Route: leaving the car at the National Park car park in Buttermere (£6 for 4 hours) and walking round the lake on the west on the permissive path along the shore. At the end of the lake, taking the diagonal partially pitched path rising to Scarth Gap. Then on a steep newly pitched path to the top of Seat and then on a satisfyingly grassed over steep pitched path to the top of High Crag, the path decaying to scree before the top. Along the tops to High Stile and then Red Pike. Descending to the saddle before Dodd (largely on horrid loose scree but finally on another made path) and then, at the birthday girl’s insistence, spurning the fine path to Bleasdale Tarn to take an interminable slippy, trippy, half-path-half-stream down the fellside and then through trees to reach the main path from Crummock Water back to Buttermere.
Conditions: a grey and very still day with clear views to Criffel and Snaefell but warm and sweaty on the uphills.
Pub: the Bridge Hotel, Buttermere, for Strands Gold Wing and Tirril Buttermere Blonde.
