Claife Heights 12km run

A 12km run on a day of disappointing weather.

Route: from the Cuckoo Brow Inn, along Cuckoo Brow Lane past Moss Eccles Tarn over to Scab Moss where tree felling had changed the look of things. Then along a Forestry Commission road down to Wray and on a metalled road to its end at Beyond Fields and Red Nab. Then taking the undulating lakeside path before trending to the right arduously up hill to cross the shoulder of the hill and drop back into Far Sawrey behind the pub.

Conditions: Despite a fine forecast, a cloudy day with the threat of showers and exceptionally wet under foot.

Pub: Cuckoo Brow Inn for Cumbrian Legendary Ales Loweswater Gold.

Troutbeck Tootle

An 8km run into a northerly gale in wet and icy conditions.

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. 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 and on this occasion icy 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 crossing one very large flooded section (unhelpful lay bounded by brambles) and 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: just above freezing point and with an icy North wind. Some snow and ice but also wet.

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