Day 8

A not so quick trip to the bog

Today we reached 1/2 way - hooray - both in distance and time. We crossed the Pennines by climbing 'Nine Standards'. The top is the watershed of the west flowing Eden and the east flowing Swale; unfortunately most of the water is still in the shed and some is in our boots.


We left early (Colin took another rest day but hopes to join us tomorrow) and immeadiately started to climb, initially on road and then on trail with good views over the quarry back to Kirkby Stephen.

Nine Standards are 9 big cairns/columns on the summit - no-one knows why they are there but we could see them from far away and they very slowly got closer and closer as we climbed. Don found a seat halfway up and insisted on a rest.

We met up again with Australians Geof and Liz and together we finally reached the top

Then we had to descend through deep and oozy peat bogs. This made navigation a bit difficult as we had to make big detours around them. Even the two Geofs with 4 GPSs between them were not sure occasionaly.

Finally we got down to a distinct path and were looking forward to a hot tea/coffee at Ravenseat Farm

Unfortunately it was closed so we had to be content with bread and water at one of their picnic tables.

All that remained was the last 4 flatish miles - still muddy - into Keld. We passed a man and his dog going up and when I explained to the dog how steep it was he decided he needed the stick more than his slave.

Tomorrow is almost a rest day, an easy 10.5 miles along the banks of the Swale.

Day 7

A stroll across the moors or Farm Life 101

Left Scar Side Farm at 8.45 - the most comfortable and friendly B&B so far

A relatively easy 12 miler today over undulating farm land and moors with only 15 stiles to block our way. Colin took today off again to go see the quack in Kirkby Stevens who prescribed the expected Doxicyclin. he will probably join us tomorrow on the assault of 9 Standards Rigg.
Meanwhile Don and I chatted with cows

Watched nature in the raw

Blinked at the bull

And walked over the moors towards the Pennines.

Lunch was at a delightful spot - Smardale Bridge

which was followed by the only significant climb of the day and then a long descent into Kirkby Stephens. Tomorrow will not be so easy, as well as the climb of 9 Standards Rigg we have to contend with the bogs on top.

Today we say farewell to Adri and her daughter Ilse who hope to come back next year and do the other half.

Oh, I nearly forgot - we also passed a tarpaulin with tyres on, which Don seemed to think was important - maybe all this walking is starting to addle the brain

Day 6

And then there were 2.


Well for today anwway. Colin felt so lousy this morning he decided to take a lift in the Sherpa van. If he feels no better tomorrow he will van it to Kirkby Stephens and see a quack.
Don and I meanwhile had an easy short day, 8 miles across the moors.
First we had a last look at yesterdays climb (Kidsty Pike is the little Pimple - it seem so long and far ago already).

Then we had to cross the M6

And then an easy hike across the moors where we crossed an old Roman road

Held up a rock

And had lunch

Staying tonight in a very comfortable converted farm house (Scar Side) with a great view of the moors. Greeted on arrival with tea and cake. Colin had already arrived and taken the single room - we will visit him later in our hazmat suits to see how he is.

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.

.

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.

Day 4

It doesn’t get any better than this.

An immediate climb up the tongue to Grisdale Tarn to about 1,800’ but the weather was looking OK and it was nice and cool.

We must be getting fitter as Don and I decided to do another 1,000’ to St Sunday Crag, accompanied by Dutch couple Anna and Joep and Englishman Justin. After a satisfying second climb we reached the top to be rewarded with heart  stopping views, (as Dog said “let there be light” and you could see for bloody miles). Ah Matey (my Collie) would have really enjoyed it. 360 views for about 20 miles, from the Scafells through Blencathra, Striding Edge over the valley, tomorrows route up to High Street via Angle Tarn and the Pennines in the distance – which hopefully we will see close up in 5 days.

We had lunch on the summit, Justin shared out his gingerbread biscuits for dessert and we all agree we wouldn’t have missed it for the world. As a thank you I carried Justin’s 35lb back pack for him (well the last 10’ anyway).

Meanwhile Colin had taken the valley route thinking we were ahead of him and was down at the pub pretending to worry where we where.

A stiff descent down to Patterdale by 4.00 p.m.; only 7.5 miles, our shortest day, but every mile a good one.

Is that a shepherd on the rock - ah no, just Geof waiting for the others to catch up!

Warm enough for an outside beer – make the most of it, tomorrow is a biggie, 14-15 miles including a 2,000’ climb to Kidsty Pike.

St Sunday Crag was 2,750’ so will be the highest point on the walk.

Day 3

Relatively short today but a nasty climb. Started at about 9.15 and climbed steadily up the valley with the first objective, Linning Crag, always in site.

Beautiful views back into Borrowdale and the side streams were in full spate with some good waterfalls although this led to some rock hopping across the streams. We kept  passing and being passed by other familiar C2Cers as we stooped for rests until the final gut busting haul up the rocky steps and wet ledges to the top of the crag. About 10 of us congregated here to Ooh at the 360 views.

Don and I shared a day old egg sandwich as we had not brought lunch thinking we would be in Grasmere by 1.00. Unfortunately this was not the case as we had to stop and wait a bit for our slowest member!
Still more climb until we reached the ruined fence that marked the high point (2,000'), a 1,500' total climb. After up, of course, comes down, a rocky muddy path that wound its way down the Easdale valley. We wisely declined the high route alternative as we had important things to do in Grasmere, cornish pasties and hot chocolate.

Day 2

Day 2

Not exactly sleet but the day started with misty rain and continued on and off all day. The sun actually broke through just as we reached our B&B in Stonethwaite at 5.00.

A .long day, 14 miles with hills. Started with a brisk hike around the north side of Ennerdale Water, nice trail except for a short section of very overgrown wet ferns

Then a long trudge up the forest road through pine plantations, gradually gaining height to about 850’ with a good moment as we broke out of forest to see Black Sail YHA where we stopped for a cup of tea (50p in the ‘honesty’ box) and eat our packed lunch. Quite a few other C2C groups caught us up there, some we had seen before the previous day.

Appetite satisfied we started the climb to and up Loft Beck to top out at about 1,800, all in less than 1 mile and in about 40 minutes – not bad for oldies.

Great views from the top (although the cloud base was about 2,300) down into Buttermere, across to Haystacks and back down to Ennerdale. Unfortunately my favorite peak, Pillar, was covered in cloud.

An easy hike ’ with a gentle rise and then contouring around Brandreth and Grey Knotts to descend steeply to Honister slate quarry where we bought the obligatory slate souvenirs before the 3 mile weary descent to Rothswaite with a rocky clamber by the Derwent river with the help of chains bolted into the rock face.

Cozy B&B, Colin’s turn for the single room and Don graciously offered me the double bed in the twin room which I graciously accepted. Time to go over to the Langstrath pub for dinner and meet up with a few fellow C2Cers.