August 15, 2009
C2C – Patterdale to Shap – Brookfield Guest House
Distance/Time – 32 kms/20 miles – 8 hours
Weather: steady rain and gusty winds at the start, intermittent rain/sunshine at the end – cloud cover @ 1500’.
Terrain – took Sherpa’s recommended alternate route. Followed the southern shore ofUllswater Lake. Good pathway – very wet with excellent views of the lake. Crossed over Askham Fell and walked through farm paths and country roads to Shap. Beautiful English country scenery.
Notes
Woke up to rolling thunder and pouring rain. Wind blowing - rain horizontal at times. With full rain gear on we were ready for the toughest day yet. Great B&B as our innkeeper (Margaret) washed our socks, made us tea and dried our shoes and drove us to town for dinner. Another nice dinner with Tony/Sally and Peter/Sandra at Greyhound restaurant (very good). Bodies pretty beat up, “shattered” as the Brits would say.
August 16, 2009
C2C – Shap to Kirkby Stephen – Jolly Farmers B&B
Distance/Time – 39 kms/24 miles - 8 hours
Weather: light rain at start and rained off and on all day. Very windy across the moors.
Terrain – different feel today as the Lakes District is now behind us. Hiking across grassy moors and through many sheep/cattle pastures. Also along manure filled farm laneways!
Notes
Full rain gear on all day. Got off track at very end and ended up in Smardale. No problem, just added another 4 miles to our 20 mile hike. Family offered us a ride to Kirkly Stephen – no way! We will walk all 192 miles! Great last meal at the Old Forge Restaurant. Sunday night – we were their only customers. Farewell pint of ale with Toney and Sally at the King Arms (Coast to Coast Ale). We hiked 44 miles in two days – legs and feet pretty sore. It will feel strange not to be hiking tomorrow. Already trying to figure out when to return to finish this incredible hike.
Posts from this trip.
This is Wainwright’s C2C path, not trail. I think of a trail as a fairly flat manicured walkway. We are embarking on something completely different. The majority of the 192 miles across England will be on 16” rutted out pathways filled with mud, sheep/cattle manure, smooth and sharp boulders, tree roots and running water.
What a welcome to our return to the C2C. This was the worst weather we have encountered and it actually hailed on us at the top of Nine Standards. Wind, rain, hail, mud and very low visibility made this day a real adventure. Relied on compass to find our way when we couldn’t find the path and visibility was only 75’ (25 meters). Great view when the sun is shining - so they say.
Just when I thought the scenery couldn’t get any more beautiful – along came this amazing section of our hike. The River Swale Valley is spectacular with vistas of old stone farm buildings, stone fences and sheep pastures. Nestled along the River Swale were two beautiful picturesque villages – Muker and Gunnerside.
Once we cleared the top of Cleveland Hill the view of Scarth Moor was spectacular. Walked for many hours in undulating hills covered in heather. Fourty six miles (75 kms) in two days - couldn’t wait for a cold pint at the Lion Inn in Blakey. Fourth highest pub in England , this is a truly classic countryside English pub.
As the crow flies our last section should have been 10 miles – but Wainwright (who the hike is named after) had other plans. The hike through Little Beck Preserve was like hiking through the Hobbits Middle Earth – and the extra circle around the coastal cliffs proved a fitting way to enter into Robin Hood’s Bay.
C2C hikers either carry a pebble or small vile of water from the start (St. Bees). I carried some Irish Sea water and poured it into the North Sea. Then you go to Wainwright’s Bar, which is at the waters edge, and have a very refreshing pint or two. Sign the log book and put down a few personal notes. We relaxed, enjoyed the view and watched for other people we met along the way finish their hike. Then we enjoyed fish and chips at a chip shop – the best fish and chips we ever had!