Tarn Crag and Blea Rigg

Friday 2nd January 2026

I had nothing planned for the time I spent in the Lake District over the New Year and even more so for my penultimate day because I didn’t have the forced structure imposed by having to walk to another youth hostel since on this day I was staying at the Grasmere Youth Hostel for two days, so I would be going back to where I had started the walk. The evening before I finally had to come up with something and it came into my mind to walk up the Wythburn Valley and to get there from Grasmere I had to go over the pass of Dunmail Raise, which I’d never done before, is the lowest point between the north and south of the Lakes and carries the main road. I kept to the quiet country lanes north of Grasmere for as long as possible to delay joining the main road, and when I eventually did I kept to the grassy verge that eventually brought me to the top of the pass where a cyclepath begins down the other side. I previously came down this track in 2016 when there was no traffic on the road due to a landslip and that was the only time I had previously been in the Wythburn Valley, which is notoriously boggy. I was hopeful that the bogs would now be frozen solid so I could better appreciate a valley that Wainwright said has many geological and geographical features of unusual interest. At Steel End I turned left and soon entered a conifer plantation where I lost all trace of the path as it disappeared into a swamp. Eventually I retraced my steps and found a broken gate that I had ignored which brought me to the Wyth Burn.

With the ground under my feet mostly frozen hard I had an enjoyable walk beside the stream with views ahead of me towards the shadowed Rake Crags and Black Crag while behind me the western slopes of Helvellyn were picking up the morning sunshine that I was sheltered from. The path took me past a scenically delightful stretch of valley with the burn tumbling steeply through a narrow wooded ravine until eventually I emerged to a levelling of the terrain around ‘The Bog’. Fortunately the path skirted the edge of the Bog and so I was able to keep my feet dry before rising again to Wythburn Head where I emerged into the sunshine and turned south heading into bitterly cold winds. It was difficult to stay warm in these conditions unless I kept moving so I did what I could with extra layers and pressed on, briefly joining the Coast to Coast path until I reached Far Easedale Head where I turned right to follow an unreliable line of old fence posts up the hillside. I came up this way just a year earlier but this is such a great, quiet route I was more than happy to take it again before branching left to cross the slopes. There was a lot of ice on the ground which had to be avoided, making the walking tricky, but soon I was on the ridge that gradually descends from High Raise with stunning views before me towards Grasmere until I reached the end of the ridge at the top of Tarn Crag where the views were even more impressive.

Turning around, I headed back up the ridge, branching left to descend onto the shelf that contains Codale Tarn, where I was blessedly sheltered from the cold winds. After passing the partially frozen lake I joined the clear path from Easedale Tarn which was very rocky and icy underfoot, so great care was needed until I reached the top where I turned left, ignoring the Langdale Pikes, to head towards Blea Rigg. The 1:50,000 scale Ordnance Survey map indicates that I was on Blea Rigg, a ridge that comes south east down from High Raise, past Sergeant Man and terminating above Blea Crag. However, in practice Blea Rigg is understood to be the peak above Blea Crag, so that is where I was now headed, gradually descending with fantastic views down the complex, undulating ridge with Windermere in the distance. I have had many enjoyable walks down this ridge and despite the familiarity I thoroughly enjoyed the descent again. Eventually I descended to the top of Blea Crag, i.e. Blea Rigg, with higher ground behind me a short distance back up the ridge. A steep descent from the top was necessary before I could continue the traverse of the ridge and, as is my usual practice, I diverted off the clear path many times to visit the summit of the many minor tops along the way. 

Great Castle How was followed by Little Castle How before another steep descent brought me away the outcrop-rich part of the ridge into an area that was predominately grassy, sometimes boggy, and less interesting. Before reaching Lang How I branched left to descend across the northern slopes of the ridge, but with no trace of a path I had to follow the route that the O.S. Maps app claimed was the route down, keeping constant careful attention on my location. Eventually I reached a clearer path amongst juniper so from there I was more confidently able to descend into Grasmere. This walk was at its best when I was sheltered from the strong cold winds and it was enjoyable ascending the Wythburn Valley through stunning scenery. It is remarkable that both Wainwright tops that I visited on this walk were descended to down ridges where the tops are at the end of the ridge and so only look like a top when seen from the other direction. The following day I walked from Grasmere to the railway station at Windermere with no attempt to create a notable walk out of it, except near the end when I stopped off at the crowded summit of Orrest Head where I had good views back to the fells of the Lake District before saying goodbye to them until next time.

Holme Fell and Langdale

Thursday 1st January 2026

I had no interest in seeing in the New Year so, after an early night, I left the Coniston Youth Hostel and saw that there was now a sprinkling of snow on the high fells. I bought some things for lunch and then set off along the route of the Cumbria Way, which climbs a couple of fields, passing over High Guards before descending back down to Yewdale Beck. Another climb brought me through Tarn Hows Wood to Tarn Hows Cottage where the route back down again was difficult to follow, but soon I was at the road and crossing Glen Mary Bridge. A sketchy path brought me to Harry Guards Wood and became increasingly steep and stony as I ascended Holme Fell, which I had previously climbed by this route in 2009 under deep snow. I attempted Holme Fell exactly a year earlier from the north, but abandoned it by descending this path which was very difficult in descent due to the loose stones, though this was not a problem in ascent. When I reached the top of Uskdale Gap I turned south to visit the fine cairn at the top of Ivy Crag and from there I continued across to the adjacent ridge and the summit of Holme Fell. A strong wind blowing did not detract from the great views, south towards Coniston Water and west towards the high fells including Wetherlam and the snow dusting the Old Man. The Langdale Pikes and the rest of the Lake District was arrayed before me in gorgeous splendour. 

On returning to Uskdale Gap I continued heading north making my way along the north east ridge of Holme Fell, which I had previously used in ascent in 2017, but poor weather had prevented me from appreciating it. Then a year ago I attempted it again only for the weather to be even worse, prompting me to descend before I reached the summit. The day before this walk, while passing around the fell, I had observed this ridge and decided that it would be a good idea to descend that way, and so the idea for this walk emerged. Now, despite a cold wind, I had clear views for my traverse of a ridge that was not always easy to follow with a path that was intermittent and not consistently clear, which had been a big problem for me when in low cloud on my previous visits. It was an enjoyable path, though it avoided the numerous small tops along the way and instead weaved a course around them, undulating up and down until finally I reached Man Crag where a clear descent took me down to the Oxen Fell track. After stopping for lunch I felt very cold and despite putting on an extra fleece it took me a long time to warm up again as I walked along the track to Hodge Close where I turned right to continue heading north. While descending Holme Fell I had noticed a prominent peak a short distance to the north, Great How, which is rarely visited and I had certainly never been there before, so I took the opportunity to divert from my intended route and climb to the top.

There were great views from the summit of Great How, though this is possibly the best that can be said about it with Lingmoor Fell across Little Langdale looked particularly fine while the pass of Dunmail Raise attracted the eye on the line of hills along the northern horizon. A steep descent brought me down to Little Langdale where paths I have never taken before took me across the valley to the track that heads towards Elterwater, but I soon turned off to climb over the low ridge through woodland. On the other side I turned left onto a track that gradually descended into Great Langdale, passing Baysbrown to reach Oat Howe where I crossed the valley to reach the road near Harry Place Farm. After passing the farm I took a faint path that climbs steeply up the side of the valley with views developing behind me past the Langdale Pikes and towards the snow dusted fells. I previously took this path in 2016 when the weather was much worse with low cloud and mist spoiling the view. Now, it had just been a way of lengthening the walk so I wouldn’t reach the youth hostel too early, but it provided me with a thrilling traverse that Wainwright was full of praise for saying it “is a beautiful and exciting route, hardly more strenuous than the road and infinitely preferable. It deserves to be much better known.”

With the skies clearing I was provided with stunning views to Elterwater with Windermere visible beyond, and the delights continued into the ravine of Megs Gill, across a thrilling traverse above the precipitous slopes and onto the top of the ridge below Silver How. A stony path took me all the way down the other side to the boat landings at Grasmere with the village a short distance away. Not surprisingly the Lake District was very busy, but there were many paths that were devoid of people, partly because of my early start, and the path from Harry Place to Megs Gill was also empty. This was a satisfying walk despite not having a firm goal except to have an enjoyable day’s walk in the Lake District.

Latterbarrow and Tarn Howes

Wednesday 31st December 2025

I have been coming to the Lake District at Christmas and the New Year for several years and I will usually include a walk between Ambleside and Coniston, so I feel like I’ve done all the possible paths between the two hostels which made picking my route last New Year’s Eve difficult to plan. Eventually I came up with two different walks for this day, though both covered familiar ground: a low level option over small hills and a high level option that climbs Swirl How and Great Carrs, but I left the choice to the weather. The day started with overcast skies and a frost, and while it was forecast to clear it would then worsen in the afternoon. Ultimately, I decided to do the low level route because the high level route would cover very familiar, tedious ground in the morning and I just wanted to relax on this holiday, so I didn’t want to do a strenuous walk up high fells. Therefore my first goal was the outlying fell of Latterbarrow, taking the road out of Ambleside, crossing the River Brathay and walking along the cyclepath that runs alongside the road to Hawkshead. This is, of course, also a familiar path for me but it is such a good route I was more than happy to take it again.  It was a very cold morning and soon my hands began to feel it, but, rather than countering this with extra gloves, I knew from experience that the first thing to do was to put extra clothing around my core and soon my hands felt warmer. Another tip for keeping warm in such cold weather is from a flask of hot tea which I often took a sip from on this walk and this kept going as I followed the path into Pull Woods while admiring the views produced by the frosty ground conditions. 

The alternative high level route would have taken me across farmer’s fields whereas this was much more interesting as it took me mostly through woodland, and as the cloud began to clear I had stunning views that included towards Wansfell and Red Screes. The morning frost soon began to burn off in the sunshine and when I came off the cyclepath I began to climb quiet country lanes that brought me into High Wray and soon I was stripping off the extra layers that I had put on earlier. My ascent took me past the National Trust’s High Wray Basecamp and with the views improving with every step I continued to climb, through woodland and out onto the bare top of Latterbarrow where I immediately stopped to take in the view, but I was disappointed to see that clouds had covered the sky again. Eventually I reached the stone column or obelisk that sits proudly at the top of Latterbarrow which I had previously visited ten years ago when the weather was much better, but sadly not on this occasion. Despite the overcast skies, when I turned towards Coniston to begin my descent, I had great views before me with the high fells on the horizon across the valley of Hawkshead.

I came down this way on my first visit to Latterbarrow thirteen years ago, but in twilight, so perhaps I wasn’t able to appreciate it then, but now I loved it and all too soon I reached a road and after a short walk along that I turned right onto a path that would let me bypass Hawkshead. However, when I reached Black Beck I turned left to head into the village and stop there for lunch including buying some extra food. Back out of the village, I returned to Black Beck and followed it to Hawkshead Hall, continuing up Skinner How Lane to Knipe Fold where a rough byway continued my ascent. At the highest point on the lane I turned left onto a footpath that took me to the ever popular lakes at Tarn Hows. As the forecast high winds and deterioration in the weather began to make itself felt I walked around the Tarns, avoiding the crowds as much as possible until I had reached the other side. After crossing the outflow I branched off the encircling path to head into the hills that are west of the lake and is known as Tom Heights, but is little visited and I had certainly never explored this area before. Faint paths took me through the complex terrain that provided me with an interesting walk and good views in all directions including towards Coniston Water.

The path beyond the highest point was difficult for me to follow because the ground was very wet and churned up by cattle, so it took me a while to find the correct route down the steep ground until I eventually managed to return to the byway where I turned left heading to Oxen Fell High Cross. I stayed on the track, crossing the main road and the northern slopes of Holme Fell to take a course that would delay my reaching Coniston for a long as possible. I could have headed straight towards Coniston a long time ago, but then I would have reached the hostel long before it opened and before it got dark. Instead I took an interesting route past old quarry workings, including the enormous Hodge Close Quarry, and through gorgeous woodland. I enjoyed walking along these paths and while it attempted to rain it didn’t last very long and eventually the long walk brought me into Coniston. It is always very enjoyable walking in the Lake District even if I didn’t climb any Wainwrights, and I even got to take some paths and climb a hill that I’d never done before.

Sour Howes and Sallow

Tuesday 30th December 2025

After fulfilling my family obligations over Christmas I was keen to get back to the Lake District so I caught a train and was at Windermere station before noon. If it had been my intention to get away from everyone and unwind from the acquired stresses over Christmas, then climbing Orrest Head was not the way to do it as this small hill is a popular place with families that provides them with a great viewpoint after minimal effort close to a town. So, after initially following the crowds through the woodland below Orrest Head I branched off to cross the western slopes while still enjoying some of the views across the northern part of Windermere as those at the crowded summit. The fells above Langdale were shrouded in mist while clouds covered most of the sky overhead so the views were mixed, but it was still wonderful to be back in the Lake District. Firm paths that were enjoyable to walk upon took me across sheep fields to a road and after passing Near Orrest Farm I turned left onto a path that I remember losing my way on in 2021, so this time I took extra care to follow the correct, though not clear route which brought me to Moorhowe Road and from there onto Dubbs Road. Apart from bypassing the top of Orrest Head I was still following my route of 2021, and, from much further back, in 2006 when I eventually turned right at a stile onto Applethwaite Common, unlike in 2021, and now I did so again.

A clear path weaved a course past a line of rocky outcrops, but I ignored this to walk on top of the rocks which made this an enjoyable route up for me, so I was disappointed that there is not a more prominent ridgeline. I had great views across the Troutbeck Valley, up the valley towards the cloud-covered fells and down the length of Windermere, which was looking particularly good on the rare occasions when the sun came out. When the rocks began to disappear I retreated to the path and continued the ascent all the way up to the summit of Sour Howes which could be in several different places, though none of them are really note-worthy and all are a significant distance beyond the point where the gradient eased. The Ordnance Survey marks a 483 metre point as the highest but a more pronounced top further away is likely to be where Wainwright considered as the summit. Turning north I headed along a broad ridge following a clear path around Moor Head on an enjoyable walk with little wind and gradual descent to the col before a gentle ascent led me to the summit of Sallows. I have climbed these two fells just twice before, firstly from Windermere station in 2006 and then on my way to the station in 2015, but Wainwright also described routes of ascent from the south east, from a bridlepath that crosses the eastern slopes from Ing to Kentmere and perhaps I should explore that in future. 

A steep descent brought me to the Garburn Pass where I turned left to descend the stony track with views up the Troutbeck Valley to my right and ahead of me down the valley towards Windermere. Before reaching the junction with Dubbs Road I turned off the Garburn Road onto a path that dropped steeply down past young trees. I would not have thought of going this way as there is not a right-of-way, but the O.S. Map app suggested this route and who was I to argue with my A.I. lord and master? This brought me into Limefitt Holiday Park and now I followed my route of 2022 across the valley, into the village of Troutbeck and around the western slopes of Wansfell finally reaching the Ambleside Youth Hostel as the light was failing. I had no real plans for my second week in the Lake District, over the New Year, unlike the week before when I had a clear objective to climb fells I had not visited in a long time. That just left me able to have an enjoyable and relaxing holiday in the Lake District with no pressures to achieve anything and if the weather was good enough to allow me to visit the tops of some fells then good. On this walk I visited two fells that I had previously visited just twice before and I had an enjoyable walk. What more do you need?

Armboth Fell and Raven Crag

Wednesday 24th December 2025

On my last day in the Lake District before Christmas I made my way to Thirlmere and parked in the car park near the dam for the reservoir, setting off along the permissive path that runs between the shore and the road. I had never been on this path before so I was overjoyed to be walking along it now as it meanders around the headland through the trees, but all too soon I reached Armboth Car Park where I left Thirlmere behind and headed up the hill beside a fence near Fisher Gill. Soon, I had views behind me across Thirlmere towards the Helvellyn range while to my right I passed below Cockrigg Crags before emerging from the trees to the open fell where I branched off the clear path to cross Fisher Gill onto boggy paths that were almost frozen where the sun wasn’t shining. Ahead of me I could see the rocky plinth of Armboth Fell so I headed across the heather and bog and soon reached the summit. I previously climbed Armboth Fell in 2008 in snowy conditions and I had never been back despite several planned attempts. On that occasion I had bagged the top as an out and back from High Tove, so I was keen to climb it properly, which I had now done and was the last Wainwright that I had done only once. After wandering around the summit for a while I realised there was a cairn on a heathery spur to the south that was Wainwright’s summit, even though the Ordnance Survey now say I was at the highest point, so for completion I crossed over to the south top.

A clear path avoids the worst of the bogs between the highest point on Armboth Fell and High Tove, but since I was now on what had been thought to be the highest point in Wainwright’s day instead I decided to cross straight over from there following a sketchy path that was mostly dry, or frozen, except when crossing the top of Launchy Gill. Eventually I reached Shivery Man, and the fence that runs across the top of the broad, boggy ridge, where I turned right to continue my struggle through the heather until I eventually reached High Tove. I was here less than a year earlier, at the beginning of 2025 when there was a covering of snow on the ground, but now the sun was shining and the early frost was melting. I had been reluctant to return so soon after, but there was no avoiding it and also visit the close neighbouring Armboth Fell. A flagstone path led me across the broad saddle towards High Seat and when I reached the trig point at the summit I was greeted by stunning views in all directions, including glimpses of Derwent Water and Bassenthwaite Lake. At the beginning of the year the weather had been much poorer with overcast skies and snow so I now had a great contrast to the view as I basked in the sunshine beside the summit.

After eating my lunch sheltered from the wind behind the east top, known as Man, I set off down the grassy, eastern slopes until I reached the edge of a conifer plantation where a gate afforded me access and along a track that led me to a junction where I turned right towards Raven Crag. This was a heavily manufactured path ending in a flight of steps up the hill to a sensational viewpoint along Thirlmere. I last visited this in 2014 and I don’t remember such severe manufacturing of the path and viewpoint then, but I wasn’t bothered as the views in the sunshine were amazing. I climbed around the top of the crag getting different angles while taking loads of pictures. Unfortunately I needed to get home, so I had to leave these stunning views and descend an eroded, stony footpath steeply down the hill back to my car. I was disappointed to be leaving the Lake District, especially when the weather was as good as this, but I needed to back home for Christmas and it wouldn’t be long before I was back.

Low Fell and Fellbarrow

Tuesday 23rd December 2025

On my second day in the Lake District last Christmas I continued my quest to bag the Wainwrights that I had previously done only once before. A Wainwright is a hill, known as a fell, in the Lake District that Alfred Wainwright devoted a chapter to in his seven pictorial guides to the Lakeland Fells. To bag a Wainwright means to visit the summit of the fell and the first Wainwright I wanted to bag on this day was Whinlatter, a fell in the north western part of the Lake District, north of the pass that is named after the hill. There is a car park at the top of Whinlatter Pass so after parking there I set off for a short distance along the road to a forestry track that climbs through the conifers north of the road and it wasn’t long before the experience of walking along the track and climbing the hill was easing my mind of the worries and weight of the modern world. At a junction I had a view through the trees, but hardly anything could be seen of the valley below so I turned around and headed along the path that continued the climb until I reached a gate that led me out of the wood and onto the open fell. Initially I had to climb up beside the fence until a clear path appeared heading across the broad ridge leading me towards the top of Whinlatter. The ground was wet and boggy with low cloud all around me, but it was not particularly thick and at least it wasn’t wet or windy, which is all I really ask. Before too long I reached Whinlatter Top, the highest point on the fell, but there was little to see so I turned around and retraced my steps.

However, when Wainwright wrote his guides the only top that the Ordnance Survey acknowledged on Whinlatter was at Brown How, at the western end of the ridge, so that is the location of Wainwright’s summit. I did not realise this when I climbed it last Christmas and looking at modern Ordnance Survey maps the east top is now shown as higher than Brown How and named as Whinlatter Top, so that was as far as I went. When I previously visited Whinlatter in 2007 the weather had been good and I traversed the entire ridge as far as Brown How as part of an epic walk. Bagging summits is a rather pathetic activity in this way, up and down in less than an hour for no other purpose. Who cares if I actually ‘bagged’ the Wainwright summit? Back at my car I drove down the other side of the pass into Lorton Vale and parked at Lanthwaite. My goal now was a pair of hills that I had previously climbed Christmas 2010 and I began with a pleasant walk through Lanthwaite Wood to reach Scalehill Bridge before branching right across a couple of fields and up towards the steep slopes of Low Fell. An interesting woodland path took me across the foot of the hill before finally turning left to ascend via a diverted path which did little to relieve the steep gradient, so after working up a sweat I finally reached the top of Low Fell.

Despite the misty conditions I had great views south across Crummock Water and towards the Loweswater Fells, so I lingered for a while, eating my lunch, before finally setting off along the path that traverses the fells, which was an enjoyable walk because it was clear and not too muddy along the gently undulating ridge. Eventually I climbed up to the northern top of this pair of Wainwright fells, Fellbarrow, soon turning around and branching left across the top of Meregill Beck to reach a clear track, an old drove road, that provided me with an easy and pleasurable descent all the way down to the tiny community of Thackthwaite. A lengthy walk along a narrow, country lane brought me back to Scalehill Bridge where the bridleway through Lanthwaite Wood led me back to my car. Now, it was only two o’clock and even at this time of the year I still had a couple of hours of sunlight left, which is the same problem I had fifteen years earlier after climbing Fellbarrow and Low Fell for the first time. My solution on that occasion was to climb Binsey, a small hill on the northern edge of the Lake District, and this seemed to be my best option again. I made my way past Bassenthwaite Lake to a side road off the A591 road, and parked in the same place I had parked in 2010, not far from a muddy track that directed me up the hill towards Binsey. After crossing the fell wall I found a good, firm path that led me all the way up to the windswept summit of Binsey.

I had previously visited this fell twice before, first in 2008 in the dark and then in 2010 while the sun was setting. Although it was also late afternoon for my third ascent, the time stamp on my pictures indicates that I was now at the summit more than half an hour earlier than in 2010 so I had better light and much clearer views towards Bassenthwaite Lake and towards a small body of water that I had not noticed before, Over Water. I was overjoyed at having a proper view from the summit and during my descent down the other of Binsey, back down onto a road and along the quiet, country lane to my car while the light held. Although the weather on this day was not as good as on the day before, it was good enough for walking as it wasn’t windy, except on Binsey and that was not so blustery. It was very satisfying for me to be revisiting fells that I had not climbed in a long time, that lie on the edge of the Lake District and are difficult to reach without a car.

Mell Fell Medley

Monday 22nd December 2025

After a long and difficult autumn I was excited that it was finally Christmas and I could make my annual pilgrimage to that most delightful of places for walkers, the Lake District. Rather than taking the train, this time I thought I’d drive so after a long journey I made my way to Ullswater parking at the Hause, the top of the road that passes between Watermillock and Matterdale End. My goal on this short stay in the Lake District was return to the hills, known as fells, that I hadn’t visited for a long time with my first goal being to visit the fells in the north eastern corner called Little and Great Mell Fell following a walk on the O.S. Maps app called Mell Fell Medley. I was at the start of the path up Little Mell Fell, which I had visited only once before back in 2008 and neglected all these years mainly because it is very small and inconsequential, but because Wainwright devoted a whole chapter to it in his Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells, then it is obligatory to waste time climbing it. The ground was very muddy after the large amount of rain that the Lake District had recently endured but it wasn’t long before I had climbed the short, steep slope to the top. It was great to be walking and with the sun shining, though it was a bit hazy with cloud capping most of the fells, so the best views were probably towards the neighbouring fells. 

Previously I had gone straight up Little Mell Fell and back down the same way, but this time after reaching the summit I turned west to head towards Great Mell Fell crossing a series of gates and wire fences despite this being open access land. Eventually I reached a narrow road where I took a path across the shallow valley to reach another road and the start of the path up Great Mell Fell, which was much more interesting than the one on Little Mell Fell, and more prolonged, passing through bands of rock and trees on a good path until the gradient eased over the broad, waterlogged top. It felt great to be on top of a hill and I realised that the last time I had been this high was on the Cambrian Way more than six months earlier and my reward was a fabulous view towards Blencathra, despite the haze and cloud. Except for the two weeks I had spent last summer crossing Scotland and down the Northumberland coast I had hardly done any walking in the last six months, so I was feeling very emotional to be back in the Lake District and doing what I love. I dropped to the ground a short distance down the western slope from the summit to have my lunch and gaze in awe and wonder at my surroundings absorbing the feeling of being back in the Lake District.

