108 StagePath the family way to walk

Venture back-stage: Ride & Stride with the Bus 108 StagePath Venture back-stage: Ride & Stride with the Patterdale Bus The complete green tourism experience combining car, bus, boot and perhaps even boat.

INTRODUCING the second dedicated walking route to a Lakeland bus service – also check out the 555 StagePath from Windermere to Keswick. Four walk stages link the regular bus stops for the Patterdale Bus. Take a ticket to ride on Stagecoach’s 108 service on its journey between Penrith to Patterdale then experience the theatre and drama of Lakeland on foot. In piecemeal fashion - drive to each stage-end bus stop - ride back to the preceding bus stop and walk the course of the bus’s majestic run by river, lake and fellside path. The first two walk stages are easy pastoral strolls, the second two encounter the contours and are therefore more energetic, but correspondingly scenically the more stunning too. Discover remarkable historic locations such as and Roman Fort, Mayburgh , King Arthur’s Round Table and Barton Church. Marvel at the delicious beauties of visiting , Gowbarrow Park, and the high bowl of Glencoyne Head, Keldas and Grisedale. A rising crescendo of scenic pleasure from town to country, from riverside path and placid lake to exalted mountain realm in the shadow of and St. Sunday Crag. As a wonderful finalé you can also cruise the length of Ullswater to Pooley Bridge and back, to extend the thrilling emotion afloat. By using the bus you can enjoy both the picturesque scenery and an inspirational health-giving walk. Pure magic every step of the way, to enjoy with family and friends at any season of the year. The whole walk tracks the bus on reliable paths taking advantage of the best views and best walking options. Though not ‘proper -walking’ it is nonetheless wise to carry a light daypack with a snack and drink, and wear comfy boots. Some measure of weather protective clothing will come to your rescue if the elements - wind, rain or intense sun - threaten to spoil your ‘off-bus adventure’. Using the bus at the beginning of the day enables you to relax and, walking one stage at a time, you can have fun building up the stages to complete the whole exciting 22-mile journey both on foot and bus. The walk can also be studied in greater detail on-line by visiting www.markrichards.info clicking on Ride & Stride StagePaths. 108 StagePath STAGE 1 Catch the bus at Tirril Penrith | Tirril 5¼ miles 3 hours

STAGE 2 Catch the bus at Pooley Bridge Tirril | Pooley Bridge 3¼ miles 1¾ hours

STAGE 3 Catch the bus at Aira Force Pooley Bridge | Aira Force 6 miles 3½ hours

STAGE 4 Catch the bus at Patterdale Hotel Aira Force | Patterdale 7½ miles 4½ hours

CHECK THE TIMETABLE – also displayed at each bus stop – to avoid having to wait for an uncomfortably long time for your back-stage bus. Additionally, phone Traveline 0871 200 22 33 or visit www.stagecoachbus.com for advance planning.

The StagePath in the leaflet has been carefully researched and described for clarity of route finding. The maps on the other hand are very basic, as there is no substitute for carrying and referring to the correct Ordnance Survey Explorer Map, acquire OL5 and/or the handy Harvey Outdoor Atlas.

Penrith Map Key Line - Journey of the 108 bus service Dashes - The route of the Tirril 108 StagePath Pooley Bridge

Go wbarrow C ottages

Aira Fo rce

Pa tterdale

Window-gazers can reflect on the walk and mountain scenery with the aid of the unique combined 108/Kirkstone Rambler guide to the ride leaflet ‘From A to B to SEE’.

STAGE 1 5¼ Miles - 3 Hours Catch the bus at Tirril and travel back-stage to Penrith bus station Walk from PENRITH BUS STATION back to TIRRIL A heritage ladened start to your StagePath adventure leading through the historic town to Brougham Castle then along the Eamont to via , where you encounter two regionally important monuments the ringwork of King Arthur’s Round Table and amphitheatre of .

1 From Penrith Bus Station in Sandgate pass through the arch and cross the zebra-crossing slant right through the passage on the right side of The Grey Goat (PH). Go over the next zebra crossing to the Spar and bear left by Market Court, thereby wandering round into the churchyard. Spot the curious Giant’s Grave and Thumb beside the north wall of Penrith St Andrew’s church, two single shaft crosses with hogs-back

grave stones in between, they Brougham remarkably date from the end of Castle the first millennium. Pass on along the passage into the Market Eamont Bridge Place, the architectural Ma yburgh surround is quite remarkable Ya nwat h deserving of a moment’s 360 degree admiration. Tirril

The Giant’s Grave and Giant’s Thumb in St. Andrew’s churchyard, sandstone shafts and hogbacks dating from AD 1000 Brougham Castle (pronounced ‘broom’) on the site of the Roman fort Brocavum

2 Follow the main road pavement left, along King Street this becomes Victoria Road and from which shortly bear left into Roper Street, this becomes Carleton Road. The foot and cycleway arriving at a pedestrian crossing with traffic control lights of the A686. Cross and pass The Cross Keys/Kyloes Grill (a handsome barn-style extension) following on with the old main road, on the foundations of the strata via Roman road from to York. This broad road is very quiet today being a cul-de-sac leading down to the Frenchfield Sports Centre. Keep with the continuing confined lane alongside the rowdy A66 and the tall sports-field fencing to a subway beneath the A66. A left-hand turn would give scope to visit English Heritage’s impressive Brougham Castle (pronounced ‘broom’), beautifully observed from the Castle Bridge, partially built upon the site of the Roman fort of Brocavum, sited at the confluence of the rivers Eamont and Lowther (the latter means ‘the foaming or lathered waters’). 3 Turn right and cross the stile (waymarked with Discover Eden kingfisher plates) entering the meadow following on with the river’s edge path via a gated stream bridge, glance left at the weir, leading to a sequence of three stiles One of many prominent door in woodland rounding a lintels in Eamont Bridge modern riverside house compound. Joining the access drive which leads to Eamont Bridge. Notice the odd door lintel datestone on the house across the road facing right, to Nethan and Elisabeth COULL, surely the Roman numerals MMDCCXVIII read 2718? Eamont Bridge has been a significant ford and bridging point for many thousands of years. As a community it is far more ancient than Penrith, much as relates to the River Kennet, the two great monuments in the edge of the village relate to the and on a comparable cultural timeline. 4 Cross the tubular footbridge and choose from two options. Either wander right with the riverside track, entering the adjacent field at a kissing-gate at the drive entrance to Bleach Mill. Advance via stiles to the road at Southwaite Green Cottages. Alternatively, follow the village street by the bus shelter passing The Beehive and Crown Hotels to turn right at the mini-roundabout. King Arthur’s Round Table can be visited left by a kissing-gate adjacent to a bus stop. Some four thousand years old the latter-day cultural link with the Regis Arthur myth the result of the ‘lost in the mists of time’ knowledge of its original purpose. Clearly a ritual gathering point, one may presume touching on ancestral connections. The forebears of our contemporary regular church attenders had A wayside motif installed religious observances too, by the East it is the pattern of man’s Countryside Project spiritual allegiance with beside the River Eamont place.

Eamont Bridge

Mayburgh ring mound centred upon a solitary standing stone

Standing stone in the middle of Mayburgh The Eden Millennium stone, standing between Mayburgh and King Arthur’s Round Table

