A 13km linear walk underpinned by the X4 and X5 buses. (T only; L at Greenbelt)Route: taking the 9:09am X4 bus from Cockermouth to Ravenstone Manor Hotel and walking past the hotel (south) to a very steep path in trees uphill to reach a lateral path. Continuing uphill to Ling How and then along the ridge to Ullock Pike. Ignoring the summit of Carl Side, today, and continuing on the gruelling scree path up a final 200m to the summit plateau and along to the summit which was, for a brief moment at 11am, empty.
Then heading south on unpleasant stony terrain down and up to Skiddaw Lower Man and then down to the steep and still unpleasant Fix the Fells path to the car park in the saddle before Latrigg. Doglegging right-left to pick up the Cumbria Way and along this down into Keswick.
Conditions: no sun but very humid and sweaty on the way up. Cooler in a slight summit breeze.
Pub: the Wainwright Pub for Fell Tinderbox IPA.