A 12km walk and a swim on a 29C day with Paul Taylor.Route: leaving the car at the Staveley Mill Yard and heading across the river and north to Hall Lane and left on the track to Scroggs Farm. Then up the road to Elfhowe and taking the right hand route down to the river (where a highland cow was sheltering from the heat under the bridge) and then up to cross Hall Lane and further up to Ghyll Bank. Then, for the first time, taking the track past Brunt Knott Farm and on at a diagonal onto the fell. On reaching a track left off the bridleway, taking it and then following obvious paths eventually to the summit of Brunt Knott. Descending on an initially clear path towards the ridge wall towards Ulgraves, crossing marshy land to reach it and continuing on its left hand side. Thinking we were about level with Ulgraves but in fact nearly 1km short crossing through a broken wall and over a barbed wire fence (a better alternative next time!) to reach a sort of summit (though not the right one!) and then continuing largely pathless in the direction of Gurnal Dubbs, luckily finding a gate to reach a clear track to the tarn. Spurning it as a swimming preference (reedy at the east end and with rough types where the swimming was better) to descend for a ridiculously warm swim in Potter Tarn. Returning to Staveley via Frost Hole and the road by Craggy Plantation.
Conditions: blazing sun and 29C but an occasional civilising breeze.
Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley for Five Hops, WPA and a cold buffet lunch.
