Day 3: Stonethwaite to Grasmere

Written on Saturday 4th July 2015 at 07:21 

The weather forecast for today:  

‘There will be some scattered showers at first, with a low risk that some of these may be heavy and thundery. These showers will clear away to the north before noon. The afternoon will bring some prolonged sunny spells, with just the odd isolated shower.

We were hoping to get to Grasmere before the shops close as two of our group are suffering in their current boots, but it looks like it’s not going to be worth setting off early! The route is 8 miles, with around 2000ft of climbing today.  

Our ‘shorter day’ did not feel very short, I have to tell you.  In 6 hours 28 minutes we walked 9.24 miles, with 1751 ft of climbing on sore feet (compared with 9hrs 20min and 2010 ft yesterday) – mustn’t grumble…!

For you nerds (like me) who like to know all the stats, you’ll be pleased to hear that John has this super duper GPS watch – it collects lots of data.  Apparently yesterday we averaged 1.8 mph and today we dropped to only 1.42 mph. Our first day we averaged 2 mph.  We are getting progressively slower and slower, which is a bit disheartening!

Still, we were a happy, merry bunch at 9:30 this morning.  We decided to take our time getting out and were rewarded by a break in the rain. 

Walking into Stonethwaite village to find the start of the path, we got the giggles over a scrambled egg incident over breakfast.  There was a bit of a misunderstanding, which resulted in Pat being served a plate of grey scrambled egg with flecks of green, made with soya milk and lovingly served by our wonderful host. She was trying to accommodate Pat’s ‘no dairy’ request, but had mistakenly thought that Pat preferred scrambled eggs for breakfast.  In fact, it was her least favourite option, and she looked on jealously as boiled eggs and perfectly poached eggs on toast were dished up, meanwhile she begrudgingly ate tiny mouthfuls of the scrambled egg, because (being British) she didn’t want to be rude.  When one of the boiled eggs was going spare and up for grabs, she jumped at the chance but got caught eating it by our host – at which point, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, she said ‘It was lovely, actually and I have eaten half of it…’

Maybe you had to be there. 

From Stonethwaite,  we followed Greenup Gill all the way up the valley, which is a beautiful mountain stream, punctuated by waterfalls all the way up.  The weather was distinctly mixed, brightening up considerably though at Lining Crag and Greenup Edge, which was fortunate for us as it would have been impossible to navigate in the earlier mist.

We were happier than we look

As with the previous two days, the descent into our final resting point for the day seemed long and painful, (why do my feet feel bruised?), but the sun began to shine and Easdale was lush and green.

 On arrival in Grasmere, I felt a bit like an alien - there were people wandering about looking at tea rooms and gift shops, while I felt like I'd just emerged from days on the trail.  Think Reese Witherspoon in Wild. A bit dramatic, perhaps - but if you don't like it, read someone else's blog. 

We are meeting friends for dinner tonight who have driven from Manchester specially, so we will need to stay awake past 9:30pm tonight... do you think we'll make it?

Edited notes about Day 3:

We stayed out until 10:30pm - what wild party animals we are.  Grasmere couldn’t quite cope with us, if the truth be told.  It was lovely to see Nobby and Katie, a year between visits is too long.

Both John and Pat managed to purchase new footwear.  Pat went for classic boots, but John’s got a pair of right bobby dazzlers, they’re like a trail running shoe. The tread looks like it belongs on a John Deer tractor.  They seemed to help today, he was trotting up like the original mountain goat. I think I probably should have sabotaged them really, - perhaps dropped some grains of sand into his socks, or a pebble in each shoe. He’s already too fast, but I don’t want the man to suffer.  Not really.  At least he waits.

We ate at Greens in Grasmere, and I would highly recommend it.  The food was lovely, service good, and they even though they stop serving food at 8:45pm, they let us come at 8:40 (we were a little bit late) and did not rush us to finish. 

Day 2: Ennerdale to Stonethwaite

What a difference a day makes - we awoke to fantastic weather, tremendous views from the farm, a hint of a breeze and the promise of a very long day of walking.

Views from the top of Low Cock How Farm

I'll try

Grandad found a friend

Revived by a hearty farmhouse breakfast thanks to Mrs Bradley, we set off on slightly sore feet, with a variety of aches and pains - yes, already.  