The heat that I had generated during my ascent soon left me so when I set off to head back down the fell I had to don extra clothing including gloves and a woolly hat. A walker is always regulating their body temperature through many different ways from taking layers off and on all the way down to fine adjustments of your zip. Climbing a hill generates a lot of heat that soon dissipates when you stop, which needs to be carefully managed. I love it. Eventually I returned to the road where I had started my ascent of Great Mell Fell and now I headed south along the road branching right and then left to head towards the third fell in the Mell Fell Medley. Although there are only two Mell Fells, it is possible to add a third fell in Gowbarrow Fell, which is not far away and easily included. The road soon brought me to Ulcat Row below the impressive northern crags of Gowbarrow Fell, but there is no path up the steep slopes so I had to follow a path that passes below going all the way round Norman Crag and now I felt like I was really in the Lake District as the path passed over the rocks below the crags and eventually brought me to the western slopes and the path that climbs to the summit beside a wall. This was a typical National Trust, heavily manufactured, path that felt even more Lakeland, though Wainwright was dismissive of this route up saying it was less attractive than the alternatives. I appreciated the rapid ascent and I was still able to take in the view across Ullswater towards the sun setting over Glenridding.

I enjoyed the path as it snaked up the fell and eventually brought me to the summit of Gowbarrow Fell which I had previously visited just once before all the way back in 2007, more than eighteen years ago. A steep craggy descent, that I could or should have gone around, took me off the summit and onto an easy path that circles Gowbarrow Fell and provided me with an interesting walk until I reached the remains of a shooting lodge where I turned left into a conifer plantation, Swinburn’s Park, on a good path that eventually brought me to the road that passes over the Hause. This was a great, little walk over three minor fells that vary considerably. Great Mell Fell deserved to be climbed if only for the view of Blencathra, while the ascent of Little Mell Fell is too short to be worthwhile. Gowbarrow Fell is a great little fell on its own and deserved more time spent exploring it than I had on this occasion or even in 2007.

Northumberland Coast Path to Amble

Friday 5th September 2025

While I was on the bus at the end of the previous day’s walk I decided I didn’t want to resume the Northumberland Coast Path from Beadnell, where I’d just reached, and instead I would start from the village of Embleton. This was partly because of a road closure that was forcing the bus to take a wide, time-consuming diversion between Beadnell and Embleton, and it was also because I was becoming rather disillusioned with the trail, which didn’t seem to be living up to my expectations. So far on the Northumberland Coast Path, I had seen a lot of long sandy beaches, which don’t interest me, whereas a rock-filled, craggy shoreline appeals to me much more. My map showed me that the Northumberland coast after Embleton would be more to my liking, so with gorgeous blue skies overhead I caught a bus to Embleton and set off along the road past what seemed to be the scourge of the coast, golf courses, and soon I reached Embleton Bay. While walking between the beach and the golf course I approached the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, and after going around I found a popular path made up of those heading to the castle. The views back along the rocky shoreline to the ruins were spectacular even though there were many people also in the shot.

Eventually I reached the village of Craster where I weaved around the buildings and continued along an excellent footpath beside a stunning coastline that was much more to my taste with rocky foreshores and craggy cliffs. This went on for several miles and in the bright sunshine I was enjoying every step and turn of the path while the stunning views prompted me to take many pictures. Unfortunately, the delights came to an end in Boulmer where sand returned and I had to find my way around a caravan park, followed by another golf course and with the deterioration in the scenery the weather also worsened with increased cloud cover and a stronger wind. Eventually I entered Alnmouth and with fatigue adding to my woes on this day I came to the mouth of the River Aln where I drearily headed inland to walk beside the road across the river and along a cycle path until I was finally able to return to the coast, but with the sea hidden behind the undulation of the grassy dunes the walking still lacked interest. It wasn’t long before those things that had often interrupted me on this holiday once again appeared with a caravan park followed by a golf course until I finally turned inland to reach the village of Warkworth.

After passing the castle I walked between the road and the River Coquet into the town of Amble where I finally decided that I had had enough of the Northumberland Coast Path and so, after getting some fish & chips, I caught a bus back to Alnwick. Despite the brief section of stunning coastline between Embleton and Boulmer, which rivals the Berwickshire Coastal Path, I had had enough of the Northumberland Coast Path. Sandy beaches and dunes do not appeal to me and since almost all of the rest of the trail from Amble to Cresswell involves going around the sandy Druridge Bay I elected to not bother. The following day was overcast and I spent it in Alnwick before walking slowly beside the river to the railway station at Alnmouth. The purpose of this holiday had been to simply provide me with a relaxing break where I could shed all of the stresses that I had acquired over the summer at work, and, although it often wore me out physically, it did succeed in leaving me thoroughly refreshed and relaxed.

Northumberland Coast Path to Beadnell

Thursday 4th September 2025

The day before this walk I had started the Northumberland Coast Path, starting from Berwick-upon-Tweed, and heading south I had reached Holy Island also known as Lindisfarne. I had planned on skipping the next stage by catching a bus to the village of Seahouses because the trail heads inland from Lindisfarne to avoid a nature reserve, but by this point in my holiday I was keen on a change of scene from the coastal walking and with the bus to Seahouses not being until 10.30 I decided to keep to the trail. First, I needed to return from my overnight accommodation to the village of Fenwick where I rejoined the Northumberland Coast Path as it climbs into the hills. After the rain of the day before it was great to be walking in sunshine again, though it would soon cloud over, and on Fawcet Hill I had views, over a herd of cows, back to the coast and the low-lying island of Lindisfarne. There I came to a junction of paths where my maps, both Harvey and Ordnance Survey, indicated that the coastal path keeps climbing to reach St Cuthbert’s Cave, but the signpost directed me in the other direction into Virgin Hill Wood. This was a shortcut that I had already considered on taking and now appears to be the official route so I was more than happy to take it instead of climbing up to the pass between Greensheen Hill and Cockenheugh and then after passing behind the latter heading back towards the coast.

