August 13, 2009
C2C – Rosthwaite to Grasmere – Chestnut Villa B&B
Distance/Time – 16 kms/10 miles – 6 hours
Weather: mostly sunny – beautiful day!
Terrain – followed a beautiful stream up the valley – our first climb. Waterfalls along the way – hard up hill climb to Lining Crag. Followed cairns to route choices – easy along valley/hard along Hemps Crag. Choose Hemps Crag, and enjoyed the great views. Very tough decent – glad to finally walk on level ground at the bottom.
Notes
Today is my 60th birthday. My wish was to be doing something adventurous on this day and this trip is certainly turning into that. These hikes are demanding and rewarding. When we finally finish the complete trip – it will be one item checked off my bucket list! Dinner and drinks tonight with new hiking friends – Tony and Sally and Peter and Sandra at the Jumble Room. Grasmere was once home to a famous English Poet, William Wordsworth.
August 14, 2009
C2C – Grasmere to Patterdale (returned to Grasmere via taxi to Chestnut Villa B&B)
Distance/Time – 16 kms/10 miles – 3 ¾ hours
Weather: very cloudy with wet low cloud cover – cool temperatures – windy at the top
Terrain – followed path up hill to the top of Grisedale Pass. Fairly easy climb compared to other days. Over the top we came to Grisdale Tarn (lake). Windy and low clouds around us. Three choices for ascent – Helvellyn, St. Sunday and Grisdale Valley. Choose Grisdale valley, other two hidden by clouds. Lower valley hike to Patterdale – beautiful farm pastures with cattle and sheep.
Notes
We could not find accommodations in Patterale so a taxi ride back to Grasmere had been arranged. Taxi will get us back to Patterdale in the morning to start what will be our longest day. Taxi driver called the combination of low clouds with drizzle – mizzle!! Back in Grasmere, tried our first pasty. This is an English staple – pastry filled with all kinds of ingredients. We had one with meat and potatoes.
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!