Loughrigg from St Mary’s

A 3-mile afternoon stroll for a long-overdue catch-up with Bev (L only)

Route: Parking in St Mary’s car park (because meeting the Vicar!) and walking round the right-hand edge of Rothay Park beside Stock Ghyll to reach the little footbridge to the Under Loughrigg Road. There turning and shortly forking left to follow the (initially tarmac, later rough bridleway) track up, past the smart new eco home (and retreat) at Pine Rigg, to the central crossroads of paths. Here, a few hundred metres into access land and before the dip to cross the beck before Ivy Crag, deciding to turn left and head ESE for a bit more than a kilometre to the shore of the frozen Lily Tarn. Here joining the bridleway NE down to cross another little bridge and beck and shortly rejoin the outward tarmac road at Miller Brow, and walk back directly across Rothay Park to St Mary’s.

Conditions: Mild, still and misty, with low cloud moreorless hiding the snowy upper slopes of higher fells in the distance. Slippery and muddy off track.

Pub? C19, 5pm and Wednesday so home for tea and homemade gingerbread.

High Park Farm, Hayfellside and Windy Farm

A 5-mile Sunday afternoon jog to revel in the blue skies and snowy views above Howe Bank Close (L only, T snoozin’ in the sun with S&S)

Route: Leaving home and heading up under Oxenholme Station to reach High Park Road. Running along this to High Park Farm and Barn, where the right of way sadly gives up, and then back again, admiring views and snowdrops en route. Continuing on up Oxenholme Road to Hayclose Road and there turning left and running as far as the bridleway heading north from a LH bend through Hollins Farm. Following the bridleway on through muddy, wet fields (with views of snowy Howgills) to Hayfellside, there dog-legging through the buildings and carrying on to Windy Farm. Again dog-legging through the farmyard (NO JOGGING sign) and running on to the main road. Turning left there to run down Singleton Park Road as far as the road down to Birk Hagg and taking this to get down to Kendal Parks and follow the snickleways to Bluebell Wood. There following the lower path along the beck and then doubling back and taking various lower paths not explored before and finally heading up to the top exit and leaving the wood. Finding a higher beck crossing to join the Kendal Parks Farm track down to Kendal Parks Road and home.

Conditions: Just above 0C but blinding sunshine - still wet, muddy and slippery off road but worth it!

Pub? Back home just in time for 4pm church on Zoom, so tea and gingerbread.

Kendal Castle out via Bluebell Wood and back via Canal Path

A 5-mile Friday afternoon urban jog to shake off the trials of work (L, T snoozin’)

Route: Leaving the house aiming for the beck crossing at the end of Oak Lane but finding the beck too high to cross so turning back to reach the wood via the Valley Drive steps up to Bluebell Wood instead. From most of the way up the steps bearing right following the back fences of Bluebell Close to reach the second flight of steps and run along beside the railway line to the beck at Littledale. Following the snickleways from here to the lane up to Birk Hagg and Singleton Park Road. 

Running down this as far as Parkside Road and down this to Castle Drive to take the paths running round two sides of the football pitches beside the Stores and the little metal kissing gate below the Castle. Jogging/walking up the castle mount to run round the moat (!) on the east side, south down to the cemetery and along the cemetery boundary to the path between Fletcher Park and the allotments and the Canal Path.

Running back along the Canal Path as far as Dunmail Drive to head up to Wordsworth Drive to check out Anita’s new view and then home via the Tarn Close/Buttermere Drive and Buttermere Drive/Fulmar Drive snickleways to Hilary’s and home.

Conditions: Cool but with some bright, low sunshine half of the way and light rain on the way back - very soft, muddy and flooded in any off-road stretches.

Pub? C19 and coffee-time on return but half a bottle of St Peter’s Without (0.0%) at beer-time (Dry January still dragging on).

Morrison’s and back via Benson Hall and Fowl Ing Lane

A Sunday morning trip to Morrison’s to buy limes (Lois while Tim researched the crinoids for an AtA episode)

Route: Setting out from Howe Bank Close to run round the station, up and along Hayclose Road to Paddy Lane. Joining Paddy Lane and running past the Greyhound junction with Old Sedbergh and on almost to the railway line, turning left on the (unmarked atm) bridleway to Benson Hall Farm. Eventually finding the corrent route skirting all the farm buildings and passing to the right of the farmhouse, cutting left towards the caravan site and then turning right to take the metalled road under the railway line and all the way down to the Appleby Road. There turning left, running past Spital Farm (not taking the bridleway left through the farm) and turning right into the retail park to Morrison’s. 

