A very slow 7km ascent with much resting and groaning from T, part way through his recuperation.
Route: from the National Trust car park (free for members) heading on the lower of two obvious paths uphill and then bending left to pass Grassgarth Coppice on a scratchy-dead-bracken-riddled path, slowly descending to meet the path climbing to the low shoulder under Rannerdale Knotts. Taking a steeper shortcut diagonal path to reach the main, sometimes stepped, path to the summit. Then descending the ridge to the saddle. Here heading off paths to find a shortcut to the outward path above Grassgarth Coppice and finding merely very sketchy sheep tracks. Eventually descending to the lake shore to follow the normal path back to Syke Farm Campsite but keeping to the lakeshore to circumnavigate Nether How, enter the village and source pies at the Syke Farm Tea Room and then back to the car.Pub? Bottled Coniston Infinity IPA and Sainsbury's low alcohol Apple Cider at the cottage.
