Gummer's How

Distance: 9 miles
Ascent: 500m
Weather: Dry but cloudy and chilly (5°C)
Encounters: Fox, hounds, bogs, jays, moonrise

We parked at the car park near to Fell Foot and got all wrapped up before heading off up the path towards Sow How Lane. A fox headed off in the other direction. There were quite a lot of hounds hurrying about, not letting little things like gates get in their way. Turning off the lane, we went along a forestry track for a bit and then had a wander about in the stumpy, wet forestry plantation to visit a top that doesn't seem to have a name.

After short respite of track (with photograph-taking services) and we were off again up through undergrowth and heather to the top of Swainson, which is one of Wainwright's Outlying Fells and has good views over Windermere. The return back to the track was easier after crossing over the wall.

Sadly missing out the wonderfully named Cop O'Cow Hill which is wooded and looked well fenced in, we walked around Simpsons Reservoir and followed Way Beck (in full spate) north and along a wall through (wet) woods. There was a lot of wet. Quite a lot of it went into Rob's boots.

We passed near Sow How Tarn and through the well manicured looking park land  passed Heights Cottage. The return took in Gummer's How, where Rob took in additional top of Birch Fell and I got some cow-y water in my boot and decided against crossing the muddy stream. So I stood around in some cow-y gorse admiring the views and watching the moonrise.