Kentmere 15km run

A 15km solitary run to cut through a Burns Night hangover.

Route: from the (rail replacement) bus stop taking Silver Street to Barley Bridge to cross the river and run up Hall Lane, in the valley adjacent to Kentmere, until the road becomes a track. Turning left on a signed footpath to cross wet and muddy fields with views of snow-covered hills and join the green track down to the road by Calflay Wood. Then along to Kentmere Hall to take the lower footpath (muddy in places) along the side of the valley a little above Kentmere Tarn, past the factory and on a narrow path to reach the bridleway which descends from the moors. Along the quiet road on the west side of the river to the bridge and then taking the bridleway back to Staveley.

Conditions: cool and cloudy.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery Beer Hall, Staveley Cumbrian Five Hops joined by Lois and Caroline for lunch.

Fellbarrow and Low Fell

A 12km wintry run with Ian Lyne.

Route: from the cottage to Low Lorton, across the river and rising past Low Bank Farm and High Bank on a tracking rising onto the shoulder of the hill. Taking a track south at first muddy and then grassy to reach open access land. Then steeply uphill to reach Hatteringill Head and descending and ascending to reach Fellbarrow. Keeping to the (undulating) summit ridge to Low Fell and then descending into the comb to the south. Following a sheep track becoming a clear - perhaps ex-tram - track to reach a partially tarmac track down to the road and thence to the Kirkstile Inn.

Conditions: cold and cloudy with frozen ground but little ice.

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater for Cumbrian Legendary Ales Langdale, Esthwaite Bitter and Loweswater Gold and lunch, joined by Lois.

Fairfield Horseshoe

A walk, with Ian Lyne, in contrasting weather conditions.

Route: leaving the car at the upper Ambleside carpark and taking the path through Rydal Hall to the steep paved path up Nab Scar and Heron Pike and then along the ridge climbing into cloud before the summit of Fairfield where there were hints of views out of the mist. Then down via Hart Crag, Dove Crag, High Pike and Low Pike down the awkward step and then forced by that to continue to Low (rather than High) Sweden Bridge.

Conditions: initially bright sun and hot. Later ascending into clouds. Descending into a cloudy wintry day.

Pub: the Golden Rule, Ambleside for disappointing Double Hop and better Dizzie Blonde.

11km Loughrigg circuit

An 11 km run on a beautiful frosty but sunny winter day with Ian Lyne but no Lois.

Route: from the lower Ambleside car park, taking the path through the graveyard, round the church and then left through Rothay Park to cross the River Rothay and turn right onto the Under Loughrigg road. Turning left, before the road re-crosses the river, onto a rising road then shady track to reach views of Rydal Water. Picking the upper, increasingly stony, path, eventually rising to reach the caves and then keeping to higher paths to reach the start of Loughrigg Terrace. Along this and then the higher track, at the end, through trees to reach the summit of Red Bank. Descending, left, to reach a track round the north of Loughrigg Tarn. Part way along taking a footpath on the left across fields to meet a stoney walled track rising and turning to circumnavigate the hillside rising to reach a spur and following a grassy path, right, to reach Lily Tarn. Descending on a grassy, muddy path to reach the main track over Loughrigg and thence back over the bridge over the Rothay and back to the start. 

Conditions: a cold sunny day with some ice under foot but not too difficult.

Pub: The Watermill, Ings for Colliewobbles and Isle of Dogs. The Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley for Five Hop and WPA joined by Lois for lunch.

Staveley 8km run

A post tax return run on a misty day.

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: ground level cloud with no visibility.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley for lunch, WPA and Session IPA.

Lingmoor Fell

A sunny cold walk with James.

Route: leaving the car by the side of the road above Elterwater and taking the normal path by the river through quarry debris. Through the quarry (pausing to look at the quarry from the viewpoint), doglegging left right across the road beyond to join a track rising gradually and diagonally to the ridge and along, eventually, to the summit. Scrambling down to the saddle and taking the narrow path to Fat Man's Agony beyond the kissing gate and then onto Side Pike. Down the Fix the Fells zig-zagging path to the Old Dungeon Ghyll for a pint. Then back along the Cumbria Way to the Wainwright Inn and back on the path to Elterwater.

Conditions: a bright sunny day though with ice under foot on the ridge.

Pubs: the Old Dungeon Ghyll for Theakstons Old Peculiar and the Wainwright Inn for Jennings Sneck Lifter.

Wansfell Pike

A New Year's Day walk with Andrew and Helen.

Route: Leaving the car parked just over the river at the bottom of Troutbeck and taking Robin Lane round to the south of the fell, keeping with the lower track round to High Skelghyll. On entering the wood, taking a path rising diagonally eventually to reach the observatory and the ridge to the summit. Thence down the main path back to Troutbeck.

Conditions: a delightfully sunny day with cloudless sky but a cold wind.

Pub: the Watermill, Ings for Watermill Wruff Night and Windermere Blonde.