Coast to Coast 2010 - Day 6

Shap to Orton - 10 Aug

A relaxed start today for a walk that was short and easy when compared with yesterday's; over sixteen miles then, about eight today.

The route was across rolling farmland and open moors where the heather will be in full bloom soon. It's probably waiting for the sun as we Coast to Coasters are.

Priorites are changing - the route, food and shelter are what the days are about. What day and which - fourth? fifth? - it doesn't come readily. But time enough to get to know a few other Coast to Coasters as our paths cross, walking together occasionally, passing or being overtaken.

In the pub at Orton this evening, I had dinner with Anthony from London. I'd first met him at Angle Tarn on Day whatever. We sat next to Markus & Andrea from Germany who I walked most of today with. Jane & Mark from London, who led the way over Kidsty Pike, joined us. A happy, slightly scruffy crew swopping news of other Coast to Coasters ahead or behind us. I was in good company, washing down steak pie with Jennings Cumberland Ale. All saddened though by the cautionary sight through the pub window of a two chaps getting into their lift home - the scuttlebut being that one had injured his knee.

Coast to Coast 2010 - Day 5

Patterdale to Shap - 9 Aug

You can see Kidsty Pike in the distance on a clear day from The Greyhound at Shap. As I sipped a pint of orange squash and a half pint of Cumberland Ale I was pleased to be looking at that hill, of which the summit is the highest point on The Coast to Coast, from where I was sat rather than the other way round.

I had left Patterdsale at 08:45 and it had taken me three hours to reach the summit, slowed by driving rain and swirling cloud. Visibility was down to fifty yards or less so no chance that spirits might be lifted by the views and not the conditions in which to linger occasionally; it was a day to press on to keep warm. It took an hour to drop down to Haweswater, where I joined other Coast to Coasters, huddled against a wall in the wood, for my Corned Beef & Pickle sandwich, and mug of hot chocolate which I boiled up on the spot and which I shared with Jane & Mark - Coast to Coasters from London with whom I had walked over the Pike with.

In all, it took nine hours to reach The Greyhound, including the twenty minutes or so it takes to walk the length of Shap. Its a tough walk.

Coast to Coast 2010 - Day 4

Grasmere to Patterdale - 8 Aug.

It made a great change to set off in fine weather this morning, and for a walk where there are alternative routes along the way. The first choice was at Great Tongue where I turned north east . Both paths reconnect just short of Grizedale Tarn. Another decision needs to be made at the tarn's northern end. I chose NE again, climbing over St Sunday Crag into the clouds emerging along Birks to fantastic views over Ulswater.

Grasmere to Patterdale is about eight miles. It's a journey that would have been a struggle for me on Day 1. Today though, my recovery rate is significantly improved and going "upstairs" for an hour or two is much easier too. Amazing.

I'm hoping that the magic will continue as it is a long day tomorrow; sixteen and a half miles or so to Shap where I leave The Lake District but will be tempted to turn back. There's great walking here as well as good beer (Patterdale Choice Bitter today) and friendly walkers with whom to pass the time of day with.

Image: Ulswater, from Birks.

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.

Coast to Coast 2010 - Day 2

Ennerdale Bridge to Stonethwaite - 6 Aug

The first eight miles or so of today's walk was on the level, alongside Ennerdale Water then due east on a forest track to Black Sail Hut where they have a brew kit to make yourself a hot drink. From there it's a hard climb before the drop to Honistor Pass and further down to Borrowdale. A total of about sixteen and a half miles.

I'm well and truly in the Lake District now.

The highlight of the day though wasn't the scenery or an event, it was a person - Diana. She runs The Fox & Hounds at Ennerdale Bridge. As well as being the perfect host, she tends the bar, cooks the food and delivers it to the table. And she looks after everyone. Thanks Diana from me and the other Coast to Coasters at The F&H on Thursday night and Friday morning.

Image is view down to Honister Hause.

Coast to Coast 2010 - Day 1

St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge - 5 Aug.

