Stroll from Pitlochry to Moulin and back

A **km stroll with James meeting Jo, Emma and Nathan at Black Spout Fall and at the Moulin Hotel.

Route: leaving the AirBnB at 2 Tummel Crescent and walking into the town centre via a shortcut path through trees, under the railwayline and onto Atholl Road to visit the Post Office. Then east to and right on Ferry Road and back in the direction of ‘home’, at this point spotting J,E and N driving the other way. Circuiting a sports field on the bank of the River Tummel to turn left on Bridge Road and right on Perth Road, past the Blair Atholl Distillery, and then left to the Black Spout car park and following signs to the waterfall to find the others. 

Continuing upstream before turning left on paths signed Moulin, across a field with views of Ben Vrackie, having a glancing occultation with the edges of Pitlochry again before crossing a field to Moulin and the Moulin Hotel for lunch. 

Afterwards, turning left to reach Craiglunie Road and left down Golf Course Road. Bending left off that onto a track into suburbia and heading downhill, via some steps, across Atholl Road to Station Road and Rie-Achan road, passing under the railway and following paths to the stony beach by the lake (Loch Faskally). Then along a rising path towards the dam but finding the footpath across the dam closed for building works and instead descending the 100 Step path and following the river back to the start.

Conditions: initially cloud and cool. Later (from lunch) sunny and 23C.

Pub: The Moulin Hotel for Ale of Atholl (strangely sour and unpleasant), Old Remedial (strange and unlikeable but not unpleasant), XX (off) and Braveheart (a perfectly fine light beer) and lunch.

Sale Fell

A 4km late morning walk with James.

Route: leaving the car at St Margaret’s Church 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: a warm (23C) sunny day.

Pub: The Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite, for Lakes and Dales Bitter and Pale.

Brackenthwaite Hows stroll

A 5km stroll with James, en route to the Kirkstile Inn for supper.

Route: leaving the car in the Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park (two thirds full at 5:30pm and many people swimming in the lake) and taking the steep shortcut to reach the start of the small path up Robin’s Steps to the summit plateau of Brackenthwaite Hows. 

Descending south and picking up the path within the wood by its eastern wall to join the small path descending to the boat house. Thence round the lake as far as the pumping station, turning right along the banks of Park Beck to Park Bridge. From there, along the road to the Kirkstile Inn.

Conditions: a warm - but not overly hot - sunny evening.

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn for Cumbrian Ales Session IPA, Loweswater Gold and supper.

6km Newlands run from Braithwaite

A 6km running loop on a cool damp day, the longest run since T’s broken ankle.

Route: leaving the car opposite the Coledale Inn and descending a snicket to a track towards the village shop and then left down Croft Terrace to join the path between the brook and caravan park heading south east to Little Braithwaite. Turning left on the road and then right at a fork, gradually rising and then along past the Swinside Inn to descend to a path on the right across fields to a packhorse bridge and then uphill to Uzzicar. 

Turning right along the road under Barrow to the diagonal path uphill towards Braithwaite Lodge, walking 0.5km and thus the bulk of the ascent, before descending through Braithwaite Lodge and down to the road and then left, past the shop, on then briefly on the outward route but continuing to the Orthodox church and then left up a slightly gentler snicket to the start.

Conditions: low cloud and 14-15C but in a gap in the rain.

Pub: the Coledale Inn for Lakes and Dales Bitter.

First run post-broken ankle (in Cockermouth)

A 3.4km run round Cockermouth: T’s first run since his ankle break on 2nd April. 

Route: leaving the car at the Kirkgate Centre and exiting to the rear to run along Melbreak and Thirlmere Avenues and Windmill Lane and Bellbrigg Lonning to cross the Greenway and enter the cemetery via its central gate. 

Running through it to exit onto the Greenway and run along to the bridge over the Cocker. Just before that turning left to Double Mills and then back, hugging the river, then over the footbridge to Market Place and a beer at the Crooked River tap.  