My route took me along a track into the conifer plantation and past Swinhoe Lake to rejoin the old route at Swinhoe Farm whereupon I crossed many fields to descend into the village of Belford. I took advantage of my being in Belford to buy some food to keep up my strength and after passing through the lovely, little village I took a footpath past the edge of a golf course that brought me to the busy A1 road. Rather than taking the footpath opposite I turned onto the B1342 road around a small industrial estate to reach the railway line. The day before I had not enjoyed using the pedestrian level crossing at Fenham Hill so I didn’t want to repeat the experience at Belford Burn crossing, however, this left me stuck on the road, which after a level crossing meant walking along the road into the oncoming traffic for over a mile until I reached a junction where I could take to the safety of a quiet country lane, signposted Spindlestone. This brought me into a lovely, little, tree-covered valley where a walk through the gorgeous woodland brought me back onto the Northumberland Coast Path and the coast itself, for the first time this day. I was at the southern tip of Budle Bay and followed the shoreline path where I had views across the bay while the buildings on Lindisfarne were a distant blip on the horizon. 

A caravan park and a golf course provided me with distractions inland until I reached the club house where my way now proceeded along a road with views down the coast to Bamburgh Castle, sitting dramatically on a rocky plug. It was an impressive sight and perfected by the golden beach before it, but the area was too popular with tourists for me, so I just followed the road through the village and on the other side a path took me tediously through many fields as I frustratingly veered away from the coast again. The new England Coast Path stays beside the coast at this point while the older Northumberland Coast Path keeps away, which made me think that perhaps the latter has now been superseded by the former, whose route is much better, with the issue possibly being that the Northumberland Coast Path sticks to pre-existing rights of way while the England Coast Path uses new access rights to the coast. At Shoreston Hall I turned left to return to the coast following the route on my map, but the official route actually stays inland until it reaches the outskirts of Seahouses. 

Instead, I was able to enjoy walking beside the beach that brought me into the large village of Seahouses and around a golf course on the other side, which necessitated my having to walk beside the road until I could walk through the dunes that brought me into the village of Beadnell where I waited for a bus to bring me to Alnwick. Although there were some enjoyable moments on this walk, helped by the weather, it was beginning to frustrate me that the trail wasn’t keeping to the coast and the coastline was not as dramatic as what I had seen earlier in this holiday. With only a few days of my holiday left I at least wouldn’t have to put up with it for much longer.

Northumberland Coast Path to Lindisfarne

Wednesday 3rd September 2025

A year ago I bought a Mac in a Sac poncho and throughout the Cambrian Way in May and until the end of my walk the day before this one it had proved very useful, especially during short showers where I could quickly put it on without taking off my rucksack. It wasn't perfect though, mainly in windy conditions when it was very difficult for me to put on, which I found very frustrating, and then it just flapped excessively in the wind. Despite this I loved that mac so I was upset when I couldn’t find it at the start of this day. The day before I had used it briefly, near the end of the walk, and when the rain stopped I had hung it onto the back of my rucksack, but now there was no sign of it. I can only think that it had fallen off having not been properly secured, which was distressing for me. Inevitably, it was raining this day, so just when I really needed it I no longer had the poncho. I just hope that someone found it and they needed it more than me. I tried retracing my steps to the point where I remember having the poncho but it was hopeless. Soon I got very hot in my waterproofs, which the poncho would have prevented, and this is a common problem in the warm, humid conditions that often occur in Britain. After wandering around Berwick-upon-Tweed wondering whether I could find something to replace my lost poncho I disconsolately gave up and set off along the Northumberland Coast Path, crossing the River Tweed on the historic Berwick Bridge and soon I reached the magnificent sight of Spittall Beach.

After walking along the promenade at Spittall I climbed up towards the railway line that is part of the East Coast Main Line and I had walked beside on the previous day into Berwick-upon-Tweed. I now followed it again on a track with the sea to my left all the way to a car park at Cocklawburn Dunes. From there I walked along a quiet road with views across the extensive sands and as the rain eased my route became a path through the dunes. I appreciated being able to put my hood down as this made me feel less claustrophobic, isolated from the environment and free to take in my surroundings. The walking was very easy on flat ground, but there was nothing interesting to look at and especially when the path plunged deep into the featureless dunes with the sea hidden beyond the undulating grassy mounds. As the rain started up again I eventually had a change of scenery with a line of concrete blocks dating from the Second World War, but even this didn’t last long with the dreary landscape not improving.

Eventually I crossed the South Low river where an alternative route follows a cycle path while I stayed on the official route along a faint, wet path beside the river to another line of concrete blocks that brought me to the road at the start of the Lindisfarne Causeway. A line of cars was waiting for the tide to fall sufficiently so they could cross over to Holy Island with the official safe crossing time just ten minutes away but as I looked on some cars started to risk the crossing while I pondered whether to walk across myself. I was unsure. Lindisfarne has been a place of pilgrimage for over a thousand years but I didn’t really care. The Northumberland Coast Path doesn’t cross the causeway and while there are the ruins of an abbey and a castle on the island they would probably not be very appealing in this weather. Eventually I turned my back on the cars streaming across the causeway and followed the Northumberland Coast Path, which soon turned inland to avoid crossing Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve, and brought me to the railway line. 

To cross this I needed to phone the signal box to get permission, to make sure a train was not coming, and this terrified me, either because I had to talk to the signal box or just because I was crossing the railway line. I think it was the latter because the trains were passing at more than a hundred miles an hour. Despite my trepidation I safely made it across and five minutes later two trains passed each other at the level crossing. Moving further away from the coast, I passed over a hill, across Fenham Burn and to the A1 main road, which was much more easily crossed than the railway line. Soon I entered the village of Fenwick and there the coastal path turns left but I ignored the turning and eventually returned to the A1 where I found my accommodation. This was a disappointing walk, mainly because of the weather, though losing my poncho was not a good way to start the day. Fortunately the rain was mostly light and I wasn’t too severely affected by the loss. However, even when I had a view of the coast it wasn’t the dramatic sea cliffs that I had enjoyed on the Berwickshire Coastal Path and instead all I saw was sandy beaches, which don’t look good in this weather. 

