An attempt on Rannerdale Knotts

A walk, cut short by rain, with Pete from Cadas.

Route: leaving the car at the Buttermere NT car park (still half empty on a dismal day) and walking down into the village and left along Mill Beck/Sail Beck stopping to look at perching heron that Pete had spotted in a tree on the far bank. Continuing up the valley and then left onto the hillside and steeply uphill towards the saddle. Deciding in heavier rain that discretion was the better part of valour and so descending to Grassgarth Coppice and round the edge of Great Wood on a muddy track, wet burnt orange bracken soaking our legs, before eventually descending to the road (aiming off the path for a solitary tree and then back down the main rising path). Round the lake shore to the north-east side of Nether How and to the pub for lunch. Then back to the car.

Conditions: low cloud and rain from the start, getting heavier and wind getting up

Pub: the Buttermere Court Hotel for Corby Lakeland Summit and Trooper, San Miguel and a light lunch.

Along the Cocker from Simonscales (Cockermouth)

A 5km autumn stroll before the rain set in.

Route: leaving the car parked in a 2 hour zone at the town end of Lorton Road, backtracking to Towers Lane and climbing and then descending to turn left on Simonscales Lane. Following this down over the A66 to turn right on a muddy path by the side of the Cocker back to Two Mills. Here the rain starting to get heavy so marching past the outdoor gym to the wooded path to the railway footpath. Turning left and then descending to the west bank of the river and heading to the footbridge to rise to the Swan Inn for a pint and then back to the car.

Conditions: dry to begin with some patches of blue sky but with fairly heavy rain towards the end.

Pub: the Swan Inn, Cockermouth, for Fyne Ales Jarl.

The slopes of Crosby Ravensworth Fell

A 10+km walk following that day's Guardian pub walks route.

Route: from the pub in Crosby Ravensworth (to access wifi to plot the route) walking back past where the car was parked opposite the village hall and on to a minor footpath south parallel to Lyvennet Beck across field to Holme Bridge. Crossing the road and the beck and continuing south some distance above the beck before descending again next to it and climbing up the access track to Crosby Lodge. Continuing across fields taking the left route near Hollins Scar to enter Right to Roam land and visit Robin Hood’s Grave. Returning then to track a wall west on a clear path eventually crossing a stream to rise past two large erratics. At a junction bending left to visit a modest limestone pavement and, at a post, turning right on an old Roman Road. Veering off this to the right to join a bridleway and then down Slack Randy to the road back into the village to the pub.

Conditions: a sunny autumnal day.

Pub: the Butchers Arms, Crosby Ravensworth, for Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold.