Staveley 8km run

A short run with Steve (whilst Lois was at church) (after two weeks of a cold).

Route: exiting the Mill Yard over the footbridge and heading south east across muddy fields to the sewage works and along the road to the track to Side House. Up the valley on road and track to Ghyll Bank turning left descending over fields to cross Hall Road. A little back taking the path again downhill across fields and via a pretty bridge to Low Elfhowe and then back along a track to Scroggs Farm and the footbridge to the Mill Yard.

Conditions: a cold but bright and sunny wintry day.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley joined by Lois, Mark and Sandra for lunch and WPA, Cumbrian Five Hop, Hawkshead Gold, Brodie's Prime, Hawkshead Red and NZPA.

Tiny stroll in Craggy Plantation (again)

An autumnal stroll with Andrew and Helen, Anton and Lois before a pub lunch at the Brewery.

Route: from the Mill Yard, across the footbridge and north east to join the road bending left to climb towards Craggy Plantation. Entering the woods and, after stopping to try a rope swing on a slippery 45-degree slope, following the path round, gaining height to a view north towards the head of Kentmere. After another pause for more rope swings, leaving the wood and descending steeply across fields to pick up the road at Barley Bridge back to the footbridge and hence the Brewery.

Conditions: a still cloudy day.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley for Cumbrian Five Hop, Windermere Pale Ale and Hawkshead Red (and lunch).

White Stones and the Dodd

A short walk on a chilly blustery autumnal day.

Route: leaving the car outside the Under Skiddaw village hall (£2) at Millbeck and because of a broken bridge heading up a track to the east to cross a footbridge and hence to the start of a footpath signed Skiddaw. Heading increasingly steeply up a grassy track until recent path re-engineering had introduced a series of zig-zags up the steepest part. Then continuing on to White Stones (quartz embedded rocks) and heading briefly laterally and then downhill at a cairn towards the Dodd. Crossing a forestry track at a stile and then taking a track and then well made gravel path leading eventually to the summit. Retracing the route to the stile and continuing 600m down it to find a grassy track behind a wooden hut into the forest and turning off it downhill on a less clear path eventually emerging onto the hillside and down to the road close to Millbeck.

Conditions: a cold autumnal day, rather less sunny than forecast.

Pub: the Pheasant, Keswick for Jennings Cocker Hoop.