Berwickshire Coastal Path

Tuesday 2nd September 2025

While waiting for the bus in Berwick-upon-Tweed to take me back to the village of St. Abbs, so I could resume my walk along the Berwickshire Coastal Path, I had a wander around the town walls while enjoying the gorgeous, warm sunshine. The weather was still fantastic when the bus eventually deposited me in St. Abbs with the strong winds of the day before now much lighter. On that day I had started the Berwickshire Coastal Path from the village of Cockburnspath covering about half the total distance to reach St Abbs, which left me with the rest of the trail to do this day, while taking my time to relax and enjoy the walk. After dropping down to the pretty little harbour I made my way back up the hill, but soon I was feeling very tired and weak, possibly due to a poor night’s sleep. It wasn’t long before the trail took me down to the sands of Coldingham Bay and eventually I just had to stop, sit on a rock beside the beach and have a rest while trying to summon up some energy from somewhere. When I felt refreshed I set off again to climb steeply off the beach through a cleft in the rocks to reach the top of the cliffs and head towards the village of Eyemouth. My route was diverted around a caravan park before finally I descended to the beach where I took advantage of the many facilities in Eyemouth including getting something for my lunch and topping up my water. 

After eating some of my lunch, and having another rest, I set off again to walk around the harbour at the mouth of the Eye Water before following a road for a tedious few moments until I could take a footpath that led me back onto the coast. With stunning sea cliffs to my left and the ubiquitous golf course to my right I enjoyed the fabulous weather and the easy walking along an undulating path that always offered me with amazing views along the coast. Eyemouth Golf Club was soon left behind and a steady climb brought me to the top of Blaikie Heugh with the cliff top walking continuing until I turned inland to reach Burnmouth where a lovely, overgrown path brought me down to the harbour and an even better, overgrown path took me steeply back up, away from the sea to reach the railway line, the East Coast Main Line, which I have travelled along many times. Flat, easy walking led me to what I consider to be the most scenic section of the whole line and I was thrilled to be now walking beside it. The line at that point runs along the edge of the cliffs with stunning views out to sea across craggy headlands. I loved every moment when a train came zooming through at high speed and took loads of pictures, though the sun and the trains never appeared together, which frustrated my artistic eye. 

A low, craggy ridge of red sandstone runs between the railway line and the sea affording the passenger with fleeting glimpses out to sea, which just makes the whole scene even more enticing. Eventually the dark clouds that had been spoiling my pictures started to drop rain, though it was never heavy, and I finally came to the English border. I was now leaving Scotland behind including all the stunning scenery that is inherent in that beautiful country, however the stunning coastline continued and even though the Berwickshire Coastal Path technically ends at the border, in practice it keeps going into Berwick-upon-Tweed. Tall cliffs provided me with fabulous views up the coast when I was not negotiating a caravan park at Marshall Meadows or another golf course, which shows that the Scottish obsession with golf is not unique. Fortunately no one was playing there so I was able to safely walk past until I reached another caravan park with the stunning coastline ignoring such trivial man-made intrusions and continued to provide me with amazing views around Sharpers’ Head. As the weather worsened again, the golf course reappeared on the other side of the caravan park to get in my way before I finally descended onto a road and turned right past the mouth of the Tweed and into Berwick-upon-Tweed.

I enjoyed walking along the Berwickshire Coastal Path, though my walk this day was marred by my lack of sleep. I was never in a hurry so I was able to stop frequently to take a rest and walk slowly, keeping at the pace that I was able to maintain. The coastline was stunning and occasionally there were some truly wild stretches of path, which I enjoyed, as well as seeing the trains on the railway line while walking beside the best section of the whole East Coast Main Line. Even though I was now in England that didn’t mean the coastal walking had stopped because I was now in Northumberland which also has a famous coastal path and I was looking forward to starting that next.

John Muir Link and the Berwickshire Coastal Path

Monday 1st September 2025

Two day before this walk I finished the one hundred thirty-four mile trail that runs across Scotland from Helensburgh, on the mouth of the Clyde, to Dunbar, the birthplace of John Muir, the father of the conservation movement. However, previously the John Muir Way was a much shorter trail solely within the county of East Lothian and while most of this older route is within the much longer, newer trail, there is a section of the old route that is not and extends the trail to the Scottish Borders at Cockburnspath. These ten miles are now known as the John Muir Link, with the word “Link” often pasted over the word “Way” on the signposts, and it provides an important connection with two Scottish “Great Trails” that start or end at Cockburnspath. I had originally planned on doing the John Muir Link on the day after I finished the John Muir Way but with no buses running on a Sunday to bring me back to Dunbar I was forced to take a day off, which I greatly appreciated as the John Muir Way had left me exhausted and with very large blisters. However, this left me with a very long day to do both the previous day’s walk and the one originally planned for this day, so I got up extra early and set off from Dunbar, soon walking beside the coast, though with the inevitable golf course inland. Fortunately, since I was so early, the only person on the course was the grounds keeper and no one was playing their nonsensical game. 

It is usual to do a long distance trail in Britain heading north and/or east so the prevailing winds and the sun are behind you, but on this second week of my holiday I was heading south, so I had the sun ahead of me into a brisk wind. Since this was a long walk I tried to maintain a brisk pace, particularly at first to get past the golf course, while behind me I had good views towards Dunbar, while ahead of me the views were less appealing with the tall chimney of a cement works dominating the skyline and the vast buildings of Torness Nuclear Power Station in the distance. Eventually I passed Barns Ness Lighthouse and along the concrete breakwater that surrounds the power station, all while enjoying extensive views out to sea and along the coast. After negotiating a caravan park I enjoyed a walk along the beach and atop a grass bank which afforded me with better views up and down the coast. There was an interesting crossing of the mouth of Bilsdean Burn, though there was hardly any water coming over the falls, and not long after that I finally came off the beach to pass under the Great Old North Road Bridge that spans the deep valley of Dunglass Dean. Several more bridges followed, one of which I crossed taking me into the Scottish Borders, so this was the actual point where the original John Muir Way ended, but a steady climb brought me out of the wooded valley and into the village of Cockburnspath where the John Muir Link now ends. 

