After having spent two nights in Shap, we should be able to sleep through today's short 8 mile walk to Orton, which is an undiscovered treasure of a village!
As we leave Shap, we first cross rail then two roads that funnel through north-west England. Thankfully, they'll soon be a forgotten memory as we skirt the isolated, walled village of Oddendale and past some ancient concentric stone circles, most likely an old burial ground. From there, we turn north-east and pass Robin Hood's Grave, which is a large cairn in a shallow fold in the moor. It has nothing to do with a man in tights...
Eventually, the trail drops down past a quarry, traces a road until we drop down again past a well preserverd limekiln above Broadfell Farm. From here we can see the white church steeple (dating back to 1293) of Orton and we'll head on down the hill into the tiny village.
We'll spend the night at the Mostyn House, first grabbing a hot meal and a few pints next door at the New House Farm. The next morning....we're bound for Kirky Stephen!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Day 6 - Shap
This last day in the Lake District will be long and difficult one to be sure! We start by tackling the rise up the far side of Patterdale. After a tedious climb, we should find ourselves on the grassy platform known as "Boredale Hause" and pick up the trail to the scalloped shoreline of Angle Tarn. They say the gradient will level off for a bit to give us a short break before we have to climb up to The Knott and then Kidsty Pike. From the top of Kidsty Pike, we will look behind us and see the waters from Ennerdale from a few days and many miles ago.
Onward to the biggest descent of the walk! The guide book warns that we'll be "panting like a hippo" during this stage....sounds lovely. But we'll soon reap two rewards: the first is waling on level ground for the next many miles and the second is that trail markings begin to appear. The past week through the Lake District will have been without markings. Hmm....climbing over mountains, through valleys, around lakes in a foreign land without any signs/markings? Brilliant!
After a long and challenging day, we'll arrive in Shap. Our lodgings are at the far end of town and our hostess, Margaret, has offered to pick us up from town to save our little piggies from having to walk another mile or two. I suspect that we'll just swing into The Greyhound, a well known pub on the way to Margaret's Brookfield House. We'll wash down fish and chips with a few pints, call Margaret, go soak in a tub, and finally drop into bed. Margaret makes a killer breakfast from what we've been told and the best part about Shap is that we'll spend two nights there! Our second day will be one of rest and recuperation before the second stage of our journey begins!
Onward to the biggest descent of the walk! The guide book warns that we'll be "panting like a hippo" during this stage....sounds lovely. But we'll soon reap two rewards: the first is waling on level ground for the next many miles and the second is that trail markings begin to appear. The past week through the Lake District will have been without markings. Hmm....climbing over mountains, through valleys, around lakes in a foreign land without any signs/markings? Brilliant!
After a long and challenging day, we'll arrive in Shap. Our lodgings are at the far end of town and our hostess, Margaret, has offered to pick us up from town to save our little piggies from having to walk another mile or two. I suspect that we'll just swing into The Greyhound, a well known pub on the way to Margaret's Brookfield House. We'll wash down fish and chips with a few pints, call Margaret, go soak in a tub, and finally drop into bed. Margaret makes a killer breakfast from what we've been told and the best part about Shap is that we'll spend two nights there! Our second day will be one of rest and recuperation before the second stage of our journey begins!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Day 5 - Patterdale
We will set off and aim toward Grisedale Tarn and upon arrival, we'll have to decide which path to take to our final destination of Patterdale. We can basically take the high road or the low road. The high road adds about two miles to the walk as well as more climbing and exposure. I'm all for exposure and since this is only a 7.5 mile day, I'll try to get Lauren to agree to the high road. Or perhaps I won't tell her about the low road...
Our guide book says its not a complicated climb up to Grisedale Tarn (I never would have guessed it by the name but that's a mountain lake. Why don't the Brits just call it Grisedale Lake?) and the descent is no more complicated. Just below the tarn is the Brother's Parting Stone, where the story goes that Wadsworth last met with his brother John in 1800. John died at sea a few years later. I plan to leave a pretty stone or flower on the Brother's Parting Stone in case William or John are hanging around.
