Wednesday 10 December 2014 – Gummer’s How from Ghyll Head

We enjoyed a lie in today, before leaving Ghyll Head after 10 am on a low level circuit involving Gummer’s How. This was as a result of an atrocious weather forecast, but apart from a bit of wind fuelled hail above 300 metres on Gummer’s How, conditions were relatively benign for the nine of us on this walk. Others were lazier.

Here we are, early in the day at Winster House. Nearby, a pheasant shoot was in progress. Apparently John P, on a separate walk, was offered a ‘snifter’ and a job as a beater. They obviously recognised his thirst for alcohol but didn’t notice his crippled knee.

The River Winster was slightly inflated after yesterday’s rain, which had continued overnight. We managed to cross without incident, but the ford may have proved tricky for the average Renault Laguna.

Elevenses with brownies in a field were soon surpassed by mulled wine and coffee in the Mason’s Arms. The coffee was much delayed by a mechanical failure, as a result of which we managed to avoid leaving the pub until after a sharp squall had passed over.

Lunch was taken in an initially sheltered suntrap in Raven’s Barrow (pictured, top), then, after recovering various items that had been snatched by the sudden arrival of a heavenly huff, we made our way up to the summit of Gummer’s How. Roger and Peter managed to join me in getting directly to the summit. Others arrived by a circuitous route. Some were just happy not to be blown away in the squall that arrived just as we approached the top.

Views towards Windermere could at least be admired.

After the Mason’s Arms we had dropped off my map, so I have Kathy and Barbara to thank for pointing us all in the right direction after that, thanks to some routes being downloaded to their GPSs last night. Well done all concerned. We found the correct path through Blake Holme woods and along good paths, with a pause for afternoon tea and the last few brownies, to reach the road to Ghyll Head and get back in time for a cuppa at 4 pm.

Here’s our route, more or less made up as we went along – 19 km, with 700 metres ascent, taking a little less than 6 hours. Another excellent day out.