Red Pike (Buttermere)

A walk on an improving day with Jake and his father Lisle.

Route: leaving the car at the NT car park (hence free) and taking the lakeside path to the diagonal pitched path past Old Burtness, out of the wood and onto the still steep hillside to reach Bleaberry Tarn and  then past the pitching to a loose steep path into cloud before the summit. Attempting to take the NW path down Lincombe Edge but becoming disorientated in cloud and finding ourselves further west than intended and finding the turn right at a T-junction down fenceposts counter-intuitive. This, however, turning out to be correct, emerging from the cloud on a broad shoulder before descending on an obvious path by Scale Beck, washed away in part, (while being overtaken by the 3 leading runners in the Darren Holloway Memorial Fell Race on their way over to Mellbreak and back to Loweswater) and then along a path above Crummock Water and then back to Buttermere.

Conditions: dark threatening cloud over head and cloud shrouding the summit (hence navigational confusion) but sunny when back at the pub.

Pub: the Bridge Hotel, Buttermere, for Jennings Cocker Hoop.

Cycle to Staveley via Grayrigg

A surprising scenic 30km ride followed by a swim in Potter Tarn and a return trip.

Route: from home along Paddy Lane but turning right half way along with the WtoW route to Kiln Head and then turning north to Grayrigg. Then on to Whinfell Tarn and Haveriggs and taking the quiet road to Watchgate to cross the River Sprint at Garnett Bridge. Then via Potter Fell High Road to Staveley. After lunch at the Beer Hall and a spell at the Staveley Carnival, cycling round Piked Howe, leaving the bikes and walking to Potter Tarn for a Jo Cox memorial swimming event with Alison Gilchrist. Then cycling home.

Conditions: a blisteringly hot sunny day.

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

Tunbridge Wells to Lewes (cycle holiday)

Day 4 of the Garden Ring cycle holiday with Ian and Steve.

Route: leaving Tunbridge Wells on an initially busy road rising out of town before turning left and descending to the miniature bouldering park at High Rocks. Then on (tiring) undulating roads through Eridge Green and Rotherfield to reach Mayfield for coffee at the rather lovely Pink Cabbage Produce Co. Climbing a final series of hills to reach Heathfield and then descending to the ex-railway line which forms the Sustrans Cuckoo Trail and speeding along this to Polegate for lunch. Afterwards, crossing the Downs via Jevington to Friston, descending a windy A259 and then turning right to reach Alfriston for tea with Emma and Nathan and Alison (at Badgers Tea Room) and handing over our panniers for a lift back to Lewes. On on a mix of country roads and cycle paths by main roads to the Snowdrop Inn for a final half and then home to Steve’s house.

Conditions: starting cloudy but becoming sunnier in the afternoon.

Pubs: the Dinkum, Polegate for Harveys Sussex Best Bitter, Olympia and Copperwheat. The Snowdrop, Cliffe for 360 degree Brewing APA and Downland Brewery Cloud Physics.

Canterbury to Tunbridge Wells (cycle holiday)

Day 3 of the Garden Ring cycle holiday with Ian and Steve.

Route: leaving Canterbury and almost immediately heading uphill on shady narrow country roads to enjoy occasional views before reaching the edge of a hillside near Warren Street and descending for coffee at Lenham. Then a swift ride to the pub at Frittenden. Afterwards, continuing climbs and descents to reach Bewl Water and tea followed by another climb and descent and climb again to Tunbridge Wells

Conditions: a cloudier day though still warm.

Pubs: the Bell and Jorrock, Frittenden for Tonbridge Countryman. The Sussex Arms, Tunbridge Wells, for Timothy Taylor Landlord, Adnams Mosaic, Longman American Pale Ale and Tiny Rebel Cwtch.

Rye to Canterbury (cycle holiday)

Day 2 of the Garden Ring cycle holiday with Ian and Steve.

Route: leaving Rye (the wrong way on a one way system, sadly) and following soft gravel cycle paths to reach the coast and swimming opposite the Camber Sands Holiday Park. Then along a strangely unattractive road cutting a corner of coastline to have coffee at a Costa at New Romney. Afterwards taking pretty country roads and then a cycle path associated with the Royal Military Canal to Hythe and then along a busy seaside promenade to Folkestone and a micropub. Afterwards, a steep climb near the channel tunnel entrance yielding a higher road with fine views before climbing a little more over the hills to descend for tea at a vineyard at Breach in the Elham Valley. Then swiftly along the valley and a final climb before descending to a surprisingly busy Canterbury (hosting Canterbury Pride we later discovered).

Conditions: another warm sunny day.

Pubs: Firkin Alehouse, Folkestone for Gloucester Cascade, Marble Summer and Breakwater The Mogul. The Unicorn, Canterbury for Kent Brewery Prohibition American Pale Ale and Wild Summer cider.

Lewes to Rye (cycle holiday)

Day 1 of the Garden Ring cycle holiday with Ian and Steve.

Route: leaving Steve and Alison’s house and heading by country roads through Laughton and Chalvington to the more urban Hailsham for coffee in a Costa. Southeast towards Pevensey and then north to Boreham Street ascending some hills to reach Battle for a pub stop just before the town. Then along rather busy urban roads to dogleg across the A259 to climb the narrow ridge of Fairlight for tea at near Hastings Country Park Visitor Centre. Afterwards descending to the coast and following this past caravan parks before climbing into Rye on cobbled streets.

Conditions: a warm sunny day though with one shower.

Pubs: the Squirrel Inn, Battle for Just Up The Road Abbey Ale and Battle Conquest. The Globe Inn Marsh, Rye for Tonbridge Blonde Ambition, Ramblinns Hooker’s Hooch and Goacher's House Special.

A loop between Sour Howes and Sallows from the Garburn Pass

A logical running loop but marred by tricky conditions under foot.

Route: leaving the car at Moor How to run along Dubbs Road to join the Garburn Pass and running along it slowly gaining altitude to the reach the top. Then taking a stile on the right to be on the south-east side of a wall and following it on slate debris sitting on very marshy ground running up to a saddle between Sallows and Sour Howes and then south under the summit of Sour Howes. (A very new-looking tall dry-stone wall topped by a wire fence making access to the summit impossible.) Then down a ridge into the comb to cross the wall at a new stile and then take a small but generally visible path to reach the familiar crossroads (the path however crossed at the last minute by a new but more climbable fence). Then along the path towards Ings but turning off to pass High Borrans and back to the road and thence the car.

Conditions: surprisingly sunny.

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