Grasmere and Rydal Water

Weather: Bright and sunny but much colder than of late.
Start: Grasmere village NY336076
Terrain: One stretch on the road, then well established paths, just one awkward section over a rocky outcrop.
Distance: 3.5 miles
Recommended map: OS Explorer OL7, The English Lakes South-eastern area

Another classic walk in superb mountain country. Leaving the centre of Grasmere by the road to Elterwater, this first section climbs gently and curves round the western shore of the lake.

Eventually a handful of steps leads down to a path which reaches the lake shore and then continues around the lake with superb viewpoints back to Grasmere and the surrounding fells all the way along.

At the far end of the lake, the higher path away from the river leads uphill briefly, where Rydal Water comes into view.

This path gradually meanders down to the water's edge and follows the lake shore, eventually leading through trees to Rydal village and the main road. From here, the open-topped bus service regularly runs back to Grasmere, though at £2.50 it isn't cheap! An alternative option for the more energetic is to take the path up to Rydal Mount, where a bridleway leads all the way back to Grasmere via Dove Cottage, making a 7 mile round trip.

Walla Crag and Castlehead

Weather: Mainly sunny, some heavy showers around but only one caught us at the end!
Start & Finish: The Theatre By The Lake NY265229
Terrain: Good paths or stony tracks, just one grassy section
Distance: 6.7 miles
Recommended map: OS Explorer OL4, The English Lakes North-western area

Profile and map of Walla Crag walk

At the back of the car park, there's a path leading through the woods, this soon reaches a branch leading to Borrowdale Road. Directly across the road is Castlehead Wood and another path leads gently uphill through the trees. Search out the rocky outcrop off to the right of the path where the fence ends - this opens out to a majestic panorama down the full length of Derwentwater towards Borrowdale with Catbells and the mountains of Borrowdale framing the view perfectly.

Panoramic view from Castlehead

Retracing steps to the fence, the original path continues through the woods and soon reaches Springs Road. Turning right, the road soon becomes a bridleway and heads past a farm into Springs Wood. The path now climbs steadily but not uncomfortably alongside Brockle Beck. Eventually the path leads out onto open country, a wall guiding the way up what is the steepest part of the walk. Here though the views back across Keswick to Skiddaw and Bassenthwaite Lake beyond invite a number of pauses to recover.

The final half mile to the top of Walla Crag is much easier going and once on top, the reason for the effort is plain to see. The landscape spreading out below is truly magnificent. A reasonably sized cairn marks the true top, but this is set back from the rocky ledge which presents the very best views. Walla Crag is popular though, so don't expect solitude on the summit.

The best way down isn't the obvious path past Lady's Rake and down Cat Gill as it's particularly steep, although it is the quickest way back if the weather turns. Instead, a better option is to head briefly towards Bleaberry Fell, then follow the clear path over Falcon Crag which gradually descends to another iconic viewpoint at Ashness Bridge. From here there are numerous paths down to the main road, or there's the road from the bridge itself.

After a stretch of roadside walking, a small gap can be found in the wall on the left, and this leads to a tranquil bay on the edge of DerwentWater. From here there's a clear route along the lake shore passing the popular Friar's Crag back to the theatre.

Claife Heights and the Sawreys

Weather: Sunny spells and heavy showers, cool
Start & Finish: Ash Landing car park SD388954
Terrain: A variety of surfaces - partly road or stony tracks, but later woodland sections are rocky, very uneven and extremely slippery in the wet
Distance: 6.5 miles
Recommended map: OS Explorer OL7, The English Lakes South-eastern area

Ash Landing car park lies a couple of bends before the ferry landing stage on the western shore of Lake Windermere. From here there are paths running through the trees in either direction - our route climbs westwards away from the lake parallel to the road. The path follows the road, crossing it a one point and rejoins the road again close to Hawkrigg Farm, where there are views back towards Windermere.

