Running circuit of Buttermere

A 7.5 km run, the longest since the previous November.

Route: leaving the car at the NT car park (free to members and largely empty on a stormy February Monday) and running 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 over rather than through the tunnel for fear of flooding. At the end of the lake, turning right at the fork to head directly to the village, Finding the Buttermere Court (née Fish) closed, going to the Bridge Hotel, open again after a month of being closed.

Conditions: a cool feeling 7C given light rain blown in a stiff wind, quite strongly against us on the return.

Pub: the Bridge Hotel, Buttermere, for Tractor Shed Mowdy Pale. 

Castle How, Bassenthwaite

A tiny pre-lunch stroll with Janet Hornby (just before her birthday).

Route: leaving the car opposite the Pheasant Inn and walking south-east along the road, joining the next road and then taking a clear path on the left zigzagging up through trees to the summit for a view across the A66 and Bassenthwaite Lake to Armathwaite Hall. Descending to the south, slightly steeper over slippery exposed rock to a view of a landing stage for the lake (under the A66) and then turning right along a track to join the road back to the pub for a swift half. Then on to the Bassenthwaite Lake Station for lunch.

Conditions: a cool, cloudy February day, with a chill wind, following initial bright sun.

Pub: the Pheasant Inn, Dubwath, for Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold. Then lunch at the Bassenthwaite Lake Station.

Tiny stroll on the Helm

T’s first walk (today with L) on the Helm in months/years.

Route: from home, up through the station, past the Station Inn to the back of Helm road. Along this as far as a flood, making a forlorn attempt to go round it up on the bank to the right. Turning back to a handgate onto the Helm and up to the tarn, then up the low shoulder of the ridge and back to the pub for a pint. Then home through the underpass.

Conditions: a surprisingly brilliantly sunny day at the very end of January.

Pub: the Station Inn, Oxenholme, for Taylor’s Landlord.

Burneside to Staveley variant walk

A 7km solitary walk.

Route: taking the 11:21am train from Oxenholme to Burneside and crossing the tracks to take a very wet path past Tolson Hall Farm to cross the A591, dogleg left-right and follow more muddy paths round a tarn to Moss Side and Ratherheath Lane. Turning left, looking for a path on the right but taking an earlier gate to shortcut to the path past the west end of Ratherheath Tarn, through woods to turn left onto Ahes Lane. Following this to turn right across fields to re-cross the A591 go under the railway and enter Staveley and thus the Mill Yard. After a pint, walking back to the station.

Conditions: very marshy underfoot with some flooding of paths.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley for Lakeland Gold.

Underhelm and Paddy Lane

A 10-mile jog from home on dark and wintry Saturday afternoon (L only)

Route: Up round the station to Helmside Road (closed for 9 weeks for roadworks - 1ft trench cut along the first stretch today) and along to Burton Road, then running south along this as far as Barrows Green. Turning left up Helm Mount and on to Underhelm (Lane?) past the two Underhelm Farms (walking from halfway up the chevroned bit) to join the main road and turn left to the Station Inn. There turning right to run all the way along Hayclose Road and then Paddy Lane as far as the railway bridge just before the Appleby Road. Returning to the Station Inn the same way to head down through Glen, under the railway tracks

and home.

Conditions: Wet underfoot and dark with low cloud but dry with a light breeze until the turnaround - then rain and wind closing in and views disappearing (hence no photos!)

Pub? Liquorice and peppermint tea - and, much later, out to Corner 124 with Anne and Frank for Frank’s birthday

Burneside to Staveley winter walk

A 6km solitary (L visiting Ted in Cubbington) stroll (eschewing running because of a lingering chest infection).

Route: taking the 10:21am train to Burneside and walking along icy pavements to Bowston and staying on the west/left bank of the river through Cowan Head to Haggs Bridge. Crossing and walking through the woods but taking the first exit to pick up the track to Side House. For once, taking the snowy path on the left-hand side of the stream to Frost Hole and thus to the road down past Craggy Wood. Briefly detouring though a Manchester Water Company (Thirlmere Aqueduct) gate to take the path in the wood left down to the obvious egress/ingress and thence to the Mill Yard.

Conditions: cooler than Kendal at around 0C with ice under foot. Some blue skies though little direct sun.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley, for Hawkshead 5 Hop.

Turner How, High Hollins and Swinside from home

Road run at dusk under snow-sprinkled fells (L without her phone)

Route: Leaving the cottage to run down to the crossroads and turn left along Hopebeck Lane all the way up and then down to the main Scales Hill road. There turning left to run along past the Buttermere fork to the Turner How, turn and running up past the recently-refurbished farm and back left along the Buttermere road to take the rack up to Low and New Hollins. Taking the short linking footpath between fences through to High Hollins, cutting across the farmyward and down to rejoin Hopebeck Lane heading north. At Hopebeck turning right to run up past Hope Farm to above High Swinside (walking from the first gate to the top of the HS turning) and on to junction with Boon Beck Lane - sprinting down in the gathering gloom to return to the village and home!

Conditions: Cool but dry and windless under snow-sprinkled fells, bit breezier up on the fell

Pub? Tea and shortbread - and sip of Tim's Kveik Mystic Origins IPA (from a can)