I find it comforting, after three years in Africa, that I am unlikely to encounter any deadly animals, and the only living creatures I am likely to find on a walk across England that could harm me (and are highly unlikely to do that, let alone kill me) are cows and sheep.  I had to rethink that one this morning as I nearly got trampled...

I'd never seen anyone move horses (is it a herd?) like this farmer does.  They were heading home for breakfast after grazing on the open fells. 

The walk took us from the farm, down into Ennerdale Bridge, past the cottage we stayed in three years ago at Easter, to the shores of Ennerdale Water.

We walked the south shore of Ennerdale, had a quick dip (well - feet anyway) before following the River Liza up the valley – (and up and up and up) to Black Sail YHA. 

She's standing on a rock - I haven't shrunk

Grandad pointing out Pillar (it's a mountain!) 

Black Sail Youth Hostel

This is a very popular spot – for Coast to Coast walkers and others, and it’s not difficult to see why. We passed here at least 20 years ago (the dates are hazy but it was pre-kids and probably before we got married as well) and I am pretty sure it was all locked up then. 

Chillin' before the killer climb

These days, they open it up; it is unstaffed until 5pm, but walkers are welcome to come inside, refill their water bottles, make a cup of tea (please use the honesty box to pay, there’s milk in the fridge), use the toilet (a real, flushing one) and either shelter from the weather or sit out front and enjoy it.

A very welcome spot, and one I personally would love to return to one day to stay overnight.  In beautiful weather, it was incredible.

The climb from Black Sail was a killer.  Not a whisp of a breeze -  it must have been 27°C and the terrain was very steep. 

See that lake in the middle? We walked from the other side of that and were no where near finished when I took this picture! 

Later, as I recounted how my son had skipped past me up the mountain ‘like a mountain goat’, not remotely out of breath as I gasped and wheezed, his grandfather lovingly declared, ‘If I see him skipping up a mountain, I’ll kick him, hard.’  All in jest (we think).

Views were breathtaking

Buttermere and Crummock Water 

Resting at the 'crest'

The descent was no less taxing; it was a very long and rocky path, past Honister Slate Mine (with, oddly, its via ferrata, adverts for tours of the mine, café and, the thing that annoyed me for no reason whatsoever, a bus stop.) down into Seatoller. 

As we walked and walked down the long path alongside the road into Seatoller, the bus zoomed past us.  Highly annoying. (But of course, that would have been cheating.) 

From Seatoller, I took us along the wrong route – (who let me take charge of directions anyway?) along the road instead of the pleasant path we should have been on – to our bed for the night at The Vicarage.

As we arrived, limping and exhausted after 17 miles of walking, a very kind lady met us at the door.

‘You do know we’re not a proper B&B, don’t you?’   Erm, no, we didn’t, but that explains why we couldn’t find you on Trip Advisor! Rev. Gay and her retired Rev. husband, Terry open their home to walkers when ‘everywhere else is full’.  The inside reminded me of my Grandmother’s house in Surrey – lots of reminders of travel abroad (suggestions of Africa and it turns out I was right -  Korea).  It was a perfect welcome – she brought us a tray for tea, left towels out for us, pointed us in the direction of a hot shower, and left us to it.

We had booked dinner at the Langstrath Inn for 7:30pm – thankfully just a 10 minute walk this time.  Before we could get there, we had another opportunity to get trampled.

The Langstrath Inn was delightful, in the beautiful village of Stonetwaite.  All were happy with the food (leg of lamb and mashed potato for me, various pies for the rest of the group, and a trio of sorbet/apple and rhubarb crumble to finish) and then back to The Vicarage by 9:30pm.  Rock n’ roll, people.

Note 1: I have more pictures of the day's walk, but they were slow to upload.  

Note 2: I was too tired to write this blog entry on Day 2 – however early on the morning of Day 3,  I can report that we’ve had thunderstorms overnight, which continue even now, at 7am.  

Note 3: It turns out that Rev. Gay spent her first 23 years in South Africa and then Kitwe, Zambia. We had breakfast around a table that was her Father's, and had originated in Zimbabwe.  As I keep saying - small world. 

Day 1: St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge

Day 1 was a bit of a grinder, distance-wise only. Not a lot of climbing (although the first ¼ mile pull up from the beach at St Bees made sure your legs knew that this was no walk in the park: it was going to be a tough challenge.) and the weather was overcast to misty with some light rain.  It could have been a LOT worse, and at least it was a comfortable temperature for walking.  

