Brackenthwaite Hows evening run

A 4.5km run, setting off after sunset and gradually losing the light. Despite a very familiar running route, an Outdoor Day because of the atmosphere of the gathering gloom (not well captured in the photographs).

Route: leaving the car in the Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park (less than a quarter full at 5pm on November 1st) and taking the longer zigzag on main tracks 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: 10C with some high cloud just after sunset. By 6pm after a pint, pitch black, 5C and mist driving home. 

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn for Cumbrian Ales Esthwaite Bitter.  

7km reverse circuit from Dean along a stretch of the Marron Valley

A 7km jog in rolling country, reversed and unsatisfactorily varied from the previous original run. The route selected when there was no space to park at Loweswater on a lovely sunny October day.

Route: leaving the car in the plentiful space near the church at Dean and heading north-west downhill past a farm and then taking a path neglected on the previous circuit left, first across the edge of a field, then round a slight slope in the middle of the next field down across sudden marsh to a footbridge (Lois cutting herself on barbed wire). The next 200m of unmarked path across shoe-tugging, foot submerging swamp suggesting this was a variant not to be repeated but an overgrown broken stile, covered in brambles made this more of a diktat. 

Gaining the clear track to Calva Hall and calling in at the next farm to say Hello to Dawn and beg a plaster. Then continuing at a more respectable pace along the track past Oldfield and Oldfield Mill to join a road by a bridge over the River Marron and run slowly uphill to Mayfield Brow and Mayfield to dogleg across the c-road. Continuing gently uphill to Lintonhill Plantation and then down and up again now on tarmac to join the road at Fifkettle Brow and back to the start.

Conditions: 10C but a lovely sunny day, warm enough to sit outside the full pub.

Pub: The Royal Yew, Dean, for Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold and Esthwaite Bitter. Then 3pm cheese scones at the cottage.

6km run below Blencathra

A 6km run from Threlkeld on a glorious sunny autumn Saturday morning.

Route: Leaving the car, with permission, in the car park of the Horse and Farrier (at 11am) and heading west along the road, over a bridge and then right up a path by the stream (Kilnhow Beck) to a momentarily confusing driveway area where continuing to the right. Crossing and recrossing the stream on footbridges to reach the Threlkeld village upper car park. Here spurning a possible path (for reasons of navigational simplicity and possibly wet conditions under foot) and running (yes running! albeit slowly) uphill to near Middle Row Farm where the road levels off. Doubling back on a lateral path to the right and deciding to take the upper balcony path though walking steeply uphill to reach it. 

Running along a narrow muddy and bracken-infested path (but unlike the balcony path above Thirlspot two weeks before, largely still runnable) to pass one obvious path downhill. The ground then becoming wider and grassy, continuing more easily to a second path to the right and following it down along a stream to Gategill. Here, guided by signs, following a route left to a dog kennels, then steeply downhill (nettles!) and then half-left to join a track downhill to the A66. Taking a minute to be able to cross the busy road and then continue downhill past the golf club at Threlkeld Hall to the river. Turning right and running along a narrow muddy riverside path to cross a c-road and take another path eventually breaking right to re-cross the A66 and a field to reach Threlkeld and turn right back to the start.

Conditions: 10C but warm in the sun.

Pub: the Horse and Farrier Threlkeld for Carlisle Brewing Company Spun Gold drunk outside (in October!).

Buttermere circuit

An 8km run on a lovely sunny autumn Sunday morning.

Route: leaving the car at the NT car park (2/3-3/4 full at 10am; full (and closed) by 11am; and the Gatesgarth Farm carpark at the south end of the lake, full at 10:30am).

Running down the road, past the Bridge Hotel and along tracks to the lake and then to the path on the far, western, side of the lake. Along this to the head of the lake and then back first on the road and then on the newly re-engineered path on the eastern shore. 

At a recognisable tree, taking the higher path doubling back to cross over, rather than through, the tunnel (because of the wet conditions) though discovering a locked gate and a private sign at the far end. It being 11am, then back to the car park rather than either pub.

