Gawthwaite - Keswick : 3-5 July 11

It's not that we were dawdling on our way to Coniston that we were overtaken by so many others, it was because the 'others', over a thousand of them, were running The Lakeland Trails Marathon.

Number One Nephew, Gary, taxied us to Gawthwaite on Sunday morning where we set off along The Cumbria Way which we shared with the marathon runners from Beacon Tarn. For them it was the final leg to the race start/finish at Coniston. A seriously tough run on such a hot day yet most looked impressively (disconcertingly) fresher than us.

We've made our way to Keswick since then where, rejuvenated by what this lovely town has to offer, (which includes Cumbrian Fillet of Rump Steak, mashed potatoes, red cabbage, carrots and peppercon sauce) we reach a turning point. The very hot dry weather has reverted to cooller, wetter conditions, and we change direction to generally southwest to Ravenglass. Next stop Buttermere.