Southport Fell Walking Club

Unusually all the walks commenced from the same venue – Pateley Bridge. From here they spread out in different directions, with most including Brimham Rocks at some stage of the walk.   Stuart’s group headed south via Duke’s Folly – those strange stone pillars on the hilltop -   as far as Summerbridge and Dacre Banks where they lunched at the Royal Oak. They returned to Pateley Bridge along the Nidderdale Way visiting Brimham Hall and the Rocks. 13.5 miles   Pat and Steph led east through Blazefield and Whitehouses along the Nidderdale Way straight to the Rocks. They then turned south to Summerbridge to follow the river back to Pateley Bridge. 10 miles. The Oldham group set off at a pace along the riverside heading for Dacre Banks. They also returned to Pateley Bridge and the Brimham Rocks using a section of the Six Dales Trail. 16 miles.   Mike James used the Panorama Road to Blazefield and the Rocks. Then returned along the Smelt Houses path along the Nidd to Pateley Bridge.

  Traffic queues heading into Ambleside confirmed a favourable weather forecast – and so it proved. At Ambleside Rugby Club, Stuart’s team left coach following paths down the western side of Windermere to High Wray Bay and Belle Grange Bay. Here they turned west with Hawkshead in mind for lunch, with the last lap past Rose Castle to Tarn Hows. A neat 12.5 m Shortly after afterwards at Clappersgate, Pat and Steph departed for Wray Castle and Belham Tarn, also with Hawkshead in mind and eventually Hollin Bank Farm to Coniston. 10m At Skelwith Bridge there was a mass exodus of the Oldham group, Mike B’s group and Mike J’s group. The Oldhams headed south with High Wray Bay and Harrow Slack in mind and eventually Latterbarrow. They paused in Outgate for refreshments and then crossed Limestone Hill for Tarn Hows and eventually Coniston. 16.5m Both Mike groups followed the path through Low Park towards Stang End with Mike J carrying on to Low Hall Garth and on up to High Tilberthwai