Cockermouth run including Simonscales Mill

An 8am 6.5km run before the heat of the day. An Outdoor Day because of the shockingly and challengingly early hour.

Route: From the Rectory, heading up Vicarage Lane (the most gradual ascent) then left on Simonscales Lane, over the brow of the hill and down, over the A66, onto a gravel track towards Simonscales Mill. 200m before the end of the track, turning left and running along a field edge for a couple of fields before turning down right and joining the familiar path along the river, back to Simonscales Mill. 

Keeping broadly to the side of the river to Double Mills. Crossing the footbridge and running slightly uphill round and slightly below the apparent edge of Harris Park but zigzagging downhill to pick up the tarmac track to the Greenway and along this half round the cemetery and thence home. 

Conditions: even at 8am 19-20C and hot.

Pub? Not at 9am.

7.5km run on the west shore of Bassenthwaite

A 7.5km run along the shore and back through trees on a humid evening.

Route: leaving the car at the car park at Woodend Brow (optional donation) and crossing the A66 to turn left / north on a gravel path immediately by the road. For the first 400m or so, struggling with the overgrown conditions but things improving thereafter (and fine after Beck Wythop). Continuing, sometimes lower than the road, sometimes beside it to some step at GR206307. 

Crossing the still divided carriageway where a filtering road allows traffic to cross the A66 and then turning left on the side road towards the Pheasant Inn. After 100m turning left uphill on paths, now at a walk, across one track and then left on the next, descending slightly from the next junction. Then a lengthy gradual climb, againing walking, before descending and then turning eft off the track onto a path to Beck Wythop and along the now disused road back to the start.

Conditions: cloudy but muggy hot and with little breeze.

Pub: the Pheasant Inn, for Jennings Back Yam.

Helm Crag from Emma’s Deli

A brisk, unplanned 4.5-mile fell walk with Bridget (L, T in Kendal)

Route: Leaving the deli to the west and turning up the road to Allan Bank but after 200m turning right on the path bending left and then turning right to reach the Easedale Road. There taking the roadside path up northwest, over Goody Bridge, past Glenthorne and eventually bending right towards Lancrigg and then left directly up the valley towards Little Parrock and the clutch of buildings in the trees. 

There turning right into the trees and on to join the familiar, busy, rocky path up to White Crag and then taking a wide bend left round that to reach the viewpoint over the A591 to Helvellyn and down to Grasmere.

Following the summit path up to the Lion and the Lamb and on, and taking the zigzagged path through bracken east from the saddle down to Green Burn. Crossing the bridleway towards the end to cross the higher footbridge and then turning right to follow the track down to join the tarmacked road for 2km south to the Easedale Road. There turning left and following the road down to the village centre and back to Emma’s.

Conditions: Almost entirely overcast, but surprisingly muggy and dry with good visibility.

Pub: Starting with a lazy coffee at the deli before the walk and finishing with a very hurried pair of scones (Bridget: cheese; Lois: fruit) afterwards, L getting back to Broadgate Meadow with one minute to spare on the 4hr parking.

Slate Fell

A solitary (T, L in Grasmere) 8km run after a period of cottage-anxiety-induced indolence.

Route: from the Rectory, running south on Lorton Road, then left on Strawberry How Road to enter the cemetery at a handgate then joining the Sustrans route to reach the Greenway and follow it east round the final housing estate of Strawberry Grange back onto Strawberry How Road. Along the road slightly uphill, over the A66 and left for about 1km of road running, to (at the 3km point) a clear bridleway on the left through Westray. 

Crossing the A66 to find a new sign firmly indicating the path along the still-impassably-overgrown, unpleasantly-brambly path 400m to the road and a clear ‘private keep out’ sign to the accessible field on the left. Again, necessity demanding it, going through a gate to the left nevertheless and taking a line uphill, this time - to show willing - close to the field edge (thus facing mud), to the grassy path under Slate Fell. Walking uphill to the summit then running down to the stile between the two summit outcrops and for the first time (for T; L had done this exactly a month earlier) exploring the northerly outcrop before descending to the right, pathless, to reach the bridleway to Brick Kiln Wood and through it on the obvious path to join the road almost opposite the gate onto Watch Hill. Turning left and running along St Helen’s Street to the footpath past the sports centre and across the road to reach Wyndham Row and down that to the Jennings Brewery.

Conditions: mainly cloudy and breezy.

Pub: the Jennings Brewery for Cocker Hoop (now tasting fine after a recipe change, in response to general initial disappointment at the brewery reopening).