The route I hope to convince Lauren to take will mean climbing to Helvellyn, the 3rd highest peak in England. We will have already climbed the highest so it should be easy breezy beautiful color girl! This is where the guide book gets dramatic and I quote:
"..having reached the top, you then face a nerve tingling drop on a crumbling slope above Red Tarn, followed by a knife-edge walk along Striding Edge Ridge to reach the trail dropping to Patterdale." Alfred Wainwright himself (the man who designed the Coast to Coast Walk in 1972) himself waxes lyrical about this part of the walk, describing the notorious Striding Edge as "the best quarter mile between St. Bee's and Robin Hood Bay". How then, could we NOT chose the high road?
Fortunately, Patterdale, although a beautiful valley hamlet, remains quite undiscovered and free of crowds. We'll be spending the evening and night at lovely Grisedale Lodge and the magnificent owners have offered to pick us up upon our arrival to Patterdale. We can then walk to a nearby youth hostel for our evening meal. I spoke with the owners of Grisedale Lodge via skype for quite a long time and they were simply gushing with hospitality. I honestly look forward to an evening in their company. I do hope its restful because the next day, we're off to Shap and it'll be a 16 mile day!
It'll be our last day in the Lake District and it will be a difficult one. However, our long day will be rewarded by spending two nights in Shap! We'll arrive, gobble a hot meal and some pints, crash in our beds and then have an entire day to relax. I doubt if we'll walk other than from chair to breakfast table to chair to lunch to chair to dinner to bed!
Our guide book says its not a complicated climb up to Grisedale Tarn (I never would have guessed it by the name but that's a mountain lake. Why don't the Brits just call it Grisedale Lake?) and the descent is no more complicated. Just below the tarn is the Brother's Parting Stone, where the story goes that Wadsworth last met with his brother John in 1800. John died at sea a few years later. I plan to leave a pretty stone or flower on the Brother's Parting Stone in case William or John are hanging around.
The route I hope to convince Lauren to take will mean climbing to Helvellyn, the 3rd highest peak in England. We will have already climbed the highest so it should be easy breezy beautiful color girl! This is where the guide book gets dramatic and I quote:
"..having reached the top, you then face a nerve tingling drop on a crumbling slope above Red Tarn, followed by a knife-edge walk along Striding Edge Ridge to reach the trail dropping to Patterdale." Alfred Wainwright himself (the man who designed the Coast to Coast Walk in 1972) himself waxes lyrical about this part of the walk, describing the notorious Striding Edge as "the best quarter mile between St. Bee's and Robin Hood Bay". How then, could we NOT chose the high road?
Fortunately, Patterdale, although a beautiful valley hamlet, remains quite undiscovered and free of crowds. We'll be spending the evening and night at lovely Grisedale Lodge and the magnificent owners have offered to pick us up upon our arrival to Patterdale. We can then walk to a nearby youth hostel for our evening meal. I spoke with the owners of Grisedale Lodge via skype for quite a long time and they were simply gushing with hospitality. I honestly look forward to an evening in their company. I do hope its restful because the next day, we're off to Shap and it'll be a 16 mile day!
It'll be our last day in the Lake District and it will be a difficult one. However, our long day will be rewarded by spending two nights in Shap! We'll arrive, gobble a hot meal and some pints, crash in our beds and then have an entire day to relax. I doubt if we'll walk other than from chair to breakfast table to chair to lunch to chair to dinner to bed!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Is Anybody Out There?
Still no positive response from anyone regarding a sponsorship, although we were contacted by someone from the local newspaper. Perhaps if we can get an article published, we can make some progress.
We were sincerely touched by some wonderful friends who said they want to sponsor our Walk. We thanked them from the bottoms (and tops) of our hearts but we won't accept sponsorships from our friends! That's not what this is about. Lauren and I appreciate each of you who have offered and we love you dearly but put your wallets away and instead, please pick up the phone and call the paper or send an email on our behalf!! We won't accept your money but we will always accept your help.'
You guys are amazing! We couldn't do this without you!
