06/12/2015 Coach - Windermere & Ambleside

December

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

Fairfield Horseshoe with Kevin Poole

10½miles (16.9km) with 3350ft (1021m) Total Ascent.

Today's walk is - a hard but rewarding walk.

Starting from Ambleside we head towards Sweden Bridge and gradually climb towards Fairfield via Low Pike, High Pike, Dove Crag and Hart Crag. After pausing on Fairfield to take in the glorious views we carry on walking back to Ambleside via Great Rigg and Rydal.

Red Screes with Dave Thornton
8miles (13km) with 2200ft (670m) Total Ascent.

Starting from Ambleside we head northwards along Scandale Beck past High Sweden bridge to Scandale Fell and Scandale Pass. Turning south eastwards we climb to the highest point on the walk, the summit of Red Screes at 776m. We return to Ambleside via Snarker Pass and the Kirkstone Road.

It should be noted that we may have to plan a walk at a lower level in extreme weather conditions. This will probably include some imaginary stepping stones so we can finish the walk earlier to spend more time in Ambleside.

Robin Lane with Colin/Bill Manning
9miles (14.5km) with 1000ft (305m) Total Ascent.

Starting the walk from Windermere by the train station we start by heading up to Orrest Head, where hopefully we will get great views over Windemere. Descending here we head towards Near Orrest and follow the road to Dubbs Road. After a while we turn left and head to Limefit house and on to Troutbeck. Through here, we join Robin Lane which we follow all the way round the bottom of The Hundreds and Wansfell until we reach waterhead and on in to Ambleside for the coaches and refreshments.

Windermere to Ambleside Wander with Roy Smith
5 miles (8km) with 500ft (153m) Total Ascent.

We start our walk in Windermere (toilets at Booths) where we make our way towards Orrest Head. We follow the track through the woods then take field tracks round the side of Orrest Head and down to Howe Hill and Crosses Farm. Our route now takes us north past Thickholme Bridge to Town End. From here we climb to Robin Lane and then walk north westerly to enter Skelghyll Wood, owned by the National Trust. The track descends through the wood and eventually brings us out at our destination of Ambleside and some welcome refreshment. 

01/02/2015 Coach - Keswick via Penrith

February

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

Skiddaw & Carlside with Graham Hogg

8¾ miles (14km) with 3117ft (950m) Total Ascent

Avoiding the distractions of central Keswick, the A walk today will start just after the roundabout turn off from the A66 onto the A5271. From here we head for Briar Rigg to join the Cumbria Way. The path skirts around the Western slopes of Latrigg, steadily climbing to the head of Gale Gill. If the weather and ground conditions are favourable, we'll now head uphill to Skiddaw Little Man (2841ft/866m) and on to Skiddaw main summit (3054ft/931m). Our descent route will be via Carlside, down to Millbeck and then on to Applethwaite before returning to Keswick town centre for a well earned brew!

Blencathra via Scales Fell with Colin Manning
8 miles (12.9km) with 2274ft (693m) Total Ascent

An easier route up an old classic Lake District fell, we start our walk from the lay-by just before Scales. We pass through Lowside towards Mousthwaite Combe before heading up the grassy slope of Scales Fell all the way to the top of Blencathra. We then descend to Knowe Crag and on down to Blencathra Centre. Our walk then continues down the peaceful country lane through Brundholme wood all the way to the A66 footbridge, which we cross over and head back in to Keswick for the coaches.

Blease Fell & Cumbria Way with Chris Cook 
8½ miles (13.7km) with 1200ft (366m) Total Ascent

We alight the bus at Threlkeld and make to Wescoe and Blencathra Centre where we make steady progress under Blease Fell to join the Cumbria Way. From here the path is undulating back to Keswick. Happy Days!

Keswick Winter Wonderland with Alison & Lesley
5¼ miles (8.4km) with 394ft (120m) Total Ascent

Our walk begins today from the coach park in Keswick. Walking along the main street (brief stop for toilets), we take the footpath South East passing Castlehead Wood and continuing through Springs Wood. This is a gradual, slow climb and on a clear day there should good views of the valley. Turning South West we then enter Great Wood from which we descend to cross Borrowdale Road. This brings us to the shores of Derwent Water and from here we will follow the waters edge North West, passing The Ings, Friars Crag, and the Boat House. Turning West at the Theatre we then follow the path around Town Cass back to the coach park. This is a leisurely walk with beautiful scenery and the paths are good.