Conditions: after a week of almost intolerable heatwave, a mere 24.5C. 

Pub: the Crooked River Beer Shop for Crooked River West Coast IPA, chatting to a friendly couple from Workington.

Easdale Tarn

A hot near 8km walk as belated birthday walk for Froggie. T only meeting L fresh from a weekend retreat at Rydal Hall.

Route: leaving the 555 bus at the Grasmere Blacksmiths stop and crossing the road-bridge over the river Rothay to take a woodland footpath to the right to join Easdale Road. Following this to a left turn onto the stony cobbled track (tricky on a recovering ankle) to turn right over New Bridge and then left near Lancrigg onto the track up Far Easdale. 

Following this until shortly after a substantial footbridge and then turning left up a recently repaired, now stepped, path over the ridge which descends ultimately from Tarn Crag. The path becoming a series of stepping stones across marsh before a final ascent to Easdale Tarn. 

A slightly tricky crossing of the stream on stepping stones yielding access to the much busier main path to the tarn from Grasmere. Following this all the way back down Easdale Road before detouring slight right to finish on the track/drive to Allan Bank, meeting Lois there.

Conditions: 23C, bright sun and still.

Pub: Tweedies, Grasmere for Left Handed Giant, Folded Page Pale (5%) and Lakes Brewery PAL and lunch.

Late afternoon jaunt up Nab Scar from Rydal Hall

A spontaneous 4-mile detour from a trip to the ice cream van at the end of the afternoon break at the annual Readers’ Retreat at Rydal Hall (L only)

Route: Leaving the main entrance of Rydal Hall intending to walk down to the ice cream van and being lured right by the view of Nab Scar to the right. Walking up the lane to the ascent path, bending left round Hard Head Farm, and walking up the steep, stoney zigzags to the summit. Then taking the ridge route (start of the Fairfield Horseshoe) towards Lord Crag but forking left at a cairn to head down to Alcock Tarn on a clear, grassy path.

Crossing the outflow of the tarn to the south on stepping stones and turning left to join the main bridlepath momentarily before forking left off that onto a much smaller but still distinct path heading SSW. After crossing a wall at a gate, detouring off the path briefly to the left to investigate a very unusual-looking double-chambered sheepfold and returning to the path which rejoined the wall a little further on. From there following the wall, moreorless, all the way steeply down to the Coffin Route, at one stretch between two walls, with distinctive Manchester Water Company gates.

At the Coffin Route turning left and following it all the way back to Hart Head Farm and from there right and then left to turn into the grounds of Rydal Hall again.

Conditions: Blazing sunshine and hot but surprisingly few people about on this route (on a late Saturday afternoon), just c15 parapenters above Lord Crag. Largely dry underfoot with only occasional muddy patches.

Pub?: A day later, meeting Tim at Tweedie’s (see later post!)

Low level circuit of Sale Fell

A delightful impromptu Wednesday afternoon 6km walk (still on T’s recovering broken ankle).

Route: Leaving the car opposite the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite, and walking slowly up the road to Routenbeck and then a diagonal left path shortly before the church, and following this to reach the western limit of Sale Fell (a low shoulder) before continuing, descending, on a narrow path to Kelswick. Continuing across a field and into Church Wood, past the remains of the old church, rising slightly, passing a line of stooped trees, and, at a narrow Y-junction, taking the rightmost fork to avoid climbing and then to enter the forestry land at a gate. 

Descending first along a track and then a gravel forest road, taking one zigzag (there being no sign of the shortcut marked (in black) on the map) but then continuing on a mapped but overgrown shortcut, steeply and muddily downhill, crossing another forest road to take another direct narrow root-crossed path, eventually reaching the garden of the pub.

Conditions: 18C and sun and thus too warm for foolishly worn black jeans.

Pub: the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite, for Lakes and Dales 3.8% Bitter, a first pint (for us) from a new Tebay brewery.

