Day 5 Bootle to Brough Walk

Staveley to Tebay M6 Services via Garnet Bridge, the 'Other Borrowdale'  Breasthigh Road and Bretherdale

13miles 2700ft

Setting off along the river Kent in Staveley

Looking back west towards Lakeland after gaining height....

....and again after meeting two fell runners

Passing Potter tarn where there was lady swimming at 8am.....! 

Another climb and I arrived at Gurnal Dubbs tarn, no swimmers here

Gurnal Dubbs tarn again

Descending to the hamlet of Garnet Bridge....

...an attractive little place....

.....on the river Sprint

It's that time of year again!

I then started heading north along the ancient route over Shap fell, now called the 'Old Shap Road'

It's a very pleasant walk indeed on an extremely well engineered path. 

I continued along it to the 'Other Borrowdale' with my route ahead climbing the Breasthigh Road seen here across the valley

Crossing Borrow Beck

Looking back to the A6 trunk road over Shap as I climbed to the summit of the Breasthigh road.....

.....and down into Bretherdale while descending the other side

A rather flimsy looking clapper bridge, but actually extremely solid

Bretherdale again....

.....and now crossing the westcoast mainline railway

Not far to go now as the Westmorland hotel at the M6 services comes into sight

Finally in the service area car park waiting for my lift back to Staveley

Now well and truly out of Lakeland with only a couple more days to go. 

Another great day's walking in perfect weather 

 Day 4 Bootle to Brough walk

Ambleside to Staveley

via Jenkin Crag, Troutbeck, & Sour Howes fell. 12.5miles 2600ft

Setting off from Ambleside's Waterhead as the sun rose.... 

....and again....

....and again

Looking back along the path as I climbed to Jenkin Crag

....and ahead with Windermere below

Arriving at Jenkin Crag view point....

....with Wray castle on the other side of the lake

Zooming in on the skyline with Crinkle Crags and Bowfell....

....and below to Lowood Bay hotel and marina

Continuing on the path to Troutbeck....

....and looking back along it

Descending to  Troutbeck village....

....and again...

....passing through the pretty village....

....and church 

Looking north to The Tongue with Threshthwaite Mouth behind after gaining height on the climb to Sour Howes 

Looking back to Troutbeck village on the other side of the valley

Starting the climb to Sour Howes....

....with Dubbs tarn & lake Windermere

No summit cairn on Sour Howes 1585ft so I planted my walking pole instead while I had lunch....

....before descending into the Kentmere valley looking back to Sour Howes

Looking north up the Kentmere valley....

.....before finally walking down the valley into Staveley.

Day 4 completed with a perfect day's walking in perfect weather!

Day 3 Bootle to Brough Walk

Coniston to Ambleside 

via Tarn Hows, Skelwith Bridge, Loughrigg fell, Rydal Caves & Rydal Hall, 13.5 miles  1900ft 

I arrived in Ambleside over an hour too early for the first bus to Coniston. I decided to walk to the Coniston road and try my luck at hitching a lift. 

In less than 5 minutes I was picked up by a National Trust ranger on his way to work in Coniston!

Here I was 7.30am passing the very nice Coniston Inn on my way to Tarn Hows!

Looking south down Coniston Water....

....and back to Coniston marina

By chance my route took me here through Boon Crag farm, the National Trust property where my lift ranger  was working

The view down Coniston Water opened up as I climbed towards Tarn Hows....

....passing Tarn Hows cottage on the way

Some nice reflections in the still waters of the tarn

Sat here on a bench I activated the bird song identifier on my phone. In 10 minutes I heard all the following:

Song Thrush, Robin, Wren, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Nuthatch, Dunnock, Redshank & a Canada Goose!

I rather liked this tree silhouette on the crag behind me

Descending from Tarn Hows I joined the 'Cumbria Way' here alongside the river Brathay....

....which I crossed next to....

....Skelwith force....

....before continuing to Skelwith Bridge

My route continued on paths over the shoulder of Loughrigg fell.... 

....before descending to Rydal caves....

....and again....

....where I sat overlooking Rydal water for my lunch...

....and again....

....and again

After crossing the Rothay valley a short climb took me to Rydal Hall....

....and part of the Rydal estate gardens....

....before a final stroll into Ambleside passing it's famous Bridge House

This was a lovely walk full of great views and lots of interest. There was no strenous climbing on the fells which made a pleasant change. Certainly a thoroughly enjoyable Day '3'