April
8:00 Start with 17:30 (5:30pm) Return
11miles (18km) with 3600ft (1100m) Total Ascent
We start from Grange in Borrowdale and immediately head for High Spy (653m/2,143ft) by way of a breach in its crags known as High White Rake. Note that if the clag is down we will follow an alternative route to Dalehead Tarn past Castle Crags. From Dalehead Tarn, a steep ascent above Dalehead Crags leads to Dale Head, at 753m/2470ft the highest point of the walk and for those interested in geology the boundary between the Skiddaw Slates to the north and the volcanic rocks of the central Lake District to the south. Our route then continues westward along the narrow Hindscarth Edge before veering northward to the summit of Hindscarth itself (727m/2,385ft). A lengthy descent along the narrow ridge from High Crags to Scope End leads down into the Newlands Valley where hopefully the bridge across Newlands Beck at the Goldscope mines survived the recent deluge. We head to Keswick via Skelgill, Overside Wood and Stormwater Bridge at Portinscale, which I am reliably informed is still there!
9¼ miles (15km) with 2000ft (610m) Total Ascent.
This is a linear walk starting at Seatoller and finishing in Keswick. Most of the climbing is at the start and we then follow a ridge which weather permitting will give us excellent views of the Borrowdale valley and Derwent Water.
We start off on the Allerdale Ramble heading northwards and then follow Tongue Gill past Rigghead Quarries and then on to High Spy (653m) the highest point of the walk. We continue on the ridge to Maiden Moor and Cat Bells. We descend on Skellgill Bank and enter a wooded area, Fawe Park and then pass through Portinscale and on to Keswick.
7½miles (12km) with 1200ft (365m) Total Ascent
The intention was to do a nice flat walk at Applethwaite, as specified in the programme, but the loss of footbridges in the winter floods around Keswick has meant this has not been possible. So we will have to climb a bit instead.
Departing from Keswick town centre, we head south alongside Derwentwater to Great Wood in Borrowdale. From here we continue south to Ashness Bridge and it is from this point that the climbing begins. We rise to the top of Walla Crag at 1245ft. We have then bagged a Wainwright and the views from up there are superb (on a clear day!). We then descend to Rakefoot. From this point we should have gone back via Castlerigg, but the path that way is closed due to the destruction of yet another footbridge. Fortunately we can divert to miss this one and proceed along quiet residential roads back into Keswick.
6 miles (9.7km) with 300ft (91m) Total Ascent
Recced on a wet and windy Maundy Thursday. Not many signs of the disastrous floods until after Portinscale. An undulating walk with no stiles and little mud. Some road walking but mainly gritty forest tracks.
We leave the coach at Grange Bridge to cross into Grange where there are toilets. We make for the Cumbria Way and passing through Manesty Park and Brandelhow Park, we reach Hawse End. From here we go through Overside Wood and skirt Fawe Park to arrive at Nichol End. This may still be closed although they seemed to be on top of the flood damage. Now we go into Portinscale to see how the other half live before crossing the footbridge onto the path through the devastated fields to Keswick, the coaches and refreshments.