Souther Fell

A surprisingly pleasant if marshy circuit, with Mike Hornby, on an unpromising day.

Route: leaving the car park opposite Mungrisdale village hall (£2 per day) and walking south west on the gated minor road under the fell for half a mile. Turning diagonally half right, opposite a sheep fold converted into a garden, to ascend a slowly rising well marked path all the way to the top of the ridge a little to the south of the summit (which we spurned). Heading further south first to a cairn overlooking the slopes of Bannerdale and the clouded summit of Blencathra and then off piste to the end of the ridge. Descending to the col above Mousthwaite Comb and then across a plank bridge over the River Glenderamackin to follow this along the valley above its western bank. Carefully jumping a tributary and then picking a route though very swampy grass until the path became more solid half a mile further along. Then back to the start.

Conditions: low cloud and drizzle. Very wet under foot.

Pub: the Mill Inn, Mungrisdale for Robinsons Sharp Edge and Voodoo Dawn and lunch, joined by Janet.

A clockwise 12km circuit of Spy Crag and Millrigg Knott

A clockwise variant of a familiar 12-13 km route with an additional uphill climb.

Route: exiting the Staveley Mill Yard by the footbridge over the river and then turning left along the road to reach Hall Lane. A little way along this, taking a farm track past Scroggs Farm followed by a bridleway before turning off left across a field to cross the River Kent where the main road switches banks. Running north on the quieter western road to join a bridleway and then cross eastwards at Ullthwaite Bridge back over the river. A little further north taking the footpath steeply uphill, where a small conifer forest had recently been cut down, to cross moorland and join the upper reaches of Hall Lane (Lois returning directly from this point with a strained muscle). At a signpost, taking an invisible footpath uphill across fields to join a farm track at Ghyll Bank and turning right to head gently downhill eventually to reach Birkfield Farm and then descending on a paths and tracks to reach the Staveley back road turning right to the sewage works and then left across fields back to the Mill Yard.

Conditions: surprisingly warm and hazy for February.

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