A birthday run on the third, but final, dry day in a row.
Route: leaving the car at the eastern foot of Whinlatter and crossing the Buddhist bridge, passing the Coledale Inn and heading uphill on the road towards Stile End. Beyond the road and initial stony track, on open fellside, bearing a slight right uphill (at a walk) to a clear crossroads of paths. Turning right and following a more or less level but narrow and laterally sloping path along the side of the valley around the 300m contour. Despite the indication on the map that it gives up and descends, finding a clear enough path continuing to rise all the way under a sheep fold and then descending and crossing Birkthwaite Beck to meet the path climbing from the valley floor. Following this, at a walk, as it zigzagged steeply and snowily uphill to the pass but bearing left at a fork to climb Outerside. Descending carefully to the saddle before Stile End and heading right on varying paths to reach the main bridleway below Barrow to Stair and then keeping off the road a little longer on a grassy path. Finally climbing west of a wood to descend to Braithwaite Lodge and back by roads to the car.
Conditions: cloudy and chill on the top. Some frozen snow under foot at altitude but sadly the marshy terrain as yet unfrozen.Pub: the Coledale Inn for a pint of Tractor Shed Mowdy Pale Ale and Alpaca Blonde and surprisingly large ‘light bites’ (to meet the Tier 2 requirement of a ‘substantial meal’ with any alcohol, although the lady behind the bar told us to 'eat as much as we liked' when we arrived).