Knowing I had a long walk ahead of me, I had considered missing out the diversion inland to Cockburnspath, but I appreciated the views from higher up and it was great for me to be back in the centre of the village where I had ended the Southern Upland Way two years earlier. The Berwickshire Coastal Path also begins at that point, so, after having something to eat I set off along the trail, initially retracing my steps along the Southern Upland Way. I enjoyed remembering that trail as I passed under the A1 bypass and the railway line to reach the coast at Cove Harbour and walk above awesome cliffs with stunning views back to the power station. The poor weather that was passing overhead when I reached Cockburnspath had soon gone to reveal lovely sunshine, though this also did not last long as dark clouds began to cover the sky again. When I reached Pease Burn I said goodbye to the Southern Upland Way and climbed the hillside to Greenheugh Point with views back over the bay spoilt by a cramped-looking caravan park. Soon, I turned inland to reach a track that led me towards a large industrial complex, but fortunately I turned off the track before I reached the buildings to continue climbing up to a road. A prolonged spell of walking along the road brought me to Redheugh Farm and beyond there I was climbing again, further away from the sea. I was becoming frustrated that this coastal path was nowhere near the coast!

The benefit of climbing so high was that I now had stunning views back north, up the coast with the nuclear power station and the cement works far in the distance. Later, the trail took to a narrow path through heather and bracken above a steep slope falling precipitously all the down to the sea while poor weather, including rain, passed overhead. By the time the rain had stopped I was passing Dowlaw and descended grassy fields, across Dowlaw Burn and finally returned to the coast above Rough Heugh. I now had impressive views ahead of me along the coast towards St Abb’s Head, but undulating terrain meant that it was not going to be easy for me to get there. A steep descent brought me down to Westerside Dean and an even steeper ascent brought me back up the hill to Tun Law where a dramatic walk followed above sea cliffs with the promontory before me. Finally a steady descent brought me to a road and this took me up onto St Abb’s Head and the lighthouse. I wasn’t particularly excited by the nature reserve, perhaps because of the strong winds, which had been present all day, and because of the overcast skies. The top of the promontory was covered in grass, so there was no interest there, and the sea cliffs were difficult for me to see and nothing I hadn’t seen all day. 

A grassy path led me back down the hill beside the crags and continued with a short section of spectacular coastal scenery that had me rethinking my opinion of St Abb’s Head, which could simply have been due to my fatigue after a long walk. Soon I reached the village of St Abbs where I waited for a bus to take me to my accommodation in Berwick-upon-Tweed. This was an epic walk of twenty-five miles that was curiously satisfying and exhilarating. The coastline was always spectacular but the weather was not as it was frequently changeable, which didn’t help with the views. The main problem I had with the weather was the strong winds, which I really don’t like walking in, so the best bits on this walk were when I was sheltered from the wind.

John Muir Way: North Berwick to Dunbar

Saturday 30th August 2025

The Saturday before this walk I had started the John Muir Way, a one hundred thirty-four miles long distance trail that traverses Scotland, coast to coast, starting from Helensburgh on the Clyde estuary. Now, I was at the start of the final stage of the John Muir Way, which would lead me to the birthplace of John Muir, father of the environmental movement, in Dunbar. I was in North Berwick on the southern shore of the mouth of the Firth of Forth and at the start of the day I paused above the golden sands of West Bay Beach to take in the view that included the islands of Craigleith and Lamb under clear blue skies that unfortunately would not last. I reflected that I must have been pushing myself to complete the whole trail in eight days. Generally, it is usual to do a hundred miles a week on a trail, but I had taken the flat terrain as an opportunity to do the whole route in less than the recommended eleven days, though it hadn’t been without problems, most notably the blisters I had acquired while traversing Edinburgh, which is unusual for me, but possibly a reflection of the large amount of tarmac walking. Turning my back on the view out to sea I headed through the gardens of North Berwick Lodge towards the notable hill of North Berwick Law, which had been dominating the view for many miles. The John Muir Way skirts the western slopes, but with a relatively short day and good weather I felt I had to take the opportunity to climb it, so after hiding my rucksack in the undergrowth I skipped along the rocky path which snakes up the steep hillside and soon afforded me with views over the Firth of Forth.

A brisk wind was blowing at the top, but I loved the steep climb which I had missed on the John Muir Way and was my main attraction of visiting the hill since the views were spoilt by the houses of North Berwick while clouds also deprived me of sunshine at that point. After the satisfying ascent I came back down and retrieved my rucksack before heading south following the edge of fields for a long tedious walk with few highlights. I had an interesting walk through a patch of woodland near Balgone House, which continued through Craigmoor Wood where the sun came out again and when I emerged from the trees I had extensive views that stretched all the way to the Lammermuir Hills. I was reminded of the Southern Upland Way, which I did in 2023, but since that crosses the southern edge of the range those were not exactly the hills that I could now see. Eventually, after climbing over Drylaw Hill I dropped onto the road that passes through East Linton where I stopped to have my lunch and a rest after coming so far through tedium. With my blisters giving me renewed problems I left the village to walk along the bank of the River Tyne, however, the scenery was still too agricultural while the river was not wide enough to provide interest and eventually I left the river at Tyninghame Bridge to follow a wide track, the Ware Road, which led me to a sudden view across the mud and sands of the Tyne estuary. 

The route took me along an embankment, which was decorated with concrete blocks from World War Two, until, after crossing Hedderwick Burn, I entered what appeared to be a conifer plantation, but is actually part of the John Muir Country Park. I followed a fence beside the pine woods, with an animal park on the other side, before passing Bellhaven Bay to reach the outskirts of Dunbar, but then the trail took me onto a spectacular clifftop path. However, by this point it had started to rain while on my right was a golf course where the golfists still wanted to play their stupid game while being interrupted by innocent walkers just trying to follow a legitimate footpath. I didn’t know what I supposed to do. The poor weather and the golfists ruined the end of the John Muir Way for me so it was a relief when I finally left the clifftop path and came into the centre of Dunbar to reach the birthplace of John Muir. With the rain still falling I walked into the museum where I proudly proclaimed that I had just completed the John Muir Way, but I didn’t enjoy the trail, solely because it was too flat for me as a hill walker and I most enjoyed those sections that climbed up to visit the Antonine Roman wall. 

The following day I remained in Dunbar, which provided me with an opportunity to recover from the trail and with much better weather than I had endured at the end of the John Muir Way I took the opportunity to retrace my steps along the clifftop path and I had a much more pleasant walk, uninterrupted by anyone else, while admiring the spectacular cliffs. It was a very relaxing day.