We were sincerely touched by some wonderful friends who said they want to sponsor our Walk. We thanked them from the bottoms (and tops) of our hearts but we won't accept sponsorships from our friends! That's not what this is about. Lauren and I appreciate each of you who have offered and we love you dearly but put your wallets away and instead, please pick up the phone and call the paper or send an email on our behalf!! We won't accept your money but we will always accept your help.'
You guys are amazing! We couldn't do this without you!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
To Grasmere - 10.5 miles...just a light stroll!
Based on what I've read, in good weather this stage is a "Lakeland Classic"! A straightforward climb up past Lining Craig to Greenup Edge, followed by a high-level ridge walk and then down to the valley to the edge of Grasmere.
This is a day I look forward to as I'm drifting off to sleep at night. The day will begin with an easy amble through level fields alongside Stonewaite Beck (a creek), with Eagle Craig an enormously looming presence across the water. It looks colossal but by the time we get across Greenup Edge, we'll be looking DOWN on Eagle Craig and gain a whole new perspective. This day is about up, up, and upper!
At Stonewaithe, we should join Greenup Gill, one long torrent of white water and waterfalls. The gradient is said to increase just past Eagle Craig and then drops into a basin of glacial formations before a climb up to the top of Lining Craig. Weather permitting, the views reach to Scafell Pike, England's highest summit (3,210 ft). We'll definitely sit and soak in the atmosphere before moving on.
The next section of the Walk is notorious for wreaking havoc that results in lost trekkers. The boggy ground and indistinct cairns obscure the path even in the best of weather conditions. I kid you not when I say that the guide books refer to fence posts with boots hanging on them as trail markings.... what if someone removed the boots?!?! Where will we end up? Narnia?
If by some stroke of crazy luck, we actually hit the trail, we begin our descent across the head of Wythburn Valley. We should cross the upper basic of Wythburn and begin the steep descent into and through Lancrigg Woods along the Poet's Walk.
Wadsworth called Grasmere "the fairest place on earth" and it has become a much more popular, touristy village than I prefer but it's history and location along the Walk make it a mandatory stop. We spend the night at Town Head Cottage... a lovely farm built about 1688. Its a working farm house just north of Grasmere village and boasts spectacular views of Grasmere valley and the surrounding fells. It will be a most welcome respite with promises of great food and cozy beds.
This is a day I look forward to as I'm drifting off to sleep at night. The day will begin with an easy amble through level fields alongside Stonewaite Beck (a creek), with Eagle Craig an enormously looming presence across the water. It looks colossal but by the time we get across Greenup Edge, we'll be looking DOWN on Eagle Craig and gain a whole new perspective. This day is about up, up, and upper!
At Stonewaithe, we should join Greenup Gill, one long torrent of white water and waterfalls. The gradient is said to increase just past Eagle Craig and then drops into a basin of glacial formations before a climb up to the top of Lining Craig. Weather permitting, the views reach to Scafell Pike, England's highest summit (3,210 ft). We'll definitely sit and soak in the atmosphere before moving on.
The next section of the Walk is notorious for wreaking havoc that results in lost trekkers. The boggy ground and indistinct cairns obscure the path even in the best of weather conditions. I kid you not when I say that the guide books refer to fence posts with boots hanging on them as trail markings.... what if someone removed the boots?!?! Where will we end up? Narnia?
If by some stroke of crazy luck, we actually hit the trail, we begin our descent across the head of Wythburn Valley. We should cross the upper basic of Wythburn and begin the steep descent into and through Lancrigg Woods along the Poet's Walk.
Wadsworth called Grasmere "the fairest place on earth" and it has become a much more popular, touristy village than I prefer but it's history and location along the Walk make it a mandatory stop. We spend the night at Town Head Cottage... a lovely farm built about 1688. Its a working farm house just north of Grasmere village and boasts spectacular views of Grasmere valley and the surrounding fells. It will be a most welcome respite with promises of great food and cozy beds.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Day 3 - Seatoller
As with any day in the Lakes, the enjoyment of this day's walk depends largely on the weather. We know that on this day, we are heading towards the spot which records the highest rainfall in England; the wryly named "Sprinkling Tarn", receives an average of 185 inches of rain per year. We will plan to have our rain gear at the top of our packs and dress accordingly in thermals and moisture-wicking layers.
