Circuit of Sour Howes and Sallows

A gruelling and very slow 15km+ run but distracting.

Route: leaving the car at Moore Howe on the Ings-Troutbeck shortcut and running slightly downhill along the stony track of Dubbs Road which becomes the Garburn Road and rises slowly uphill to the top of the pass. (On this return, the newly engineered  path seemed rather less smooth than memory presented it.) Then down the still very rocky descent (in parts at walking pace) to the Nook just outside Kentmere village but taking a footpath to the right to reach Kentmere Hall. Taking the now familiar track which gradually ascends onto the lower shoulder of Shallow Howes, across the crossroads of paths and muddy moorland to reach another junction. Turning right on a track which then slowly bends left and descends and turning right off it on a track to High Borrans and a paved road back to the main road and thence back to the start.

Conditions: very warm for March with hazy sun.

Pub: The Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley, for WPA and Cumbrian Five Hop.

5km circuit of Spy Crag

A quick 5km run to leave time for a pint/lunch before a choir practice.

Route: from the Staveley Millyard along Back Road to cross Barley Bridge and uphill on Hall Lane as far as the sharp right turn. Then along the road to Littlewood Farm crossing the plateau of the raised valley (with fine distant views back towards the Kentmere fells) before descending steeply passed Craggy Plantation to join, briefly, the Potter Tarn Road before taking the shortcut footpath to the footbridge over the river and back to the Millyard.

Conditions: a chilly but beautiful and largely sunny spring day.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley, for WPA and Lakeland Gold.

Place Fell via Birk Fell

A shortish walk which felt longer and somehow contrived to make Place Fell seem substantial.

Route: from the car park opposite the Patterdale Hotel (£4.50/day) taking the track, starting 100m further north along the road, across fields and the river to reach the bridleway on the far side. Heading north on this, rising and falling through birch trees between Silver Point and Scalehow Wood but turning right uphill just before the Scalehow Force waterfalls on a sheep track and then cutting right/west across bracken to reach a cairn at Low Birk Fell. Taking our pick of sheep tracks, through patches of snow, to cross Kilbert How on easier ground and approach the distinct ridge of Bleaberry Knott. Here doubling back to try to gain the edge of the ridge before it had gained much altitude and following this (with a view of deer in the distance) to another small cairn on Birk Fell. Descending and then climbing onto the Knight and thence to the summit of Place Fell. Down on the recently-ish engineered path to Boredale Hause and back to the start along a metalled lane.

Conditions: the first sunny day after weeks of rain. Busy round the lake because of half term.

Pub: Brotherswater Inn, Brotherswater, for Wychwood Hobgoblin.

Aira Force and Gowbarrow Fell

A short walk in a break in the rain with Mike and Janet Hornby and their friends Jane Taylor and John Gurd.

Route: leaving the car at the upper Aira Force car park but yomping up the main road to the quarry car park to join the others. Then down a newly made gravel path across a muddy field to meet Aira Beck and follow it down its west bank as far as Aira Force (in spate). From the bottom of the waterfall, down the glen to double back on a path rising out of the woods to a handgate. Then along a gently rising path round the southern flanks of Gowbarrow Fell with fine views across the lake to St Sunday Crag, bending north at the memorial seat and then uphill in increasingly muddy conditions (but with evidence of new path work) to the summit. Swiftly down to the west to the beck leaving the others and following a path above the east bank of the beck to the top of the falls to cross the stone footbridge and climb back up to the car park.

Conditions: despite earlier heavy rain, surprisingly dry and windy with a few hints of sun.

Pub: the Brackenrigg Hotel, Watermillock, for Loweswater Gold and Corby Fox.

Wansfell Pike

A short walk pressed for time on New Year's Eve with Andrew and Helen.

Route: leaving the car on the top road in Troutbeck and walking north to find Nanny Lane, the walled track ascending onto the fellside, turning left on a pitched path to the summit. Descending the south east ridge - rather boggy - to the observatory and then taking a woodland short cut to find Robin Lane, the main track looping round the bottom of the fell to Troutbeck.

Conditions: surprisingly dry after a morning of torrential rain. Low cloud grazing the summit.

Pub: the Watermill, Ings, joining Derek and Naina, for Watermill Wruff Night and Loweswater Gold.

Circuit north of High Newton

An 11km run over Christmas.

Route: from the Crown at High Newton, taking the road north east and then right off it to descend, very steeply, on Tow Top Road to the valley floor. Then north on Tarn Green Road to the left turn 3km later opposite Thorphinsty Hall but turning right off it onto a path through woods rising left to cross the upper road onto a rising metalled track. Turning left off this onto a muddy track to cross high moorland to reach Simpson Ground. Then along a metalled track across a bleak landscape to High Newton Reservoir, descending to the old A590 and back to the start.

Conditions: sunny and warm in the valley; cold on the top.

Pub: the Crown, High Newton, for Cumbrian Legendary Ales Loweswater Gold.

Another Kentmere circuit from Staveley

A 15km run on a cool December day.

Route: from the Staveley mill yard taking Barley Bridge across the river and running up Hall Lane in a valley adjacent to Kentmere until the road becomes a track where L took a worrying tumble (the rest of the run thus being in some doubt thereafter). Turning left on a signed footpath to cross fields and join the green track down to the road by Calflay Wood. Then along to Kentmere Hall to take (for the first time in recent years) the lower footpath (muddy in places) along the side of the valley a little above Kentmere Tarn, past the factory and on a narrow path to reach the bridleway which descends from the moors. Along the quiet road on on the west side of the river back to Staveley.

Conditions: cool and cloudy but with hints of sun.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery Beer Hall, Staveley for WPA and Cumbrian Five Hops.