Sunday - St. Bees to Ennerdale

@1900- Miles Traveled: 20

What a day! I did roughly 20 miles (thats why my feet hurt!) from St. Bees to the Ennerdale Youth Hostel. So far I am the only one here in the dorm, but there are many families here.

For dinner? Cumbrian sausage casserole and a Hesket Newmarket Brewery Ale (Lost in the Mist) with a minestrone soup to start. Absolutely brilliant way to end the hike day.

The weather in St Bees was less than lovely when I set off this morning. It felt like 20mph winds but still the views were dramatically beautiful although completely different than the day before. As I wound round the coast, it was hard not to notice the red rocks comprising the cliffs. The sea, not to be outdone, was especially loud and boisterous, with sea foam being plucked up by the wind and flung along the coast.

Around Cleator was where the weather cleared. I started seeing specks of blue in the sky, and by the time I puffed up to the top of Dent Hill (about 353m) the weather was fantastic. True I had to deal with bog like ground (SO glad I had Gor-Tex) but looking at the hills that lay before me put a spring in my step.

Today at dinner I talked to 2 groups of people. One was a bunch of guys who took a cab from Ennerdale Bridge when they discovered it was another 5 miles from town (wish I thought of that!). They claimed to be cabbing back and walking around the lake (see right) in the morning.. .we shall see! :) The other group looked like a grandfather/father/son combo. It was awesome to see a 60 year old pacing with his grandson. Hopefully I will see them again on the trail!

I hope to do Red Pike tomorrow, all depends on the weather. I am getting a bit nervous about Helvellyn, but I a few days to think about it!