Name of walk	Troutbeck Tongue with Sue and Jo P.
Date of walk	2026-03-20

On Friday morning I picked up Jo and Sue and we set off for Troutbeck, arriving just before 8am. We parked in the spaces below the trees on the road south of Troutbeck Church. I wanted to see the daffodil display so luckily our route took us through the churchyard. The day was warm and sunny with no wind, perfect for our circular walk to Troutbeck Tongue. The walk would be about eight miles or so.

Daffodil display in Troutbeck churchyard.

Jesus Church, rebuilt 1736.

We head to the back of the churchyard, through the gate and the one directly opposite for the public footpath that parallels the main road.

Jo P's photo of Sue and me crossing the field.

Views up to Troutbeck.

We soon reach a right turn which leads down to the main road, which we then cross, as opposite is the path that leads to Ing Lane. Sue and Jo at the start of this footpath.

Lots of moss on the wall.

Ing Lane with Troutbeck Tongue ahead. Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick and Thornthwaite Crag on the right, from right to left.

We will turn off at the stile.

Sue climbs the stile with no fence. We follow the path on the right, up and through a gate in the wall, then continue up to the right.

The path up to Troutbeck Tongue was once directly after the wall. It was always wet and boggy. The path is now a bit further on, but it is still wet and boggy for a ten metre section, after that it is fine.

View down the valley we have walked along.

Now we head through the gate and make our way to the summit.

View east to old mine workings.

Sue photographs the valley.

Jo P on the summit.

Summit selfie.

Sue's photo of me and Jo P. with Wansfell behind us.

Summit view south down the Troutbeck valley.

View north with Stony Cove Pike/Caudale Moor left and Thornthwaite Crag right.

Another mine further north up the valley.

Sue's photo of me and Jo heading for the grassy path back down to the Hagg Gill valley path.

Heading down the green path to the valley.

Sue and Jo reaching the valley path.

View back to Threshthwaite Mouth. (The dip)

It really is a great view! You can cross by the barn to the valley path we will take back, but we continue on this side of Hagg Gill as we are planning to have lunch on the bridge.

Just after the gate that leads up to Troutbeck Tongue is the path down to Hagg Bridge.

Lunch stop.

Jo P's photo.

I sit dangling my feet over the water.

Sue's photo of us getting ready for our walk back along the east side of the valley, behind the wall.

View back to the bridge and our route up Troutbeck Tongue. The boggy bit is clear to see, as is the way to avoid it by heading a little to the right towards the tree, after the gate. I'll try and remember that for next time.

View back from our path.

View back to the stepping stones over the water.

Sue negotiates the stones over another stream.

Another view back.

I make a new friend as we walk past the farm. (JP)

The way ahead.

View down to Limefitt Park and across to Troutbeck. There is a path that goes down and through Limefitt, but it is not a Right of Way. This is a pity as we are still heading steadily upwards to join the Garburn Path, but my feet are wanting to go down!

A view down to Troutbeck Church and the daffodils. My car is within touching distance, but we still go up! We head through the gate to join The Garburn Pass. I chat to a lady from a walking group who was from Bilsborrow, Garstang. I have rang the bells of St. Hilda's in Bilsborrow on a Bell ringing Tour in 2015, and it was very memorable to me because the church had wonderfully manicured front gardens which I've never forgotten. The church had a ring of eight bells, but I've just had to look that up, as I always spent more time outside the ringing room than in. If I only stayed to ring one method I'd have 45 minutes left for exploration!

Jo P. on the bottom section of the Garburn Pass that leads down to the main road. The walk was eight miles and took 4 hrs and 40 minutes.

We were only a short distance from Holehird Gardens, which is always beautiful and I visit often. We parked at the bottom of the drive and walked in via the tarn.

We had come to see their superb display of daffodils.

Just wonderful.

The winter heathers were looking good too. We took a brief look around the spring beds. I got chatting to one of the gardeners about Cardamine pentaphylla, as I'd never seen it in plant form in nurseries to buy or seen seed. She dug me out a small piece, as she was tidying it up as it may have been destined for the compost heap. It is now doing well in my woodland garden with some spare to pot-on which I gave to Jo P. A worthwhile detour indeed!

This is always a very quiet walk, but we did meet a few people on the paths after lunch. It is easy to navigate. Thanks to Sue and Jo P. for their company and letting me use a few of their photos.

Jo S.