A fine 16km circuit of the Wythop Valley on a bright sunny Autumn day.Route: leaving the car at Brunston Bridge (space for 10 cars) and walking up and along the quiet road almost as far as the farm house at Kelswick, there turning sharp left at a signpost to traverse a gently rising grassy track back to the wall at the end of the ridge, just before which turning right to follow the right hand variant of the path to the summit though switching to the left near the top for views over Bassenthwaite. Downhill in line with the Dodd to a gap in the wall and up to a subsidiary summit and then down to a subtle saddle turning right to take a scratchy path through gorse doglegging right-left to follow a path to Sustrans Route 71. At the edge of the forest plantation (currently felled) taking a path just inside the plantation but exiting to the right on a level path horse-shoeing round the ridge protruding south-west from Ladies Table. At a gate taking an initially subtle path slowly gaining height over the valley through the oak trees of Hagg Wood and targets for woodland archery dotted around. Climbing to a stile on the hillside and then descending on a narrow path to reach the forest road at Beck Wythop. Turning right and following this to gain altitude turning left, right, right and, just before the road re-enters thicker forest to the left, taking a faint track forwards to cross a fence onto the hillside at a stile. Turning left along the fence and then after a while heading half right, pathless uphill to gain the ridge and find the path from Barf to the summit of Lord’s Seat. Descending and taking the ridge to Broom Fell and then down to Widow Hause - where the forest to the left had been felled - and then up to the northern subsidiary summit of Graystones (ignoring the proper summit). Descending almost due north on the left of a collapsed wall, crossing a stile and then an easily climbed fence, staying on the left on a clear path through marshy ground. On the wide valley bottom turning right through an open gateway and then left now on right to roam land easily traversing Tom Rudd Beck to reach dry land under Ling Fell. Taking an initially steep path on the right hand side of a fence, and never far from it, to the summit right where right to the cairn. Descending north-west to find a grassy track leading on to the corpse road and thence back to Eskin and then by road to the car.
Conditions: bright low sun and a cool breeze.
Pub: the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite, for Cumbrian Legenday Ales Loweswater Gold and home-made crisps.