5 Follow the road to the next bus stop beside the impressive Millennium Stone, erected in the year 2000 as a modern statement of cultural and spiritual connectivity for the whole . Follow the cul-de-sac road signed to Southwaite Green, after the right-hand bend (forced by the rude imposition of the ) come by a brown Mayburgh Henge sign, where one may slip through a kissing-gate and wander round the high ring bank, at the centre of the amphitheatre stands a 3m high ceremonial megalith. In the C19th there were three further stones, and two pairs flanking the eastern entrance, all wantonly lost. Might this be where maidens played fertility games? The relationship of this monument with the Round Table is perhaps beyond knowing. Gathering all that beckstone to create The Gate Inn, a Slow Food the bank was a colossal rendezvous in Yanwath task but obviated the digging of a bounding ditch. 6 Regain the road by the same kissing-gate. Passing Southwaite Green Cottages descend the access road to go under the motorway, the River Eamont having a separate adjacent underpass. With the caravan site office right and old mill building left take the footpath signed immediately left. Notice the two millstones, gritstone standing on the right, burrstone laying on the left, this latter is a French quarried stone for milling hard grains like wheat. The footpath rises to a kissing-gate entering pasture, go right along the field edge by a kissing-gate midway along the next field-edge notice a kissing-gate right. One may briefly step through here going down the steps to view the river, but be sure to backtrack to continue . A kissing-gate followed by stile as the enclosure widens keep with the left-hand fence with a line of mature trees to a hand-gate and short pasture passage to a wicket kissing-gate and confined path leading onto a drive by the Mews cottages, with the railway embankment ahead. Bear left to the railway bridge. If you wish to curtail the walk you can pass up the lane to swing left by the The Gate Inn to reach a bus shelter at the junction with the main road beyond the cottages.

Yanwath Hall 7 Otherwise go through the railway bridge (access to Yanwath Hall Farm) and slip at once through the wall-gap beside the gate following the field-edge footpath left quickly turning right at the field corner. Attention will be focussed upon the regular passage of trains and the massive castle-like C14th pele tower of Yanwath Hall. The place-name comes from the Viking settlement of the area and meant ‘one ford’. Indeed, as the path comes to a stile, switching sides of the adjacent hedge, a footpath is signed at right-angles across the pasture which leads via the original ford to Red Hill, wet feet assured – you’ll be relieved to know this is NOT the StagePath! The footpath leads on with the hedge right to a stile in the wall-rounded corner. Now pursue the fence running along the top of the slope leading down to the river, with the retail attraction mound of Rheged clearly in view and left of this an area of medieval cultivation terraces. 8 Cross a field-edge stile beneath a power line and advance to a hand-gate/stile, from where the path slips down a burdock-clothed slope to a further hand-gate/stile and plank footbridge. Bear right along the foot of the field to a hand-gate/long slated footbridge entering the riverside fringe wood. The path has been well-maintained, and pending a future landslip, steps inserted to allow walkers the option of keeping up beside the top fence where the path is most exposed to potential river erosion. The path emerges at two hand-gates. 9 The left-hand wicket-gate option is a footpath that crosses the rising pasture mid-course to a fence stile beside an ageing oak, continuing to a wall-stile onto the tiny green at Sockbridge. The same spot can be reached on a longer more attractive course prolonging contact with the river by going through the facing hand-gate a brief fence guiding right to the river’s edge and past a necessarily wide span footbridge (do not cross, but you may enjoy the view of the river from the middle). Continue upstream signed ‘Sockbridge Mill’ via a stile drift half-left via a mid-pasture stake bridge to a stile. Rise up the paddock by the shed to a stile in the tapered tip joining the access road above the entrance to Sockbridge Mill. Turn left by the pony paddocks to enter Sockbridge (curiously this appears to mean ‘the marsh-draining board’), a village merged with and indivisible from Tirril. 10 After The Cottage Pony Trekking Centre come by the narrow Green with Wordsworth House (lintel date-stone 1699) set back. William Wordsworth’s brother Richard lived in Tirril and owned the Queen’s Head Inn. At the junction turn right, then bear left with the suburban road Quaker Lane to reach the main road. There are two bus shelters one to the right and one left, beyond The Queen Inn. STAGE 2 3¼ miles - 1¾ hours Catch the bus at Pooley Bridge and travel back-stage to Tirril Walk from TIRRIL back to POOLEY BRIDGE 11 Go forward within Quakers Lane (indicative of the prominence of the Society of Friends in village life in the late C18th). Turn left with the narrowing footway (by-way) signed ‘Thorpe’. Gaining a last view back on the sturdy Yanwath Hall, backed by Penrith and the wooded Beacon Edge, the lane passes Thorpe Farm and continues as a green lane. A footpath runs in the left-hand pasture in harmony, but the lane is a pleasure in any season. 12 Reaching the main road go right along the accommodating verge passing the interesting vernacular farmhouse of Kirkbarrow. The porch headed by a medieval figure has a family shield and an old studded door. 13 Follow the side road signed Barton Church (bus stop 25m beyond) to Barton Church Farm door visit St. Michael’s Barton lintel - LD refers to parish church, an impressive the Dacre family. Norman tower at the midst of The Latin translates as a grand building set on a low ‘working for a profitable mound in a large tree-shaded cohesive community’ churchyard. The route follows the lane beyond keeps left as the track forks coming by an old farmhouse, with the following phrase over the door lintel ‘LD NON MIHISED SVCCESSORIBVS 1637:’ - might this allude to

