An 8km Boxing Day stroll to justify a pint chatting to Hal at the Mason’s Arms, Gilcrux.Route: leaving the car at the three-way junction at the northern outskirts of Tallentire and starting along the road north past North Lodge to take a lonning on the right. This quickly becoming a muddy quagmire then a set of plank bridges crossing over what was now a stream beneath and finally what looked an impassable but inescapable muddy defile. Defeated, turning back to the road to walk along this.
Again in a spirit of optimism turning right on a clear track to try to regain the original path but stopping short at a closed gate (no right of way) beyond which the track slowly disintegrated into a muddy field. Continuing to the pub by road. After a pint, taking the small road almost due south uphill near wind turbines. Spurning a potential short cut along a path (once bitten, twice shy) and, foolishly, (more in hope than expectation) taking a track which was not the paved route hoped for but, again, a very soggy grassy track between hedges. Following this back to Tallentire.
Conditions: an unforecast beautiful day of blue sky and sun, though with a threatening but apparently stationary black squall over the Solway.
Pub: the Mason’s Arms, Gilcrux, for Theakstons Legendary Beerd (halfway round)