Just past the farm, another path heads across fields towards St Peter's church at Town End. The church is in a tranquil setting and is used by villagers from both Far and Near Sawrey. From here another path leads across more fields and eventually returns to the main road close to Beatrix Potter's house, Hill Top, in Near Sawrey. This is a popular tourist attraction (£5.80 admission charge for adults, £2.90 for children at the time of writing), and operates a timed admission policy due to lack of space.

From the village centre, a bridleway heads north uphill away from the village, past a farmyard and out into more open countryside. Behind are more views of the village and a glimpse of Hill Top itself (it isn't easy to see from the main road). Further on, two small tarns are passed, Moss Eccles tarn and Wise Een tarn. Both are actually reservoirs rather than natural features, but are pretty spots nonetheless.

Eventually the path enters woodland, the views disappear and the terrain becomes much more hazardous - tree roots abound and the smoothly polished rocks stand proud of the surface which are treacherous whe wet. A fast pace isn't possible now.

Following the track to the right, signposts point the way back to the ferry, which suggests the end isn't far away, however this is misleading as this is only the halfway point. The route winds about amongst the trees and eventually reaches a viewpoint over the northern end of Windermere and Ambleside. This is the highest point of the walk, but this doesn't make the descent any easier. The path twists and turns and underfoot, conditions aren't any better.

Eventually the path reaches a broader track, but a few yars after turning right, another path signposted for the ferry heads off through the trees. This leads to further vistas, but the trees don't allow clear views across the lake. A better option would be to remain on the track, which rejoins this path about a mile further south.

Finally a junction is reached with other bridleways, and whilst the direct route back to the car park is signposted off to the left (and then soon after off to the right), the better route back is to head right and follow the bridleway back to Far Sawrey, where the road back to the car is easy to follow. Taking the signposted option involves more careful footsteps over bare rock, which eventually heads steeply downhill back to the car.

Not one of our better walks!

Sale Fell

Weather: Cool and cloudy with showers, some heavy. Windy on top of the fell
Start & Finish: 1/4 mile SE of Routenbeck NY192303
Terrain: Mainly grassy routes, some difficult to follow in places
Distance: 4.5 miles
Recommended map: OS Explorer OL4, The English Lakes North-western area

The path heads south and leads steeply from the road towards a gap in a dry stone wall. Beyond the wall, another path comes into view which contours the fellside. Heading east, the path climbs bringing ever-improving views over the northern end of Bassenthwaite Lake, with the dome of Binsey directly behind.

Eventually the path turns clockwise and the view becomes obscured by trees. Fording a stream, the path follows the wall bordering Wythop Woods, but as it continues to climb, a new vista opens up looking down Bassenthwaite towards Keswick in the distance, the mountains of the Skiddaw range forming an impressive backdrop.

Continuing round clockwise, the path turns westwards, still climbing, across open fell and meets up with another route heading north towards the summit. Following this path over a low wall and then through a gate, the 359m summit (NY195296) is soon reached.

From here, the best way down would be to retrace the route back to the gate, then follow the wall downhill to Kelswick (NY192292), where the circular path around the base of the fell can be followed in a clockwise direction back to the start. However, a more direct route back to the start (the one we took!) heads broadly north-west down the fell side, which is very steep in places. Eventually this joins the main path through ferns and it's just a short walk to the junction leading back to the start.

Newlands Valley

Weather: Bright, sunny and reasonably warm, turning cloudy later
Start & Finish: Braithwaite village church NY232237
Terrain: Good paths throughout
Distance: 6.5 miles
Recommended map: OS Explorer OL4, The English Lakes North-western area

This walk started in Braithwaite, a small village just off the A66, a couple of miles north of Keswick. There is a large campsite in the village which is especially popular at weekends, and a narrow path leads around the back of the site alongside Coledale Beck. The path winds away from the village and eventually crosses the beck at a small footbridge.

Here the views down Newlands valley open up. Newlands is one of the most picturesque valleys in the Lake District, surrounded on three sides by superb mountain scenery. The path now runs upstream alongside Newlands Beck, whose water is crystal clear, and soon reaches a small farm at Little Braithwaite. Accepting the diversion through the farm then crossing the beck via a roadbridge, the path again heads south into Newlands valley proper.

