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.

An attempt on Rannerdale Knotts

A walk, cut short by rain, with Pete from Cadas.

Route: leaving the car at the Buttermere NT car park (still half empty on a dismal day) and walking down into the village and left along Mill Beck/Sail Beck stopping to look at perching heron that Pete had spotted in a tree on the far bank. Continuing up the valley and then left onto the hillside and steeply uphill towards the saddle. Deciding in heavier rain that discretion was the better part of valour and so descending to Grassgarth Coppice and round the edge of Great Wood on a muddy track, wet burnt orange bracken soaking our legs, before eventually descending to the road (aiming off the path for a solitary tree and then back down the main rising path). Round the lake shore to the north-east side of Nether How and to the pub for lunch. Then back to the car.

Conditions: low cloud and rain from the start, getting heavier and wind getting up

Pub: the Buttermere Court Hotel for Corby Lakeland Summit and Trooper, San Miguel and a light lunch.

Along the Cocker from Simonscales (Cockermouth)

A 5km autumn stroll before the rain set in.

Route: leaving the car parked in a 2 hour zone at the town end of Lorton Road, backtracking to Towers Lane and climbing and then descending to turn left on Simonscales Lane. Following this down over the A66 to turn right on a muddy path by the side of the Cocker back to Two Mills. Here the rain starting to get heavy so marching past the outdoor gym to the wooded path to the railway footpath. Turning left and then descending to the west bank of the river and heading to the footbridge to rise to the Swan Inn for a pint and then back to the car.

Conditions: dry to begin with some patches of blue sky but with fairly heavy rain towards the end.

Pub: the Swan Inn, Cockermouth, for Fyne Ales Jarl.

The slopes of Crosby Ravensworth Fell

A 10+km walk following that day's Guardian pub walks route.

Route: from the pub in Crosby Ravensworth (to access wifi to plot the route) walking back past where the car was parked opposite the village hall and on to a minor footpath south parallel to Lyvennet Beck across field to Holme Bridge. Crossing the road and the beck and continuing south some distance above the beck before descending again next to it and climbing up the access track to Crosby Lodge. Continuing across fields taking the left route near Hollins Scar to enter Right to Roam land and visit Robin Hood’s Grave. Returning then to track a wall west on a clear path eventually crossing a stream to rise past two large erratics. At a junction bending left to visit a modest limestone pavement and, at a post, turning right on an old Roman Road. Veering off this to the right to join a bridleway and then down Slack Randy to the road back into the village to the pub.

Conditions: a sunny autumnal day.

Pub: the Butchers Arms, Crosby Ravensworth, for Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold.