Woods, fields and an old railway track (2hrs 15mins/easy)
This is a longish walk, two and a quarter hours or so, but is very easy throughout, with only one straightforward uphill section. It takes in a variety of scenery through woods, part of the old Penrith-Keswick Railway track and footpaths across some open fields.
Turn left outside the Horse and Farrier and go down the road at the back of the Salutation Inn, with Wilson’s plant hire depot on your left. Just opposite Wilson’s is narrow “cut” which brings you to the A66. Cross the main road with care using the “refuge” provided, and go down the lane opposite.
On your left is the Threlkeld Sports Pavilion and newly extended cricket field. Continue along this lane, cross the river at Millbridge, and keep going until the road crosses a small bridge over the former railway track. Leave the lane just before this bridge by going through a gate on your right onto the old railway track.
Turn right and follow the railway track. This is the route of the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway which was opened for mineral traffic in November 1864, and for passenger traffic in January 1865. It was closed in March 1972.
Along this section of the track, there are views to your right across to Blencathra. On your left is a retaining wall above which is Threlkeld Quarry. The large granite quarry is now closed. It is the site of a Quarry and Mining Museum. A flight of steps through the retaining wall (look carefully for this) goes to the Quarry if you wish to visit the Museum.
The railway track path goes through what is left of the old Threlkeld Station, crosses the B5322 road via a couple of gates, and crosses the Glenderamackin on a small viaduct. When you reach a tarmac road, turn left over the river at Threlkeld Bridge (this is where St John’s Beck and the Glenderamackin join to become the River Greta), and immediately turn right onto the continuation of the footpath through some woods. After a short distance this joins the main Threlkeld-Keswick railway footpath. (On your right here you may well spot red squirrels).
Walk left along the footpath through pleasant woodlands with the river on your right (look out for herons), across bridges and through a tunnel. After about a mile you emerge from the woodland with a platelayer’s hut on you left. This is a nice place to take a break before tackling the hill up to Wescoe. There is a seat in the sunshine or under shelter.
Near this hut, turn right off the railway track through a gate, and then right again after a few metres and another gate. Follow the rough road up the hill to where the road joins a more substantial tarmac road at the hamlet of Wescoe. (The poet W H Auden stayed here in the 1920’s and 30’s - his family had a holiday home at Far Wescoe, a cottage about two hundred metres to the left of the road junction).
Almost opposite the top of the rough road up which you have come is a gate. Go through this along a signposted footpath through fields, across a few stiles and through some gates, passing the large house Ings (former home of Colin Welland, film actor, writer and director) on your right. Beyond Ings the path is reasonably distinct, with several stiles and gates. It emerges through a gate at some cottages (Town Head). Turn right down the hill past Threlkeld School on your left. At the bottom of the hill turn left into the village, past St Mary’s Church to the two pubs.