We start along the southern side of Ennerdale Water and the path here is easy to follow. We will appreciate that given the fact that weather is bound to be foggy and damp...an easy trail will be lovely. After about 80 minutes, we will clamber over Robin Hood's Chair to enter a mossy, light woodlands near the eastern extremity of the lake. The path along the southern banks of the River Liza has been been washed away in places; caution is mandatory. The remainder of this day's walk is tricky due to criss-crossing routes and no signage to help guide us. We must pay close attention to our surroundings or we stand a good chance of missing the path or choosing the wrong one. We need to make sure we find the right path east to pick up the stiff climb up the side of Loft Beck and from there the path the Grey Knotts from where the long descent to Honister House and Borrowdale begins. The conditions at this section of the walk are ugly. Just plain ugly. We must be prudent when deciding our course - we can climb high or low - and deciding whether or not the weather is safe. This is one of the most difficult portions of our Walk and I am confident that we will win!
This posts leaves out a LOT of details that would bore the average reader...if you're not already bored. Suffice to say that this day will be a significant challenge for me personally. Once we've reached our destination of Seatoller....we trudge through more fields (not on any maps) and hopefully find Seatoller Farm, a working 16th century farm. They will feed us dinner, tuck us into bed, feed us a hot breakfast and pack us lunches. They said that we can walk out their back door, cut through a field or two and be right back on the Coast to Coast first thing the next morning.
This is fun....right?!?!
I do worry about this day. It seems so early on for such demands...no signs, bad visability, fog/wind/rain, multiple trails to confuse us. However, I am confident that we will persevere!
We start along the southern side of Ennerdale Water and the path here is easy to follow. We will appreciate that given the fact that weather is bound to be foggy and damp...an easy trail will be lovely. After about 80 minutes, we will clamber over Robin Hood's Chair to enter a mossy, light woodlands near the eastern extremity of the lake. The path along the southern banks of the River Liza has been been washed away in places; caution is mandatory. The remainder of this day's walk is tricky due to criss-crossing routes and no signage to help guide us. We must pay close attention to our surroundings or we stand a good chance of missing the path or choosing the wrong one. We need to make sure we find the right path east to pick up the stiff climb up the side of Loft Beck and from there the path the Grey Knotts from where the long descent to Honister House and Borrowdale begins. The conditions at this section of the walk are ugly. Just plain ugly. We must be prudent when deciding our course - we can climb high or low - and deciding whether or not the weather is safe. This is one of the most difficult portions of our Walk and I am confident that we will win!
This posts leaves out a LOT of details that would bore the average reader...if you're not already bored. Suffice to say that this day will be a significant challenge for me personally. Once we've reached our destination of Seatoller....we trudge through more fields (not on any maps) and hopefully find Seatoller Farm, a working 16th century farm. They will feed us dinner, tuck us into bed, feed us a hot breakfast and pack us lunches. They said that we can walk out their back door, cut through a field or two and be right back on the Coast to Coast first thing the next morning.
This is fun....right?!?!
I do worry about this day. It seems so early on for such demands...no signs, bad visability, fog/wind/rain, multiple trails to confuse us. However, I am confident that we will persevere!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Day 2 - Moor Row to Ennerdale Bridge, 8 miles
After a light breakfast and being sure to grab our packed lunches, we'll be off to Ennerdale Bridge. This day's walk will have fabulous vista views in store. We leave Moor Row by dumping off into a field (I hope to find cattle...they make me happy.) and a whole series of kissing gates as we cross the dismantled railway once more on our way down into the village of Cleator. We'll know we've arrived when we find ourselves alongside St. Leonard's Church. (How fitting that my Dad was named Leonard and he was a devout Christian man!)
