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).
