Torpenhow Hill and St John’s Hill

An 8km walk on a sunny Easter Saturday.

Route: leaving the car parked on the Main Street of Bothel and crossing the A595 and then a footbridge across a stream and tuning left to follow muddy field edges to a C-road to Torpenhow. At the far end of the village taking a path across fields uphill and across dodgy stiles to reach the indistinct summit area of Torpenhow Hill (Hill-hill-hill Hill). Then right along a track to cross a C-road and doglegging right-left to pick up a farm track, eventually joining a right of way. Ignoring to the path right to continue on the track left (no right of way) to turn right (just before the track joins the road and now, again, on a right of way) but following this to the end to trespass to the ‘battery’ (a circular earthwork) on a subsidiary summit. Spurning the final summit (at Caer Mote) out of caution for T’s ongoing fatigue and backtracking, climbing a tricky wooden fence (much barbed wire) and then striding through two open gates to find a right of way descending the hill back to Bothel.

Conditions: almost completely still, almost constantly sunny with the scent of gorse in the air

Pub: The Mason’s Arms (for the first time), Gilcrux, for the pleasant surprise of re-encountering Hal as its landlord and also Farm Yard Hoof (‘sout’ (sic)) and Conwy Clogwyn Gold.

Lorton stroll post retirement

A solitary Monday stroll (TT) on a beautiful day with thoughts of Thoreau (having retired 6 days before)

Route: Leaving the cottage and walking via Boonbeck and Scales to the southerly ‘balcony’ path to High Swinside Farm. Picking up the rather wet path (with frogspawn), over the new footbridge, under the Dodd and along to a descending stony track to Miller Place Farm. Then back along the road to Hopebeck, continuing left to a footpath cutting the corner to join a track to Hill Mill and then home.

Conditions: A cool but brightly sunny day with wide deep blue skies

Pub? White wine spritzer at the cottage and then, later in the garden, cider after being joined by Lois (back from a working day in Kendal and bearing bottled cider).

Saunter on Ling Fell

A 2.3km saunter over the shoulder of Ling Fell with Janet Hornby. 

Route: leaving the car by the side of the road at the entrance to Ling Fell near Eskin and climbing onto the fellside and along the gently rising Corpse Road anti-clockwise round the fell, descending towards a gate (in accord with the original circumnavigation plan). Backtracking left uphill to reach the shoulder of Ling Fell at around 330m. Deciding that honour had been served and so not turning right to the summit but continuing along and following a narrow path downhill with a depression, sloping rather steeply given the snowy conditions and requiring Janet to do a little sledge-free tobogganing to lose some of the altitude before reaching the outward path back to the cars.

Conditions: 4C and thus cold but still. Some snow still on the ground and covering the descent path.

Pub: the Pheasant, Bassenthwaite, for Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold and lunch.

Brackenthwaite Hows stroll

A 5km stroll, just about consistent with T’s ongoing fatigue.

Route: leaving the car at the NT Lanthwaite Wood carpark (3/4 full at 11:30am on a grey day) and walking south along the east side of the lake to the Boathouse. Bending left uphill to join the main track near the ridge, turning left on it but diverting from it to the path through trees with views of the hills to the east. At the saddle, continuing up to the summit of Brackenthwaite Hows and then descending in the direction of, but not reaching, Pickett How. Half way done taking a left turn (by a fine looking tree) to descend into the wide grassy basin, rising on the other side to find a hand gate into trees beyond. Following an obvious path in the direction of the road but at the last minute diverting left, uphill and being guided back in a circle to the hand gate. This time, turning right to reach the ridge by the deer gate to descend Robin’s Steps.

Conditions: a cool (4C) grey day.

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater (very busy) for American Invasion (on keg).

Buttermere Circuit

A 7km walk, the first in ages.

Route: leaving the car at the NT car park (free to members and almost full at 11am on a so-so day in January) and walking past the Bridge Hotel and Allerdale Court Hotel to the lake and then via the footbridge 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, this time through the tunnel. At the end of the lake, turning right at the fork to head directly to the village where, it transpired, both pubs were shut for January. Hence back to the carpark and thence to the Kirkstile Inn.

Conditions: a better, drier day than expected though cloud obscuring the tops.

Pub: squeezing into a fully booked Kirkstile Inn, but permitted soup and also keg American Invasion.

Great Stickle and Stickle Pike

A 7km walk leaving a pre-birthday weekend in Coniston.

Route: leaving the car in a disused quarry car park (GR198 920) on the road from Duddon Bridge to Ulpha and ascending parallel with a stream to reach a clear diagonal footpath heading south-east and eventually zigzagging onto the plateau. Continuing to join a bridleway and then descending slightly to take in the summit of Hovel Knott, then Little Stickle and then up to Great Stickle. Following an obvious if small path due north to join a bigger track skirting marshy ground and then heading for the very obvious path to the east shoulder of Stickle Pike. At the top of the shoulder heading left, pathlessly, to climb to the summit eventually meeting a path that would have climbed here from just a bit further north on the saddle. Descending on tiny sheep tracks down the north ridge and after a bit of fiddling (but on paths) reaching the bridleway that descends to Ulpha and walking 1km back up the road.

Conditions: initially cold with some drizzle. Later, sun and warmth.

Pub: the Manor Arms, Great Broughton, for Townhouse Charter, Firebrick Brewery Stella Spark, Logan Beck Brewing Off Target and Fyne Ales Jarl. 

Black Crag

A 10km walk with Angie and Alistair during a pre-birthday weekend in Coniston.

Route: leaving the Yewdale Inn and walking north on the A593, turning left off it towards the Youth Hostel and then north-east on the under-fell lateral footpath. Turning off the path and crossing the road to Low Yewdale and ascending through Tarn Hows Wood to join the narrow road to Tarn Hows; here meeting A&A. Continuing on the path on the west of Tarn Hows then diverging left on the Cumbria Way, east to Iron Keld Plantation and north to Iron Keld on rough stony tracks. Here doglegging left and right to enter open countryside and follow an obvious path to the summit of Black Crag and the nearby fine cairn. Back the same way to Iron Keld Plantation and now heading south-east on a less major path through the woods, crossing a track and following a path across fields to the east side of Tarn Hows and back to the car park, accepting a lift to the pub.

Conditions: a cold December day with moments of warm sunshine.

Pub: the Coniston Inn, Coniston, for Tirril Ullswater Blonde.