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Walking Latrig and Greta Gorge

Descend along the road to Town Head Farm (right), where a footpath is signposted for Wasco and Keswick. There is little chance of being lost on this popular section of the route to Wasco. Returning to tarmac, you have a choice of lanes. That to the left descends steeply to meet the return leg. Opt for that to the right, passing a postbox in a barn wall to meet the track descending from Skiddaw House.

Continue along the tarmac, turning left by the white-walled Derwentfolds, where a rough track is encountered, descending to Glenderaterra Beck, which has a footbridge in an attractive tree lined setting. The steep track opposite rejoins tarmac. Turn right and climb to a minicol, where you might decide to regain your breath and take in the view. Notice the central fells of High Rig, Raven Crag, Blueberry Fell and Walla Crag. They lead the eye to the more arresting silhouettes of High Spy, Maiden Moor, Handcart, Cat Bells, Robinson and Causey Pike, these being part of the northwestern group of fells.

From the col, go through a gate and use a track that starts to Skiddaw, ignoring a path on the left to climb steadily between gorse. The gradient eases beyond another gate after passing a conifer wood on the right hand side. Look for an unusual slope to your left, using it as a guide to a fence corner. A path materializes. After passing through a gate, the summit of Lathing is quickly attained.

Now you can appreciate the joy of following this route. Below lies Keswick, hugging the shores of Derwentwater, this leading in turn to the dramatic Jaws of Borrowdale. Lathing is only 1,207 feet (368m), a modest elevation, and is a fell for everyone, a minor road which terminates between here and Jenkin Hill allowing an easy saunter to its summit. Latrigg is an excellent viewpoint, especially for viewing a flaring sunset in early autumn or late winter.

For those who have no respect for their knees, the ridge end drops steeply to Spooney Green Lane. Most people will elect for the more sedate route (right) via Mallen Dodd, losing height in gentle fashion on a zigzag path which doubles back left on itself before skirting Ewe How. The path from Lattrigg joins the main Skiddaw path. Now turn left, joining Spooney Green Lane just before crossing the A66 Keswick bypass to meet a quiet lane close to the former railway line. Turn left and continue along the road, descending to a mini-roundabout by the swimming pool and railway station. Those walkers not wanting to detour to Keswick should join the course of the dismantled railway by entering what remains of the former commodious station to the left of Keswick Spa swimming and recreation pool.

The Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway was conceived to convey pig iron from west Cumberland via Working ton to the Northeast, where it was mixed with the inferior ores found in that area to make better iron and steel. Trains returned loaded with coal to fuel the west Cumberland industries. The railway led to a flourishing tourist trade, though Coleridge, one of the Lake Poets, writing in 1800, before the first toot of a locomotive had been heard in Keswick vale, had rejoiced that for most of the year the tourist pressure was off.

When the railway did arrive, a long platform, one of three in the heyday of the station, was host to the northern section of the Lakes Express, which during the season ran direct from Euston. A central island platform was connected by subway to the main platform, having in turn direct access to the Keswick Hotel, which was built by the railway company. During the Second World War, Roe dean, the famous public school for girls, was transferred to Keswick and took up residence in the hotel. The central platform buildings became a classroom. It is recorded that country dancing lessons took place on the platform itself.

Walk the length of the platform to where the rails converged at the throat of the station to form a single line climbing a spectacular sinuous course through the gorge occupied by the Greta. The line crosses the river eight times in the next three and a half miles (s.skm). The original ballast has now been topped with water gravel, which is easier on the feet.

Initially, river and road are crossed in quick succession, before reaching a spot where all trace of the railway's course has been obliterated by the up soaring concrete bridge that carries the dual carriageway of the A66 bypass north of the town. After you pass under the bypass, you will encounter the new boardwalk. The railway's course is rejoined after a steep descent, to the right of which the mouth of erstwhile Big Tunnel may be seen. It finishes by the tunnel, which has been blocked off but is readily visible from the path. A short platform follows.

It served Briery Bobbin Mill. A notice board supplies the necessary information to appreciate this enterprise. At the height of production, forty million bobbins were produced annually, which, laid end to end, would have extended to 800 miles (I,300km). The site of the mill is occupied by caravans.Some of the bridges are under strung, having the bow arch beneath, while others are over strung, the arch swinging gracefully above the decking. In a particularly dramatic location, the tracked crosses one bridge, burrows through Wescoe Wood tunnel and promptly recloses the river by another bridge. There are several cabins beside the trackbed. Formerly used by lengthmen who maintained the permanent way, they are now good shelters. Anyone waiting here can read from information boards about local topics, such as the capacity of the River Greta, formed at a spectacular location beneath one of the bridges. In spate, the river holds the equivalent of 1,000 full tankers passing every minute.

Wordsworth, in a sonnet 'To the River Greta near Keswick' (1833), observed: The old track ends where it meets the A66 just west of Thrilled. Here follow the main road left for a few yards before taking the minor road on the left into the village. Turn left in the centre to return to the car park, where our adventure began. Peewit or tewfit, which are local names for the lapwing, a once common bird visitor for nesting.

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