Coast to Coast Kirkby Stephen to Keld

Day 7 Kirkby Stephen to Keld 12 miles

We don’t often consider it, but sleep is a powerful healer. Despite going to bed shattered and aching, this morning I woke up feeling renewed, the throbbing legs were feeling better and I was ready to get moving along the trail again. Like yesterday, we had breakfast with Bob and Alan who had also spent the night in the hostel. Apart from the four of us, there were only two other guests, two lads who I heard coming in in the early hours, drunk, loud and laughing. Denise the warden said they went around the country dressed as Spiderman but their car had broken down so they were stuck in Kirkby Stephen! Sounds like the plot of a road movie to me. Continue reading “Coast to Coast Kirkby Stephen to Keld”

Coast to Coast Patterdale to Shap

Day 5 Patterdale to Shap 17-18 Miles

Overnight, Gwen and I had talked and we decided that if the wind was still strong to gale force today we wouldn’t be going over Kidsty Pike. Kidsty Pike, at 2,560ft is the highest point on the whole Coast to Coast walk and is on today’s route but the wind, although not as strong as yesterday was still blowing very hard this morning and having been blown off her feet yesterday, Gwen was in no hurry to repeat that experience and indeed it would be dangerous to do so. So over breakfast I had a good look at my newly purchased 1:25000 map and hatched a plan that would take us to Shap via Boredale, under Arthurs pike, onto Divock Moor and then down to Shap via Bampton. Continue reading “Coast to Coast Patterdale to Shap”

Coast to Coast Rosthwaite to Grasmere

Day 3 Rosthwaite to Grasmere 9 1/4 Miles.

Today was the day I got a twenty six year old monkey off my back. Twenty six years ago, crossing from Rosthwaite to Grasmere I got Gary lost on Greenup Edge, it was a wet and cloudy day with zero visibility and after wandering around lost for an hour or two we dropped down into, believe it or not, the Langdale valley. It was a long walk to Grasmere that day and I have never forgotten it. Today though was clear and sunny and I achieved the redemption I was longing for.

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Coast to Coast Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite

Day 2 Ennerdale Bridge To Rosthwaite 14 1/2 Miles.

Day two dawns dry but misty. We set off from our B&B about 9.30am and walk through a silent, sleepy Ennerdale Bridge, quiet and still in morning mist. Passing the Fox and Hounds and over the old packhorse bridge we reach the shoreline of Ennerdale Water in no time. The Coast to Coast path follows the South shoreline along the whole length of the Lake and there are a couple of notable features. Robin Hoods chair, topical for us as in two weeks will will be at Robin Hoods Bay, and Anglers Crag, where the path has a bit of an incline, the first of the day to crest the crag itself.

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