St Michael’s church at Barton, focal its low central Norman tower Green lane leading south-west from Tirril the hope for the all-round success of future generations of the Dacre family? Bear right by the cottages to a green gate giving access through the barn-arch, into the backyard of Barton Church Farm. Continue forward bearing left, see the modest wind turbine and the old farmhouse partly C16th, partly of 1628, the upper windows suggest window tax blockage. 14 The waymarked footpath leads on by the poultry enclosure to cross a ladder-stile and by the open track via a gate. Drawing towards the end of the track bear half-left to reach the corner gate and ditch crossing. Follow the track as towards the barn coming to a three-way sign bear obliquely right to a stile/gate and keep up beside the left-hand hedge to a gate continuing on the raised greenway to a gate into a confined path. 15 Watch for the hand-gate right where go through and turn left alongside the confined path to a hand-gate now follow the right-hand fence, this leads by a redundant stile in a lost fence to a gate at a fence junction sheltering under a mature oak. Duly enter the concreted yard at the Hole House Caravan Park. Spot the evidence of naughty hens, who appear to have paddled in the wet cement! Pass on through by Bank House and bear right down the path by a hand-gate, coming to the riverbank, with water-flow monitoring weir adjacent. Enter the big meadow at a hand-gate and follow on with the green track via two gates come onto the village street beside The Sun Hotel. 16 Turn right to reach the bus shelter with visitor information in the small Ullswater Steamer shop on the right, opposite the large black & white Pooley Bridge Hotel. There are several and two tearooms, in this hugely popular tourist haunt, strategically situated close to the outflow of Ullswater. 108 bus heading back to Penrith, passing Barton road-end and Kirkbarrow STAGE 3 6 miles - 3½ hours Catch the bus outside the Aira Force National Trust Car Park and travel back-stage to Pooley Bridge Walk from POOLEY BRIDGE back to AIRA FORCE 17 Cross the actual Pooley Bridge spanning the Eamont below the outflow of Ullswater. In so doing gaining a sneak preview glimpse of the lake and its fell surround. Once across go through the facing kissing-gate (with the National Park car park to your right), signed left ‘permitted path circular route Dunmallard Hill’. Crowned by an Iron Age hill fort, locals call this little wooded hill Dunmallock, it is thought to mean ‘the fort of curses or slaughter’ and might owe its name from the Gaelic Dun Mallacht . The path keeps to the lower wood above the road - avoid the first hand-gate accessing the road (access to the Ullswater Steamer pier) - keep right to a hand-gate exiting the woodland, Bennett Poole y now fence-confined Head Bridge above the road reach the A592 road junction.