There should have been several points at which we would have had views of the Isle of Man.  There were NONE, but we waved anyway.  We know you’re there.

We saw Razorbills nesting just above St Bees on the cliffs. They looked like 'miniature flying penguins'. 

This was the best view of the walk: still heading North at this point. 

We met three different groups of walkers all along the way – one couple (father/daughter? Grandfather/granddaughter?), or rather the man, seemed to know all the short cuts.  We’d leave them sitting somewhere, and next thing they’d be standing ahead of us on the path. We’re not quite sure which route they’re doing, but they were definitely getting there quicker than we were. Hmmm. No doubt they’ll be in the pub tonight and I’ll have to ask them.  I had visions of a bus service we were unaware of. 

We had some sheep friends and some cow friends who cheered us on at various points along the route. One of them requested a photo op, and wanted to be on a famous blog, so obviously I had to oblige. 

Lulu’s had provided us with a decent pack lunch – sandwiches (with a choice of sandwich fillings, ordered the night before), crisps, juice, fruit and a chocolate brownie each.  More than adequate and we were very grateful by the time we made a pit stop. Most of us were just glad to stop.  Although we didn’t find a picturesque or comfortable spot, because we were along the old railway line (now a cycle path) at Cleator Moor before we deemed it worthy to stop, we made the most of it and plonked ourselves down on the ground anyway.  It was dry and we got to rest our feet!

In fact, the weather behaved pretty well until we got to Low Cock How Farm (I love the name) and then it started to hammer it down. We didn’t care.  We’d made it to the end of our first day; we’d completed 14 miles; we had cake, tea and a wood-burning stove all to ourselves.  Heaven in Wild Ennerdale.

We have booked our meal and a taxi to get there. It’s only a mile, downhill. However a combination of teeming rain,  sore feet, bunions and some tight hips all round have meant that between us we all voted for a taxi. 

And so it begins

Our Coast to Coast experience began this morning - or, rather, mine did, doing all the pre-preparation stuff to ensure it was even possible to go. This included dropping the dog off at a really super kennels just outside Melmerby http://www.furrytailscj.co.uk/ - Thank you Carol!

Hang on.  'You're walking 192 miles and you're putting your dog in kennels?'  I can hear your judgement from here.

'Why would you leave me behind? Oh, and where's the tennis ball?'

Let me explain.  Jasmine is a nine year old Border Collie (it's her birthday today - Happy Birthday, Jasmine!) and has an obsession with being at the front of any walk, and a secondary obsession with 'rounding up the crew'.  Her primary obsession is with anything remotely 'ball-shaped';  when she was a puppy she literally ran into a tree, almost head on - while chasing a ball.  Therefore, the biggest reason for sending her to FurryTales Kennels instead of walking the Coast to Coast was that if she walks or runs too much, she starts to limp on her front leg.  Even if we could accommodate her in B&Bs en route, she might not be able to keep going. Like me, she's a bit of an old lady now.

So I did that.  Then we had to drop a car at Richmond, North Yorkshire. The Coast to Coast is a bit of a bugger to get back from if you rely on public transport. The best option we found was to drop a car in Richmond now, and at the end of the walk Sherpa Vans will collect us from Robin Hoods Bay and drop us all back at the car.  The alternatives would take HOURS.

We got a taxi to Penrith Station (thank you Cloverleaf Taxis) and set off on our journey to the start of the walk.

I sat in the car for over 4 hours this morning, and then on trains for another hour or two from Penrith to Carlisle, and Carlisle to St Bees this afternoon.

OK - logistics sorted, we arrived in St Bees and it was raining (after a glorious day mostly sat on the A66) but it's fine. We found Lulu's Bistro and rooms just off the station platform, which is where we are staying and where we had dinner. Fabulous - the food was excellent, the rooms are basic but clean and the staff very friendly and helpful.

Railway theme at Lulu's- we wanted to sharpie '3/4' on their sign 

We had a drink in the Coast to Coast bar at The Manor (sounds posher than it was, but they were pleasant enough) and now we're steeling ourselves for the first day of the Coast to Coast tomorrow.

They inadvertently stood in descending order.

Weather forecast looks OK for the next couple of days - if you are interested, here's what they are saying about tomorrow:

Wish us luck!