From there, we climb! The long and sweaty climb takes at least an hour to reach the summit of Dent Hill. The view back to St. Bee's is legendary as is the view ahead of the Lakeland fells. From the summit, we descend Raven Craig Hill, which is VERY steep and slightly dangerous due to winds and a narrow ledge. We will be sure to rest up and dehydrate before attempting this section. Once safely at the bottom, we'll find ourselves near the babbling tranquility of Nannycatch Beck (a lovely brook) for a short rest and then we'll head due north. We'll follow the course of the water to the road leading into Ennerdale Bridge.
The village is a lovely, picturesque dream of what we Americans (or at least me) picture when we think "English countryside". It spans the River Ehen in one of the UK's least developed valleys. We will enjoy this valley oasis at the Riverside Hotel. (One of the few hotels we'll be staying in.) The nicest part of this night is that our dinner, pints, bed and breakfast will all be under one roof! We'll need to conserve our energy because day three is 14 miles to Seatoller Farm.....doesn't that sound enticing?!?!?
From there, we climb! The long and sweaty climb takes at least an hour to reach the summit of Dent Hill. The view back to St. Bee's is legendary as is the view ahead of the Lakeland fells. From the summit, we descend Raven Craig Hill, which is VERY steep and slightly dangerous due to winds and a narrow ledge. We will be sure to rest up and dehydrate before attempting this section. Once safely at the bottom, we'll find ourselves near the babbling tranquility of Nannycatch Beck (a lovely brook) for a short rest and then we'll head due north. We'll follow the course of the water to the road leading into Ennerdale Bridge.
The village is a lovely, picturesque dream of what we Americans (or at least me) picture when we think "English countryside". It spans the River Ehen in one of the UK's least developed valleys. We will enjoy this valley oasis at the Riverside Hotel. (One of the few hotels we'll be staying in.) The nicest part of this night is that our dinner, pints, bed and breakfast will all be under one roof! We'll need to conserve our energy because day three is 14 miles to Seatoller Farm.....doesn't that sound enticing?!?!?
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Day 1 - St Bee's to Moor Row: 8 miles
I thought I'd start describing each day of the walk to 1) make you envious and 2) help familiarize myself with the details. I will be IN CHARGE and since I'm a lousy compass user (at least right now), that could mean lots of extra miles of wandering around lost.
Just a reminder that this is not a group walk/organized event. It's just me and Lauren walking. No guide. No companions. It will be one of the most amazing things I'll ever be so fortunate to do! (Please excuse that lousy grammar. I'm too excited about telling you about day 1 to find a more appropriate way to express it.)
Here's the plan for day 1:
Tradition dictates that we baptize our boots in the Irish Sea and select a pebble from the beach, which we will stow away for the entire walk and when we reach our destination, some 200 miles later, we will throw it into the North Sea. (Lauren and I have already agreed that we will each take two pebbles...one to throw into the North Sea and one to keep as a souvenir.) There is a "Mile Zero" sign not far off of the beach, which is a mandatory picture spot - much like our Mile Marker Zero in Key West, which signifies the southern most point in the United States - you simply cannot embark on this journey without a pose at this spot.
Then we're off for a cliff-top walk along the Irish Sea. The first notable landmark seems to be the cleft of Fleswick Bay, which is a lovely secluded pebble beach surrounded by red sandstone cliff. We'll pass some observation points and the lighthouse. After about an hour's walk, we'll reach the ruins of an old Coast Guard Station. In about another hour, we'll come across the first pub of The Walk; the Dog & Partridge in the village of Sandwith. Since we have such a short walk and all day to get it done, I think it's a mandatory stop. We can sit outside in the green grass, air out our socks and enjoy a pint. During the summer months, they are open daily from noon - 4pm...we'll have to plan our start that morning accordingly. . .I'd hate to get there too early!
After a pint and some chips, we sneak through a tunnel beneath the railway line. We later cross some waterlogged fields around Stanley Pond and a small stream before passing underneath the course of an unused railway. We then find ourselves in Moor Row, home of the Walkers Pop In Cafe, a great place for a squat and a spot of tea with biscuits. The beautiful Jasmine House is around the corner and this is where Lauren and I will spend our first night. We will have to either walk a mile or catch a bus into town for the evening meal but our very warm and friendly hosts have offered to drive us back and forth. Amazing! I've never experienced an American B&B providing such service (and without additional charge)!
