Circuit of Buttermere and swim

An 8km run and swim on the final day of a week based at the cottage.

Route: leaving the car in the NT car park just before the village (free to members; about half full at 11am on a sunny Friday) and running down past the pub, to the west side of the lake and hence counter-clockwise round the lake, pausing just after the 6km mark (GR186162) to step off the path and swim for 10 minutes or so (stony entry but swiftly shelving; narrow stony beach). then continuing along the path and back to the car.

Conditions: a hot sunny day.

Pub: the Bridge Hotel, Buttermere for Jennings Cocker Hoop.

Cycle to, and swim in, Crummock Water

A late afternoon cycle and swim on a hot summer’s day.

Route: leaving the cottage and cycling to the mid-Lorton crossroads, turning left for Hopebeck rising gently and then descending to the main road. Passing Scale Hill and then turning left to take small roads and leave the bikes locked at Park Bridge and walking a kilometre to the obvious swimming beech for a swim in splendid isolation. Afterwards, cycling on to the Kirkstile for a pint and then returning via the Thackthwaite road.

Conditions: warm and sunny.

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

Easterly Cockermouth cycle circuit

A 30km cycle circuit on a hot sunny day.

Route: from the cottage, heading north on the Lorton Road but turning right on the small road just before Armaside House and following this to a T-junction with Hundith Hill Road where turning right eventually gaining altitude before a short descent at Wythop Mill and slight rise to continue under Sale Fell, descending to the Pheasant Inn for a half pint in their perfect, shady garden. Then on along the B5291 to look at the bridge over the Derwent before turning right at the distillery and following this undulating road to Cockermouth and the Castle Bar for a pint, then a cycle/book/Sainsbury’s shop. Home, directly, on the Lorton Road.

Conditions: already very warm and sunny at 11am.

Pubs: the Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite for Cumbrian Legenday Ales Lowswater Gold. The Castle Bar, Cockermouth for Corby Lakeland Summit.

Scoat Fell circuit from Wasdale

A surprisingly arduous 16km circuit with a sting in the tail.

Route: leaving the car off the road overlooking Wast Water and following the more easterly branch of Goat Gill though bracken and without any trace of a path steeply up hill to the west of Goat Crag to reach a broad summit ridge and hence to the top of Middle Fell. After a short rest, descending a surprising height to cross what might normally be a marshy saddle and make a steep ascent on a grassy but stepped path to the summit of Seatallan. Descending the steep eastern end to the saddle and then trending left to reach a boulder with a cairn on it marking the start of a grassy way to the summit of Haycock. Then following a wall to the top of Great and Little Scoat Fell with views down Ennerdale. Picking a rocky path to the top of Red Pike and then descending a stumbly path to Dore Head. Here ascending half of the necessary altitude on scree tracks before reaching the crux: an 8 foot chimney (at the limits of T’s head for heights). Thereafter, simple scrambling to the ridge of Yewbarrow with fine views to the head of Wasdale. Descending on a ridge path until it tuns right on an ill-repaired path later joining a steep and unpleasant scree-filled gully (with some relief in a path to the right) before reaching first pitched stone steps and than a grassy path to the lake for a quick naked plunge, and then a one kilometre walk on the road back to the car.

Conditions: a warm still day with intermittent breeze, becoming fully sunny at the end. Not a good day for photographs.

Pub: the Strands, Nether Wasdale for Strands Green Bullet.

St Bees to Parton Percy Kelly trail

A 20km linear walk using three of the Percy Kelly trail guides.

Route: leaving the car by Parton station and taking a train three stops to St Bees (£2.50) where first walking to and looking round the Priory. Then returning to the Manor for a pint before walking half a mile to the beach to pick the coastal path (Coast to Coast route - last walked 30 years ago in the other direction). Gaining altitude and passing the bay at Fleswick, the lighthouse and then descending to Haig Pit now on a cycle path. Descending into Whitehaven past the Candlestick with Percy Kelly painted views of the harbour. Spending an hour at the Beacon visitor centre (free with an Art Card) and then having coffee in a Costa before following the Wagon Way on the England Coastal Path and Hadrian’s Cycle Way round to Parton, examining a view back from the shore at the edge of the village, views down to Parton from the allotments and finally the shore beyond the station.

Conditions: a grey day though surprisingly warm.

Pub: the Manor, St Bees for Ossetia, Yorkshire Blonde and Taylors Landlord.

Westerly Cockermouth cycle circuit

A 26km cycle circuit on a damp day.

Route: from the cottage, heading to Low Lorton to cross the river and take the Rogerscale road, bending left at Sandybeck Bridge left again through Brandlingill and then right to Eaglesfield and Brigham and then via Cockermouth Lonning to cross the A66 and visit Cockermouth (for the Castle Bar and the Castlegate House art gallery). Then back along Lorton Road.

Conditions: after a bright start to the day, the whole of the cycle ride took place in initially gentle and then later quite heavy rain.

Pub: the Castle Bar, Cockermouth for Exmoor Gold and Coniston Bluebird.

Cycle ride to Buttermere

A 26km Sunday evening cycle ride to deliver Lois to church.

Route: from the cottage heading north, east and then south onto the Whinlatter Pass and following this beyond the main ascent near the Spout Force car parks. Taking the first right turn onto a c-road descending to cross Blaze Beck and ascending gently for views north over the Vale of Lorton and then descending via two gates to Hopebeck to join the obvious route to Buttermere for evensong at St James' (for Lois) and the Bridge Hotel. Back by the most direct route.

Conditions: after an indifferent weekend for weather (compared with sun and 30+C temperature elsewhere in the UK), a lovely sunny evening.

Pub: the Bridge Hotel, Buttermere for Tractor Shed, Mowdy Pale Ale and Jennings Cocker Hoop.