Coniston to Ambleside, via Tarn Hows

Distance: 11 miles (plus extra to explain weariness) 
Ascent: 550m
Weather: cloudy
Knees: achy
Buzzards,  wigeons, jay,  sheepses

After a BIG breakfast at the coffee shop in Ambleside,  and a very cheery bus ride to Coniston on the 505, we set off walking back along the Cumbria Way. There were a few spots of rain, heavy clouds over the fells behind, and a bright rainbow ahead.

The grassy path was wet but good going. Tarn Hows was predictably busy, we took the far side path over Rose Castle Plantation.

We had lunch (including tiffin from the Lunch Box!) by the bridge at Skelwith Bridge, then took the bridleway over the low end of Loughrigg Fell and down to Miller Brow and into Ambleside.

Bowness to Ambleside via Jenkin's Crag

Distance: 9 miles
Ascent: 425m
Weather: overcast, with sunset later
Goosanders (Mr & Mrs),  swans, ducks, pigeons,

A late decision on where to go,  we decided to catch the 12:15 ferry from Ambleside to Bowness and walk back.

We collected lunch from Tesco and walked along the road via the rugby ground to the church in Windermere,  where we headed up towards Orrest Head,  but turned off along the fields towards The Causeway Farm without visiting the top. We were then on the Windermere Way,  which we followed back, apart from a necessary detour in Troutbeck because of a missing bridge.

There was quite a steep bit of up, as we followed the lane to Town End, then up the bridleway along Robin Lane - don't recall seeing any robins here,  but there was a very nice sunset over Claife Heights.

It was quite dark by the time we stopped briefly to admire the views over Windermere off Jenkin's Crag and walked down the wet rocky path down into Ambleside.

Fairfield Horseshoe

Distance: 13 miles
Ascent: 1100m
Weather: cloudy on the tops, bit chilly.
Forgotten Fitbits: 2
Wainwrights: 8
Fieldfare, Herdys.

Before we left the apartment this morning,  we'd seen three deer in the garden and a heron.

There were blue skies overhead and the water seemed to have drained away in some places, although it was still very wet underfoot.  Many paths had obviously become streams recently,  some still were running with water.

We started off along to High Sweden Bridge, then followed the grassy track up to Low and High Brock Crags, where we stopped to look at a fieldfare. Heading higher, we were up into the clouds, which had been gathering on the tops since about 10am.

It was quite steep up to High Pike, Dove Crag and Hart Crag,  including a tiny bit of wall indecisiveness.

As we stopped for lunch in the shelter on Fairfield,  there were brief patches of blue sky,  although it was damp and I got cold - needing to stop and wrap up warmer not long after setting off.  A sensible walker would have done this when she realised she was getting cold... But thanks to the power of Buffalo Mitts,  I was soon warm again.

The path down is deceptively gentle to begin with.  We went over Great Rigg, Heron Pike and Lord Crag, with clearing views over Grasmere and Rydal Water. 

Dropping down off Nab Scar was steep,  wet and rocky, but we'd made good progress and there was good  light under the clear skies in the late afternoon. Still quite achy thighs and knees by this time.

The footpath through Rydal Hall grounds was easy going, and then we returned through Ambleside.

Christmas Day on Loughrigg Fell

Distance: 7 miles
Ascent: 450m
Weather: cloudy,  rain on way back

After a sensible breakfast,  we set off to walk up Loughrigg Fell.  We didn't go by Loughrigg Tarn as planned as the footpath doesn't go as far along the road as we'd hoped, so headed up the footpath from Clappersgate and then along the tops to Blackmire and the summit. 

We descended by the rocky path down to Loughrigg Terrace (where we stopped for tea and fizzy jelly chocolate in the drizzle)  and walked the higher path past the cave, complete with carollers.

High Sweden Bridge

Distance: about 6 miles
Ascent: 350m
Weather: occasional sunshine, short hail shower

After a lie in and relaxed breakfast watching the birds in the trees in the garden (nuthatch,  treecreeper, blue tits, bfp, robin) we headed off for a walk around the unflooded parts of Borrans Park. Here we saw lots of Canada Geese, one pink footed goose, pied wagtails,  meadow pippets, mallards and goldeneyes.

