Kirk Fell and Great Gable

A 16km day walk of two halves, exploring a largely empty Mosedale in unseasonably warm and pleasant conditions and then battling with increasingly high winds on the tops as the day darkened.

Route: Parking at the NT car park and taking the main valley path to Wasdale Village Green, including a couple of beck crossings deeper and wider than they should have been, and, after a brief stop to enjoy the sunshine beside the river at the bar, taking the bridleway north along Mosedale Beck to ford Gatherstone Beck and bend up right to Black Sail Pass. There turning right before the cairn to follow the fence posts up Kirkfell Crags (mistakenly veering left into a wet screey gully before turning back to take the rockier, drier route up) and across the stony summit plateau to Kirk Fell. Crossing the saddle to the left of the tarns to the second top and then heading down rocky Rib End in increasing winds to pass the tarn (dry when last passed in April 2017) at Beck Head and climb up to Great Gable. Taking the pitched path initially N and then switching back SE down to Styhead Pass and then (abandoning the plan to take in Lingmell as the weather quickly deteriorated) heading down Toad How and on to the valley bottom, past St Olaf's and out to the road. Returning along the road in persistent rain to the car park.

Conditions: Initially a balmy (hazy, even!) spring day, strong winds from Black Sail Pass and the haze thickening to full cloud cover by Styhead Pass and raining sweeping relentlessly in before St Olaf's for the rest of the walk (followed by thick fog driving back on the Cold Fell road).

Pub: (at the 2km mark) Ritson's Bar for half pints of The Carlisle Brewing Company Flaxen and Citadel and (after the walk) The Screes for Strands Brewing Company Green Bullet and Low Flyer.

7km Kentmere run including the Three Rivers path

A 7km run to examine the controversial re-surfacing of the Three Rivers path.

Route: leaving the car on the road just before the entrance to the Hollingworth & Vose factory and running through the factory yard to take the green valley bottom path towards Kentmere Hall but at a crossroads in the woods near the end, bending slightly left to rise to reach the return path, climbing slowly onto the moors. At the crossroads of paths at a stream crossing, taking the left turn descending the Three Rivers path, turning left at the bottom back through the pottery and thence the factory and back to the car.

Conditions: grey but not cold. Later, in the pub, some sun.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley, for Hawkshead Session Series 22 Centennial and Amarillo, and Jester, and lunch.

Brackenthwaite Hows and Pickett Howe 5km circuit

A 5.5km circuit run in iffy weather compared to the previous day’s bright sun and deep snow

Route: leaving the car at the Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park and running up Robin’s Steps to the summit of Brackenthwaite Hows and then, for the second time only, north east to Pickett Howe to join the west-east footpath and following this east to cross the road at Beck House and climb to the north-south footpath under Whiteside End climbing gently southwards before descending, crossing a footbridge to reach Lanthwaite Green Farm and the path back to the Boat House. Then north to the weir at the outflow of Crummock Water and back along the river to the start.

Conditions: cold and windy but above freezing with rain arriving right at the end.

Pub: Tweedies, Grasmere, for Hawkshead Mosaic Pale Ale and South Lakes Brewing Company Bruski and lunch.

Blake Fell to Gavel Fell

A wintry 12km walk largely in snow and bright sunshine.

Route: leaving the car in the final car park by Loweswater (heading west) by the old telephone box near Waterend and heading south and downhill on a footpath and then up to Hudson Place Farm to join the route north west past Jenkinson Place to pick up the start of the coffin route south east again. Diverting off it to climb steeply on a path in snow (here attaching Grivel Spiders) onto Burnbank Fell and then slowly up to the overall summit at Blake Fell and then descending to a saddle but continuing on to climb onto High Pen. Returning and crossing a fence to climb via Fothergill Head to the summit of Gavel Fell. Descending on the ridge heading north east with one slight climb to a cairn before descending onto the bridleway which descends to High Nook Farm. Taking the permissive path to join the lakeshore path and thence back to the start.

Conditions: cold, bright sun and snow under foot.

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater, for Cumbrian Legendary Ales Loweswater Gold.