08/12/2013 Coach - Hawkshead via Ambleside

December

8:00 Start with 16:30 (4:30pm) Return

Wansfell and More with Stella Wadsworth

9½ miles (15.3km) with 2795ft (852m) Total Ascent.

Our walk today starts from Ambleside where we make our way up to the top of Wansfell & Wansfell Pike. Heading along the Hundreds we make our way to Baystones, past Idle Hill and down to Woundale Raise.

A hop skip and a jump over the road and we head up the side of Broad End, up Bields Crag to Woundale. Just before St Raven's Edge we make our way down the path to the Kirkstone Pass road. Heading down The Struggle we pick up a footpath that takes us back to Ambleside past Stockghyll Force. Once back in Ambleside we head off down the road to the water's edge where the coaches will pick use up. Enjoy your day. 

Ambleside to Hawkhead via Loughrigg & Tarn Hows with Pete Stevens
9 miles (14.5km) with 1200ft (366m) Total Ascent.

Ambleside to Hawkshead with mainly gradual climbing. The views are quite spectacular at times of the surrounding mountains, this being contrasted by Colwith Force a quite dramatic waterfall and the tranquil scenery around Tarn Hows.

We start by walking through Rothay Park in Ambleside and continue over the River Rothay to start our ascent of Loughrigg Fell. Skirting around the summit, we descend to Skelwith Bridge and pick up the Cumbria Way. We now follow the Cumbria Way past Colwith Force to turn south east following the Tongue Plantation on our left. Heading south along a path following the A593, we cross the road at High Cross and continue along the Cumbria Way for a mile or so, before leaving it to head for Tarn Hows. After walking the length of Tarn Hows, we now follow a path taking us past Hill Fell to the small hamlet of Hawkshead Hill and then on to Hawkshead village and the awaiting coaches.

Latterbarrow with Dave Thornton
8 miles (12.9km) with 900ft (274m) Total Ascent.

We first head eastwards across fields to Colthouse and then start a gentle climb over a bridleway to Claife Heights. Heading north we reach the summit of Latterbarrow, a possible lunch stop. This hill, on the side of Windermere affords wonderful views of the water and the surrounding mountains. We leave Latterbarrow and head north east to the lake shore via the village of High Wray. Heading northwards along the lake side we reach Wray Castle and then head back to Hawkshead via Blelham Tarn and Outgate.

There should be time to explore Hawkshead and have a look around the shops and possibly enjoy some liquid refreshment.

Hawkshead & Wray Castle with Derek Lowe
7 miles (11.3km) with 599ft (183m) Total Ascent.

We will have our breakfast in the cafe next to the car park, after which we will make our way to Colthouse to pick up a path that goes through Colthouse Plantation. This path goes all the way to Belle Grange, where we follow a path along the edge of Windermere to Wray Castle. We shall have lunch at the castle. After lunch we make our way down the driveway, go right at the road junction and pick up a path on our left which takes us around Blelham Tarn. We then reach Outgate from where field paths bring us back to Hawkshead. We shall have time for refreshments and a browse around before the coach leaves for home.

29/09/2013 Coach - Keswick via Penrith

September

8:00 Start with 17:30 (5:30pm) Return

Blencathra with Kevin Poole

8½ miles (13.67km) with 3500ft (1066.8m) Total Ascent.

Starting at Threlkeld we head up Blencathra via Halls Fell. This ascent was described by AW as "For active ramblers and scramblers, this route is positively the finest way to any mountain-top in the district. It is direct, exhilarating, has glorious views and (especially satisfying) scores a bulls eye by leading unerringly to the summit-cairn" (Book Five: The Northern Fells by AW).

From the top we head back to Keswick via Blease Fell and Latrigg.

Lonscale Fell with Val Walmsley
10 miles (16.1km) with 2000ft (610m) Total Ascent.

Leaving the coaches at Threlkeld we climb through the village to pass the Blencathra Centre, overlooking the Greta Valley on our way north past Blease Fell. Just after crossing Glenderaterra Beck, we join the Cumbria Way for a short way before starting the main ascent of the day following Burnt House Ridge to the summit of Lonscale Fell, an outlier of the Skiddaw Group.

From here we drop down to a path leading south from Skiddaw to join the Cumbria Way briefly, before leaving to ascend Latrigg 1196ft/365m. We return to the path to resume our route back to Keswick after a very scenic day out.

Threlkeld to Keswick via Lonscale Fell with Pete Stevens
8 miles (12.9km) with 918ft (280m) Total Ascent.

Our walk today starts from Threlkeld a few miles outside Keswick, on the A66 Penrith to Keswick road.

