Another 7km variant on a familiar route with Helen and Andrew just after New Year.Route: leaving the car in a large layby (space for 10+ cars) north of the village and walking back, south past Brigsteer on the lower road but branching left on a footpath signed St John’s Church just beyond the village. Uphill across a couple of fields to turn right on a track and then, rather than branching diagonally left off it across the large field to Helsington Church, staying on the track to climb more slowly and overshoot the church and then backtrack to it. Then turning right and following the angle of a sign but with no trace on the ground, to walk through muddy fields to reach the Brigsteer Road near the normal Scout Scar parking spot but climbing a gate to enter the Scar, climb the Escarpment and head left, west to the Gate-in-the-Corner, Dave’s Cairn and the descent to Barrowfield Farm. Right, then left, to take a footpath descending through trees and across a wide green field. Climbing another stile to head into trees again and following the path on west to a crosspaths among felled trees, there turning left along a forestry track and following it a km or so south back to the parking area.Conditions: cloudy but dry until the very last moments, contra the forecast.
Pub: The Black Labrador, Underbarrow (5th in a recent national top ten for pub Sunday roast dinners), for lunch accompanied by Thwaites Wainwright and Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery Pennine Ambler.
