BB1042 : The Rusland Round

Thursday 18th November 2010

We had a new member of the comitibus today.  Sam, who has been following our adventures for some time, asked if could join Bryan, Stan and me on our outing. However, when I saw the detailed forecast describing the day as miserable wet and windy, rain in the morning, heavy rain in the afternoon and potential gales, I was far from certain that this was going to be suitable for an inaugural event.

It made sense to stay low and as much in the trees as possible so I devised a route starting at Newby Bridge that would satisfy the criteria.

River Leven near Newby Bridge

In actual fact, the day started much better than expected.  True, it was grey but not raining nor particularly breezy- we have been out in much worse.

From the Newby Bridge Halt, we climbed up through the woods and over fields to Finisthwaite, with its fine church, St Peter's.  Thereafter, we continued climbing until we reached High Dam.  This is a lovely, if artificial, tarn, a bit like a smaller version of the much better known Tarn Hows.

High Dam, Finsthwaite

Dropping down to the Rusland Valley

Dropping down into the valley to Crosslands, we continued past the Stig's mobile home to Rusland Hall where strange things were happening on a roof.

After crossing Rusland Pool bridge, we enterered marsh land and things became very wet underfoot  Fortunately the boggiest parts are boarded- what the route was like previously defies belief!

On reaching Low Hay Bridge we were conscious that it was damp in the air and that the horrendous weather could set in at any time at all.  Lunch should be taken at the first opportunity.  Then I looked to my right and what should I see but what looked like a mini pavilion? As we got closer, my spirits fell; it seemed no more than a locked shed.  But then I realised that it wasn’t locked so at least it was worth a peep inside.  Good call! Actually, it was a birdwatcher’s hide with four seats, a shelf on which to put our drinks and a fine view back up over the marshes.  Seldom, if ever, have we dined in such luxury on our walks.

The view from the hide

Suddenly Sam got us rather worried.  He stood up and started removing his trousers. Then his underwear.  What sort of BOOTboys did he think we were?  Fortunately he was just addressing the problem of his thermals having caused him to overheat down below!

Half an hour later, it still hadn’t started raining so we thought we had better leave the hide and head on down the valley.  We passed a fine viewpoint and the Tissie Fooks memorial.  It was she who had set up the Hay Bridge Nature Reserve so presumably it was the now departed Tissie that we should thank for our luncheon shelter.  On a sunny day, her memorial that would make an excellent lunch stop.

A Hay Bridge Nature Reserve tarn

 If the weather had been really dire, it had been my plan to abandon the walk at the lovely little pub, The White Hart, at Bouth and call for a wife or a taxi- after a couple of hours waiting for the rain to stop, of course.  However, it still wasn’t raining, so after another bit of stigdom, we crossed back over the valley by Fish House Bridge then up to the shoulder of Ellerside.

Stig's garden????

Entering the woods, we came across an abandoned wigwam- no doubt the occupants decided the forecast was too foul for such a dwelling.  We came across two men fitting a new footpath fingerpost.  We complimented them on their work and they explained that the permissive paths on Ellerside were being converted to footpaths and it was open land.  One to note for the future.  Today, however, was not one for diverting as any minute now it could start raining.  

A rather finer sort of dwelling was spotted on the other side of the woods, at Town End- one of those chocolate box pretty lakeland cottages.

It would have been nice to have seen a steam train go by on the railway but nothing seemed to be moving today.  Not surprising given the time of year and the forecast but still it hadn't rained.  And then it started, just 100 yards from the car; just a bit initially, giving us time to get our boots off.  As we set off to drive home, the heavens opened and it was very unpleasant.  Or would have been had we still been out in the open.  Five minutes later, it was over and, once back in Kendal, there was no sign of there having been any rain at all.  Weird.

The Rusland Round is highly recommended for a bad day, to escape the worst of the wind and rain.  But that wasn’t today.  Had we been too meek?  Probably not, there is a big difference between the weather at 500 feet and that at 2,500 feet.  And it is a nice walk on a nice day.  One to repeat one summer, perhaps, when the irises are out?

