Showing posts with label "C2C Photo Diary". Show all posts
Showing posts with label "C2C Photo Diary". Show all posts








Day 1       St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge


14.3 miles              Fine and bright

 


Wainwright suggests beginning the Coast to Coast Walk in the west and proceeding east so that one generally has the prevailing wind behind you as you walk, so yesterday we had travelled west, by train, to St Bees and stayed overnight at The Manor Hotel.

Breakfast was plentiful and tasty, the forecast was good and by 9.00 am we had walked from the hotel to the beach in the company of an Australian couple.  We talked to them briefly about our different itineraries (theirs included a rest day or two, ours didn't) and then obliged each other by taking photos at the start of the walk, marked by a sign above the beach.



Carole and I walked down the beach to carry out the Coast to Coast walker's tradition of dipping our boots in the sea and collecting a small pebble each to carry with us, which hopefully we would deposit on the beach at Robin Hood's Bay in 14 days time.

Carole wonders about the wisdom of dipping her walking shoes into the sea

Ritual bathing completed and pebbles gathered we set off.  The walk begins with a short climb up St Bees Head and then follows the coastline with some pleasantly vertiginous views down the cliffs to the sea.  Being June there were lots of wildflowers including thrift and foxgloves along our path.

On St Bees Head, about to overtake The Aussies

Fleswick Bay


We soon came to recognise our fellow walkers.  We had left the slower Australian couple behind and were catching up with three men, one of whom had a blue balloon printed with Happy Birthday tied to his rucksack.  For ease of reference we christened them The Birthday Boys.  Other walkers we chatted with as we walked around the cliff edges were a couple doing the Coast to Coast for the fifth time (The Five Timers) and a group of four men in neon pink T shirts (Gay Pride).  In fact we discovered later these men were collecting for Brain Tumour Research and their eye catching T shirts advertised that fact.  We made a donation and were carefully entered into their records.

This nick-naming of other walkers is a tradition of the Coast to Coast and we wondered what others might call us.  "The Old Gits?" suggested Carole.


Cattle are very used to walkers

St Bees Lighthouse seen from the path

The Birthday Boys and their balloon


Like ourselves all these walkers had their own itineraries and rest stops and so we would lose track of some and meet others as the walk continued.  At any time we estimated about 20 people were on the same daily section of trail as ourselves, these numbers being limited by the availability of accommodation.  We found we would talk to people every day but usually walked alone and no-one outstayed their welcome, including, I trust, ourselves.


We leave the coast to turn East at last

Weather vane at Sandwith

Heading East


After 4.5 miles we turned away from the coast and passed through Sandwith to Moor Row where we paused for a photo next to a statue of a Coast to Coast walker.  Next came the village of Cleator, where, having covered 7 miles, we were disappointed to find no sign of a cafe.  Soon after Cleator we reached the first real climb of the day, Dent Hill.




We stopped at at a handy boulder at the bottom of Dent Hill to have a coffee from our flasks and then began the climb.  Part way up we saw a lone walker ahead carrying a large new-looking back pack and I suggested to Carole that it might contain a para-glider.  As we drew level the man (Big Pack Man) threw down his large bag and said to us, "I can't do this. I've made a mistake!"   His pack was just too heavy, he said, and he joked about eating all his supplies to make it lighter for tomorrow.  In fact we would see a lot of BPM over the next two weeks after he left all his camping gear at Ennerdale Bridge to be collected later, and adopted a B and B trek instead.


High stile near Dent Hill

Gentle descent at first

We left him behind, still cursing his load and reached the top of Dent Hill where we found the Birthday Boys relaxing next to a cairn.  We didn't stop and found the gentle descent soon became very steep indeed as it dropped over Raven Crag, and a surprise to the knees.  We wondered how Big Pack Man would manage such a steep drop.


Carole stands at top of very steep descent off Dent Hill


The reward at the bottom of the hill is a walk along the tranquil Nannycatch Beck after which we joined the busy road which fortunately had walkers' paths constructed in the fields alongside the road. At 3.00pm we reached a cafe at Ennerdale Bridge and finally settled down to coffee and cream scones knowing our walking day was at an end.