The landscape is stunning. The shapely aretes of Barrow and the popular Catbells frame the route on either side, with higher peaks such as Causey Pike, Robinson, Hindscarth and High Spy all competing for attention in between.

After a mile or so, the path meets another minor road and the route heads right towards the hamlet of Stair. Turning left at a crossroads, the only uphill section heads to the farm at Skellgill (NY243208). Looking down the valley from here, the view takes in Bassenthwaite Lake, Skiddaw and the surrounding mountains.

At the foot of the climb to Catbells, there is a path signposted to Portinscale through the trees via the marina at Nichol End (NY254228), where refreshments are available at the cafe. Suitably refreshed, the walk continues to the outskirts of Portinscale, where a path is signposted on the left. Both the path and the road eventually lead to the main A66 road.

Rather than follow the main road back to the start, there is a better option directly opposite, where a path heads away, meeting an unused branch of the old road out of sight of the heavy traffic. The lane crosses the beck via an old bridge and rejoins the main road directly opposite the turning for Braithwaite. Here it's just a short stroll back to the start.

Waddington and the Ribble Valley

Weather: Overcast, rain threatening throughout
Start/Finish: Waddington village, Yorkshire*
Terrain: Mainly good footpaths with occasional roadside walking
Distance: 5.5 miles

* Waddington is nowadays attributed to Lancashire, but the pre-1974 boundaries are still technically in place for geographical purposes, meaning Waddington still sits in the West Riding of Yorkshire even though its local government is administered by Lancashire County Council.

Walk and details to follow...

London riverside landmarks

Weather: Warm evening sunshine, clear skys after sunset
Start: London Bridge Tube Station
Finish: Embankment Tube Station
Terrain: Paved riverside walkways and roadside pavements
Distance: 4 miles

Walk and details to follow...

Over the Yellowhills

Weather: Overcast and cool, got caught in a heavy shower near the end
Start/Finish: Witton Country Park, Blackburn (SD662271)
Terrain: Good footpaths, opening out onto open fields. Return on tarmac
Distance: 4.5 miles
Height: Top of Yellowhills at 213m (SD651279)

Walk and details to follow...

Marbury Country Park and the Anderton Boat Lift

Weather: Fairly cloudy, cool for the time of year
Start/Finish: Marbury Country Park, Cheshire
Terrain: Good woodland footpaths and canal towpath
Distance: 4.5 miles

Walk and details to follow...

Craster and Dunstanburgh Castle

Weather: Overcast, breezy and cool
Start/Finish: Craster Harbour, Northumberland
Terrain: Firm ground across farmland or across a rocky shoreline
Distance: 2.5 miles

This is about as simple as a walk can get... from Craster harbour, head North through a gate onto grazing land. Here a National Trust sign explains what lies ahead - basically a well trodden route along the coastline through the fields to the remains of the castle, just over a mile away. There is an alternative way back beyond the castle of about 4 miles, but we simply headed back along the same route to Craster.

Calder Vale Stroll

Weather: Overcast with spots of drizzle. Warm
Start/Finish: Calder Vale village, Forest of Bowland
Terrain: Good footpaths through woodland and farms
Distance: 2 miles
Height: Approx 70m climb (highest point on route 180m)

Calder Vale lies in a deep valley on the western edge of Forest of Bowland, just a few miles from Garstang. The main part of the village consists of a few rows of terraced houses, a village hall, post office (yes it's still open!) and an old cotton mill. Parking isn't easy although there are some spaces available at weekends opposite the mill.

Crossing the bridge over the river, we headed uphill, past Long Row, a descriptive name given to a fine row of terraced houses with extraordinarily long television ariels! The path continues past the end terrace, heading uphill along the river and past a large mill pond. Here there were plenty of duck wanting to be fed, but we had no bread with us so unfortunately they remained hungry.