Go wbarrow Cottages

Aira Fo rce

Fly fisherman in the Eamont at Hole House 18 Cross the triangle keeping west and in a few yards find a hand-gate on the right entering the valley pasture. Two footpaths depart from this point, follow the left-hand path signed ‘Bennethead’. Keep by roadside fence and go through the next hand-gate to come upon an open track here switch right upon the track rising by stately trees to arrive at a fence corner where a waymark post guides left off the track. See beyond the fence-end a single waymark post ahead directing attention towards the hillside path which leads to a stile into the hillside woodland. A lovely interlude ensues with the occasional glimpse down on the lake, at a stile switch acutely right beside the fence with further waymarking guiding left thus making a ‘z’ bend, coming up a stile at the top corner of a conifer plantation. Follow the woodland fence in rough pasture declining via a stile to come by a large tooled block of sandstone. Inscribed ‘Rest Awhile and View’, this massive stone was carried here by the Lightburn family of Wreay Farm on whose land it stands. The scenic site of their father’s ashes poignantly shared with every passing walker as a mark of affection. Incidentally you pronounce Wreay ‘rear’. 19 The path keeps by the hedge down to a lone field-barn, handsomely restored. Two centuries ago the main thoroughfare from Dalemain came over this saddle, pre-dating the lakeside road. One may make a detour on a waymarked permissive path to the nearby hilltop earthworks of Maiden Castle. Once again we have the inference of maiden’s fertility dancing living on in the Iron Age hill-fort name (refer back to Mayburgh at Eamont Bridge). Follow on left as with the old road. Coming by a long water trough leave the track go through the kissing-gate and traverse the pasture to a further kissing-gate just short of the far corner. Descend the bank

Leaping trout weathervane in Pooley Bridge square Bennett Head Farm

Footpath from Bennett Head looking to Hagg Wood Footpath through the hay meadow west of Bennett Head All Saints, and hop over the infant Ramps Beck (a name derived from ‘wild garlic’). Rise with the fence right to a kissing- gate onto the minor road. 20 Turn left and descend into Bennethead, keeping forward at the acute junction passing Bennethead Farm, continue at the ensuing junction rising SW in the narrow road by The Croft to find a footpath signed ‘Watermillock Church’ at a kissing-gate. 21 Drift down the pasture bank to a kissing-gate and follow the obvious undulating path with lovely views down towards the lake a constant feature. At a further kissing-gate enter the marshy pasture. Two footpaths break from this point, keep to the right-hand path traversing the field to a stile continue to a further stile, bear half-right traversing the ensuing field to a fence stile left of a field-barn above Crag House Farm. Cross the next field by a mid-course footbridge to a hand-gate onto the road. Footpath along north shore of Ullswater with holiday cottage converted boathouse and Salmond’s Plantation

22 Should you be time-limited then you should turn left and walk down the road (1.3 miles), passing the handsome parish church, at the road junction fork right, signed ‘Patterdale’. Crossing Pencilmill Bridge and passing Knotts Hill chalet village the leafy road descends to the A592, go left to the entrance of the Ullswater Outward Bound Mountain School and the scheduled bus stops. Perhaps one should note that the church is not remote from Watermillock, there has never been a nucleated village. The name actually refers to , meaning ‘the lesser Mell fell pasture where wether sheep were grazed’.

Family heading for Cove and the Watermillock road, with Hagg Wood behind

Sinuous woodland path in Swinburn’s Park

23 Cross straight over signed ‘Aira Force 3 miles’. The popular path runs on beneath Priest’s Crag duly climbing to a hand-gate, with handsome long fell views a constant delight. The path ventures on to a stile with the great at the head of Ullswater, and St. Sunday Crag, striking hill features ahead. Bear right advancing to enter a conifer plantation at a stile. This is Swinburn’s Park, one of a succession of five former medieval deer preserves that almost chain-link up Ullswater. The consistent path leads up and round the combe to emerge at a stile, cross a footbridge and then slip through a hand-gate in the wall to enter the second former deer preserve Gowbarrow Park - Gowbarrow means ‘the hill of gusts’. High Dodd and Scalehow Beck across Ullswater from Gowbarrow Park

