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This was one of the prettiest walks of recent days, and the weather was good for most of the day. It was not the longest of walks but it had pretty much everything a valley walk could offer: streams, meadows, woodlands, and pastures full of sheep and cattle. Continue reading
Having spent the night in a B&B 2.5 miles south and downhill from Keld (in the beautiful village of Thwaite) I was keen to get a lift back up the road in the minibus which was collecting my bag. Unfortunately it arrived just as breakfast did, it was a hard choice but with toast in hand I climbed on board.
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With bags packed early and another delicious breakfast I was off with clear blue sky, a few fluffy white clouds, and a warm sun. Continue reading
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The cloud was high as I set off this morning, with patches of blue sky. The wind had also dropped overnight.
Having left the Coast to Coast route at Burnbanks yesterday I spent a bit of time retracing my steps. It was a bit unfortunate as I was walking towards grey cloud and signs of rain, while to the east it was looking bright and sunny.
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Having rejoined the route I walked through a beautiful bluebell wood to the north of Naddle Bridge. After crossing the bridge and following the Haweswater Beck I rounded Rawhead with views back into Bampton Grange less than a mile away! There was no direct footpath to this point but it still seemed a cruel twist after walking a good 3 miles this morning to get here.
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I made a prompt start this morning, leaving Glenridding just after 8am. The weather was overcast but the steady rain was falling vertically. By the time I had made it to Patterdale the rain had paused slightly and I could see the clouds were racing over the tops of the fells ahead of me. Continue reading
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Breakfast had not even been served by the time I had started off the last couple of days, so a brief consitutional around the village before breakfast seemed in order to stretch the legs. I wish I had not bothered, there was thick drizzle in the air and not even the lower slopes of the surrounding fells could be seen – they seemed to all be smothered in low cloud.
The forecast was meant to be better today, I hoped that a later start might mean the weather had time to improve…
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Another early start, leaving just after 8am, to make the best of the days weather. Stepping outside for the first time there was already rain in the air – not enough for a jacket but just enough to keep jacket in hand.
I suspected I was the first one on the path again this morning, but with the guys I met yesterday missing out a stop overnight at Grasmere it would not be long before someone caught me up.
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After a quick early breakfast I set off as fast as my sore legs would take me. May be I am selfish but I did not want to share the early morning view of Ennerdale with anyone…
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I had waited for this day for months, the sense of anticipation over the last couple of weeks had been a fantastic buildup, but I dreaded the dawn and a sense of anticlimax due to the poor weather. Having driven from London yesterday, through 6 hours of rain, I woke to find the weather forecast was holding true – it was grey and overcast in Kirkby Stephen, just as the forecasters had predicted.
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Thankfully by the time I had been driven to St Bees there was not a cloud in the sky overhead, my spirits soared. The Isle of Man was visible on the horizon, across the Irish Sea, as I carefully dipped my toe in the water and selected the stone that was going to accompany me to Robin Hood’s Bay.