04/01/2015 Coach - Haworth via Crosshills

January

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

Dick Delf Hill with Dave Colbert

11¾ miles (19km) with 2160ft (660m) Total Ascent

Just who the heck was Dick Delf to have a hill named after him? A Dutch Yorkshireman who invented an exquisite blue pottery but then found a 'T' added to the end of his surname to disguise his origins? Or a Yorkshire Dutchman, uncle to that bloke Heathcliffe? Despite extensive research by Dr Bente Kanin-Vakmester from Tromso University, who concluded he must have been a member of the ancient Horveht race of pygmies from Lakeland (a theory subsequently rubbished by our very own academic Professor John Warner (see 'Footprints' January to June 1992), no one really knows and I guarantee that by the end of this walk you will be none the wiser either!

We start near Cowling on then A6068 and follow the Pennine Way southwards over Wolf Stones (443m/1,453ft) and down into the Worth Valley, then up past Withins (no Kate Bush impressions allowed) to said hill. The descent to Haworth traverses Penistone Hill. If the clag is down, we will take an alternative route from Withins to Haworth past Bronte Bridge. 

A bit of Brontë with Barry Hayhurst
9¼ miles (14.9km) with 1507ft (459m) Total Ascent

An undulating walk across peaty moorland, a little steep climbing in short-ish bursts and some muddy bits, not much in the way of shelter and a bit exposed to the elements if bad weather.

From the rear of the church of St Michaels and All Angels we proceed past the graveyard onto part of the Bronte Way, passing farms and bypassing Hope. We move on up to Penistone Hill and down the other side where we cross Moor Side Lane before dropping down to cross Haworth Moor and then up to Spa Hill. From here we drop down and then go up Wether Hill and on to Round Hill. The next part is a rather muddy narrow path which is steep and rocky in places, but we are rewarded at the bottom as we cross the so called "Bronte bridge". It is now up a short-ish reasonably maintained footpath to the top where we turn south and walk through fields before dropping down to moorland (muddy and rocky in places) to cross Rough Dike via stepping stones. We climb up the other side to a well maintained path along to "Top Within" from where we retrace our footsteps along a wide track towards Stanbury with Ponden reservoir to our left and Lower Laithe reservoir in front. We turn and drop down, crossing fields and a footbridge before a steep climb up to meet the Bronte Way. Then onto the Millennium Way, skirting around Penistone Hill Country Park back to Haworth which has an abundance of refreshment establishments amongst its cobbled streets. 

Haworth, Bronte Bridge and Withins with Jim and Phyl
8 miles (12.9km) with 1200ft (366m) Total Ascent

Leaving the coaches at Bronte Village car park (coaches are free) GR030370 we will make our way to the nearby facilities. Heading south back towards the car park we take a right turn onto a footpath leading to Penistone Hill and eventually, Moorside Lane which we cross to join the Millennium Way. We soon join the Bronte Way and come to Bronte Bridge and the waterfalls. We will take a short break here before scaling the facing embankment to join the Pennine Way. We now head west to Withins and lunch. The return route takes us via Forks House to Bronte Bridge where we retrace our steps on the Bronte Way to Penistone Hill but staying on the road to pass the cemetery lying to the north of the hill. A short field walk takes us back to Haworth.

The Railway Children Walk with Kevin Alty
5 miles (8km) with 550ft (168m) Total Ascent

Starting from the Information Centre (used as the Butcher's shop) in Haworth we make our way to the ABC steps (guess why they're called that?). We make our way to Oakworth station where lots of the filming took place and where Perks cottage can be seen. We go round "HOOTs" corner past the cottages used for the paper chase and get a glimpse of Mytholmes tunnel. We cross the bridge where Roberta held the chalk board at the end of the film. On reaching Haworth station we will have lunch. So far we have had good footpaths but now we have grassy paths leading towards Oxenhope station where, crossing over the train track, we have a short steep climb to "Three Chimneys" (home of the Railway Children) from where it's back to Haworth for shops etc.