The path climbed steadily through woods before opening out to a fine old church and a tiny primary school, which apparently has just two teachers and around 30 pupils. Both were built in 1863 and were constructed on the hillside above the village because there wasn't enough land in the valley to build on. For many years the villagers have got well used to walking this route each day to school or to church as there really is no practical alternative - the journey to school by road would cover about 5km, which is some detour!

Leaving the church and school behind, we walked through the car park and then took a substantial track off to the right, continuing more gently uphill past the first of a couple of farms. From here we soon reached the highest point of the walk, where there are good views west towards the coast with Blackpool Tower clearly prominent.

The path soon swings right and starts to descend through a second farm. Not long past here we took the right-hand path past some cottages and down a steeper slope through the trees where we saw fleeting glipses of a grouse and a woodpecker. The path emerged at the end of Long Row and from here we simply re-traced our steps to the car.

Chipping, Parlick and Fair Snape Fell

Weather: Overcast with one light shower, becoming steadily warmer
Start/Finish: Chipping village, Lancashire (110m)
Terrain: Good footpaths throughout
Distance: 10 miles
Height: Approx 500m climb (highest point on route Fair Snape Fell summit at 510m)


This walk leaves the car park in Chipping by the lane heading north-west towards Parlick, taking the left fork at the junction. The road continues for about a mile to another junction, where again the route heads left. Soon afterwards is another junction where the right turn is signposted to Parlick. Here the road continues to climb steadily to a point named Fell Foot on the map, for obvious reasons.

Going through the gate into open access land, the gradient suddenly becomes very steep, the path taking the direct route straight up the spine of Parlick. The path now climbs 180m in less than a third of a mile, and with the heart pumping, there is every need to pause regularly and admire the view behind, which improves with each step. Eventually, the summit cairn is reached, and a wide and impressive vista across the Hodder and Ribble valleys over to the tops of the Pennines in Yorkshire can be appreciated.

From Parlick, the path heads downhill to the col at Blindhurst Fell, before climbing again steadily over Nick's Chair and on to the high ground between Wolf Fell and Fair Snape Fell. Here the path leaves the boundary fence and makes directly for Fair Snape Fell, the obvious target.

Walking along the ridge means the slope is now much gentler and a quicker pace can be maintained, so soon the trig point at Fair Snape Fell is reached. At the summit though, Paddy's Pole, an unusual cairn supporting a large wooden pole, grabs more attention. The views this time are more focussed towards Blackpool and the Fylde, and it's the gliders from the local gliding club which swarm overhead here that catch the eye, silently searching for the rising thermals generated by the hillsides of Fair Snape and Parlick.

The return journey starts back along the same path, but this time a fork off to the right becomes our destination. This is a wide path, rutted by a 4x4's wheels, which seems incredulous given its steepness, the severity of the slopes over to the side and the hairpin bends.

All the time the gliders monitor your progress down the side of the fell and back into gentler pastoral countryside. The path continues its descent down to the farm at Higher Fair Snape.

From here, the route becomes much flatter, crossing fields and the fledgling River Brock until the next farm at Blindhurst is reached. From here there are a number of options to return, my preference being the main farm track which is the most direct way back to the road.

Walking along the road, the route turns right down Fiddler's Lane, past the gliding club. Reaching the lane end, a path continues in the same direction which then heads left to Handlesteads Farm. From here the road is picked up again and the signposts pointing out Chipping village guide you back steadily downhill to the car.

The Chevin

Weather: Warm, generally overcast and hazy with occasional sunny spells
Start/Finish: Any one of several car parks in Otley town centre
Terrain: Mainly street walking with some good footpaths, muddy in places
Distance: 5 miles
Height: Approx 200m climb (highest point on route 280m)

This walk starts in the centre of Otley and heads out of town to climb The Chevin, a hill to the south of the town which dominates the area. From the top there are good views on a clear day from Skipton in the west to York in the east.

