We've seen glorious weather in Cumbria and the Lake District over the last week or so.

It's been a rocky few months in terms of the climate, but with any luck, it's plain sailing in the sun from now on.

There is no better time to be wandering the county’s paths and enjoying nature at its invigorating best.

Award-winning writer and photographer, Vivienne Crow, has come up with a selection of 5 of the best springtime walks and all are accessible by catching a Stagecoach bus. 

Walk 1: Rannerdale’s Bluebells 

Bus route: 77/77A, from Keswick to Buttermere or 77C, Cockermouth to Buttermere

Length/ difficulty: 4½ miles; easy/ moderate; approximately 3 hours

Map: Ordnance Survey OL4, English Lakes NW

Vivienne said: "Catch it at the right moment in late April or early May, and Rannerdale is a sea of glorious blue. From the bus stop in Buttermere, make your way through the main car park and then down to the serene shores of Crummock Water for a short lakeside stroll. 

"Beyond the bluebells, a slow, steady climb to the head of Rannerdale leaves you with a choice: you can either drop straight back into Buttermere, cutting almost a mile off the total distance, or you can stride out along the grassy ridge to the top of Rannerdale Knotts for a more rousing finale."

Walk 2: High Rigg

Bus route: 555 to Dale Bottom on the A591, 3 miles south-east of Keswick

Length/difficulty: 6¾ miles; moderate; approximately 4¼ hours

Map: Ordnance Survey OL5, English Lakes NE

According to Vivienne: "High Rigg has lots to offer for relatively little effort: hidden tarns, dark crags, springs and becks galore, knobbly summits, and even a short section of narrow, heather-covered ridge. With lots of variety and any climbs short-lived, this walk is a great introduction to fell-walking for younger or less experienced hikers.

"Catch the 555 bus and ask the driver to drop you at Dale Bottom. From here, head across the farmland to the western base of this little, standalone fell. A grassy path climbs from near St John’s Church to the 1,171ft (357m) summit where views take in Blencathra, Skiddaw and the Helvellyn range."

Walk 3: Dent

Bus route: 30 to Egremont Main Street

Length/ difficulty: 7¼ miles; moderate; approximately 4¼ hours

Map: Ordnance Survey OL4, English Lakes NW

"This walk, starting from Egremont’s Main Street, follows a series of quiet lanes and stony tracks to the edge of the Lowther Park forests and then up into the hidden valley of Nannycatch," Vivienne commented.

"After this gentle start to the day, there’s a short, but punishing climb to the grassy summit, using the route of the Coast to Coast route in reverse.

"A steady descent on grass and then through the forest ensues before the walk finishes with a little asphalt-bashing and a pleasant stroll beside the River Ehen."

Walk 4: Latterbarrow & Claife Heights

Bus route: 505 to Hawkshead

Length/ difficulty: 10½ miles; moderate; approximately 5½ hours

Map: Ordnance Survey OL7, English Lakes SE

Vivienne said: "It’s hard to choose just one or two highlights from this long, meandering walk from the pretty village of Hawkshead – there are so many! There’s gorgeous woodland, beautifully located tarns, a pub, England’s longest lake, a viewpoint and even, potentially, a ghost.

"After climbing into the forests above the village, pass Wise Een Tarn and Moss Eccles Tarn before dropping, about a third of the way into the route, to the Cuckoo Brown Inn at Far Sawrey. From here, make your way back through the trees of Claife Heights to the shores of Windermere."

Recommended reading:

Tourist slams Lake District cave for just being a cave

Haweswater reservoir crowned among the best woodland walks

Wasdale MRT assist man attempting to photograph northern lights

Walk 5: Walla Crag

Bus route: Start from Keswick bus station, served by several buses

Length/difficulty: 5¾ miles; moderate; approximately 3 hours

Map: Ordnance Survey OL4, English Lakes NW

Vivienne added: "It’s a bit of a slog getting to the top of Walla Crag, but the scene that awaits you at the summit is well worth the effort. Standing on the precipitous edge of this 1,233-foot-high crag, you look out over sparkling Derwentwater to the high fells beyond.

"The return route heads into the confines of Cat Gill and then through the ancient trees of Great Wood before emerging on the shores of Derwentwater.

"On the gentle waterside stroll back into Keswick, take some time for a short detour to the end of Friar’s Crag for another breathtaking perspective on this dazzling ‘Queen of the Lakes’."