From the park (grey heron visible on rock outcrop, then it was sitting just a little farther down as we came back) we crossed the footbridge and walked along Under Loughrigg, then up the rocky path to High Sweden Bridge.

The return route was down the new track they've made for the building of the new hydroelectric power system down Scandale Beck. The newly built access track looks horrible at the moment, but it's for a good cause and hopefully will settle into the landscape once the grass and plants have grown a bit.

We returned through the park, although the driveway was only just round the corner.

Barbon Low Fell

Distance: 11 miles
Ascent: 500m
Weather: strangely warm, becoming wetter

After a bit of faffing and buying sandwiches from the Church Mouse village shop in Barbon,  we set off.

The footpath heads into park land and along a stream through woodland,  with a couple of bridges that we didn't cross but had a look from for an elusive dipper, and had a good view of a buzzard.

As we emerged from the woods, there was a heavy shower, so we sheltered (or tried to)  under trees to change coats and pack things away. Then we were out onto moorland,  with the stream below us in the valley.  Unfortunately the footbridge at which we should have crossed Barbon Beck had been damaged beyond use as a result of the recent heavy rain and there wasn't an easy crossing point nearby.  On the map there's another fb a bit farther up the valley,  so we headed alongside to find it. It is open access here, so no worries about there not being a path.

There was a fortuitous small footbridge (not marked on the map, about half way to Short Hill Bridge) so we used this and walked back along the road. The dipper made a reappearance too.

A rocky track leads up towards Bullpot Farm, then after a short while on a road,  we turned off up on to Hogg Hill. A quick visit to the top (quite windy, over a wall) and we followed the ridge along to Barbon Low Fell. Dropping down, we stopped for lunch sheltered behind a wall, and it started raining.

We returned along rocky bridleways, complete with art (rocks in tiny drystone wall enclosures) by Andy Goldsworthy and then across wet parkland with friendly sheep and robins, fighting kestrels and a deer.

Arnside Knott

Distance / Ascent: n/a
Weather: cloudy

A brief visit to the top of Arnside Knott,  as we were nearby at Leighton Moss. It was getting dark, and quite muddy underfoot.

Saddleworth Round

Distance 12 miles
Ascent 450m
Weather: dull and drizzly
Siskins

We walked along the Medlock Valley Way via Strinesdale and across to Lydgate. Then crossed at the junction to the lane that leads up to the back of Wharmton hill, following the paths to the golf course and down the hill. We turned off before the canal, passing under the old quarries and on to the Donkey Trail.

From the end of the trail in Delph,  we headed up by the slippy steps and back over Bishop's Park.

To Hollingworth Lake

Distance: 16.5 miles
Ascent: 500m
Weather: wet start, turning chillier
Magpies, blackbird,  kestrels, crows, gulls, long tailed tits, Reed bunting (reed bunting!), thrushes, ducks, long tailed tits, cormorants,  lapwings, grey herons, dippers, buzzard. Squirrels, bunnies, Highland cows.

We waited until the rain had eased off slightly before setting off up the hill and along the track towards Brushes Clough and under the aerials towards the lane above Denshaw (seeing a few fat blokes in cars driving to and from the car park.)

Avoiding the small angry dog farm and shitty  muddy lane towards Piethorne Reservoir by taking the footpath across the fields,  we dropped down to join the path. It's also open access here, so we didn't worry too much about following the exact path to the reservoir.

We followed the track around the lakeside and then crossed the wall, heading around to the far side,  where we had lunch and tea. There's a path on the map that goes through the small patch of woodland,  but no sign of any actual paths, so we followed the path by a wall above and round to head towards the motorway bridge.

Over the bridge we crossed farmland,  some of which was rather muddy indeed, and then down wet rocky paths towards Hollingworth Lake.  The flooded farmland provided some good birdwatching,  then the cafe by the lake provided fine coffee and tiffin.

It was getting quite dark by now (about 3:20pm) so we decided to head back along tracks to Piethorne and then along the roads through Newhey and up Buckstones Road to meet the track by the small intake track. Here we turned off road and resorted to torches, startling a couple of Highland cows and doing some stargazing (bit early for the geminids)  along the track to home.