Circuit of the plateau de Lac Guery

A fine high level 15km stroll overlooking La Bourboule.

Route: leaving the car at the obvious large car park at the west end of Lac Guery and walking towards the lake before taking a right turn to all around it. Then turning further left and then right to follow the right hand side of a stream uphill to visit a fine waterfall. Then continuing uphill onto a plateau (with cows) before turning right onto a track and then left to head towards the ridge of hills. A little after a cattle grid, taking a stile to the right to head up onto Pic Loup. Then heading along the broad ridge descending to a gentle saddle before ascending partly on board-walks to the summit of La Banne d’Ordanche. Then retracing the route to the saddle before climbing first onto Le Tenon and then descending further to the GR30 before turning right tide onto the ridge of Puy Gros. Descending the end of the ridge onto a plateau, round the gentle mound of Chantauzet and then down via forest tracks back to the lake for a beer at the Auberge du Lac de Guery before picking a way round the right hand side of the lake, partly on the road and partly on small paths by the lakeshore before finally retracing the outward path back to the car.

Conditions: hot and sunny though ameliorated by an intermittent cool breeze.

Pub: the Auberge du Lac de Guery for Pelforth and Ciney Blonde.

Puy de Dome

A short 9km walk but of some interest on a hot day.

Route: leaving the car in the car park on the Col de Ceyssat (not the main car park for the train) and taking the signed Chemin de Muletiers steeply up hill, though shaded to begin with, on a zigzagging path through trees, emerging onto the main developed summit (with train station, cafe and bar, Temple of Mercury (and exhibition about it) and an inaccessible transmitter station on the very summit) and circling it clockwise ending with a beer on a viewing deck. Descending on the road by the train track to a wooden staircase. Down onto a broad shoulder and onwards in trees to reach a cairn /water fountain. Turning left at signs and following a path often through trees back round to the start.

Conditions: in direct sun, very hot.

Pub: at the summit, the Puy de Dome summit cafe (Chez Epicure) for 25cl of Affligem. Afterwards at the Hotel Roche, Orcival, for Dorian Amber and Blanche.

Puy de Sancy Horseshoe

An 18km round on a warm day from Mont Dore while staying in La Bourboule.

Route: Leaving the car in the small funicular car park of Mont Dore and walking left round a church, onto a road and almost immediately uphill on clear broad stony track. Where the track turned left, taking a direct minor path uphill and then right on a broader track to meet the original track making its way up less impatiently. At a sign to the top of the funicular, following it left uphill and round to the funicular building where heading directly away from it uphill on a stony path to meet and turn left on a briefly paved road, slight left at a fork and soon getting a view of Le Capucin. Having passed beneath the summit lump, taking a narrow path shortcut, rejoining the main track at a building and here heading onto the broad ridge with no further navigation issues, as the track either narrowly missed or found gentle ways up all the subsidiary peaks before a large staircase leading to the incredibly busy and (consequently?) fly-ridden summit of Puy de Sancy. Hence descending at speed to the next col (Col de la Cabane) where the solution to brief navigation confusion was to follow the G4 to the right of the next small hill of the horseshoe and then back roughly on the top of the undulating ridge eventually to Roc du Cuzeau. Descending on zigzags then heading to the edge of the plateau before returning (following signs to the Grand Cascade) above an initially dry stream-bed to reach stairs descending by a fine waterfall. Then down the obvious path, crossing the D36 and turning right on a path and then a steep left back into the town.

Conditions: initially hot though cooler with some slight breeze on the ridge but then only intermittent sun. The odd sound of thunder.

Wildlife: dairy cows (apparent from the sound of their bells) and chamois, both from a distance - crickets everywhere

Pub: the Petit Cafe de Paris for Dorian Amber and Blonde (and free peanuts!)

Scout Scar nostalgic variation

Just an 8.5km Saturday morning Scout Scar run but taking in two paths for the first time in more than a year and hence sneaking into Outdoor Days.

Route: leaving the car at the normal car park (2/3 of the way from the race course to Helsington) and taking the new route first along the road and then diagonally across two fields to Windy Howe and Helsington Church. Then to the Scar generally keeping to the left and crossing the shallow valley to gain the edge of the Scar and following this along to the Mushroom. Then back to the trig point and down hill with the wall on the left to join, briefly, the main path before deviating left onto the "Trippy Path". Excusably in the heat, walking up to the Gate-in-the-Corner and then descending back to the car.

Conditions: rather warm on what became a hot day.

Pub: the Riflemans, Greenside, Kendal for Greene King Abbot Ale.

Recce of access routes to Ladyside Pike

A short 6.5km run after a lazy afternoon.

Route: from the cottage, through the village to the road to Scales and on the footpath to High Swinside Farm and the fell road. Turning left and ascending through a gate to the second wall on the right and taking a faint path uphill by the wall, crossing over it on a sort of stile where it turned right. Contouring round the hill on a sheep track to find a clear descending path out of right to roam and across a field - with dubious legality - to reach the road. Turning right and at the junction left to descend again to Scales Farm and, for variety, turning left to go through the farmyard and take the footpath off and back onto the road and thence home.

Conditions: after a day of sun and showers, warm sun but a cool and blustery breeze.

Pub: later with Rob and Gill, the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater for Session IPA and supper.

