Route: leaving the car at the Staveley Mill Yard and running over the footbridge and north along the road to join Hall Lane, though turning left off it soon on the bridleway past Scrogg’s Farm. Ascending the road towards Elf Howe and turning left onto a footpath comprising a grassy zigzagging track. Illegally, sticking to this when the proper path turned right through a gate and thus gaining altitude to pass Low Fold, hoping to continue on this track to Hall Lane just north of Park House. In fact, however, finding the natural track interrupted by a gateless wall, and disdaining climbing the wall, heading left uphill eventually passing through a gateway and continuing to use the left of two gates to the wider summit plateau. Continuing to the actual summit and then to another gate to the penultimate field before the right to roam land. Here heading steeply downhill on a clear path to find the gate that links Hall Lane to the HP Plantation on a right of way. Turning right and descending Hall Lane to the further footpath (of two) to Elf Howe and stopping to photograph two small highland cows bathing. Then back on the outward route.
Conditions: initially cloudy but sun breaking through and a temperature of 24C.
Pub? (C-19) Cask-conditioned Handsome Brewery Blonde (bought the week before) in the summer house.