Conditions: a lovely sunny Sunday morning but wet under foot (though not a problem on the well maintained paths round the lake).

Pub? At 11am, no. A can of Jaipur IPA back at the cottage.

Circuit from Cockermouth along the Cocker from Simonscales

A 5km run at the end of an autumn afternoon.

Route: leaving the car in the Kirkgate carpark and crossing Kirkgate, the next car park and the footbridge to run along the bank of the Cocker to the dilapidated wooden steps up to the Green Way. Running along this to enter the cemetery and exit opposite the rectory and then doglegging left right across Lorton Road to head 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. Following the bank of the Cocker to cross the footbridge at Double Mills and run down the river to meet the outward route. 

Conditions: damp under foot, cloudy and losing light. 

Pub: the Bitter End Cockermough for Bellfield Lawless Village IPA and Jack Back Session IPA. 

The fell road north of Fellbarrow and Mirk Lane

A 7km run interrupted by 1km of impassable overgrown green lane.

Route: leaving the car (with Rosemary’s permission) in High Rogerscale and heading uphill and south to the start of a green lane to the right heading south gaining ground to High Bank, the way being partly blocked in four places by fallen trees and wet and marshy under foot. Turning right on the fell road (at 0.8km) and maintaining a running pace to the highest point (at the 2km mark). 

Descending passing a sign to the left onto the fell to reach a sign right, down hill on an enclosed green lane. This being very overgrown with brambles and nettles and then later wet and marshy, making very slow progress. Eventually breaking out to the left over a gate into a field and descending to a gate back onto the road down through Toddell Bridge and up again to turn right onto Mirk Lane. Running along this at some speed (in sheer relief) to Sandybeck Bridge and then right back to the start.

Conditions: a grey and gloomy late autumn afternoon.

Pub? having cashed the Punch Bowl at Great Broughton earlier, merely Sunday evening drinks at home starting with a can of Bootneck Brewery Corps Cider Tango-4.

7km circuit above and beside the north of Thirlmere

A 6.5km attempted run, though much of the first half had to be walked because of the unforgiving terrain.

Route: leaving the car on a short stretch of disused road where the B5322 joins the A591 and running a little back along the former, turning right along a track and then right again through a gate, now walking steeply uphill on a grassy and marshy path. At a junction, turning right to start to contour (roughly, though still gaining height, above a wall). The path being the unofficial course of many streams and also very muddy in part, progressing slowly, often at a walk, eventually crossing Fisherplace Gill on a footbridge. Thereafter, the path becoming a narrow line of rocks partly hidden by bracken crossing a slope, thus making running impossible. Progressing instead at a slow careful walk before descending to the Swirls carpark.

Crossing under the A591 and descending to a path close to but mainly shrouded by trees from Thirlmere and making good speed on an easy gravel surface. After Dalehead Hall (invisible, too), the path moving away from the lake and with some steeper (thus walked) sections. Bearing right, uphill and round Great How and then downhill to cross and run south along the A591 back to the start.

Conditions: 13C but warm in bright sun (sometimes hidden by clouds). Very wet and marshy under foot.

Pub: the King's Head, Thirlspot, for Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold.

Brackenthwaite Hows 4km stroll

A 4km walk with Pete Taylor on a wet October day.

Route: leaving the car in the Lanthwaite Wood National Trust car park (almost empty on a wet October Friday at 11am) and taking the longer zigzag to the start of the small path up Robin’s Steps towards the summit plateau of Brackenthwaite Hows. But giving up on a summit ascent to take the narrow muddy path to the right, just before the deer gate, to meet the path exiting the summit plateau to the south and down to the shoulder. 

Here turning sharp right on the wider path, gradually descending back towards the car park but taking a shortcut left to turn left again on the main path from the car park to the lake. Then round the shore as far as the pumping station where turning right along the banks of Park Beck to Park Bridge. Thence, left along the road to an empty Kirkstile Inn for lunch.

