Tallentire, Tallentire Hill, Redmain, Bridekirk, Cumbria.
[12.8 km] Wed 27 Nov 2013

OS Grid Ref: NY 1100 3550
Lat/Long: +54.706647, -03.382829
After a very gloomy drive I reached Tallentire, near Cockermouth, which was equally gloomy. The sky was heavily overcast but didn’t threaten rain. I left my car in the village and headed along the lane towards Tallentire Hill. Across to my left I could see wind turbines then across the Solway Firth were the mountains of Scotland.

Up the hill I reached a cross roads but the road then deteriorated to a muddy track. Near the summit of Tallentire Hill I walked into the field on the right to have a look at the trig post. Then it was back to the muddy track towards Top Wood. The track deteriorated further and was deep mud in places. Eventually I emerged in to a large field with a substantial stoned track running round it.

The path continued straight on across the open field towards a wood in the distance. In the wood were remnants of horse jumping barriers but they didn’t look like they’d been used in years. The path crossed a field and through a dense wood before emerging at the top of a long lane above Millstone Moor. I followed it down to the road and on towards Willamsgate. There was another stoned track running parallel to the road and I can only assume its use is for a horse gallop.

I reached the busy A595 but thankfully wasn’t on it for long before turning off towards Redmain. I turned down to the village but overshot the turn off for the path towards Redmain hall. I corrected my mistake and headed off across fields over Park Hill and back to the A595. I joined the route of the Allerdale Ramble footpath and headed across fields to Bridekirk.

After St Bridget’s Church the road headed down across Brides Beck and soon after the path left the road to cross fields towards Tallentire. The path markings weren’t all that clear and I had to re-trace my steps at one point. Back in Tallentire I followed the road back to my car where it was as overcast and dull as when I set off.