Penny End is located in Mosser, a quiet hamlet in the foothills of the Lake District. Nestled amongst the rolling hills and valleys of Cumbria, there are a plethora of footpaths and bridleways to explore, some taking in the lower hills and views north towards the Solway, and others taking us up to the tops of our local Wainwrights with views into the heart of the fells and mountains of the Lake District. We have compiled a list of our favourite hikes from Penny End that start from the front door.
Loweswater - Hunting High and Low
Take the old Loweswater Road over Mosser Fell (not suitable for motor traffic!), and you have a choice of routes. The low level route takes you to the shores of the lake, which in summer is an excellent spot for a swim and a picnic.
The high route follows the Corpse Road, so named because in the past, there was no burial ground in Loweswater, and the dead had to be conveyed to the mother church in St Bees on the coast - quite a hike! The scenery is incredibly varied, and the route passes along and through meadows, a deserted valley, fellside, open moorland, fields, ancient woodland and lakeshore. Along the way there are views of some of Lakeland's finest fells looking one way and the Irish Sea, the Solway Firth and Scotland looking the other.
The walk follows a mixture of stone tracks, field paths and woodland paths, with some stretches that can be muddy. The climb is from about 100 metres above sea level to about 300 metres above sea level at the highest point. The paths and tracks will be shared with livestock, so take care with dogs. There are several gates and stream crossings on route, but you will not need to negotiate any stiles - unless you chose to.
We like to combine the high and low routes by starting high and then dropping down through Holme Wood, or walk around the Corpse Road until Watergate farm, and follow the southern shore around the lake, before joining the Mosser Fell Road back home. There is a description and map of this walk in the cottage.
The Old Roman Road
Not many people are aware that the Romans criss crossed this part of the country, not just staying along the coast and alignment with Hadrian's Wall, but also further south, hemming in the Celtic tribes in the high mountainous lands while claiming the low lying plains for themselves. One route comes from Keswick via the Whinlatter Pass, and then onwards towards Papcastle, the old Roman settlement near Cockermouth. However, there was a branch route which ran from Lorton over the Whinfell Road towards Moresby on the coast (near Whitehaven). This is believed to run under the Whinfell Road which passes very close to Penny End and Mosser.
There are a number of options for this walk. Walk along the Whinfell Road towards Lorton, with beautiful panoramas opening up before you, and return either via the shoulder of Fellbarrow, or low via Rogerscale and Brandlingill. Both walks offer lovely views, and whilst the Brandlingill route is along roads, these are very quiet, barely used lanes. If you do make it all the way into Lorton, you can drop into the Wheatsheaf Inn for a pint or the Lorton Village Shop for a coffee and cake (and provisions).
Fellbarrow and other Wainwrights
Fellbarrow is our closest Wainwright, standing at 416m high (that's 266 elevation meters from the front door). It only takes about 45- 50 mins to get to the top, so we have been up there to greet the sunrise on a number of occasions. Bear in mind that in mid-summer, the sun comes up very early in the north, so you'd need to leave Penny End (and your cozy bed) around 3:30am! But the views at sunrise are definitely worth it!
Low Fell is another nearby Wainwright. This can be reached by walking along the ridge formed between Fellbarrow and Smithy Fell towards Sourfoot Fell and on towards Low Fell. It is said that Low Fell has THE BEST picnic spot in Lake District - from here you can see three lakes (Loweswater, Crummock Water and Buttermere) and a plethora of mountain tops all the way to the Scafells on a clear day!
So there you have it - three wonderful hikes all from the front door of Penny End cottage - perfect for keen walkers staying at our holiday cottage! If you'd like more information about any of these hikes please do get in touch - we'd be more than happy to provide more advice!
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