With Blencathra on our right we start a steady climb following a bridleway to the Blencathra Centre (Field Study Centre for Schools and Colleges), before veering north to follow the bridleway along the side of Blease Fell. Further up the valley we cross the Glenderaterra Beck and climb a little way up Lonscale Fell to join the Cumbria Way. Now travelling south, with good views of Low and High Rigg ahead of us, we follow the beck towards the River Greta, skirting the Lonscale Crags before beginning our descent. Still following the Cumbria Way, we follow it over the A66 to Briar Rigg and then into Keswick and the coaches.

Keswick Killer 2 with Alison & Lesley
6½ miles (10.4km) with 196ft (60m) Total Ascent.

Today we begin our walk from the centre of Keswick (toilets available).

Following the Cumbrian Way to Portinscale we then take the path to Ullock. Turning East we have a 10 minute road walk towards Little Braithwaite. From here we follow Newlands Beck south until we meet the road once more. We then turn left for another short road walk, as we slowly climb to Skelgill with picturesque views across the valley. From Skelgill we make our way towards Derwent Bay picking up the Cumbrian Way once more. This leads us back through Portinscale and on to Keswick via Nichol End.

12/05/2013 Coach - Llangollen

May

8:00 Start with 17:30 (5:30pm) Return

Eglwyseg &  Maesyrychen Mountain with Dave Colbert

13½ miles (22km) with 3,450ft (1,050m) Total Ascent.

Starting from the centre of Llangollen we cross the Afon Dyfrdwy and storm the hill fort of Castell Dinas Bran. A trail that purports to follow the dyke built by some ancient bloke called Offa then takes us north below the tremendous limestone rampart of Creigiau Eglwyseg (the Dales has nothing on this scale) to Plas yn Eglwyseg, where the long climb to Bwich Oernant (Horseshoe Pass) begins; beware of bikers at the summit.

At 577m/1,893ft, Moel y Gamelin is the highest point on Maesyrychen Mountain, itself the highest of the Bryniau Clwyd. The leisurely descent to Rhewl precedes a short climb to Llandynan to avoid too much tarmac bashing. We then return to Llangollen along the canal towpath from Berwyn, although for a fee you could catch a steam train. Mwynhau!!

Castle & Canal with Val Walmsley
 13 miles (21km) with 1070ft (326m) Total Ascent.

We leave Llangollen along the canal and by the River Dee as far as Valle Crucis Abbey (Valley of the Cross) near to Elisegs Pillar, a 9th century medieval cross. We then join the Clwydian Way southwards to Castell Dinas Bran. This medieval castle sits on the site of an Iron Age hill fort with good views from the mound.

From here we head down to join Offa's Dyke Path in a south easterly direction on a panoramic walk and through Trevor Hall Wood to Trevor where we cross the River Dee with a view of the aqueduct above and to the left. When we reach Froncysyllte we cross the canal and return on the dramatic Pont Cysyllte aqueduct 1000 feet long and 126 feet above the Dee. We join the Lllangollen canal tow path to return to the starting point and a look round the town.

Dinas Bran with Roy Smith
8½ miles (13.7km) with 900ft (274m) + 350ft (107m) Total Ascent.

We start our walk today from Llangollen, which has a worldwide reputation as a centre of Welsh culture and music. The Llangollen canal provides us with our first picturesque setting for the walk. Leaving the canal behind we make our way to the Horseshoe Falls (really a weir), on the River Dee. From here we move uphill through field and country tracks, to arrive at the picturesque remains of Valle Crucis Abbey. We now carry on uphill through woodland, slowly making our way east. As we follow country lanes we have splendid views of Eglwyseg Mountain and Ruabon Mountain.

Our direction is now south through open fields and country tracks, which form part of the Offa's Dyke Path. Shortly we will be able to see the remains of Castell Dinas Bran on the distant hill top. When we arrive at the foot of the hill, those not wishing to do the climb (350ft) can avoid it and make their way directly back to Llangollen. For the rest of us the final climb of the day is up to the castle remains. From the top it is a zig zag path back downhill to Llangollen and refreshments.

To the End of the World with Derek Lowe
6 miles (9.7km) with 356ft (111m) Total Ascent.

We start our walk by heading for the Shropshire Union Canal. We leave the canal at the Motor Museum and begin a gentle climb to overlook the remains of the Valle Crucis Abbey. We continue our gentle climb through the woods to Tan-y-fron. It is a narrow road until we reach Ty-Newydd where a short road walk brings us to field paths which we follow to the Offa's Dyke Path and World's End Panorama.

We will have lunch around this area where there are good views of the remains of Castell Dinas Bran on the hilltop in front of us. After lunch we continue to Tan-y-Castell to take a footpath which leads us around the foot of the hill and, after a short climb, we descend to Llangollen. Once again I have booked the weather. Have a nice day!