A 9km run on a damp February day.Route: leaving the car (in continuing light hail) at Rough How Bridge (limited to 2 hours but surely not enforced) and crossing the A591 to take the track to Shoulthwaite Farm, leading to a narrow path on the other side of the farmyard to join a forestry road crossing one of the c-roads from the dam. Then following a path past Smaithwaite to a bridge and thus to Bridge End Farm. Heading north on the A591 (to recross St John’s Beck) to a stile on the right and soon taking a smaller path left uphill, mainly walking, to reach Wren Crag and then following the main summit path, spurning some higher subsidiary summits and rising and falling eventually, 2km later, to reach the summit of High Rigg. Descending north though staying on the grass to the west for a little before joining the track. Just before the bottom, turning left on a grassy balcony path to descend to the road (heading south) and following this to a track and then to a path round the bottom of the fell to reach the start.
Conditions: waiting for initial hail to ease before starting but then a (largely) dry if cool (1C) February day.
Pub: the Coledale Inn, Braithwaite, for Corby Blonde and a light lunch.
