20/03/2024 Stroller - Astley Park, Chorley

Meet at the car park off Hallgate (Sat Nav: PR7 1XA), then afterwards at the Astley Village Inn public house (Sat Nav: PR7 1XA).

Astley Park with Jan & Barbara
2 to 3 miles with Little Climbing 

Each Mid-Week Stroller walk has a destination providing a venue for drinks / snacks / meals etc and starts at 10:30am.

Astley Park refreshments will be held across the car park (from where the Stroll will start and finish) at the Astley Village Inn public house.

17/03/2024 Coach Walk - Coniston via Ambleside

8:00 start with 17:30 return

A Walk - Wetherlam to The Old Man with Dave Colbert

8.5 miles / 14km with 3,450ft / 1,050m Total Ascent

The Coniston Fells form a distinct and separate group, being almost entirely severed from adjacent ranges by the Duddon and Brathay valleys, with the Wrynose Pass providing the only link with other fells. These fells are characteristically Lakeland with lofty ridges, steep and craggy declivities, waterfalls and tarns.

We start from Shepherd´s Bridge in Yewdale, following the minor road northwards to the parking area at Tilberthwaite before climbing through Tilberthwaite Gill to emerge at Dry Cove Bottom, which can typically be very wet! If conditions are fair, our route to Wetherlam (763m/2,502ft) will be by the little known Steel Edge, a steep but easy scramble onto the Lad Stones ridge, or alternatively, we will continue to Birk Fell Hause and up Wetherlam Edge. We then head down to Swirl Hause and up Prison Band to Swirl How (802m/2,633ft, although some now think it might be higher than the Old Man), continuing along the ridge to Brim Fell and the Old Man, at 803m/2,635ft the highest point in real Lancashire. It´s then steeply down to Low Water, from where we head to Coniston via Crowberry Haws and Miners Bridge.

Note that in the event of bad weather (heavy rain / strong winds etc) or if the fells are in full winter condition requiring ice axe and crampons, we will do a linear hike from Skelwith Bridge to Coniston taking in Black Fell, Tarn Hows and Holme Fell. 

B+ Walk - Cumbria Way & Tarn Hows with Val Walmsley

9.5 miles / 15.3km with 1,200ft / 366m Ascent.

Starting from Skelwith Bridge follow Cumbria Way through Elterwater to Quarry Hotel & take left to travel south west to Little Langdale. East to Stang End & South to Hodge Close from where path via Oxen Fell rejoins Cumbria Way.

Follow Cumbria Way via Tarn How´s passing Tom Heights, Tarn Hows Wood, Low Yewdale & High Guards wood into Coniston at Sheperds Brodge.

Happy Days.

B Walk - Walma Scar with Stuart Arnold

8 miles / 12.9km with 1,150ft / 350m Total Ascent

From the car park we make a slow leisurely ascent up Church Beck towards Crowberry Haws. We will take our time as this is most of the climbing and we have plenty of time to take in all the magnificent views.

We then take the path between Stubthwaite Crag and the Bell to Walna Scar road. We follow the track westward to a lovely bridge across torver beck which we follow downstream passing some very impressive disused quarries down to Crook.

After crossing the A593 we walk towards Brackenbarrow Farm and then through Torver Common Wood to Hoathwaite Landing to join the Cumbria Way and make our way back to Coniston along the side of the lake.

C Walk - Coniston Circular with Barbara Gilbert & Jan Atkins

5 to 6 miles / 8 to 9.7km with negligible height gain

We leave the car park and walk away from the village heading up towards what was once the railway line. We then head south towards Torver for the 1st section of the walk before crossing the road and taking a path which will then takes us to a bridge at which point we turn left our return journey to reach the shoreline of Coniston Water (taking in the views).

It was here in 1967 that Donald Campbell attempted to break the water speed record going at 300mph in his vessel Bluebird K7, unfortunately a disaster occurred and he was killed. From here we follow a path all the way back to Coniston.

07/03/2024 Thursday Car - Brock Bottom

Meet at Brock Valley Picnic Site, Brock Mill Lane, Caughton on Brock. (Sat Nav: PR3 0PD), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

B Walk - Brock Bottom with Stuart Arnold
7 miles / 11km with 970ft / 295m Total Ascent

We start our walk by climbing out of Brock valley through fields to Middle Lickhurst and on across more fields towards Heatherways Farm complex. Just before we reach the farm we turn south and head to the top of Beacon Fell for the lovely views across Bleasdale as far as the Lakeland hills.