10km run behind the Helm

An unlikely to be repeated solitary 10km run from home, with sodden fields, tricky navigation and lots of nettles on the debit side.

Route: from home, running up the hill to the Station Inn and left to take the first right following a footpath sign but immediately getting lost and existing a farm yard straight ahead when the correct route was right. Regaining the clear track a field later (sadly only by climbing walls), round Flats Hill and descending to Low Garths and then slightly up along the road before turning right towards Strickley and then heading left uphill along the edge of a field with views from the top. Descending to cross a boggy field, a footbridge and then a sodden field to reach Blease Hall and, after a while, finding the correct route along a track and then muddily besides fields to reach the one pleasant bit of the run: 300m through Bleasehall Wood. Then along heavy, muddy fields by St Sunday's Beck to cross a foot bridge, uphill to Stang and a little along a road before taking the first footpath to the right, due north, rising to gain a view of the Helm and then descending towards a tarn but finding the path blocked by a 4 feet stream. Luckily finding, hidden in nettles 50m south by a wall, a makeshift bridge of piled up planks and, having beaten back the nettles, crossing without too much collateral damage. Rising uphill to the road under the Helm, climbing at a walk the end of the Helm and along the ridge to descend home.

Conditions: warm and sunny.

Pub: rather later, with Lois back from her first week living in Lorton, the Alexanders' at the Castle Green Hotel for Cumbrian Legendary Ales Session IPA.

Last 10km of the Dales Way run

A solitary Monday lunchtime run (Lois being at work in Carlisle) back along the last 10km of the Dales Way (well, from the station).

Route: leaving Windermere station and heading through Lakeland's carpark to the road behind, running steeply up it to the A591 and along this, east for 100m to a footpath across damp fields to cross the railway. Then through housing but failing to follow the previous attempt’s intuitive line being distracted by a private looking drive into the housing estate proper before correcting the navigation to join a tarmac track and following this across a number of streams. This time taking a clear left turn up School Knott for fine views, down to a tarn behind it and then cutting a corner to rejoin the previous attempt’s path ascending to reach a high-point with a good tree and views back to the central fells. Descending to cross through Hagg End, turn right on a road and then missing the intended first left (for novelty) to take (as before) the second left path and hence having to be directed by an irritated by polite farmer at Crag House eventually reaching and joining a familiar road. Descending and then steeply re-ascending on road before descending via a path to the left into Staveley and approaching the Millyard via Station Road and the foot bridge and, after a pint sitting outside in the sun, running slowly back to the station for a train home.

Conditions: surprisingly warm and sunny after a very wet, stormy weekend.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery Beer Hall, Staveley, for Hawkshead WPA, Session Series 2019 #28 Ekuanot and Citra.

80km cycle trip to Bouth and Cartmel valley

An 80km cycle trip to Bouth for lunch with Andrew, Helen, Anton and little Lois.

Route: from home crossing Kendal and exiting town steeply up the Underbarrow Road, over Scout Scar and down to Underbarrow and along to Crossthwaite. Just before the church, turning left down Mill Lane, crossing the A5074 and ascending, against a chevron, the underside of Whitbarrow (against a flow of Kendal Cycle Club riders). Turning right to pass Cowmire Hall and Hodge Hill Hall and starting a long ascent, steep from time to time, of Height Road. Descending to High Newton, crossing the A590, past Barber Green and then fairly slowly along the minor road (Palace Lane) from Seatle to Newby Bridge then Bouth via Hill Top for lunch. Back via Haverthwaite and the part of Backbarrow on the west side of the A590, uphill to rejoin the outward route to Newby Bridge and then via Staveley-in-Cartmel to Back Lane and making swift progress south to Field Broughton before a long slow climb over Old Town Hill to reach Lindale. Then via Meathop, to avoid the A590, crossing the A590 using the underpass (with traffic lights!) and then via the familiar route to Levens for another pint and back over Levens Fell, Sedgwick, and Natland and calling at Asda for the newspaper and blueberries for tea.

Conditions: surprisingly sunny and thus hot and sticky.

Pubs: the White Hart, Bouth, for Moorhouse Oblivion, Pennine Brewery Sailors' IPA (and an overpriced lunch). The Wheatsheaf, Levens, for Barngates Brathay Gold and Fell Ze Germans.

A 14km run into Kentmere from Ings

A 13.8km run mainly on good paths and tracks, today run anti-clockwise.

Route: leaving the car on the road in Ings and running uphill on a quiet road to Grassgarth, where the road gives way to stony track, and then gently further uphill to a bifurcation of tracks. Turning sharp right to pass the top of a tarmac road descending into Kentmere and continuing for about 100m to find a stile and signpost pointing left along a grassy path through fields downhill to cross the road. Taking a permissive path, just before Browfoot, which leads round the farm to join the riverside track to its west. Along past Crofthead and Sawmill Cottage to reach the Hollingworth & Vose factory and then taking the green balcony path. After 2km in Hall Wood, bearing left off the right of way but on a track to pick up the southbound track. Rising up this to cross the moorland on a clearly artificial, only occasionally submerged, raised causeway across marshes eventually rejoining the outward tracks to regain Grassgarth and then Ings.

Conditions: cloudy, but with odd hints of brightness, muggy and with lots of buzzy (not bitey) flies.

Pub: the Watermill, Ings for Watermill Mad Dog IPA, Windermere Blonde and Ruff Justice.