A 7km gentle stroll out along the railway path and back on minor paths through Brundholme Wood.Route: leaving the car parked in the B&B quarter of Keswick on Brackenrigg Drive and walking through a housing estate (Millfield Gardens to Windebrowe Avenue to Trinity Way) to find a snickleway beside the primary school to a ramp onto the Keswick Railway Path and proceeding in an easterly direction over three bridges. Immediately after the third, descending to the left to scale a wooden fence and take an obvious path rising over a field to a stile on the left and thence a narrow but clear path above the river in woodland. After a while, ascending significantly on wooden steps to follow a high level route with views over the river, eventually crossing a track seen earlier leaving the Railway Path. Thereafter, things being a little more informal with the path first crossing a narrow plank ‘bridge’, then edging round a landslip and then requiring crawling under a fallen tree. Descending to the riverside and then climbing to pass under the A66 huge concrete bridge to spurn a tiny bridge over the river. Taking steps rising to the right to work round to Windebrowe and join a c-road. Then a track towards Calvert’s Bridge but continuing on the north side of the river, past the Keswick Hotel (and former AA garage!) to cross Fitz Park, along Station Street to the Dog and Gun.
Conditions: initially feeling chill in a breeze in Keswick but thereafter a warm and dry day for October.
Pub: the Dog and Gun, Keswick, for Greene King Abbot Ale and Carlisle Brewing Co La’al Clarty Jewkle.