Ullswater from Family striding off Gowbarrow Fell towards Aira Beck

The sunlit Lyulph’s Tower and the Aira Beck delta peninsula protruding into Ullswater, with St. Sunday Crag in the background 24 Pass the last remains of a shooting lodge, heading south on a gently rising line through the bracken keeping to the shoulder of the fell, each stride seems to bring out a more thrilling outlook than the last. The path comes above a promontory crowned by a cairn, one may cross the stile and stand on the crest to study one of the grandest prospects of Ullswater imaginable. Hidden below is Yew Crag, a (presently closed) footpath climbs impressively up through the crag from the road meeting at this point. Step back onto the contouring path heading west gradually declining through the bracken with marvellous views over Lyulph’s Tower and the Aira Beck delta to the fabulous mountains at the head of Ullswater. The path descends to a fork bear left and quickly enter the woodland at a hand-gate keeping left joining paths that lead down steps to a footbridge. Look up the glade to see a handsome Monkey-Puzzle tree, all part of an arboretum created in Victorian times. Bear left to duly wander through the National Trust Aira Force car park (tearoom and toilets) to reach the A592, turn right to reach the bus stop. STAGE 4 7½ miles - 4½ hours Catch the bus at Patterdale and travel back-stage to Aira Force Aira Force > Patterdale

The name Aira Force sounds like ‘the force of aerated water’, though force is an Aira Fo rce Old Norse term for a waterfall, Aira actually comes from Glencoyne the word ‘ eyrr ’ meaning ‘gravel spit’, referring to the meadow delta projecting into Ullswater. 25 Wander through the National Trust car park Pa tterdale suitably equipped with toilets and a tearoom. Take a glance at the interpretative panels before striding through the arch to follow the ‘passage of thousands’ to enter the Aira Force gorge. One will immediately be aware of the stately trees, as indeed it was planted as an arboretum. Cross the broad footbridge and follow the path on the right-hand side of the gorge this ultimately leads over a bridge to the foot of the boiling pool beneath Aira Force. On sunny days a rainbow can constantly hang over the lower section of the falls, quite mesmerizing (as can be seen on the photo opposite) . The name Aira Force seems so apt. Indeed, might The National Trust be missing a comical trick in not calling the hand-driers in the loos down at the start ‘aira force’! Climb the potentially slick stone steps, they are almost permanently wet. Do glance back a third the way up to see the perspective shown opposite. The 108 bus at Brackenrigg

Aira Force, with a ray of sunlight creating a rainbow in the agitated waters Place Fell and Ullswater from Glencoyne Park

26 At the top of the stair, restored, as inscribed in 1958, turn left and passing a seat leave the wooded enclosure at a hand-gate. The path leads quickly up to a hand-gate entering a spinney which leads via a plank bridge into a car park. 27 Cross the Dockray road at the car access and climb over the fence-stile opposite. The path has all the scenic virtues, indeed it has a wonderful outlook, but underfoot the poaching of cattle have made some sections less than comfortable. Do not be deterred, the going improves on the steady rise through what was once a red deer preserve, Glencoyne Park. The prospect down to Ullswater is a constant pleasure, you are well-removed from the valley traffic and able to enjoy the great lake’s scenic qualities to the full and undisturbed. Crossing a

