Lake District
11km/6¾ miles 4½ hours
1 NY393216 Cross the road going left of a green building to take a footpath right (next to a phone box). Follow the track past cottages. Continue through a gate to pass more buildings. Just before a ford (and as you join a wall on your right) take the left path at a fork. Follow the grassy track uphill towards a small col above. When the track splits (at a stream) take the right fork, staying right again at another fork. Follow the rising track ahead and, higher up, wind your way along the ridge, crossing odd dips. Higher up, below Common Fell (after a very boggy section) leave the track to follow a faint grassy path uphill past a large boulder to the cairn on the top.
2 NY382204
Descend south westerly, soon rejoining the track you left. Follow this along the Brown Hills ridge, curving to the upper reaches of Swineside Knott. Just before the track dips take a narrow path left to the small cairn on the summit. Rejoin the track, going towards Hart Side. Descend to curve right around the valley head, continuing to a wall. Follow this on the right side going left over a stile further on. Go right, climbing steeply by the wall to take a path left as the angle eases. Continue to the cairn and plaque on Birkett Fell.
3 NY364198 Head south-westerly, then westerly, as you go descending to curve right and then ascend again to Hart Side summit.
4 NY359197 Retrace your steps back downhill but as the path bends left and the angle eases, stay ahead (south-easterly) taking a fainter path that climbs over a subsidiary summit. Beyond, maintain the same direction and, as the path fades, descend trackless and rough, wet slopes easterly, aiming for the wall you ascended beside once it comes into view. When you reach the wall go right, to go left over the stile again.
5 NY369193 Go ahead (north) descending towards Dowthwaitehead. Cut left over a stream and gully at a marker post, heading down to pass through a gate, heading for Dowthwaitehead. Go over a broken wall and then half-right past
a grassy mound. Cross a stream, go left of a grassy bump and continue to pick up a better path near a wall and fence. Continue by the wall/fence (following a drainage ditch, and later a beck), through a gate in a wall corner and left over a bridge. Cut right to curve left passing through two gates to a path junction. Go over this, continuing to a lane by the farm. Go right, rising on the lane and continue to reach a junction after a car park left. Go right for Dockray, descending to eventually go right at a junction back to the start.