After spending too long buying coffee, beer and limes there, heading back out and down the Appleby Road towards town, turning to follow Fowl Ing Lane (tarmacked most of the way) out of the estate and up through Jenkin Crag Farm (just before the Farm trying a detour due east over a stile into fields but too waterlogged so returning to the lane) and eventually back up to Paddy Lane. 

Turning right to follow Paddy Lane, Hayclose Lane and the B6254 home, cutting through Oxenholme Station at the end. 

Conditions: mild and fairly still, residual snow on the hills, but very slow going running back with (beer, coffee and) limes.

Pub? C19, Dry January and T already a good way through a pint of Brass Castle Hoptical Illusion, so just had a San Miguel 0.0 with lunch.

Briarigg and back

An urban jog at sunset round Kendal in icy conditions (Lois while Tim was teaching UWL students by video call).

Route: Setting out from Howe Bank Close and running down to the canal path to turn right and run along to the end (at the tip), cross to the riverside path at Gooseholme, cross Beezon Road bridge and join the riverside path on the west bank of the Kent. Following this along the river, past the footbridge, switching back to follow along the railway line and emerge at the junction of Aikrigg and Burneside Road. Running up Burneside Road, turning off on Briarigg (and nipping to Anne and Frank’s to deliver chestnuts) and then continuing round to the left to take the footbridge over to Low Mead. Joining Low Mead and running left down Sparrowmire Lane to the junction with Horncop Lane, there joining Horncop Lane and running up to just before No 16 to take the footpath on the edge of the wood back up and round the wood to rejoin Sparrowmire Lane again (not really intentional, just exploring). Keeping left along Sparrowmire Lane as far as Low Garth there to take the footpath up over the hill (south) to Kendal Green. Running down Kendal Green to turn right and cross Windermere Road onto Queen’s Road, forking left to Serpentine Road and then again to Low Fellside and, towards the end, taking the snickleway down to Booths car park to take the spiral ramp back up to Wainwright's Yard and the high street. Running down the high street as far as Dowker’s Lane (checking in Tesco and Bargain Booze for the Leffe) and then running through Abbot Hall park to join the riverside path and follow it along as far as Romney Bridge. From Romney Bridge running home via Natland Road, Natland Mill Beck Lane, the back of the hospital and the Oaks.

Conditions: cold (2C) with treacherous ice under foot making for very slow progress.

Pub? C19 and T already a pint up so... tea and one of Min’s shifters!

Walk round Windermere and Bowness

Anthea’s 5.5km tour of Windermere (just Lois, for socially-distanced catch-up)

Route: Leaving the car on Holly Road (unusually free space because of national lockdown) and heading southeast on Park Road curving round the eastern edge of Windermere town to get to Helm Road and the Victorian carriageway up to Post Knott (and Brundt Fell beyond). Walking up to the southernmost knoll (where the carriages used to park) to take in the view and then backtracking as far as where the Dales Way heads down west towards the Lake and joins Brandtfell Road (passing the Grand Designs house, Dome, en route). Stopping at Costa in Bowness Village and then heading up, west of the high street, slipping up past World of Beatrix Potter and the old village hall (now part of the Old Laundry theatre) to join Quarry Rigg and heading west behind the little mall of tourist shops across from the Royalty Cinema and Badger Press to read Bowness Crown Green Bowling Green and the Rugby Club and join (an icy) Longlands Road curving round slowly back up towards Birthwaite Road. There turning right to cross the main road to Ellerthwaite Road, and forking left back to Holly Road.

Conditions: cold (1C) with treacherous ice under foot but managing to stride out most of the way keeping close to the grass verges.

Pub? C19 and Friday morning (with work to come in the afternoon) so just home for lunch with Tim.

Coffin Route above Loweswater

A short 6km New Year’s Day walk on icy ground.

Route: Leaving the car at the layby with a phone box by the side of Loweswater and taking the path west to Hudson Place and Jenkinson Place, slowly ascending a track onto the shoulder of the hillside. Taking a sharp left rising in the direction of Burnbank Fell and then left again to pick up the obvious coffin route. After crossing Holme Beck, taking the path on the left into the wood and descending on a diagonal. On reaching a forest track, turning left to pass the Holme Beck waterfall and then to reach the main path through the woods near (though not by) Loweswater. Following the track up to Hudson Place and then to the car. 

Conditions: cold (3C) with treacherous ice under foot making for very slow progress.

Pub? A can of Lidl cider for T, bitter lemon and soda for L on the first day of Dry January.