Buttermere 7km circuit

A 7km later afternoon / early evening walk (to help with T's broken ankle recuperation).

Route: leaving the car at the NT car park (plenty of spaces at 5pm) and setting off via Wilkinsyke Farm to circuit the lake clockwise, using the tunnel. Returning on the most direct route via the first footbridge.

Conditions: initially bright sun if still cool for June. Later clouding over.

Pub: the Buttermere Court Hotel for Tirril Buttermere Bitter.

Swinside Inn and Newlands small circuit

A near 6km walk as part of T’s broken ankle recuperation.

Route: leaving the car in the car park of the Swinside Inn around (emptying at 5pm) and walking along the road towards the foot of Catbells before turning right to Skelgill. Taking the third, lowest, footpath on a grassy track south west and then descending to cross Newlands Beck on a footbridge at Ghyll Bank and then climbing up to Rowling End Farm. 

Having exited by the farm track rather than the path, backtracking to find a narrow balcony path round into the valley of Stoneycroft Gill. Here contemplating crossing the gill in a narrow but deep ravine on a handy tree but rejecting it as foolhardy, descending instead to the road and along to Uzzicar and on paths back to the pub.

Conditions: A cloudy 16C evening but surprisingly dry.

Pub: the Swinside Inn for Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and a half of Theakstons Old Peculier.

Cockermouth stroll

A 5.5km late afternoon stroll to get T’s ankle working again.

Route: Leaving the car at the Kirkgate Centre and exiting the car park over a bridge to St Helen’s St and along this to the bridleway skirting the bottom of Slate Fell. Along this and then right to enter the new housing, crossing the bridge over Tom Rudd Beck and then along the Sustrans route to enter the graveyard and then out at the north end onto the Greenway. Along this to the bridge over the Cocker but turning left before it to walk to Double Mills, over the footbridge, and back along the banks of the Cocker, crossing the lower footbridge to the Jennings Brewery.

Conditions: dry, 15C but feeling warmer in moments of sun.

Pub: the Jennings Brewery for Cocker Hoop.

Circit from Mawbray Sands via Beckfoot and Newtown

An accidentally extended 7.5km walk as therapy for T's broken ankle.

Route: leaving the car at the Mawbray Sands parking area (full!) and heading west to the shore and, after a bit of walking on the edge of the beach, heading a little inland and then north along a grassy path later joining the King Charles III Coastal Path and following this (a bit narrow and overgrown in places) along the edge of the shore/just inside the road to opposite Beckfoot Farm. 

Crossing the road intending to take a foot path (over a stile a few feet up an awkward grassy bank) but finding impassable nettles. So trespassing through the farmyard to pick up the path at a gate intending to take the path to Nook but finding the footbridge led into yet more impassable nettles so taking another path towards Mawbray Hayrigg. Just managing to cross a broken bridge and broken stile and squeeze through a hedge but then being blocked at the next hedge and stile. Instead, heading north along the field edge to meet a bridleway from Beckfoot and following this to the c-road. With a half memory of the other footpaths being blocked on a previous attempt, sticking tediously to roads through Newtown, past Nook and back to Mawbray Sands and following a path further east than normal back to the start.

Conditions: a cool breeze at the coast. Later some spots of heavy rain but not developing.

Pub: the Lowther Arms, Mawbray, for Rooster Easygoing Assassin IPA and a light lunch.

Ravenstone Manor Hotel to St Bega's church

A 4.5km recuperative early evening walk for T’s broken ankle.

Route: cheekily leaving the car in a rather full car park of the Ravenstone Manor Hotel and exiting on the southern drive to turn immediately onto a path running south, parallel with the (A591) road, to the Old Sawmill. Across the A591 to take a path round Mire House and across fields on a track to St Bega's church. Then continuing north east across a c-road and rising slowly back to the road and the hotel.

Conditions: after a week of hot weather, merely a warm cloudy evening with hints of sun.

Pub: Ravenstone Manor Hotel for expensive pints of Corby Blonde.