Tuesday: Honister to Grasmere

Miles Traveled: 11
Beer Consumed: Hawkshead Lakeland Gold

The Lakes keep continuing to surprise me. Today I got proper lost. I went too far south from Lining Crag, completely missing Greenup Edge and ending up on High Raise. Luckily I had my other maps with me (see previous post:) and with the help from some passerby I was well back on my way to at least getting to Grasmere by nightfall. I got to a fell with Easdale Tarn at the bottom-- now all I needed to do was get down... I forged my own way and was triumphant in the end, however I suffered a major casualty. I lost my Trailblazer Coast to Coast Book. It was quite a crazy day and I managed to get into town and buy another one so it was not too much of a setback. Still quite funny, as that is my 1st navigation guide and my OS maps second. So if you are ever hiking up in the Fells and see a Coast to Coast book in a location which is not even mentioned on the route itself... well now you know how it got there :)

Before all that nonsense, I am pretty sure I got chased by angry sheep in Rosthwaite. I was just moseying thru a field (like you are allowed to) and suddenly I hear this angry bleating. I turn to my right and there is this big sheep, who looks angry.... or as angry as a sheep can possibly make themselves. So I say "Hallo sheep. Just passing thru!" and keep moving. I turn around and its still bleating and following me. I go a bit faster... it starts going faster. Then it gets the whole gang involved and when I turn around again right before hitting the gate there are like 7 sheep after me! It might of been a proper lynching!

Unlike the other hostels the one in Grasmere is quite busy and I have others in my room. Most are older ladies, and one who is shocked and in awe with women hiking alone. Me and other girl are doing just that-- she is from Poland studying in London. She was very bubbly and friendly and we got along just fine talking about school holidays and where we have hiked,.

I wanted to eat at The Jumble Room, but of course it is closed on Tuesdays. So right now I am at The Rowan Tree having antipasti and a salmon penne in a creme sauce. And of course a local beer!
Dove Cottage
Grasmere seems to be known for three things: Wordsworth, gingerbread, and tourists. I swear they just stand there in the middle of the pavement to you have to walk in the road... move! I can't wait to get to a smaller town, although on the plus side there are more food choices rather than just hostel food. The gingerbread, I must say, was pretty delicious, with like a sugary brown sugar topping. It almost melted in your mouth and had a bit of a brownie-like texture. For someone who does not like gingerbread, I would say it was pretty tasty!

Tonight there is a storyteller hour at the hostel, where people will weave their lyrical masterpieces to wow the crowds and win their hearts with spoken adventures. Or something like that. Its free-- there's tea. I am there.

So in theory I failed the Coast to Coast, about half of today was ad libbed, still I saw some beautiful stuff so I think in the end Wainwright would have been OK with it.

Monday: Ennerdale to Honister

Miles Traveled: 14
Beer Consumed: Hesket Newmarket Brewery - Hay Stacks

Wow. Another interesting day in the Lake District. I decided to try my luck at Red Pike (755m). To be fair I took my sweet time getting up there, I figured it was a light day and I did not want to get to the Youth Hostel too early (they 'open' at 5pm). Anyways, by the time I got to the summit the clouds had rolled in and you could barely see a thing! All I can say is if there are two things you MUST bring on your trip to the lakes: its raingear and a compass. And when I say compass I do not mean your iPhone. Although that is perfectly lovely for most occasions, relying on a piece of electrical equipment when stuck on a mountain is a very dangerous thing. Especially when it is that same device you want to use to call Mountain Rescue when you are properly lost and its dark and you do not want to die.

I say this because I ran into two girls while bumbling around towards High Stile (807m, highest summit on C2C) who were using their iPhone as a GPS (read: no real map) and compass. They looked drenched and completely unprepared for the inclement weather. Useful tip-- going up in the mountains it will always be colder at the tip than at the bottom.... jackets are helpful. I was nervous for them when I pointed them in the right direction and off they disappeared into the mist-- and then it started to hail and I had to focus on my own problems.

It is scary being in a cloud. Its even scarier when you run the risk of being blown over the side or breaking an ankle and you do not know if anyone is around. I have my whistle, and as I found out it is rare to not come across someone in the area I am in.

On my ridge walk I also ticked off High Crag (755m) and Hay Stacks (597m), the latter being in near one of Wainwrights favorite places, Innominate Tarn. This is subsequently where his ashes were scattered by his late widow.

The Honister Youth Hostel is pretty nice, situated near the Honister Slate Mine, which even has a via ferrata route to tackle if you are up to it! Right now it is pretty quiet, which is nice when you have had a decent day of walking. Again, like Ennerdale, the food and hospitality are excellent!

My feet and legs feel pretty good, and with an easy day tomorrow (scraping 10 miles) I think I will be ready for Helvellyn in a few days. I would be lying if I said I am not curious to taste this famous gingerbread in Grasmere tomorrow!

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!

Saturday - Journey to St Bees

0900: There is a man standing at our train stop with Aloha board shorts. Never mind its scraping 60 degrees with the ominous smell of rain in the air. Never mind.

I am about an hour outside Manchester and to my first changeover to reach St. Bees. The thought of tomorrow lingers in my mind like the saturated clouds in the sky. First day: 18 miles. I did about 8 yesterday in Cardiff and my legs feel funny. Should have worn my hiking boots-- shit.

I seriously contemplated not doing this walk. However I invested too much effort (and money) to back down now. Plus I know I would by angry at myself for failing.

Sheep. Sheep everywhere. I hope to see many on my C2C. We Americans love seeing farm animals, maybe because it takes us a while to get to them in the cities in the States?

I will say one good thing about the rain- it makes for a lovely green countryside. It almost likke like waves of green slowly undulating in the breeze. The animals dotting the countryside are simply floating about- wading this was and that to tasty morsels.

I wonder what the Irish Sea will look like. Will it be tumultous proceeding the rain? Or will is be tranquil a la calm before the strom? I am not sure what it will be, regardless I am nervous and excited about being one step closer to my 190 mile journey.

My friend Kyle was so nervous about his bike ride across Africa he puked. Let's hope for the sake of everyone else on the train I do not follow suit.

@1630: Finally! I arrived at St. Bees. I am staying at Tomlin Guest House which is conveniently located near Mile 0 of the C2C. The sun is out (gasp!) so I am heading out to snap some photos of the Irish Sea before dinner

@ 2101: Just come back from a lovely dinner at the Queens. Can never go wrong with a pint and fish n chips... battered in Jennings (a local Lake District ale). I also had a warm chickpea and goat cheese salad to sart, with a tangy lime and cilantro dressing. Lotsa carbs and protein for tomorrow!

The Irish Sea is -amazing-. However I think its the surrounding landscape which truly makes itawe inspiring. Beautiful green cliffs rolling seamlessly into the sea. The itself stretches for what seems like miles (but I know it ends... duh). I puchased my obligatory postcard from the cream tea shop (also an obligatory place in a seaside town) for the wall, I wonder how many I can collect.

As I peer outside I see rain on my windowsill. That's fine-- please just stop by tomorrow morning. :)