Ullswater from the footpath approaching Knott Ullswater from Spying How stile the path winds up by mature beech trees at a spot annotated on maps a Spying How, ‘the outlook hill’ - featured on the cover of this leaflet. One wonders what quizzical watch this may record? Climbing on more purposefully through the bracken with ever more handsome views down on Glencoyne and across to to reach and cross a fence stile set into a wall-gap. This wall demarcated the top of the medieval deer park with Watermillock Common Fell and Swinside Knott above. 28 Now on the open fell keep left, a contouring path joins from the right, but accompany the wall until the path naturally drifts slightly upwards onto peaty ground, with numerous - if not humorous - hops needed to find a dry-shod way. The path leads to cross wall-stile and enters the upper realms of Glencoyne Head, a wonderful example of a glaciated hanging valley. The path is often called the miners’ gallery, as it contours at a consistent level high above the valley floor and evolved to provide access to the lead mines at the head of the valley and Greenside. It is quite narrow and you do need to pay attention to every foot fall. Stop to spot an old breach stone dam in the valley below. The upper portion of Glencoyne Beck is appropriately called Deepdale Slack. 29 After passing beneath Scot Crag the path corners the dale-head above the adit entry to a lead mine. You may step down to inspect, but the damp interior is too low for anything other than a fox to get in, one must presume there has been some infilling to inhibit casual access. The path wends south on a gently rising line and as it crosses the brow angle down the ridge over yet more damp ground to gain Nick Head. 30 Follow the obvious path heading north-east down Bleabank Side, the northern flanks of Sheffield Pike. Passing through a gate, below the shadowed slopes cast by Black Crag, the stony path then enters woodland at a hand-gate and continues down above the terrace of holiday cottages, built as workers’ dwellings for the lead mine, they have the apt name Seldom Seen. Here join the access track which leads down to the road, with a bus stop at the road-end. 31 At last coming to the shores of Ullswater, joining a delightful path weaving through the trees at and just above the shore level which ultimately comes out onto the road as it enters the village of Glenridding. 32 Walk along the pavement passing the entrance to the National Park car park location of Ullswater Information Centre (toilets) and turning loop bus stop. The tipped ore wagon outside the Centre a poignant reminder of the origins of the village we see today. The Greenside Lead Mine situated up the valley beneath Sheffield Pike ran for well over 150 years, closing for good in 1960. The mine shaped the village of today, though the force of water racing down Glenridding Beck has had a say in the past too, when thunder brought massive rainfall to the heights of Helvellyn! Glenridding Beck’s bed of blue-grey stones and clean water attract attention, but the fact that there is space for so large a car park in the middle of the village is testimony to the dangers of having such a great mountain catchment and the effect of thunder storm swells that have torn down beck-side dwellings in past times. Hence also the great delta below the road where stands The Inn by the Lake and Glenridding Pier, the promontory created from sediment carried down by the beck at turbid torrents of stone, an endless chain of events.

Ullswater from a beech tree above Spying How Ullswater from the footpath under Swinside Knott

33 Cross Glenridding Beck road bridge where you have two walking options if you are happy to continue to Patterdale. In fact you can have a third option - by walking to Glenridding Pier you can board the Ullswater Steamer for a two-way two hour cruise the length of the lake, how beautiful is that? You can keep to the roadside footway by variant path sections. But far more in keeping with the scenic elation of this last stage, turn to climb one final little hill, at 1020ft Keldas is the crowning glory of the walk. 34 Turn right by Sharman’s shop following the lane past the Public Hall. The lane leads on through Eagle Farm. The farm-name a memory of a tie when the Golden Eagle was either still prevalent in the skies or then recently lost, due to the persecution of farmers protecting their Herdwick lambs. Notice the lovely ferns growing on the wall opposite the vernacular white-washed farmhouse. The track soon forks, bear left, away from the beck, coming through the environs of Croft House, with its productive vegetable garden. The path forks again, this time two paths to the same end, the left-hand option showing deference to the privacy of the house. The paths come together and rise up a flight of pitched steps to a kissing-gate then continue up a bank, which in late Spring is an amazing carpet of bluebells - until the bracken grows to ultimately steal the sunlight. The path switches left, ignore the kissing-gate when confronted at a wall, climb a little further to cross the brow and approach a woodland grove. Walkers following the miners’ gallery path in Glencoyne Head

