Final posting - coast to coast

Photo by Tracy Testin

Phew, at last I finished this posting, it seemed like a marathon, rather like the walk itself.  There were so many excellent photos from the group + the ones we took, so I was musing over which ones to put in the blog for ages. Anyway, here it is finally done.

I have now finished day 12 c2c

Signpost at St. Bees

We have reached The Lion Inn at Blakey in my posting and there are just two days left to record. I will be completing the posting sometime over the weekend, with any luck tomorrow.

The weather was lovely and sunny in Keswick today but fairly cool and no one turned up for my last guided walk of the year, which was sad.  It seems to me that sometimes when you look around, that Keswick is just full of people for half term but they do not look like walkers; more like daytrippers. One local shopkeeper came up to me and said 'why don't they go to Blackpool?' he then added that trade had been ok last weekend but since then it had been bad. So its not just me then I thought, its all of us who don't seem to get customers at this time of year.  Well I shall be taking a small break myself next week, Pete, Bella and I will be walking over to Wasdale and returning the next day.

Morning folks, just to let you know I have not forgotten

What, another field to cross!

This is for you readers who are following my C2C posting, I am going to be out today at Cumbria Patchworkers, (my other hobbie is making quilts) so I hope to get back to this posting later today. It might be much later as we fancy going to see the Jane Eyre film and it starts at 5.45pm, then we will need to eat.....So keep watching for an update.

Another day done on the C2C

I think this is a Swaledale

I have now done the posting for day ten which was Richmond to Danby Wiske, and I am getting there, like I said I will be posting this over a few days as I have to keep sifting through photos.

Bella and I went on the Round of Aiken Beck today with 4 adults and 2 teenagers and had a good day out. The weather changed for the better and it stopped raining almost to order as we disembarked from the 77 bus at Scawgill Bridge and then we had to plod up the steep fellside. Once up though we had a splendid high level walk across towards Lord's Seat and then down to Whinlatter before going to the visitor centre for a welcome cuppa whilst we waited for the bus home. I think at this time of year its always a good idea to have a cafe at the end of the walk. Sadly, I forgot the camera and so did all the others.

Getting back to the C2C posting

I hope to be able to re do the posting I lost tomorrow and I have some more photos too because I have been given some more to share.

This is just a taster for you who have been so patient waiting for me to get on with it.  I do have an excuse as I have just finished Hunter Davies biography on Alfred Wainwright, so I now know a little bit more about him. I suppose my curiosity about his life started when I was on the Coast to Coast wondering how it was he came to think it up and why. I also used to live in Kendal and taught for many years at the college so he would have been living there when I was, gosh I might even have passed him on the street.

More posting on the Coast to Coast

Edward vii letter box in Grasmere

We have been away for a couple of days back to Ravenstonedale which we stayed at on the recent C2C.  We both liked the idea of investigating some of the hills around the area so yesterday found us up on the top of Wild Boar Fell.  I will post a few photos in a couple of days but meanwhile I wanted those of you who are following it to know that I have continued the C2C section but it is still only half way through the walk.

Pete's Coast to Coast Adventure

Between August 7 and 20 Pete helped guide a group of nine very determined Americans on Wainwright's coast to coast walk...14 consecutive days of walking. Here's Pete and Bella taking some shots of the group at the starting point at St Bees with 190 miles to go. Wainwright chose the route for the richness and diversity of its landscape and I've selected a few pictures that I hope will illustrate this.

The walk begins with a high level traverse of the dramatic sandstone cliffs of St Bees Head then heads east across the West Cumbrian plain towards the Lake District National Park.

The rough path along the south shore of Ennerdale Water leads towards the head of Ennerdale where we stopped for a welcome lunch break at Black Sail YHA.

The path from Rosthwaite alongside Greenup Gill leads past Eagle Crag towards Lining Crag and Greenup Edge in the distance. This was day three of the C2C and the sun smiled on the group that day.

High above Far Easdale, the ridge leading from Calf Crag over Gibson Knott towards distant Helm Crag and the village of Grasmere is enlivened by the shadows thrown by the afternoon sun. There followed two very wet Lake District days as we made our way from Grasmere to Glenridding and on towards the village of Shap.

We had a late lunch high above the river in Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park before descending towards Richmond, a very attractive and historic town, and the only one of any consequence on our route.

Between the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors lie the flat farmlands of the Vale of Mowbray. It took us two days to traverse the plain with the Cleveland Hills ahead beckoning us ever eastward.

High above the Cleveland plain the C2C route follows that of the well engineered Cleveland Way which makes for good progress across the heather clad moors. The 19 miles we covered between Osmotherley and the Lion Inn at Blakey Howe made for a long hard day.

From the 1317 ft point on Cold Moor the dark rocks of the Wain Stones appear to block the path ahead over Hasty Bank.

The Wain Stones were easily negotiated to reach the top of Hasty Bank. We ate a late lunch on Carr Ridge a mile or so beyond before setting out on the last eight miles to the Lion Inn.

At Bloworth Crossing our route joined the track bed of the old Rosedale Ironstone Railway which eased our progress over the last five miles of the long day.

Remarkably the whole group made it to Robin Hood's Bay; unsurprisingly, fourteen days walking took its toll on our feet many of which were much the worse for wear by the time we arrived, yet high morale and sheer determination overcame all adversity. Here's the "Team Awesome" on Ness Point with Robin Hood's Bay beyond.

Outside the Bay Hotel in Robin Hood's Bay after we'd dipped our feet in the North Sea. It's a very quaint and jolly little town with a great atmosphere, the boots are off now and we felt we'd earned a pint or two .

This is the Lion Inn at Blakey

Pete and his intrepid Americans have reached this point on the C2C, it was a long hard 19 mile walk.

Only 2 more days to go now and it is much easier tomorrow through Danby High Moor and Glaisdale Moor then onto Grosmont. The last day into Robin Hood's Bay should be all downhill too. I can't wait to see the photos he has been taking en route.

Ravenstonedale for Pete tonight

This is where they are tonight on the C2C except its not sunny but raining again. However, they are all in good spirits and had a hearty dinner.

Shap - Coast to Coast

Some of you know that Pete is doing the coast to coast with a group of Americans.  I was with them for the legs from Rosthwaite to Grasmere and then on to Patterdale. They are a determined group and lovely company. They all  managed to reach Shap yesterday evening, rather wet but still going strong. This is the very welcoming hotel which has put them up for the night and is drying all their boots ready for today's leg.

The weather has been so bad this last few days that Pete has not been able to take any photos at all. I am hoping that the camera gets out today.