It was an RAF Tornado that woke me this morning, or so I thought until I realised that its engine roar was not receeding into the distance, so it had to be a Harrier, hovering. It was neither. I was a wide awake now. Peering through the curtains I could see that it was thundereous rain, shed loads of the stuff, happily on the other side of the double glazing.

The double glazing of a lovely room in an excellent guest house in St Bees; The Tomlin Guest House which I can highly recommend. "Early breakfast?" "Yes. At what time?" So enabling an early start, and in fine weather, the dawn downpour having moved on or spent.

It's a low level walk to Ennerdale Bridge except for the inappropriately named Dent (1000 ft approx); "Bump" or "Lump" would be more fitting. It's a simple haul up to the summit but a fright awaits on the other side. The descent to Nannycatch Beck is worryingly steep.

All in all though, an enjoyable walk. To be rounded off shortly with lamb chops, washed down with Jennings Bitter here at The Fox and Hounds. Then into a routine of early to bed, especially tonight as I make the most of a soft mattress and crisp sheets. I'll camping out for the next three nights.

Pic 1 is Dent from the outskirts of Moor Row & Pic 2 is from Dent looking NW - Cleator, Moor Row with Irish Sea beyond (if image quality allows you to see that detail).

Coast to Coast 2010 - Before

I head north today - by road and rail to St Bees in Cumbria. It's the well-advertised start of Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk and where I will begin to find out what all the fuss is about. With the odd diversion on his route and if all goes according to plan then I should arrive Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire 15 days later.

The extra comforts in my pack have pushed its weight up. A better sleeping bag, a pillow, a little thingy to sit on, more washing kit, even a full gas cylinder - it all adds up to 21lbs. Leaving my camera at home helps balance the extras so I will have to rely on my phone for pictures. It is fixed since my last trek so I am blog-enabled!

Body and signal strength willing and available I should be able to post the occasional update.

Chocs away!

Lake District - 21-23 July 2010

The weather changed for the better during the second half of my trek so I made it to the top of Skiddaw and back to Keswick on a fine, dry Tuesday. That was a clear day too which provided for fantastic views. It was very hard work though - 8 miles from the town centre and back which took me six and a half hours, including a 20-30 mins lunch break on the summit and a lot of breathers on the way up and down.

Skiddaw (3054 ft but it felt like more)

My path from Gawthwaite to Keswick had been along The Cumbria Way. The rest of the walk to Maryport, via Bassenthwaite where the Sun Inn pub is attractive, the beer decent and the food not so (I would not recommend the Steak in Ale Pie), was in glorious weather and by way of The Allerdale Ramble which is shown on the OS 1:25,000 map.

The camp site near the village of Bassenthwaite was surprisingly quiet. Mainly statics, there were a couple of tourers and two, maybe three groups camping out of cars. I was the only backpacker and I set up near the washroom/toilet/shower block. At £6.00, it was a better stopover for me than the Great Langdale National site.

Stylish stile north of Cockermouth

The aim had been to walk hard in preparation for the Coast to Coast which I start next week. I'm certainly better prepared except that my knees still hurt and I'm not sure why. I'm not entirely sure why I am walking the C2C either but think it is more about doing it to have an opinion on it and as a challenge. Walks over 10 miles (in the Lake District) demand a lot of me so the C2C will put me to the test.

There will be some changes to my kit for future walks.

I realised last year that my Snugpak Softie 6 sleeping bag was not for me but I made do. It's warm enough but I feel too restricted in a mummy shaped bag to get a good night's sleep. I'm expecting a much improved slumber and sweeter dreams in my new Golite Adventure 1+Season Semi-Rectangular where I can move around in the bag rather than with it.

There'll be more to say about the Golite sleeping bag and other additions to my kit (including an Icebreaker merino wool polo shirt and the Pico Solar Charger) in the near future.

Terra Nova Pegs "parked" in old Biros so that they won't pierce anything when packed

I'll be camping and B&B-ing later next week. I have no place booked to stay, or even in mind, in Grasmere so I may change that part of the route to avoid that fair town. I'm not sure about the blogging either because my phone is still to be sorted. A bit like me all-round really.

