Hunting the Matterhorn on Easter Monday

A solitary 5-mile run (by Lois) to try and find Tim’s Matterhorn

Route: Setting out from Howe Bank Close and running up round the station (failing to nip in to remind myself of the object of the search first – doh!) and up to Hayclose Lane and along to Paddy Lane. Just past Singleton Park climbing over the stone stile at the sign to Parkside Road and running down across three fields (through about 20 lambs having an evening top-up feed) – eyeing up the wooded hillock to the left (without a mast) to the bridge over the railway line.

Crossing the bridge to look up at the mast behind the Castle Green at close quarters (definitely a mast but surely not enough of a Matterhorn). Jogging round the boundary of the steep little field between the railway line and the mast (looking for a way through but not finding one) and then taking the narrow stone ginnel with its mini handgate down to Parkside Road.

Running down Parkside Road, turning right along Larch Grove, then left along Willow Grove to find the tunnel under the (other) railway line through to the Castle estate.  Running back to Parkside Road to cross it and then run along the ginnel under the eastern slopes of Aikrigg back to where it turns left and rejoins Valley Drive, and then following Valley Drive to the passage cutting through to the Heron and back home the usual way from there.

Conditions: a cool sunny evening.

Pub? Well C-19 and without T and Monday night so no beer at all!

Journey to the spooky pit (Scout Scar)

A weekend run during the C-19 shutdown.

Route: Leaving the car for the first time at the new hand-gate midway between the racecourse and the usual parking place and ascending the wide path slowly uphill to a hand-gate to the right. Through this and to the start of the hidden valley path but, again, mistaking the route which turned out to be a little further south, more uphill and much more churned up than we remembered it. After 200 metres of more level and grassy going, and just before a descent, turning left on a faint wider path to the day's target which proved, disappointingly, merely to be a dry pond (with lots of temptingly workable damp clay). Then heading for the gate in the summit wall on fair ground, though all paths giving out. Through the gate, turning left to the trig point, then left down the hill descending parallel to the wall to the east but, just before the path zigzags up a short scree slope, bending right to follow a green track down a shallow valley. Crossing the main racecourse-to-Dave’s-Cairn path and continuing to turn right on a very clear section of the trippy path and following this to the end. Then left and descending and swinging back uphill to the start.

Weather: high cloud.

Pub? (C-19) A bottle of Greene King Abbot Ale shared in the summer house.

Scout Scar 6.8km run from the racecourse

A weekend run during the C-19 shutdown.

Route: Leaving the car at the racecourse layby and running along the main diagonal path towards Dave’s Cairn but turning right before the handgate to try to enter the hidden valley. Sadly, turning right a little too soon and finding a confusing subsidiary valley slightly downhill and to the east of the main valley thus arriving via tussocky pathless ground at the main path from the racecourse to the mushroom lower than normal. Turning slowly up this path to the handgate and then turning right to hug the wall to the Underbarrow Road. Then up the gravel path onto the edge of the Scar and along this to Dave’s Cairn and then cutting across diagonally right to the Gate in the Corner to descend parallel to the wall to the Trippy Path and thence back to the start.

Weather: a glorious sunny evening.

Pub? (C-19) Cans of Big Smoke Jagged Sky, Fourpure Easy Peeler in the summer house.

Popplemire and Low Park Lanes

Another short 15km C-19 evening Outdoor Day pootle.

Route: from the Close heading uphill past the station and the Station Inn descending eastwards and then climbing as far as Middleshaw. Turning right on Popplemire Lane to Holmescales and right again along the valley to Gatebeck. Turning right onto Gatebeck Road and then, for the first time, right onto Low Park Lane with views of a couple of small tarns below to the east and horses everywhere. Following the road round to join the A65 to the front-of-Helm road and then home.

Conditions: a warm hazy sunny evening.

Pub? (C-19) bottles of Saltaire Blonde and St Austells Proper Job in the summerhouse.

New Hutton and circuit of Grey Crag cycle ride

Another short 15km C-19 evening Outdoor Day pootle.

Route: from the Close heading uphill past the station and the Station Inn descending eastwards. Taking the first left at Beehive Bridge, along Beehive Lane, beside pretty Beehive Beck, then the first right and over two small but sharp hills to Borrans Farm before bending left to New Hutton and left again to pass the church and then cross the A684. Rising into moorland before descending with views across the wide valley to the Kendal Hills. Turning left to climb in effect round Grey Crag along and descending back towards the A684 on Dickgate Road but, just before it, turning right on a Sustrans route, past Fisher Tarn Reservoir and left at the old Greyhound pub and thence home past the station.

Conditions: a warm sunny evening.

Pub? (C-19) a bottle of San Miguel and half a bottle of Weston (Sainsbury’s) 0.9% cider in the summerhouse.

Natland and Sedgwick cycle pootle

Another tiny 12km C-19 evening Outdoor Day pootle.

Route: from the Close heading through the Kendal Parks estate (to drop off a funeral service printout to Hilary), then to the Rinkfield post office (to post some Cadas letters) and then rising gradually to Natland, along to Sedgwick where turning left over the hill to Crosscrake Church, along the A65 to the front-of-Helm road and then home.

Conditions: a warm sunny evening with lots of people out.

Pub? (C-19) a can of Fourpure Easy Peeler and bottle of Weston (Sainsbury’s) 0.9% cider in the summerhouse.

Eastern ridge of the Kendal bowl by foot and bicycle

Evening exercise in two forms, at the same time: T cycling on a dramatically repaired Moulton and L on shank's pony.

Route: leaving the Close and heading separately by bike and foot over the railway lines and up the hill to the Station Inn, turning left along Hayclose Lane, crossing the A684 at Singleton Park onto Paddy Lane and to the once pub the Greyhound. Here T continuing further north gradually descending, recrossing the railway to turn left on the A685, to Kendal and returning via Castle Road and Valley Drive. L turning left at the Greyhound and descending steeply the old Sedburgh Road to Castle Green Road, and along Valley Drive and the snickleway to the west of it.

Conditions: a sunny evening though with a significant warm breeze.

Pub? (C-19) Cans of Hawkshead Route 590 West Coast IPA and (0.5%) Flathead lager in the summer house.