Day 4 the easiest day

This is going to be a short post. 

We have an early start tomorrow for one of our most difficult days of ascents and consequent descents.

Today we only tucked 8.5 miles under our belt bringing the total to 47 miles in all. Our easiet day of the trip.

We made a steep climb in the morning to the clouds and then tried to descend as fast as we could to get out of the mizzle that the clouds produced.

Up in the clouds.

For some reason I had my back to where we were heading coming down the other side.

On the way down we passed the Brothers Parting stone  where William Wordsworth last saw his brother before he died on a shipwreck. This poem was read out in the misty rain by Howard. It was very sad.

“Here did we stop; and here looked round

While each into himself descends,

For that last thought of parting Friends

That is not to be found.

Brother and friend, if verse of mine

Have power to make thy virtues known,

Here let a monumental Stone

Stand–sacred as a Shrine.”

Later it was time for some fun.

Selfie stick time 

This is short but sweet. Time to get set for a big day tomorrow. Compeed plasters at the ready.

Boots drying out nicely. Let's sleep.

X

Day 3 Minion Day

For some reason today everyone was shocked when I appeared in my yellow jacket. Ok I agree I do look like a Minion in it but I have to confess I don't know much about them. Are they nice things? Also I forgot that only Elizabeth knows I like bright colours. Why would anyone else here know that?

When we saw a tiny plastic Minion in someone's front garden as we walked past everyone was taking pictures of it.

So here I am on the top of one of our climbs, you can make your own mind up.

We had all weathers today and I changed my clothes as if I was backstage at a fashion show, fast and many times to suit sun, rain, wind, mizzle, dry and cloudy. 

Gloves, hats, jackets, waterproof trousers, gaitors on and off to suit.

We seemed to climb on and on today out of Seatoller to Rosthwaite then up following rivers water falling from the hills around and seeping from the peat bogs on the top plateau.

At Greenup Edge we could look back down the valley and see Scotland in the very far distance.

Thank goodness for my poles is all I can say. I will never walk steep hills again without them.

Time for a team picture at the top.

As the weather improved Howard decided we should take the slightly longer ridge route over Calf Crag and Helm Crag before our steep descent into Grasmere. As we were running late and our mini buses were waiting for us we were denied retail therapy and marched straight to the car park much to the ladies disappointment but we've been promised a quick look round in the morning.

Back to the Derwent Bank Hotel in Keswick owned by HF Holidays. An incredible big old building with ornamental gardens situated on the banks of Derwent Water.

The food is magnificent with huge servings served by very lovely Richard. You can decide who he reminded me of , I can't say in this public blog but he was so welcoming and attentive we wanted him to come with us in the rest of the trip.

Everything was "champion" in his world. 

Today we walked 10.5 miles with about 600m of ascent.

I have a tiny blister on my heal but nothing to fret about. Otherwise my feet are fine considering the amount of wet boggy land we traipsed and water crossings we made balancing on precarious rocks. Boots are now drying in the warm boot room they have here and I'm off to bed packed and ready to move hotels tomorrow.

X

Day 2 and it rained most of the day

Oh gosh what to wear was the dilemma at breakfast as the rain lashed the windows of the Sheperds Arms Hotel.

Today I dragged out all my new wet weather gear and finally realised I was going to have to wear the glorious wet weather trousers, like them or not.

I don't know why I did it but on a spur of the moment desicion I volunteered to be the back marker of the group or sweeper as the say in USA. We only have one leader so each of us has to take a turn at being at the back so we don't loose any of our group along the way.

Howard, our leader said that as it was going to be a difficult day he was glad to have me there as I was a strong walker. I felt a little warm inside when he said this as that was always my worry that I would struggle to keep up with the pack. 

We set off and the path took us along the side of Ennerdale Water which looked more like sea as the wind was causing "white horses" across the surface of the lake.

We then plodded along the valley on Forest Road for a few more miles just as Alfred Wainwright described.

 

I soon realised that marking the back of the group involved waiting for people while they went behind a bush or when they stopped to take photos. It made the walk less strenuous especially when we climbed the steep trail amongst the purple heather as I was constantly stopping to do my marker duty.

We walked mainly in rivulets of water that ran down the pathways and I hoped my boots would behave and keep my feet dry. As I sploshed through the trail I took time to listen to the sounds around me, small rivers running down the slopes and the wind blowing across the open hills. My feet felt ok, not wet, just warm and I  began to start to hope that my boots and I would get along just fine.

Me in the rain

A view across the lake while Howard was explaining the next part of our walk.

Rosy cheeked and feeling happy to reach the top of our ascent today 630m approx. the rain had stopped for a short while. Look at the heather and behind me you can see where I had just walked up.

Coming down the other side.

Burdock plant, the flowers of which is what Velcro was based on.

Vel stands for velour and cro stands for crochet hooks for the hook part of the Velcro. I never knew that. 