We then walk down to the visitors center we´re the cafe and toilets may be welcome. Further downhill we reach Crombleholme Farm and on down to church road in Whitechapel. We pass the Cross Keys pub the venue for our annual dinner but we will not be stopping for beer.

We then pass Great Plane Tree Farm and on to Lower Trotter Hill Farm before joining a minor road at Trostle Nest.

Negotiating a tricky downhill path we reach the river own and back to our starting point.

03/03/2024 Coach Walk - Ravenstonedale (Pennines & Dales)

8:00 start with 17:30 return

A Walk - Green Bell and Kensgriff with Graham Hogg

10½ miles / 17km with 2,362ft / 720m Total Ascent

Today we have the opportunity to visit some of the less frequented north eastern Howgill fells.

From the village of Ravenstonedale, we head in a south westerly direction following the course of Wyegarth Gill before ascending Knott (465m) on route to the summit of Knoutberry (529m). A further short steep climb brings us the summit of Green Bell (605m). On a clear day, the views from the top are fairly extensive – Ingleborough, Skiddaw, Blencathra and Cross Fell, to name a few, are all visible.

We continue by descending slightly to Spengill Head (568m). At this point, if the conditions and weather are favourable, we will head for Kensgriff (574m). Kensgriff is a rather shapely fell situated between two of the higher tops in the area, Yarlside and Randygill Top. It is possible on a longer summers day to descend from Kensgriff to the connecting saddle and climb Yarlside but the ascent is nothing short of brutal and the return descent back to the saddle requires strong nerves, good knees and great deal of care!

Instead, today we´ll only view Yarlside and after a break on Kensgriff, we´ll retrace our steps for a short distance before climbing steeply to reach the summit of Randygill Top (624m).

From Randygill Top our route descends north to ensure we reach the high and narrow saddle of Leathgill Bridge. From here, there is a final steep climb to reach the un-named point at 586m before a straight forward path takes us to Hooksey and a descent off the fells to Cow Bank at Weasdale. Return to Ravenstonedale is made via minor roads and field paths. 

B+ Walk - Smartdale Circuit with Meriel Nutter

10.5 miles / 16.9km with 100ft / 305m Ascent.

North out of Ravenstonedale taking a path to Smardale bridge. Climb north easterly over the flanks of Smardale Fell descending north to Smardale Bridge. West onto Beck Lane then north on a path to Smardale Mill and west into Crosby Garrett.

South now onto a path contouring round Beacon Hill and Begin Hill to join the path south westerly on the dismantled railway. Leave it at Badger Badger Hill, crossing the A685 near Newbiggin taking the field path to a minor road and the footpath alongside the main road into Ravenstonedale

B Walk - Nettle Hill without the nettles with Stuart Arnold

9 miles / 15km with 1,100ft / 335m Total Ascent

We depart the coach at Newbiggin and cross the A 685 to reach the Hamlet of Browner. After walking through a few fields we head for the hills. First of all we walk onto Ewe Fell and start our climb over Crosby Garret Fell. After 2 miles skirting Nettle Hill we drop down to the lovely village of Crosby Garret.

Here we take a minor road South East to access the disused railway line which leads us to the very impressive Smardale viaduct. We then take a lower path down Smardale Gill which gives us superb views of the viaduct. When we reach Smardale Bridge we follow Scandal Beck back down into Ravenstonedale.

The scenery and the wild flowers on a nice day are beautiful.

C Walk - Brownber but no bears with Judith Kirby

5 miles / 8km with 120ft / 37m Total Ascent

We leave the coach in Ravenstonedale and after a very short walk on the road we head across fields to Greenside then Higher Greenside and eventually Newbiggin on Lune. Here we have to cross the A685 to meet a track leading into Brownber and up to the hall where we turn east to join the disused railway line which leads us to the quarries.

We walk back a little way to the railway bridge where we follow the path down to Smardale bridge. We climb through fields via Todwray, Hawking Scar past Park House Farm back into Ravenstonedale.