An urban evening run from home that went a little off track (without the Expedition Leader - "Mornin!"- and his OS app)Route: Leaving home to run along Hayclose Road as far as Kendal Parks Road to turn right towards the new houses and left to cross the beck and run up the field to the path beside the railway line, running into Bluebell Wood. Staying with the track through the wood as far as possible, at the end (now) forced left into the estate but continuing to follow all the rightmost ginnels as far as the lane that runs up east from Valley Drive towards Birk Hagg, crossing the railway line and the beck and passing the barn conversions to run up to Singleton Park Road. There turning left and then (mistakenly) taking the next right, up the drive towards a big (unmarked) house, turning right at the end past Birklands Old Mill and crossing to a lane. Taking this to run across the railway line again and then turn left through open gates to cross two fields northeast towards the head of the deep-gorged spring.
There joining a path up to the right, over a stile beside a gate and turning immediately left to continue to cross northeast towards a house on Paddy Lane (not named on the maps). There joining Paddy Lane, running down to Hayclose Lane and along to the Station Inn, there crossing to follow the front-of-Helm road down to the A65 and on down Helm Lane towards the centre of Natland. Turning right before the green to follow Abbey Drive and Longmeadow Lane as far as the footpath leading across a couple of fields back up to the railway line.
Following this back to the A65 and turning left and then right before Brow Head Farm to cross the fields (with a brief detour round a tempting field to the right with a strong path but (now) no clear exit) back to Oxenholme Road and home.Conditions: Initially bright but clouding over, with tantalising sun in the distance to the south
Pub? Nope, straight to supper with T.