Silver How

A 6km circular walk from Grasmere with Anne and Frank.

Route: leaving the car at the Broadgate Meadow car park and walking south past Tweedies and along Red Bank. After a subtle bridge over a stream, taking a footpath on the right, uphill along a stony track to Kelbarrow and then along, under the fell, slowly rising heading south and then later bending west. Ignoring the steep direct ascent and continuing through bracken on a path to the saddle from Spedding Crag  and continuing above Megs Gill (not actually visible) with a view down to Langdale and the Elterwater quarry. Bending right and climbing onto the summit plateau and following faint grassy and marshy paths north east to reach the summit.

Descending to the west/left of a small ridge and then descending (10 feet) into, and climbing back out of, a rocky gully to cross Wray Gill and then following a ridge down, the path becoming a stony dried-up stream-bed, to Allan Bank and thence to Tweedies, Grasmere. 

Conditions: cloudy and surprisingly not warm for 1 August.

Pub: Tweedies, Grasmere, for Thornbridge Krushd, Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold and lunch. 

Lingmoor Fell

An 10km walk at the end of staying (just after Lois’ birthday) for two nights at ‘Reflections’ at Roger Ground outside Hawkshead.

Route: leaving the car at the NT car park in Elterwater (spaces at 11am but probably full 15 minutes later) and crossing the beck to walk along tracks to the quarry, pausing to look at it from the viewing point. Then continuing uphill to cross a track and then aim gradually uphill, heading west. At a sign turning sharp left off the track on a grassy path to a gate onto the summit ridge. 

Heading north-west for a little more than 1km to reach the summit. Then retracing the route to take a path right down into Little Langdale and heading right then left to descend to the Three Shires for a pint. Afterwards passing Wilson Place Cottage and ascending on the track but, astonishingly possibly for the first time, taking an unmarked path through a gate and then a marked path to Low Hackett, through Fletcher’s Wood down to a permissive path parallel to the c-road into Elterwater for a half pint/mug of tea and flapjack.

Conditions: cloudy with a threat of drizzle.

Pubs: the Three Shires, Little Langdale, for Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold and Langdale Bowfell Bitter. Later, the Britannia, Elterwater, for a half pint of Langdale Elterwater Gold.

Holme Fell from Hawskhead

A 17km walk while staying (just after Lois’ birthday) for two nights at ‘Reflections’ at Roger Ground outside Hawkshead.

Route: Taking the footpath just up the hill from the ‘cottage’ to the church and then Hawkshead village for a tactical half pint at KITTchEN (the rescue-cat bar). Then retracing the initial route to Walker Ground and then, past Thompson Ground, to Hawkshead Hill and Tenter Hill. Taking a path off the c-road to the south of Tarn Hows and then descending a path past waterfalls in Lane Head Coppice. Just before the A593, taking a path in the trees north but crossing the road to take a permissive path round Yew Tree Tarn to a junction of paths allowing a left turn uphill to reach the main path up Holme Fell and following this to a saddle, turning left to reach both the apparent summits.

Then heading north off the fell on fainter paths to reach a picturesque tarn surrounded by trees and then along a track to High Oxen Fell to cross the a-road at Oxen Fell High Cross. Following the Cumbria Way uphill to the north of Tarn Hows down to Knipe Fold to Hall Bridge via a quiet c-road and then along a path by Black Beck to Hawkshead for a pint and then home on the (now-familiar) country path.

Conditions: cloudy but warm and dry.

Pub: At the start, KITTchEN for halves of Lakes Brewery DDH and Fell Brewery Catpissed IPA. At the end, the Red Lion for Bowland Brewery Bowland Gold and Black Sheep Bitter.

Latterbarrow and Claife Heights

A 13km impromptu walk having arrived to stay (just after Lois’ birthday) for two nights at ‘Reflections’ at Roger Ground outside Hawkshead.

Route: Taking the footpath just up the hill from the ‘cottage’ to the church and then Hawkshead village and crossing it to take footpaths to Loanthwaite Lane. Taking the footpath steeply uphill, bending left at a fork, to the impressive summit cairn of Latterbarrow. Descending due south and turning left past Old Intake, Guide Posts and Hollins Band Plantation to pass High Moss, Wise Een Tarn and notice the dam opposite and then the fact that Moss Eccles Tarn is also dammed, pausing to clamber over rocks to look at the dam. 

Then a direct descent to the Tower Bank Arms for a pint. Afterwards, and a chance encounter with Joy Duxbury, by road round Esthwaite Water to a path from Howe Farm back to Roger Ground.