Conditions: on a day forecast for constant rain, a largely dry interlude with a brief shower towards the end.

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn for Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold, Esthwaite Bitter and Buttermere Beauty and lunch.

A short stroll to La Mass and Le Junies

A 6km stroll to look at two churches while staying with Andrea Higginson just north of Castelfranc.

Route: leaving Andrea’s house and walking up the very quiet road (even more so than normal as blocked to the south by roadworks) to the north surrounded by trees and with a flat valley bottom to the left/west to La Masse. There, finding the key to the church (St-Perduelphe) hidden beneath a bell on a neighbouring house (guided by a sign on the church door) for a thorough viewing of the church interior.

Continuing on the road to the west of the valley, pausing briefly to look at the footbridge to the convent, as far as Les Junies, crossing the river, and then returning to the church (St-Pierre-es-liens) at the convent, locating the key on the terrace of a neighbouring house, and then filling the road on the east side back to the house.

Conditions: initially cool air (probably 16C) but warm in the sun before the main heat of the day (forecast to reach 29C).

Pub? cans of  Kings Beau chez Andrea.

Feix to La Tour Blanche and back

A swift early evening 7km stride to walk off a delicious substantial lunch.

Route: from Mike and Dianne’s house in Feix, heading west along the road to a field of solar panels and turning right onto a grassy track through the woods, more or less straight except for a slight wiggle, crossing La Rue du Cheval Blanc and continuing slightly downhill initially past a path crossroads and evidence of a small quarry eventually with views of the town ahead and to the left to emerge on a road. Doglegging right and left to rise into a very quiet town centre and walking to the church and back checking that no bar was, by chance, open. 

Returning on the main road south towards Feraillou but taking the strange exit for the Route du Cheval Blanc, ignoring a left turn, and continuing to a path heading at an oblique angle north eventually meeting the path crossroads and returning on the outward route.

Conditions: warm, 24C after a hotter day, but with less heat in the evening sun.

Pub? 

A pre-breakfast stroll to Les Farges and Feraillou

A quick 5km stroll on empty roads while starting with Mike and Dianne Armer at Feix.

Route: from Mike and Dianne’s house at Feix, heading west, gently uphill on the road past wide fields, widely spread houses, woods (spotting a single shy deer) and some barking dogs. Then downwards among trees before rising to a five-way junction at the tiny hamlet of Les Farges. 

Turning sharp left and gently descending before entering trees with, in principle a quarry invisibly to the left through trees, passing under a quarry road bridge (the tress coated in dust) before turning left uphill at the edge of Feraillou, past a newly erected cross and back along the narrow road to the start (seeing another deer gallop away across a field).

Conditions: sunny and still but before the heat of the day (13C air temperature at the start rising to low 20s by 10am and later 27C).

Pub? Breakfast then a delicious formal lunch at Moulin du Pont, Lisle, with aperitifs and wines of the country.

A stroll from Feix to Feraillou and back

A 4km stroll with Dianne from Feix staying in their cottage for three nights (before it is sold).

Route: leaving the cottage and walking 1km east south east down an empty road with a quarry notionally to the right to the village of Feraillou. Stopping to pay a social call and return a bottle stopper to Jan, the owner of the Manor dit Chartreuse (C17, connected to Louis XIV). After a tour of the house, leaving Jan and dogs Poppy and ?Cookie continuing along the road, taking a small lane on the left after a children’s play park, past yapping dogs with gîtes/farmhouses on the left and land opening on the right. At the end of the commune turning left on a narrow path through the Bois de Halas, crossing the ‘Great White Way’ (Rue du Cheval Blanc) for a further loop to the north. Then back across the road to follow a track back through forest to a road from Verteillac back to Feix (Rue de Chantepoule) and following this back to the house.

Conditions: after a surprising cool 13C morning, sunny, hot and still.

Pub? G&T and Ricard as aperitifs and then a rough red of the country chez les Armers.