Circuit of Loweswater to Kirkstile Inn

An 8km sunny stroll with a pint in the middle.

Route: leaving the car at the layby near the phone box at Waterend and talking the path down across fields and up to Hudson Place turning left and downhill to walk alongside the lake and on to the car park at Maggie’s Bridge. Walking up the track to the road and down to the Kirkstile Inn, pausing at the village hall to admire the view. After a pint sitting in the sun, retracing the route but continuing on the road, briefly joining the lakeside path on the north side of the lake then climbing up the bank to reach the green lane ascending under Low Fell. Taking a sharp left to descend to Miresyke on a rough stony track and then down the paved track to the start.

Conditions: a cool air temperature but warm in the sun on a bright sunny autumn day.

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn, part way round, for Cumbrian Ales, American Invasion.

Raven Crag via Middlesteads Gill

An 11km walk partly influenced by the supposed closure of lakeside car parks (which turned out to be open) and an eccentric route suggestion from Mark Richards.

Route: leaving the car at Rough How Bridge (parking limited to 2 hours but surely not enforced) and taking the track to Shoulthwaite Farm and then the broad forestry track south-east to the road and along to the first supposedly closed car park. Taking the shoreline, once being pushed back onto the minor road, as far as the Armboth car park (south of which the road was closed). Taking Mark Richards' preferred route directly uphill to the right of Middlesteads Gill, keeping close to a fence on his advice, supposedly to avoid the shoulder-high bracken. This proving utterly false the fence was nevertheless helpful as a handhold given the loose but invisible path below. 

On reaching the gorge at the top of the stream probably getting a little lost and staying on (although well below the ridge of) the High Tove - High Seat grassy plateau. Eventually re-entering forestry land on a clear track to the main junction just north of Raven Crag and taking the stepped path to its summit. Continuing north on the forest track, afterwards, descending and, having turned east, finding a tiny path left back down to Shoulthwaite Farm and thence the car.

Conditions: a lovely autumn day with cool air though warm in the sun and while fighting uphill in bracken.

Pub: the Horse and Farrier, Threlkeld, for Tirril Ullswater Blonde and Dungeon Ghyll Stout.

Exploring two woods and the hill above Cowan Head from Staveley

A 6km walk from Staveley before meeting the de Souza-Brazils for a beer.

Route: leaving the car at the Mill Yard and heading on the path south-east of Staveley Park towards the sewage works but diverting for a tour of the walled-off innominate woods accessible through a gate from the track. Then continuing to the back road and turning immediately off into Beckmickle Ing (Woodland Trust) and following small trippy paths parallel to the river as far as the Hagg Foot bridge, crossing the bridge and then turning left to Cowan Head. For the first time taking the first path on the edge of Cowan Head up steps, through a gate and turning right to go gently uphill, initially with the boundary wall and then bearing left up the slope. Eventually leaving the right of way to stand on top of what may have been the highest rocky outcrop. (Time being short, no further investigation of the rocks to the south was possible.) From here descending to rejoin the right of way and then a paved road south of Cragg Farm, bending round and then turning off right onto a familiar path and down through fields to a half kilometre of overgrown path between walls/hedges leading back to the Dales Way and into Staveley.

Conditions: cloudy, warm and very humid.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley, for ITI and Five Hop. 

Lanthwaite Wood to the Kirkstile with the de Souza-Brazils

A 2.5 mile walk (turning into a frog march) to meet Tim for lunch at the Kirkstile with Steve, Debbie, Jules and Max (photos courtesy of Steve)

Route: Debbie having squeezed into the last proper parking space just after 11.30am on August Bank Holiday Monday, heading straight up from the car park gate to Robin’s Steps in the usual way to bear east through the woods and up to the subsidiary summit and then on to the true summit. 

Then heading south to the pass crossroads and following the edge of the wood round to the east and south again, taking the path above the beck back down the boathouse and the short of Crummock Water. From there taking the main path north parallel with the shoreline to the head of the lake to hug the shore all the way round to the pump house. Here making a direct beeline west to Park Beck and following it (roughly) all the way to Low Park Farm to take lanes north and north west to St Bartholomew’s church and the Kirkstile Inn.

