Lorton stroll post retirement

A solitary Monday stroll (TT) on a beautiful day with thoughts of Thoreau (having retired 6 days before)

Route: Leaving the cottage and walking via Boonbeck and Scales to the southerly ‘balcony’ path to High Swinside Farm. Picking up the rather wet path (with frogspawn), over the new footbridge, under the Dodd and along to a descending stony track to Miller Place Farm. Then back along the road to Hopebeck, continuing left to a footpath cutting the corner to join a track to Hill Mill and then home.

Conditions: A cool but brightly sunny day with wide deep blue skies

Pub? White wine spritzer at the cottage and then, later in the garden, cider after being joined by Lois (back from a working day in Kendal and bearing bottled cider).

Saunter on Ling Fell

A 2.3km saunter over the shoulder of Ling Fell with Janet Hornby. 

Route: leaving the car by the side of the road at the entrance to Ling Fell near Eskin and climbing onto the fellside and along the gently rising Corpse Road anti-clockwise round the fell, descending towards a gate (in accord with the original circumnavigation plan). Backtracking left uphill to reach the shoulder of Ling Fell at around 330m. Deciding that honour had been served and so not turning right to the summit but continuing along and following a narrow path downhill with a depression, sloping rather steeply given the snowy conditions and requiring Janet to do a little sledge-free tobogganing to lose some of the altitude before reaching the outward path back to the cars.

Conditions: 4C and thus cold but still. Some snow still on the ground and covering the descent path.

Pub: the Pheasant, Bassenthwaite, for Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold and lunch.