Nannycatch Beck

Big Pack Man's base for tonight

Walking towards Ennerdale Bridge


Our accommodation for the night was at the Fox and Hounds, Ennerdale Bridge, which we discovered was a Community Pub.  Like the cafe we visited earlier it had been saved for the the village by community action and although fairly basic was ideal for our needs.




Day 2   Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite


14.5 miles                   Cloudy but fine




We sat down to breakfast at 8.00 am in the Fox and Hounds. Bacon, egg and mushrooms were good and we were out and walking by 9.00 am.

We began with a short walk to Ennerdale Water where we decided to take the path on the south side of the lake.  This involves what our guidebook describes as a steep, rocky scramble but which we thought very tame, perhaps it might be trickier in wet weather.


Our accommodation in Ennerdale Bridge

A short walk from Ennerdale Bridge...

.... brings us to Ennerdale Water

A quick scramble uphill...

... and down the other side

Ennerdale Water


Ennerdale Water was very peaceful and we saw no wildlife until we encountered a flotilla of geese with several young close to the lake head.

Walking alongside Ennerdale Water




My eye was caught by some pink T-shirts ahead and we soon caught the Brain Tumour Fundraisers, who explained it was not their intention to do the whole of the C2C.  We wondered why as they were obviously good walkers.

We also met Agnes, a Canadian girl walking alone and an American couple who we would meet off and on until Keld, when their rest day would permanently drop them out of our C2C.


Sheep and unusual 'spectacle' lamb, Sunday walkers, not C2C behind

After the lake there is an easy walk, ascending very gradually at first through fields and then on a forest path until Black Sail Hut is reached.  This is described in our book as 'romantic' and it certainly is in a lovely setting.


Black Sail Pass with the Birthday Boys on left 

Leaving Black Sail, the Fundraisers now arrived and in the foreground


We arrived at the hut to find lots of walkers had congregated there including the Birthday Boys and the Aussies.  Not knowing for certain whether we would find refreshments here we had brought our own flasks of hot water to make coffee, ate apples and trail bars and enjoyed a pleasant break chatting to The Aussies.

Most of the cloud cleared from the sky as we sallied forth from Black Sail Hut for the climb up the side of Loft Beck.  As we climbed we met The Geordies, a Newcastle couple who were doing the C2C for the second time.  They were on a similar schedule to us and we would see them throughout the trek.  

This was quite a tough, steep climb but satisfying to complete.  At the top a series of cairns disappear into the distance and there are views back to Ennerdale Water.

Walking towards Loft Beck

Climbing Loft Beck, approaching The Geordies

Looking down Loft Beck

The Buttermere Valley comes into view


That was the day's climbing done and as we continued we had a beautiful view of the Buttermere Valley.  We were also pleased to spot the drumlins that Wainwright mentions, as we walked to join the Honister Pass road which is reached by a rapid descent down a stony path.

Buttermere and Crummock Water


As we approached this descent we met Big Pack Man who we had last seen struggling on Dent Hill.  He told about the cull he had carried out on his kit and said that he was looking forward to staying in luxury at Seatoller that evening, instead of being under canvas.

We soon reached Honister Hause, which is a revived slate mine with a visitor centre and cafe, and was very busy with a packed car park, as it was a Sunday afternoon.

Honister Hause
Coffee and cake at Honister




We bought coffee and cake (no scones left) from the weary looking staff and went to sit in the sun to enjoy it.  Afterwards we looked round the visitor centre and were tempted by the slate C2C beer mats but at £5 each and the (almost certain) possibility of me dropping them we decided to leave them for another time.

Not sure the chain is really necessary...

Boot Camp



After this we continued with our walk to Rosthwaite via a lovely route beside Stonethwaite Beck, calling at the Scafell pub for a couple of pints in the sun before checking in to the Royal Oak situated just next door.  Here we had good accommodation and the best food of the trek so far.