Conditions: Largely overcast but surprisingly sticky on the ascent

Pub: Kirkstile Inn! (for their Eskthwaite Bitter and Life of a Mountain)

Variant figure of eight circumnavigation of Ling Fell and Sale Fell

An 11km walk passing time before an expected meeting with the de Souza-Brazils.

Route: leaving the car near the old school at Wythop Mill and walking west on the road to join Green Lonning. Near the end, popping into the field to the left so as to keep the altitude and walking south east parallel with Tom Rudd Beck, thus circling Ling Fell (finding the previously unexplored section of path from 6-5 o’clock only a bit marshy). Returning to the ‘entrance’ to Ling Fell and taking the higher road east to the end of the hanging valley, turning left and then climbing steeply up onto Lothwaite at its east end. Then walking over Lothwaite, Rivings and Sale Fell, descending the ridge, turning left onto the balcony path but taking a short cut back onto the road and, after a final road-ascent, descending to the car.

Conditions: warm with some sun, later turning cloudy (with rain coming in after we had finished).

Pub: the planned post walk meet-up having been hampered by the surprisingly slow rate of progress of the de Souza-Brazils (in fact, not simply strolling to the Castlerigg Stone Circle as thought), first cheese scones and tea back at the cottage and then later Loweswater Gold at the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite, with the others.

Tallentire Hill

A 10.5km walk up a tiny hill mainly to justify the re-opened Barn Inn at Gilcrux.

Route: leaving the car on the road by the Inn and heading north to a junction, left on a road and then right onto a shaded track to Ellenhall. Briefly joining the road and then turning back east across, and at the edge of, fields to a concrete farm track back to the road. Then continuing on another concrete farm track very gently uphill, then across a field into trees and turning right. Here the going getting more difficult with nettles and overgrowth for 200m to a field. Leaving the right of way to climb to the summit to look at a substantial lateral radio transmitter. Continuing, still off any right of way to join another bridleway to the east and heading south to a small conifer plantation. Crossing this to regain the bridleway, across a field and then along another overgrown walled track to near the summit of Tallentire Hill. Trespassing briefly through a gate to the trig point. Then continuing on to the very minor road back to Gilcrux. Diverging from this on a track on the right until it became too overgrown so heading south across fields, back to the original road.

Conditions: a surprisingly warm sunny day.

Pub: the Barn Inn Gilcrux, now under new management, for Keswick Brewery Thirst Run and Simcoe (after a couple of failures).

Brunt Knott with a Potter Tarn swim

A 12km walk and a swim on a 29C day with Paul Taylor.

Route: leaving the car at the Staveley Mill Yard and heading across the river and north to Hall Lane and left on the track to Scroggs Farm. Then up the road to Elfhowe and taking the right hand route down to the river (where a highland cow was sheltering from the heat under the bridge) and then up to cross Hall Lane and further up to Ghyll Bank. Then, for the first time, taking the track past Brunt Knott Farm and on at a diagonal onto the fell. On reaching a track left off the bridleway, taking it and then following obvious paths eventually to the summit of Brunt Knott. Descending on an initially clear path towards the ridge wall towards Ulgraves, crossing marshy land to reach it and continuing on its left hand side. Thinking we were about level with Ulgraves but in fact nearly 1km short crossing through a broken wall and over a barbed wire fence (a better alternative next time!) to reach a sort of summit (though not the right one!) and then continuing largely pathless in the direction of Gurnal Dubbs, luckily finding a gate to reach a clear track to the tarn. Spurning it as a swimming preference (reedy at the east end and with rough types where the swimming was better) to descend for a ridiculously warm swim in Potter Tarn. Returning to Staveley via Frost Hole and the road by Craggy Plantation.

Conditions: blazing sun and 29C but an occasional civilising breeze.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley for Five Hops, WPA and a cold buffet lunch.