COAST TO COAST AUGUST 2007

WE DID IT!

We set off from St Bees on August 18th and arrived at Robin Hoods Bay on August 30th.

Day 1

Veronica and I got up at 5am and drove up to Richmond to join the others on the Sherpa bus to St Bees.

When we opened the minibus door at St Bees everybody groaned as we were hit by rain and a bitter cold wind. Well wrapped up in woolly fleeces and waterproofs we all trooped down onto the beach and dipped our boots in the Irish Sea before setting off on our journey across England. The first bit of the walk bizarrely goes west, around St bees Head and after 3 miles we were all pleased to leave the coast and start to head in land. it rained all day and the going was slippy and muddy. We had our lunch huddled under a group of trees. At one point we had to cross a swollen stream. There was a plank of wood across it, broken in the middle (pity the person who was on it when it broke) Some of the group walked the plank and some of us took off our boots and waded. We were very wet and weary when we arrived fairly late at Ennerdale Bridge that evening. 

DAY 2

Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite

The morning was overcast and rather damp but not actually raining and much more pleasant walking as we set off along the shores of Ennerdale water. We were progressing well on flat but very stony paths through the forest beyond the lake when we discovered that Shandy was limping. She had sprained her wrist. I emptied my rucksack and the contents were quickly shared out between several willing volunteers (Thanks everyone!) and Shandy was tucked into my rucksack for the ascent up onto Haystacks. Up on the ridge  I let Shandy out but it was very cold and she immediately tried to get back in! After a chilly lunch we continued into low cloud on the steep rocky ups and downs of Haystacks. We went in single file, each person looking out for the person in front and behind. With hindsight the Haystacks route may not have been the best choice on the day but it was Wainwright's favourite mountain. We passed Innominate Tarn where Wainwright's ashes are scattered and came down to Honister Pass and then down the road to Rosthwaite. That last mile of road walking seems to go on for ever!

DAY 3 Rosthwaite to Grasmere

We set out in early morning sunshine with wisps of clouds drifting up the mountains. This was an "easy day", only 8 miles to walk and 2000ft to climb! The group stayed together up onto Greenup Edge, then split up, some taking the left hand path along the ridge to Helm Crag, some (including me) taking the middle path, the most direct route to Grasmere and a shower and feet up for a couple of hours, and some took the right hand route to Easedale Tarn for a swim!

Shandy walked most of this day apart from being lifted over the many streams flowing across the path on the way down the Easedale Valley.

Joyce joined us for a meal in Grasmere in the evening.

DAY 4

Grasmere to Patterdale

We set off from Grasmere in sunshine and enjoyed a steady climb up to Grisedale Tarn. The whole group lunched together at Grisedale tarn just below cloud level and with a cold wind blowing in from the Patterdale side. In spite of the low cloud some of the group then headed off up Helvellyn and some up Saint Sunday Crag and some of us continued on down the valley to patterdale. (The Helvellyn group reached the top but didn't risk Striding Edge due to the low cloud and strong wind)

On the way down the valley we stopped for a while to watch hundreds of sheep being brought down off Helvellyn.

Sherpa Van slipped up today and took some bags to the wrong B and B and failed to pick one up at all. However that was sorted eventually and we enjoyed a good meal and night's rest at the White Lion.

DAY 5 Patterdale to Shap

This was supposed to be the hardest day of the whole walk but it went well for us. We reached the highest point of the whole walk, Kidsty Pike by lunch time (again some of the group couldn't be restrained from doing a bit extra and they nipped across to High Street and back!). The weather was glorious and we had amazing views back across the Lake District and down to Hawes Water. With regret here we left the Lake District Fells and descended to Hawes Water. (We found our own route down neither Wainwright's nor Terry Marsh's route - this was our only "improvement on Wainwright on the whole trip) Down on the levl again we had a very pleasant walk through woods and fields , past Shap Abbey and into the village of Shap. The Greyhound Pub at Shap gets my vote for the best puddings of the trip.

DAY 6 Shap to Kirkby Stephen

DAY 5