Thornton-in-Lonsdale to Kirkby Lonsdale

The Minx, my enabler-in-chief, dropped me off by the Marton Arms in Thornton-in-Lonsdale, this morning, so that I could try the route back to Kirkby Lonsdale, which relies quite heavily on footpaths and thus presented me with many opportunities for getting lost. Consequently, I had two pages of map prints in my pocket.

And I'm glad I took them with me as I consulted them several times along my route, going from Thornton-in-Lonsdale across the fields to Far Westhouse, then up a lane and across some more fields to Higher Westhouse. Here I joined the A65 for about thirty yards before running all the way up to Masongill Hall. Another footpath across to Ireby and then I was on the lanes to Leck.

From Cowan Bridge, I took the footpaths to Whoop Hall, crossing the course of the Roman Road, which fords a small river here, and then this small bridge over a subsequent stream. I suppose it might have served as some kind of metaphor for the year ahead, except I was looking back the way I'd come and a bridge representing 2020 would look a lot more hazardous than that!

Whoop Hall marked the end of the new route and the last couple of miles home were very familiar to me. It was a nice run, about eight miles all in, and if I tag it onto the run down from Chapel-le-Dale, that'll give me a nice half-marathon.

In the afternoon, the Minx and I went out for a drive, taking in the road between Thorton-in-Lonsdale and Dent, where a recent snowfall provided some mild excitement. The views, though, were well worth it (see Extra).

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Reading: 'Mayflies' Andrew O'Hagan