 Don, 18th November 2010

Afternote:  Guy contacted me to express surprise that we didn’t detour to inspect Finsthwaite Tower.  When I confessed I had never heard of it he explained that soon after starting up the path from Newby Bridge, as you go up the path through the woods, there is a steep path that zig-zags up through the trees on the right.  It is, or was when I was last there, rather enclosed by trees but was once an excellent viewpoint looking up Windermere.  He added that there is a commemoration plaque with the inscription:

Erected to Honor
the Officers, Seamen and Marines of the ROYAL NAVY
whose matchless Conduct and irresistible Valour
decisively defeated the Fleets of France, Spain and Holland
and preserved and protected LIBERTY and COMMERCE.
1799"

STATISTICS:

If you have Memory Map on your computer, you can follow the route in detail by downloading BB1042

To see which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing see
Which Wainwright When?

For the latest totals of the mileages and heights see: BB Log.

E-mail addresses on this web site are protected by

 Spam Trawlers will be further frustrated by
 Spam Blocker: help fight spam e-mail!  

BOOT boys

If you want to join
The BOOTboys
Inter-continental
Fan Club
let us know and
you will receive
automatic notification
of new BOOTboys reports.

Home Page

BB04

BB05

BB06

BB07

BB08

BB09

BB10

Archive

2010 Outings

BB1001 :
The Most Perfect
 Winter Day
Thursday 7th January

BB1002 :
Snowcumabulating
 Potter Fell
Thursday 14th January

BB1003 :
A Snowy Equipment Test
Thursday 21st January

BB1004 :
Leave It To The Professionals
Thursday 28th January

BB1005 :
That's A Lyth Record
Sunday 31st January 

BB1006 :
Reasons To Be Cheerful
One, Two, Three
Thursday 11th February

BB1007 :
Can You See Clearly Now?
Thursday 18th February

BB1008 :
In Memory Of
Thomas Williamson
Thursday 25th February

BB1009 :
Almost a Mountaineer!
Wednessday 3rd March

BB1010 :
The Beginning Of The End
Thursday 11th March

BB1011 :
The Free Men on Tuesday
Tuesday 16th March

BB1012 :
We'll Get Them In Singles,
Stanley
Thursday 25th March

BB1013 :
The Fools on the Hill
Thursday 1st April

BB1014 :
The Windmills on the Moor
Wednesday 7th April

BB1015 :
By Lake, Ridge and Wainwright
Sunday 11th April

BB1016 :
The Ten Lake Tour (+5Ws)
Thursday 15th April

BB1017 :
The BessyBOOTboys
Thursday 22nd April

BB1018 :
The Kentmere Challenge
Saturday 24th April 

BB1019 :
Winter in Springtime
Thursday 14th May

BB1020 :
Red Screes and Sausages
Thursday 20th May

BB1021 :
The Mile High Club
Thursday 27th May

BB1022 :
What A Difference A Day Makes
Thursday 3rd June

BB1023 :
Something Brutal
 Thursday 10th June

BB1024 :
Rendezvous on Haycock
Thursday 17th June

BB1025 :
The Men of Gragareth
Thursday 24th June

BB1026 :
The Smardale Round
Thursday 1st July

BB1027 :
Don't Shun The Shunner!
Thursday 8th July

BB1028 :
All Around the Edge
Thursday 29th July

BB1029 :
The Return of Uncle Jamie
Thursday 5th August

BB1030 :
The Examination Results
Thursday 12h August

BB1031 :
Nick by Haggis
Thursday 19th August

BB1032 :
And Then There Were Two
Thursday 26th August

BB1033 :
A Surplus of Sheepfolds
Thursday 2nd September

BB1034 :
A Good One For Tony
Thursday 23rd September

BB1035 :
The Wainwright Triathlon
Tuesday 21st - Thursday 23rd
September

BB1036 :
The Nine Standards
or The Battle Of Birkett Hills
Thursday 30th September

BB1037 :
This Is The Way
The Wainwrights End
Thursday 7th October

BB1038 :
A Return To Sanity?
Thursday 14th October 

BB1039 :
A Succession of Scars
Thursday 21st October

BB1040 :
Three Old Men Of Lochnagar
Monday 25th - Friday 29th October

BB1041 :
A Whinash Winterscleugh Wander
Wednesday 10th November

BB1042 :
The Rusland Round
Thursday 18th November

BB1043 :
The Lion, The Lamb and
The Howitzer
Thursday 25th November

BSB2010 :
BOOTSKIboys in Zillertal
Saturday 30th January
to Saturday 6th February

 Click on the photos
for an enlargement
or related large picture.

 Wainwrights

To see which Wainwright top was visited on which
BB outing see Which Wainwright When?.

To download a log of heights and miles and which Wainwrights have been done by which BOOTboy in the "modern" era, i.e. since the advent of BOOTboys
click on BB Log.