeral.

Route: leaving the car where the road broadens by Greenbank just before Wilson Place Cottage in Little Langdale and walking along the road to the Three Shires Pub for a half pint stiffener. Then down towards Jam Street but diverging half right to Slaters Bridge and along the bridleway above Greenburn Beck but crossing it on a footbridge to climb onto Wet Side Edge. Ascending into cloud and walking, viewless, along the ridge to reach Great Carrs. After a short descent, ascending to the summit of Swirl How. Descending Prison Band to emerge into sun for the first time and then slowly climbing onto Wetherlam. Descending Wetherlam Edge onto Birk Fell Man and dropping down to the right, pathless before climbing another pair of small summits. Then descending to cross a wall and then a bilberry rich marsh to climb Low Fell and Knott Head before a tricky pathless descent through bracken and marsh to reach the outward bridleway and a return to the Three Shires.

Conditions: initially low cloud but later clear skies and warm sun.

Pub: the Three Shires, Little Langdale for initial halves of Coniston Old Man and Loweswater Gold and then later for Loweswater Gold.

Copy of the Grasmere Gallop

Pretty much the Grasmere Gallop but on the day after the official event.

Route: leaving the car in the northerly pay and display car park (£5 for 4 hours) in Grasmere but starting the run from the loos in the town centre. Then past the Jumble Room and Tweedies, turning right on Red Bank Road and gradually gaining altitude. Just before a double chevron, taking the upper of two paths on the left to the top of Loughrigg Terrace and down this, past the caves, to reach the northernmost point of Under Loughrigg Road. Along the road almost as far as the footbridge to Rothay Park but turning right (walking) up the steep paved road which becomes a loose track over the shoulder of Loughrigg and down to Loughrigg Tarn. Rising gently beside this on the track to its east to rejoin the road climbing to the top of Red Bank for a second descent of Loughrigg Terrace. Then along the lake shore until forced back onto the road and back to the car park.

Conditions: warm sun, some cloud, occasional cool breeze and a very brief refreshing shower towards the end.

Pub: Tweedies Bar for Cumbrian Legendary Ales American Invasion and Marble Brewery Pint.