The next morning, we'll have a lovely breakfast and our hosts will provide us with packed lunches for our hike to Ennerdale Bridge.
Tune in soon for Day 2!
Just a reminder that this is not a group walk/organized event. It's just me and Lauren walking. No guide. No companions. It will be one of the most amazing things I'll ever be so fortunate to do! (Please excuse that lousy grammar. I'm too excited about telling you about day 1 to find a more appropriate way to express it.)
Here's the plan for day 1:
Tradition dictates that we baptize our boots in the Irish Sea and select a pebble from the beach, which we will stow away for the entire walk and when we reach our destination, some 200 miles later, we will throw it into the North Sea. (Lauren and I have already agreed that we will each take two pebbles...one to throw into the North Sea and one to keep as a souvenir.) There is a "Mile Zero" sign not far off of the beach, which is a mandatory picture spot - much like our Mile Marker Zero in Key West, which signifies the southern most point in the United States - you simply cannot embark on this journey without a pose at this spot.
Then we're off for a cliff-top walk along the Irish Sea. The first notable landmark seems to be the cleft of Fleswick Bay, which is a lovely secluded pebble beach surrounded by red sandstone cliff. We'll pass some observation points and the lighthouse. After about an hour's walk, we'll reach the ruins of an old Coast Guard Station. In about another hour, we'll come across the first pub of The Walk; the Dog & Partridge in the village of Sandwith. Since we have such a short walk and all day to get it done, I think it's a mandatory stop. We can sit outside in the green grass, air out our socks and enjoy a pint. During the summer months, they are open daily from noon - 4pm...we'll have to plan our start that morning accordingly. . .I'd hate to get there too early!
After a pint and some chips, we sneak through a tunnel beneath the railway line. We later cross some waterlogged fields around Stanley Pond and a small stream before passing underneath the course of an unused railway. We then find ourselves in Moor Row, home of the Walkers Pop In Cafe, a great place for a squat and a spot of tea with biscuits. The beautiful Jasmine House is around the corner and this is where Lauren and I will spend our first night. We will have to either walk a mile or catch a bus into town for the evening meal but our very warm and friendly hosts have offered to drive us back and forth. Amazing! I've never experienced an American B&B providing such service (and without additional charge)!
The next morning, we'll have a lovely breakfast and our hosts will provide us with packed lunches for our hike to Ennerdale Bridge.
Tune in soon for Day 2!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Humbled
I learned the hard way that there are people reading this blog with whom I was hoping to foster sponsorship relationships. I've given several people the link to our blog but wrongly assumed that no one was actually reading it. I suppose I sort of assumed it would become a place to store a diary and precious photos of our adventure and nothing more.
I am happy and sad to learn that's not the case. Happy because people are learning about our great expedition and will hopefully be inspired to do something similar with a loved one (especially a child!) and sad because I showed poor judgement and posted a comment out of frustration and disappointment regarding the lack of response from potential sponsors. That comment was in fact read by a company I had approached regarding a sponsorship and my attitude was not at all pleasing to them.
As you may have guessed, I removed the post as soon as I realized the harm it caused. That is much like closing the barn door after your horse runs away. It doesn't bring your horse back but it gives you something to do while you realize what an idiot you really are. Do yourself a favor. Go shut your barn doors right now.
I am happy and sad to learn that's not the case. Happy because people are learning about our great expedition and will hopefully be inspired to do something similar with a loved one (especially a child!) and sad because I showed poor judgement and posted a comment out of frustration and disappointment regarding the lack of response from potential sponsors. That comment was in fact read by a company I had approached regarding a sponsorship and my attitude was not at all pleasing to them.
As you may have guessed, I removed the post as soon as I realized the harm it caused. That is much like closing the barn door after your horse runs away. It doesn't bring your horse back but it gives you something to do while you realize what an idiot you really are. Do yourself a favor. Go shut your barn doors right now.
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