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?!?!?
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