Head for All Saints church at the bottom of Station Road, then follow the road to its end, crossing the footbridge over the main A660 Ilkley-Leeds road. Once over the bridge, the path leads up to a minor road called Birdcage Walk, and immediately opposite is a footpath signposted York Gate. York Gate is the name of a roman road which runs right over the top of the Chevin.

Immediately the path starts to climb through woods, and the slope is unrelenting for the next 3/4km. In several stretches steps have been cut out to aid walkers, but an escalator would have been a better option. Don't despair though, the views from the top are worth the effort.

Eventually the path reaches a broader path running east-west, but we must continue up a grassy slope towards the top, which is now in sight. There are several options to the top, some contouring the slope which makes the ascent easier. The top contains a surprise, hidden from view all the way up is a car park, ice cream van (if you're lucky), and a pub (even better). This is the top of The Chevin, which apparently means 'high ridge', and is the same derivation as The Cheviot in Northumberland. From here, the view stretches from Skipton in the west to York Minster in the east.

Leave the car park and follow the main road westward, keepiong an eye out for the low flying aircraft bringing holidaymakers back to Leeds/Bradford airport, just a couple of miles or so across the fields. The road is an old roman road called York Gate, linking York with Ilkley. Go past a quarry and then Woodlands Farm before turning right down a footpath through a field and then back into the woods. The woods are a haven for wildlife such as deer and squirrels, although all were in hiding when we were there.

The path descends steeply down to West Chevin Road and back into town. Cross the bridge over the main road, then turn right down Burras Lane back to the church and the town centre. Returning back to here is about a 3 mile walk.

To extend the walk, walk past the clock tower and across the main road, where a statue to honour Thomas Chippendale, the famous furniture maker, can be seen. Chippendale was a famous son of the town and the blue plaque on the house behind the statue confirms this.

The road continues down to the River Wharfe, where there are several riverside paths to choose from and plenty of benches to rest weary limbs. The return, when you're ready for it, is simply back to the town centre by the same route.

Cartmell Fell

Walk details to follow...

Blea Moor and Ribblehead

Weather: Cold - sunny spells and snow showers
Start/Finish: Near Ribblehead station on the B6255
Terrain: Fairly flat, muddy in places (to be expected in March)
Distance: 3 miles

Although only a short walk, this was our first 'true' walk of the year. We started by the roadside parking near Ribblehead Station, and took the footpath across Blea Moor near the juction with the B6479 to Horton-in-Ribblesdale. After a short distance this joins the main bridlepath to the viaduct.


At the viaduct, a path leads right up the hill, but we carried on the main bridleway underneath the viaduct itself to Gunnerfleet Farm. Ahead lies Ingleborough, one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. From the farm, we took the path west alongside Winterscales Beck for about 1/2km to reach a more defined farm track.

From here we turned north to a point called Ivescar on the map, with Whernside in the background. Here we picked up a path heading east towards Winterscales and the railway line. Although muddy in places, the path is clearly defined and soon we reached a bridge taking us under the railway tracks. Once across the railway, the path meets a more defined route heading north/south - we turned south and headed back towards Ribblehead, where the last of the three peaks, Pen-y-ghent, could be seen in the distance.

Once back at Ribblehead, we re-traced our steps back to the car.

Gummers How

Weather: Cold and windy, overcast with occasional bursts of sunlight
Start/Finish: Astley's Plantation car park near Newby Bridge
Terrain: Rocky paths, steep in places
Distance: 1 mile

A short walk on Gummers How with Carole, Julie, Stewart and the dogs. Whilst Stewart and I went to the top with Bentley, Fudge is finding it hard going these days and the girls were happy to stay with her at lower levels until we got back. The summit isn't far from the car park and we were soon at the top and on our way back down. Although the walk is straightforward, there are some awkward sections near the top which require hands just to steady yourself, especially when the wind is strong.

The route doesn't need any description, just a straightforward path leading upwards to the summit with a choice of routes near the top. We headed directly for the summit trig point, coming down via a different path which took us further round before returning to the main path.