Conditions: some sun and some heavy cloud threatening rain that never arrived.

Pub: The Tower Bank Arms, Near Sawrey, for - with reluctance - Hawkshead Pale.

Sale Fell

A 5km walk with Angie and Alistair (Lois in a work meeting back at the Rectory).

Route: leaving the car at St Margaret’s Church (above the Pheasant Inn) and walking through the churchyard to the gate to the left, crossing laterally to a footpath and then heading uphill to the right and then round the hill gaining ground slowly towards the west. At the end of the ridge (level with a wall) turning left uphill on clear paths to the top. Thence down to a subsidiary summit and round to Lothwaite and then descending on a large clear grassy path between bracken to the church. 

Conditions: cloud somehow obscuring all views but the forecast rain not arriving.

Pub: the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite, for Bowness Brewery Swan Blonde and lunch, joined by Lois.

Lakes Distillery to Cockermouth via Isel

A solitary (T, L working) 12km walk in running gear on a hot sunny day.

Route: taking the X4 bus from Cockermouth to the Lakes Distillery and running down to the bridge over the River Derwent at the foot of Bassenthwaite and, after a quick glance at the closed Herdwick Willies for future reference, taking a path along the north side of the river, initially confused by a new fence not on the map (best to stay further from the river leaving a fence to one’s left) and then entering a wood and along narrow muddy paths by the river before joining a more major path (coming from Armathwaite Hall). Along this through a farmyard and then along a tarmac track and then c-roads in blazing sun to cross the bridge at Isel. 

Heading west along the road and diverging slightly left on a stony track into the forestry plantation. Part way along, utterly foolishly, taking a clear line through the trees - probably an overgrown fire break - until diverted by very many fallen trees, marshy ground etc to make very slow progress for a final climb up a bank onto a forestry track. (This could have been reached, with a little extra distance but much more quickly, by simply continuing on the original forest track.) Heading east and uphill to a junction of tracks. Turning left for less than 100m to find, on te right, a steep muddy path to the summit of Watch Hill and then along the summit ridge back down to St Helen’s Road and to the Bitter End, meeting Lois.

Conditions: hot and still.

Pub: the Bitter End, Cockermouth, meeting Lois, for Strangers Brewing Co. Suntrap.

Jennings from the Rectory via Slate Fell

A 6km run (L only) after work to visit Melbreak Avenue and the new brewery

Route: Leaving the Rectory and turning north down Lorton Road to Kirkgate, where turning right along Windmill Lane and first left to run down to Melbreak Avenue (location of Delphine and Peter’s first house in Cockermouth). Running along that east to its end to join Windmill Lane again, continuing east to bend right at the end onto Bellbrigg Lonning and then cut left on the path through to the new estate. Continuing east along Horseshoe Drive and Casshow Way to the footpath running north to the gate and sign to Slate Fell.

Running up the path due east, crossing brooks and going through gates, and missing the left turn onto the track past Annfield Farm to St Helen’s Street. So continuing east all the way to the gate and path that cuts between the two summit outcrops of Slate Fell. There, just before the next gate, turning left to climb onto and explore the northerly outcrop east to west and then return to the east end to take the slanting footpath down the north flank towards the bridleway to Brick Kiln Wood. After dodging some cows and sheep, running round the edge of the field, down the side of a beck to join that bridleway and run along to the Wood and through it on the obvious path to join the road almost opposite the gate onto Watch Hill.

Turning left and running down Castlegate Drive for a kilometre or so to reach Wyndham Row and run down that to the Jennings Brewery entrance and find Tim on the far side, beside the Cocker.

Conditions: Hotter than expected at 6pm but clouding over.

Pub: Jennings Brewery Tap for Jennings Castle Bitter.

Slate Fell

A 5km run starting, for the first time, with just going up Slate Fell. Some jeopardy because of the forecast - and actual - rain.

Route: from the Rectory, heading along Strawberry How Road to the Sustrans route and then left along the Greenway and right across Bitter Beck to Casshow Way. At the end of the road, left along an informal path slightly uphill to a sign pointing right to Slate Fell. Then across fields, slowly uphill, eventually going left through a gate into the adjacent field and then, as the path starts to descend, right off the path to get to the summit (Lois doing a little impromptu victory lap). Then back along the lower path to Brick Kiln Wood, along St Helen’s St and via the small park behind the Kirkgate Centre to the Swan.

Conditions: windy with rain forecast and some light rain arriving half way.

Pub: the Swan Inn, Cockermouth for Brakspear Oxford Gold.