Lake District - 17-20 July 2010

In the movie Blade Runner, it never stops raining. It's been like that here in the Lake District since Saturday morning. Harrison Ford isn't around nor the doomed Rutger Hauer and it's not perpetually twilight as well so I suppose it's not really like the movie at all. Except in the movie no one moans about the rain and I haven't heard anyone complain about it around here either. In fact only positive comments - "At least it's not cold!" etc. The true British spirit lives on.

I'm in Keswick now and it is catch-up time with my blog. My phone isn't working fully and until now there has been no network coverage anyway.

Saturday - I set off from Gawthwaite, on the southern boundary of the Lake District, for a 10 mile walk to Coniston along route of The Cumbria Way. Stair rods of rain greeted my arrival in Coniston where the shorn sheep, which are daubed in a fetching splash of blue, ignore my calls of "Come on you blue~ues!". A couple of pints of Coniston Bluebird, a plate of Fish and Chips and a decent B&B completed my day.

Beacon Tarn

Sunday - A 13 mile paddle to Dungeon Ghyll, where radio reception is nigh on impossible let alone network coverage, and where the sheep are wearing SO last year's colour of red, and where lamb is on the menu at The New Hotel but with no hint of whether it is from from the Blue or the Red Tribe.

Monday - The plan was to make my way over Stake Pass to Stonethwaite (7-8 miles?) where I could recce Borrowdale prior to my visit next month, but the campsite there was already waterlogged, the rain unabated, the pub closed (on Mondays), a Tea Room closed, so I carried on to Keswick not bothering what colour the sheep were. Derwent Water was filling up and my intended stopover on the campsite there didn't look too appealing and campers were being asked to move away from the lake. Given that I was a day ahead of my schedule, I booked into a very comfortable B&B. Then having dined, drank and dried out had a warm dry night's kip.

Tuesday - Here I am scribbling furiously before my 30 min stint in an Internet Cafe runs out. Then I'm off for a cuppa before walking up to the top of Skiddaw and back.

Wednesday - I'm heading north to the Bassenthwaite - Cockermouth area, Thursday to Maryport where I can get the train south on Friday.

Not sure about any internet access for the remainder of the week.

Afterthought - Rutger Hauer's expiry in Blade Runner gets my nomination for best ever movie death:

"I have seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the Shoulder of Orion. I watched C-Beams glitter ....... All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain. Time to die."
It was still raining at the time.

Corrymoor Socks

I'm not as fit as I was this time last year. I've been eating for England so most of the weight I'd shed in 2009 is back and visible. There was always an excuse or a reason why I couldn't make it to the gym so I'm not as bendy as before either. Therefore, as well as the extra weight, I'm carrying some apprehension - unsure of what I'll be capable of during a week of backpacking in the Lake District.

Next Saturday I make my way from Ulverston to Coniston along the first leg of The Cumbria Way. I have a B&B booked for that first night then I have another six days with my backpack, stomachpack and a slightly bulging rest of me. There is no schedule at the moment other than to get to Coniston, have a pint and see how I feel. It might take a second pint of Bluebird Bitter before I conceive a plan which may include having a third.

I don't think my feet could be classified as fat but I do get swollen ankles occasionally. Consequently, tight fitting socks (which most seem to be these days) can be problematic. I may have that issue under control now though as I have successfully test walked a pair of Corrymoor Gentle-Top socks. The short, lightweight socks, which are 55% mohair and 45% nylon, have elastic free tops. The material has a slightly "hard" feel to it; a cotton-like texture but wooly with excellent wicking properties. I'm using the large size and they fit comfortably over my Bridgedale Coolmax Liners, over my size 9 feet in size 10 boots.

Prodnose: "I can't believe you're blogging about socks for Gawdsake! Are you on commission or something?"

Brian: "Shove off! I choose what to say on my blog!"

They are not whiffy after prolonged use on my plates either. I've worn them unwashed over a five day period, in hot dry conditions - purely for testing purposes you understand. I didn't detect any wrinkled noses as I wafted past sock test dummies (my feet were washed daily by the way).

Corrymoor deserve a pat on the back for making online purchasing so easy and for such swift delivery. I now have four pairs but I need a slap on the head for going for one pair in Old Gold.