Day 5

Goodbye to the Lakes

16 miles and 3,000’ of climb and descent – you will excuse us if we feel a mite satisfied with ourselves today.

Started at 8.45 with an immediate climb of about 2,000’+ up to Kidtsy Pike, not as steep as some of our previous ones but much longer, about 5 miles. On the way we passed Angle Tarn, where our Dutch friends had camped (‘very cold’ they told us later)

Colin was not feeling too good today with a head cold and there was some doubt as to whether he would/could continue so Don and I pressed on. We received reports during the day from other C2Cers who had passed him how he was progressing, slow but sure seemed to be the general opinion.

Just before reaching High Street (old high level Roman road) we turned up towards Kidsty Pike.

We reached the top in about 3.5 hours with the obligatory photos and then the steep descent to Hayeswater Reservoir. 

This, to me, was much worse than the climb but the knees and feet seemed to holding up, with the help of Aleve, and then we started the long undulating walk around Hayeswater,

Don and I stopped for lunch at Measend Beck, a magical spot with waterfalls and good rocks to sit on – the same spot I had lunched 8 years ago on my first C2C.

We then carried on to the end of Hayeswater to Burnbanks (about 12 miles). Our original intention was to taxi it  from here to Shap and then return next morning to carry on. We had said that if we were feeling OK we would continue another 2 miles to the next road crossing and taxi from there. Don surprised me by saying ‘let’s go all the way to Shap’. Why not, I thought, we can spend tomorrow morning sampling the delights of Shap while Colin does the 4 miles he missed the night before.

It was 4-5 miles across undulating farmland with our first introduction to those dreaded C2C obstructions – stiles! – Particularly difficult for Don if the top step is high.

We caught up to Justin (struggling because I was not carrying his backpack) and we walked the last few miles into Shap, passing 11^th century ruins of Shap Abbey. As Steadman puts it in his C2C book ‘’;It’s just regrettable that, by the time you get there you will probably be somewhat of a ruin yourself, your thoughts having long ago turned from holy orders to hors d’oeuvres’ – very true.

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After 9 hours of walking, weary but very pleased with ourselves we arrived in Shap.

First order of business (yes even before a beer) was to check where Colin was; luckily we both had phone coverage. He said he was 1.5 miles from Shap! When I asked him exactly where he was I realized he was actually 4 miles out but I didn’t disillusion him and told him we would see him soon. He eventually arrived at 8.30 – after 12 hours on the trail. When I asked him why he didn’t get a taxi as we had agreed he said ‘because I knew you bastards wouldn’t’!

Most of Shap was closed so it was down to the chippie for fish and chips and a pint or two at the pub.

Tomorrow is an easy 8 miles – we deserve it.