Earl's Hill Walk
On Sunday 2 April, we took a fair trip out to Pontesford, SW of Shrewsbury, for a walk starting and ending at Earl’s Hill nature reserve, led by Alison and Lesley.
It was a beautiful spring day, ideal for walking, and the countryside round there is very pretty, with several hills, woods and ponds noted on the walk.
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There are also a number of quiet lanes to walk along.
We also passed through the village of Castle Pulverbatch - unfortunately not stopping at the White Horse Inn
– before having a look at what is left of the motte and bailey castle
and then having our lunch on a very pretty and secluded bank
with a lovely view.
Later, we passed around Lawn Hill
before climbing back up to Earl’s Hill to finish the walk. All in all, a really lovely day out.
Derwentwater June 2019
A party of twenty Lichfield Ramblers enjoyed a holiday in the Lakes. We stayed at the HF 'Derwentbank' hotel and walked on four days.
We were blessed with excelent walking weather. Dry and sunny but not too hot, with a cooling breeze in the valleys and cooling gales on the tops.
The walks varied from a six mile flattish stroll to an ascent of Scarfell.
Phil and Dave always chose the harder options and climbed in excess of 10,000 foot!
We drove up on Monday morning and in the afternoon a group of 12 climbed Barrow Fell.
The group assembling at Braithwaite.
Starting the climb and looking back over Braithwaite.
The top 455 metres
On the way down. A steep ascent but gentler descent.
Walking by Coledale Beck in Braithwaite on the way back. 
The Village Shop in the pretty village of Braithwaite.
On Tuesday an energetic foursome climbed Scarfell.
Phil, Richard and Ed on Stockley Bridge, an old packhorse bridge 
A typical view on the way up, with Great End in sight
Grinding our way up 
Waterfall on Grains Gill
Starting to scramble 
Looking back down over Sprinkling Tarn
More scrambling as we neared the summit 
At the summit of England's highest mountain (978m). You can't see the other 25 people there as well 
Summit picnic. Guess what Richard is eating.
Richard takes a rest on the Scafell Pike trig point. His first trip to the lake district. What a start! 
Piers Gill gorge 
View back over Styhead Tarn to Bassenthwaite Lake in the distance 
Phil takes a well-deserved rest 
The way down was difficult at times 
Fortunately we didn't need to use the contents!
On Tuesday five attempted Glaramara.
The start of the climb 
unfortunately the leader missed the track and we found ourselves in the valley. We had to crawl up 300 foot to regain the ridge track. 
The track faded out again and we maintained a compass course across open ground. At lunchtime we decided to shorten the walk and come down Hind Gill to Seathwaite.'
This proved to be steep, rocky and in places wet. 
On Tuesday the sensible eight did a linear walk from Seatoller back to the hotel. This followed the River Derwent and the the west bank of Derwentwater.
The bridge at Rostthwaite
Coffee by the river 
Wild Geese 
An undulating section of the track 
The church at Grange 
The lunch spot at the south end of the lake, wih uninvited guests 
Unable to get served at the tea shop due to a large mob of teenagers in the queue, we drank from our flasks 
On Wednesday the easier option was an out and return walk along the picturesque Langstrath Valley.
The Bridge at the Head of the Valley 
Returning down the right bank of Langstrath Beck 
Wednesdays hard option was dale Head which involved a climb of 2700 ft
Phil, Dave and Ed were joined by Judith 
The view from Blea Crag over Derwentwater 
Cat Bells from Bull Crag 
Dave gets to the top of High Spy 
Ed at the Dale Head cairn 
The view back down the Newlands Valley 
Trying to find the way back! 
Honister slate mine from Dale Head 
Honister Pass and Buttermere 
Great views along the ridge from Hindscarth to Scope End 
Thursday's harder option was billed as Red Pike, 4 ¾ miles.
Phil, Judith, Tony and David drove to Buttermere to climb Red Pike. The path crosses the land between Buttermere 
and Crummock Water then goes up the valley of the Scale Beck 
past Scale Force (unfortunately hidden in trees and unphotographable). It then turns left and climbs to Red Pike where lunch was taken
David, Judith, Phil &Tony on Red Pike.
Having gained the Summit of Red Pike, to the right of the photo, Phil decided that we would do High Stile, to the left, as well. 
The descent from High Stile is quite tricky, involving clinging to rocks, scree and clambering over boulders.
The planned 4 ¾ miles became 7 ½ .
Crummuck water from High Stile 
The descent to the lake. Unfortunately the path disappeared and we had to plough through braken to reach these woods
Thursday's middle walk was the famous Catbells
The way up that Jo, Pete, Stuart, Margaret, Richard and Lesley took
Looking back from the top, view over Derwenteater 
The top bit 
Richard and Lesley at the summit. ( Pete photo bombing)
Jo and Pete at the top. The two trying to avoid the camera are Margaret and Stuart
On Thursday, eight of us went on a relaxed amble around Allerdale, led by Alan and Pauline.
Walking from the hotel at Derwent Bank, we soon crossed the River Derwent bridge
and went on to St Kentigern’s church in Crosthwaite 
where the 19th century Poet Laureate Robert Southey is buried. Having spent some time looking around the impressive church, we walked under the old railway bridge 
and crossed the busy A66 to a bridge over a stream in pleasant woodland 
Walking over a boggy field via a boardwalk 
we soon had views across to Skiddaw 
Before long we crossed over a slate footbridge 
and walked through the lovely tiny village of Applethwaite 
Here, we decided to have a coffee break, looking over to Cat Bells where some of our Lichfield Ramblers colleagues were walking 
. 
Before long we were joined by a very bold hen which expected to be fed...it was obviously used to people and was certainly not chicken.
Continuing our walk, we reached Millbeck, a hamlet dominated by the Millbeck Towers holiday home owned by the National Trust 
where we spent a little time looking at the information board outside Underskiddaw village hall.
Walking down the road, we came across this unusual road sign 
. We didn’t even know they’d taken their driving test...
Shortly afterwards, we passed this beautiful house 
before walking across the fields to the river 
. We did not go via the Boghouse!
We had lunch by the river, with views over to Skiddaw 
.
Mac enjoyed watching swallows and wagtails flying about the river, as we all did. On the last stretch of the walk, we passed by a tree swing, which Jean could not resist 
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