We had been going to go up Meal Fell and Great Cockup but the wind was so strong as we drove by Caldbeck we sacked that and drove to Keswick. From Briar Bank we let Squeaky have a run about in Fitz Park then we headed to the shore path. We thought we would walk around it depending on what the wind was like. It was much less strong in Keswick and it hardly bothered us as we walked along the shore.
Obligatory shot of Catbells and Casuey Pike from Keswick Boat Landings
What was tiresome were the amount of people here all doing what we were doing, a walk to escape the wind. When we reached the road at Ashness we left the shore path to find a less populated walk to do.
Ascending from the Watendlath/Ashness Bridge Road
We would walk below Falcon Crag and Walla Crag into Great Wood and see if we could find somewhere nice to sit for lunch.
Maiden Moor, Catbells and Causey Pike from Great Wood
There were far fewer people up here. It had been like walking in a city centre next to the shore
We stopped for some lunch in a clearing in Great Wood with a view of Bass Lake. It was lovely listening to the birds singing as we ate. During lunch I planned where we would go next, up to Rakefoot and up to Castlerigg Stone Circle.
Blencathra from Castlerigg Farm
High Rigg and Clough Head
No pictures of the Stone Circle, of course there were quite a few people about there
We walked toward Keswick down the quiet lane called Eleventrees then joined the small bit of the Keswick Railway Path that has recently reopened off the Penrith Road.
Looking back on the Railway Path
The tarmac felt very hard under foot and it jarred my joints walking on it. We wondered why on earth so many of the trees had been cleared away, lots of tree stumps left. We couldn't see any reason for removing them at all. What a shame, there had been hundreds of birds along here living in those trees
Not a huge fan of the tarmac I have to say. It will be good to see this path open in full with the new bridges but we would rather not have tarmac.
Route map
Our route was Briar Bank - Fitz Park - Keswick Shore Path - Ashness - Great Wood - Rakefoot - Castlerigg Farm - Stone Circle - Eleventrees - Keswick Railway Path - Briar Bank. 8.3 miles with 299m ascent.