Coast to Coast 2010 - Day 3

Stonethwaite to Grasmere - 7 Aug

The Stonethwaite Campsite is basic; cold water only, and toilets that satisfy the planning authority's requirements for the building's outside appearance rather than the needs of those that use the facilities inside it. The lady at the farm suggested I find a pitch at the near end. "There are noisy people the other end." she said, as she took my fiver. It was fairly quiet except for the sound of gushing becks, and rain which forced an early night for all.

It was a long haul up Stonethwaite Fell. Higher up, the bridleway is hard to pick out but cairns mark the way which I thought a blessing until I twigged that I was still going up when I should have been heading down; I'd followed the cairns of another, higher, trail to Brown Rigg Moss. No colour coding up here.

Regaining the bridleway, the surface of it down to Grasmere is precarious until it levels off.

When planning this walk my intention had been to B&B in Grasmere but failing to find one available my Plan B was to wild camp at Grizedale Tarn. Arriving in Grasmere after a fairly tough eight miles, I was surprised and pleased to note the "Vacancies" signs and so was able to revert to Plan A.

A bed tonight, a shower, a room with kit strung up to dry and food and drink in abundance. And WIFI!There has been no Virgin Media network coverage since leaving St Bees. None here either. Vodaphone, O2 and Orange rule in Grasmere.

Image: Looking back down the Fell to Stonethwaite.