Cycle ride to Egremont and back

A 60km cycle ride on a day of iffy weather.

Route: leaving the cottage and heading north and west round Fellbarrow past Pardshaw and Mockerkin and then along the A5086 to Rowrah in heavy rain stopping at the amazing (as seen on TV – twice – and only 12 months old!) Ennerdale Brewery tap for a half pint. The joining the tarmacked ex-railway line cycle track to Moor Row and then along further cycle tracks and minor roads to Egremont hoping for another beer south of the town but finding that pub shut and the pubs of the centre presenting merely a rather depressing set of options. Shaking the dust from our sandals and taking a quiet low road north along the other side of the valley to Ennerdale Bridge for a pint. Then back via Loweswater and the Thackthwaite road home.

Conditions: light rain becoming heavy. Later sun hints of sun.

Pub: Ennerdale Brewery tap, Rowrah, for half pints of Ennerdale Pale and an experimental Amber Bodied Fruity IPA (so new they hadn’t named it yet). The Fox and Hounds, Ennerdale Bridge, for Ennerdale Blonde and Wild.

Brackenthwaite Hows

A walk with Emma and Nathan on a damp day.

Route: leaving the car at the NT Lanthwaite Wood car park and zig-zagging on tracks towards the lake and back to find the small path off the track leading up to Robin's Steps and thus onto a grassy ridge up to the summit of Brackenthwaite Hows and down into the wood. Turning left to take a green track to the road at Lanthwaite Gate and 200m further taking another path right back into the woods. Descending to the Boat House and then along the side of the lake until the path bends left to reach the road. Here leaving Emma and Nathan to continue over the shoulder of Rannerdale Knotts and through the woods to Buttermere but turning round ourselves to run directly back to the car along the shore.

Conditions: low clouds and showers.

Pub: The Bridge Hotel, Buttermere, for Jennings Sneck Lifter, Heskett Newmarket Haystacks, Tractor Shed Mowdy Pale Ale and Strands Black Knight.

Wansfell and Wansfell Pike from Troutbeck

A run spent largely struggling to keep up with Ian Lyne.

Route: leaving the car on the top road in Troutbeck and running north to find Nanny Lane, the walled track ascending onto the fellside. Running up this slowly until it levels and then on in much drier conditions than previously experienced. Ignoring the left turn to Wansfell Pike and staying on the road to a bend and stream where the path has been re-engineered using alluvial material. Towards the end of the track, climbing a stile to the left to find a clear grassy path, today not very marshy, initially close to the track but later diverging left and becoming steeper to reach the small cairn of the summit. Then on an undulating path, dry today, along the summit to reach Wansell Pike. Then descending to the observatory and an initially rising woodland short cut to find Robin Lane, the main track looping round the bottom of the fell to Troutbeck.

Conditions: a sunny day.

Pub: joined by Lois, the Hawkshead Brewery Beer Hall, Staveley, for Hawkshead Session IPA, WPA and lunch.

Staveley cycle pootle

A short ride on a glorious day to see the bluebells.

Route: from home along Valley Drive and then via Burneside, Bowston and the cycle path by the A591 to Staveley, viewing the almost-finished replacement Gowan Bridge. After beer and lunch sitting outside the Beer Hall, back along the back road to see the bluebells and back through Kendal via Mintsfeet.

Conditions: although a cool breeze, a glorious sunny day.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery Beer Hall, Staveley, for Hawkshead Session IPA, Cumbrian Five Hop and WPA.

Fellbarrow cycle circuit

A May Day Bank Holiday Monday morning 30km cycle ride between Angie and Alistair leaving and Andrew, Helen, Anton and Lois arriving for lunch.

Route: from the cottage, crossing the valley to take the Thackthwaite road to Loweswater and over the pass to Fangs Brow and Mockerkin. Following signs to Ullock and Branthwaite before arriving at Dean and the Royal Yew, for a pint (11:45am!), Afterwards, heading east to Pardshaw and Brandlingill and thence back to Lorton.

Conditions: becoming more sunny with a warm breeze.

Pub: the Royal Yew, Dean, for Jennings Cumberland Ale.

Rannerdale Knotts run

A 9km run with Lois whilst Angie and Al preferred a scenic drive in their motor.

Route: leaving the car by the side of the road level with High Wood and running just inside the fields by the side of the road as far as the first Rannerdale Knotts car parks where bearing left to pick up a track towards the valley but descending through bluebells (too early for full effect) to ford the stream and run under the end of the fell to reach the pitched path. Walking up the path to the summit then running along the ridge to the far end and back down the valley. After a little while, crossing a small foot bridge to pick up a subtle (and empty) path eventually rejoining the outward track. This time taking a path to the east and 100m from the road under Grasmoor before running pathless across the field back to the car.

Conditions: warm, sunny but a little blustery on the top.

Pub: the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater for Cumbrian Legendary Ales Mosaic and Loweswater Gold.

Kirk Fell, Great Gable and Fleetwith Pike

A 7 hour walk, though just 15km, with Angie and Alistair.

Route: leaving the car at the Gatesgarth Farm car park (£4 all day) and walking across the valley to the Scarth Gap path, descending to Black Sail Hut. Then up a surprisingly minor path to the top of Black Sail Pass and then a scrambly ascent of Kirk Fell (though happily for me no exposure). Descending on a rough scree path to Beck Head (where the tarns were dry) and then up a gently scrambly route onto Great Gable. Following cairns to descend to Windy Gap and then rather than descending further to join Moses Trod, ascending Green Gable and taking a diagonal to Moses Trod a little further on. On reaching Drum House, taking a minor undulating path up Fleetwith Pike and then descending slowly Fleetwith Edge to the car.

Conditions: good visibility, high cloud, occasional cold wind but also becoming stiller by the end of the day.

Pub: The Bridge Hotel, Buttermere, for Jennings Sneck Lifter and Tractor Shed Mowdy Pale Ale.