We got picked up and taken to a different hotel tonight with equally amazing food. It was an HF Holiday hotel especially equipped with a boot drying room catering purely for walkers. Our bags had been transported during the day from the last hotel to this and were efficiently waiting for us in our rooms.

We heard owls hooting tonight from our bedroom window and it sounds like it's raining again. :(

I must sleep now as its getting late. 

Xxx

Day 1 of the Alfred Wainwright's Coast to Coast walk and it was full sunshine with a lot of wind

We were all in good spirit as we got dropped into St Bees for the start of our mammoth walk.

The sun was shining and slightly windy but a beautiful day forecast ahead. 

We had photos taken and dipped the toe of our boots into the sea which is the custom. Then we chose a pebble to carry across to the other coast which is also customary. I tried to pick a special looking pebble but in the end decided to take two.

It was glorious to walk along the cliff tops overlooking the sea directly opposite the Isle of Man which wasn't in view due to mist on the horizon. 

The first part of the trail heads north west and then North which seems mean when we are supposed to be heading East. We soon started heading inland and in front of us loomed Dent which looked like a bald monks head looming out of the trees below. 

We reached the top with steady trudging and had amazing views all around us, It was even possible to see Scotland to the north. 

Then we had a steep drop down into a picturesque valley and the walk back to our hotel where we started from in the taxi van this morning. 

No blisters, thank you boots but thank goodness for the walking poles.

14 miles tucked under our belts and only 178 to go.

Thanks for reading, good night. X

Toe dipping at St Bees beach.

It was very windy at the top of Dent

St Bees is on the coast behind me.

Arrival to St Bees and meeting the others

Most of today was spent on the train to Carlisle and then we went in a 50 year old train, Mary Queen of Scots, onwards to St Bees. 

This train set the group of trainspotters at Carlisle station into a spin as it had recently been renovated and they were all running around trying to get the best photos of it.

We met Howard, our leader for the two week hike, on the train and as we travelled along the coastal railway line we exchanged stories of past walking experiences. 

At St Bees we met up with everyone. 14 of us in total and surprisingly only 4 men.

It included a group of 3 ladies from Canada and a couple who had come all the way from Australia. I felt almost local in comparison.

So a quick photo stop and wander round before heading off  by taxi to The Shepherd Arms Hotel in Ennerdale Bridge where we will be staying for 2 nights. 

Tomorrow we will be driven back to St Bees to start at the sea and do the customary toe dipping into the water before setting off. 

The three course meal we were served was delicious and such huge portions. At this rate I will be putting weight on during the trip if every night has similar. 

Then retiring to our room to prepare our bags for tomorrow and think of foot strategies. Do we wear plasters before we get blisters? Talc? Vaseline? Compeed Gel? Oh gosh too many desicions so maybe lets sleep on it and decide in the morning.

My boots are waiting at the end of my bed. Sitting quietly and waterproofed and itching to get going.

Not long now.

Arriving at St Bees, it's a glorious sunny day.

St Bees School, the motto above the door in Latin reads "Enter so that you may make progress".

Sleep time for me now 

Xx

Taking the train up North tomorrow

Well tomorrow is the day I take my boots on the train to their starting place of St Bees. I am giving them a spruce up and a spray of waterproofing. 

The weather forecast for next week is looking grim.

Looks like I'm going to get plenty of use of my wet weather gear. ☔️☔️☔️

Packing my equipment today and hoping I have everything.

Don't let me down now boots.

Loz x

Only one week to go, not long now.

So now I am counting down to my leaving date in one weeks time.

I now have in my possession my weatherproof jackets and hideous waterproof trousers and I even bought proper walkers gaiters. I am anticipating rain but hoping for lovely clear days so I can see the scenery to take my mind off the mileage.

I am still training a few mornings a week with my friends in Ealing and Buddy the Dog. He really likes to sit on feet when we stop at the end to chat. Its a very strange habit but I always feel a slight privilege when he chooses me. Today he chose my boots so I have attached a picture.

Last week when I was at my Mum's she still has pictures on her wall from our Everest trek Craig and I undertook in 1992.
We walked for 22 days carrying all our own stuff and stayed in lodges along the way.
It was hard work and, at times, very steep terrain but we made it to Base Camp and raised £6500 for Cancer Research in the process. It was something neither of us will ever forget especially having to deal with altitude and the lack of oxygen. Banging head aches and all our effort to put one foot in front of the other when we were at 5300m altitude.
I am hoping this C2C will be as successful, even though I am 23 years older now but no altitude and thin air to deal with this time.
It has made me realise that the challenge is not just a physical one but very much a mental attitude of "I can do this and I will, just try stopping me".

This was me at Everest Base Camp 1992 wearing my Cancer Research sweatshirt

This was Craig and I in all our kit on the trail, looking professional but probably smelling really bad as we didn't wash for 10 days, it was so cold.

COME ON BOOTS time to brush up and look smart. No slacking now please and lets see if you can get me to where I need to go without too much pain.

Keep on walking.

Loz xxx