35 Before you enter the Lanty Tarn enclosure, make a point of slipping through the gate ahead (with its Patterdale Hall signboard). This sets one on course up the pine-landscaped bank to reach the very top of Keldas. The hill-name meant ‘spring house’, might this have been a significant abode associated with a holy or healing well? Forerunner of St. Patrick’s Well situated at the base of the hill, mindful that the old valley road came over the hill at this point. The view is worth the very modest effort, featuring the upper reach of Ullswater, frequently alive with colourful yachts, and overlooked by great fell slopes. 36 Backtrack through the hand-gate and now go through the gate left into the tree enveloped Lanty’s Tarn. The name derives from the nickname of Lancelot Marshall from Patterdale Hall, the dam was constructed as part of his Victorian development of the estate. The setting it romantic and at this time of year the colourful leaves of the surrounding trees beautifully reflect in the invariably still waters, sheltered from the breeze. The track opens and provides a magnificent outlook into Grisedale. Ahead and the mighty slope of St. Sunday Crag and at the dale-head the craggy ridges of Dollywaggon and Nethermost Pikes, southern sentinels of Helvellyn with their wild hanging valley coves - a mountain- fest for the eyes. St. Sunday Crag has frequently been called the Ullswater fell because of the way it dominates views up the lake. It no less dominates the view from within the valley too. The track bears down by a low fingerpost and where the track next forks veer left to the gate at the foot of the descending wall. Turn left, down the pasture to a gate onto the fenced roadway. The private road left leads to the hunt kennels of the Patterdale Foxhounds. However we go down to cross the Grisedale Beck bridge. Grisedale meant ‘the valley where swine ran loose’. Sheffield Pike from the miners’ gallery path, Glencoyne Head Miners’ gallery path Glencoyne Head 37 Coming to the junction one may go left to the main road, but the finer option is to turn right by the gate and along the open road. This valley road, part of ’s famous , is popular with walkers who wish to explore the hinterland of the range from within this long deep valley. Watch for the footpath fingerpost within a few paces on the left, this guides by a gate and on through the yard of a derelict bank-barn. This classic specimen is in dire need of a pur - pose and some urgent TLC, for it is a fine piece of vernacular workmanship. The path mounts the bank ahead, gill washout has caused surface damage which explains why, this path has been newly step pitched. Go through the wall-gate at the top, entering the confines of a three-compartment sheepfold. The path is guided left by the wall and - after a path joins from the left - as a

Tipped ore wagon, a reminder of the lead mining age at Glenridding Information Centre Eagle Farm, Glenridding, backed by track the footpath contours round the base of Glenamara (frequently abbreviated as Glemara) Park, stepping stones assist in the fording of Hag Beck. The term hag referred to ‘the place where trees were cut’. This ‘park’ was in fact not just a place of woodland but, defined by a high wall, was the smallest of a series of five late medieval red deer compounds along the western shore of Ullswater. The track slips through the park’s extraordinarily high wall at a gate and then runs down by a rock rib to a kissing-gate into the birch grove of Mill Moss. Keep left and come round by the back of Patterdale Hotel to reach the road. Opposite is the pay & display car park and turning point of the 108 bus service . . . and in the summer season the Kirkstone Rambler bus to Bowness-on-Windermere. This StagePath is not a formally designated route. It has no special waymarks. The onus is on the individual walker either to follow the suggested route, or to choose options of their own. Of course, you can walk this route entirely using the bus, though the frequency of the service requires close attention on the timetable and the clock when walking. Be safe and show respect for others and the landscape through which you walk. Take pleasure from your time walking – whatever the weather there is always something unique to see, hear, sense and enjoy. Have fun.

Dollywaggon and Nethermost Pikes at the head of Grisedale from the Lanty Tarn path

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