Route: leaving the cars at Maggie’s Bridge car park at 9am (almost full) and, in a last-minute change of plan, heading west towards the lake and the diagonal upward path through the trees to reach the coffin path. West along this to an exit gate and heading half left, uphill, to pick up a path heading left again, thus south, and uphill to the top of Burnbank Fell. Then along the ridge, much less marshy than sometimes, after a dry September, climbing to Blake Fell. Descending parallel to a fence and possibly missing a chance to cross it and thus wandering a bit further along a lower saddle ridge to find a bit of fence that could be bestridden. Heading back to the main path confluence at Fothergill Head and climbing, parallel to a fence, to the top of Gavel Fell and pausing here. Then down the ridge and up before crossing a stile and cutting a corner to find a path by another fence heading towards Floutern Cop. Having traversed that little tor, continuing on to climb Hen Comb on a clear path and descending the ridge, for the first time, all the way to a final wall, bending right steeply downhill and crossing the beck on stepping stones. To the Kirkstile Inn for a pint in the garden under 3-day old national table service-only restrictions and then back, by road, to the cars.
Conditions: a mere 2C at the start but warmer later, especially in sunny still spells, but cold in the wind.
Pub: the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater, for Cumbrian Legendary Ales Loweswater Gold.