Crossing fields to Rosthwaite

We are welcomed to Rosthwaite

I enjoy a reward at the Scafell Pub






Day 3      Rosthwaite to Grasmere


7.3 miles        Torrential rain



Even though there is 2000 feet of climbing in today's walk, we'd been thinking that it would be a 'walk in the park' as it's a much shorter distance.  We had shrugged off the weather forecast and yellow warnings of rain forgetting how the Lakes can turn into a vista of water chutes in bad weather.  Today would be the start of a period of the worst June weather for years.

The day began lazily for us, we left at 10.15am already togged up in waterproofs.  Initially the walk is flat along Stonethwaite Beck then it begins to climb slowly up Greenup Gill.  The rain was coming down in sheets and by now there were many deep puddles and flooding around some of the gates.


Leaving Rosthwaite

Paths have become streams

Carole wonders how she will keep her feet dry

The aim was to ascend a stony and steep gully toward Lining Crag, but in fact we were often walking over rocks running with water and found ourselves crossing treacherous torrents of water that should not have been there.  We later read that the dry months prior to our walk had left the ground baked hard.  Today's heavy rain couldn't immediately sink into the ground and simply poured down the slopes leading to today's unusual fell forecast, 'all streams in spate'.


Greenup Gill towards Lining Crag

Greenup Gill in spate



Having got up the first section we looked through the mist to see a figure sheltering under an overhanging rock, looking down at us. It was Big Pack Man, who we now know is called Keiran.  He joined us and the three of us made our way slowly onward and upward, constantly diverting up or down stream to find crossing places.


Towards Lining Crag


Keiran (AKA Big Pack Man) and Carole check directions


Eventually we made it to the top where Wainwright warns that at this point walkers must avoid The Wythburn Trap, where one mistakenly descends to the wrong valley, so we took great care with our navigation in the poor visibility.  We came to some very boggy ground and the rain continued to lash down but ahead we could see an iron stanchion that Wainwright mentions, a useful indicator.

AW cheerfully skirts over the last 3.5 miles of the walk, 'descend into Far Easdale on a path that soon becomes distinct..... to Grasmere in 3.5 miles.'   Sounds simple but that is in good weather and we found ourselves criss-crossing branches of Easdale Beck, fording streams that were quite wide and deep. Carole and I had walked this same path in snow last November but the conditions were nothing like as bad as today's.  Eventually we came to a stretch of water where we could find no safe place to cross, upstream or downstream and there was nothing for it but to jump.

I went first and landed on firm ground before slowly slipping back into the stream up to my knees. Keiran jumped next and Carole third, both making it.  We were safely across but I was to discover later that my jump had caused more damage than I realised.

The rest of the descent just needed a bit of care.  We met The Aussies who told us they had started early.  They told us how the C2C was marketed as a 'gentle walk across England' in Australia, they thought this was ridiculous, they had never experienced such hard walking.



Looking down Easdale from Greenup Edge

A dry bit of path

Crossing Easdale Beck


A little further and we came upon another Australian foursome who had started early, a husband, wife, their son and his girlfriend. They had told us in the pub last night that they were going to do the full walk from Rosthwaite to Patterdale today, yet here they were, at 2.30pm standing on Grasmere Common eating their sandwiches in the pouring rain.  They said they had given up hope of walking beyond Grasmere and would get a taxi to Patterdale where their luggage was waiting for them.  We carried on and didn't see them again as this would put them a day ahead of us.

We were glad to arrive at Glenthorne, our accommodation for the night.  It had taken us over 5 hours to walk 7 miles and the appalling conditions had made our 'easy' day far tougher than the two preceding days.


Further down Easdale we look for a crossing point, give up and wade over

Nearing Grasmere

Glenthorne


The Glenthorne is a Quaker Hostel and we were told we were invited back to the main building for tea and cake at 4.30 pm.  This was most welcome but turned out to be a strange affair with people (Quakers?) sitting around the perimeter of a room in silence. Glenthorne does, however, have a drying room which we quickly commandeered.

We walked into Grasmere for our dinner, it was still raining, and met the Five Timers in the pub.  They told us glumly that they had never experienced weather like this on their other C2C walks and had also ended up to the knees at the same point as ourselves.

As we walked back to Glenthorne I felt an ominous pain in my right heel and a weather check showed the yellow warning of heavy rain had been extended for another 36 hours.

We went to bed in a pensive mood....