Month: August 2013

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Day 7 UKc2c

3 Aug 2013 – Cumbria Lake District/5

Friday 2Aug 2013 – Day 7 Orton – Kirkby Stephen 12.8mi/20.6km 0630-1700hrs

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Nice weather for walking, not too hot nor wet. Long day taking many small breaks with not much spectacular, but then not towards the end of the Like District. Again over stiles and headed over fields to Ravenstonedale Moor, passing by Severals Village’s archaeological site,  to Smardale Bridge and Smardale Fell.

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Unbelievable, there is a chinese take-out-Panda and a chinese restaurant-Century here in Kirkby Stephen with a pop of just app 2,000! So far he biggest place to visit. My accommodations for tonight is quite lovely.

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A lovely church by the market square and all kinds of shops on the main street. Also a HSBC Bank but I do not bank with them. Finally managed to find a decent C2C map for S$16 at the visitor centre just across the street from where I am staying.

Somehow all the village churches have been interesting and after being thru’ these villages, one can understand that living in such remote areas in the days where transport and communication were not so accessible, faith in such communities is an important way of life.

Home

Night: Fri 2Aug at Old Croft House, Kirkby Stephen GBP35 S$68 for a room and separate bathroom.

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Day 6 UKc2c

2 Aug 2013 – Cumbria Lake District/4

Thursday 1Aug 2013 – Day 6 Shap – Orton 9mi/12.6km 0830-1300hrs

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Walking thru’ Shap, a village at the heart of Britain was quite a historic experience. Had to walked down the main street to get on the trail. No pix of Shap Abbey due to time and stress when passing by it yesterday.  New Ing Lodge has a wall map of the UKc2c in the dinning room. Had fish & chips dinner last night at the Shap Chippy***

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Found the path leading onto the muddy and shitty! farmlands to cross the motorway on the overhead bridge. This is the first time to cross the M6, strange to see the motorway and cars zooming by….

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Crossing the moors all morning, muddy and boggy but at least not misty. Glad to meet the 2 familiar hikers who were at the same lodgings the night before, and also doing the UKc2c. This will probably be the last I see of them and they plan to hike the whole trail in 10 days. One of them has done it many years ago, so the path today must be the correct one!!

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Amazing limestone pavement, quite contrasting views compared to yesterday.

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Got into Orton earlier than expected to find the B&B locked! Had something to drink at the new cafe across the road and walked around the area within 15mins. Delightful village with a church getting ready for a wedding.

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A chocolate factory where one can just about to get everything in chocolate.! Went back to the B&B and dozed on the steps of the entrance! Thought I was dreaming when some familiar hikers from across the road came by, and yes it was the group from St Bees who I though would have been way ahead by now, but the group seemed smaller. Accompanied them to the cafe for tea to discover that 2 of their younger boys did not feel up to the hike. Fun exchanging notes, info and contacts: ‘Daft – WellyWalkers’ with Jeff & Joby (father&son), George and Mark with the long hair. Thank you for crossing paths.

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Cousin Yat-Soon & family are in the area and appreciations to them for driving over to pick me up for dinner in Greystoke (Tarzan), not on the walking UKc2c but on the cycling UKc2c trail. Took us 20mins to drive by Shap (took me 5hrs to walk!!!) on the way to Greystoke. Helen’s cousin owns the Boot & Shoe Pub and thank you to Yat-Soon&Helen for a lovely dinner and a pack-lunch from there. Got back to the B&B by 22.30hrs, had just enough energy to brush teeth and zzzz

Night: Thu 1Aug at Mostyn House, Orton GBP40 S$78 for a room and separate bathroom.

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Day 5 UKc2c

1 Aug 2013 – Cumbria Lake District/3

Wednesday 31Jul 2013 – Day 5 Patterdale – Shap 15.5m/25km 0630-1730hrs

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The day start beautifully crossing the bridge looking back into Patterdale, passing by lovely cottages and up up up for nearly 2hrs

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to Angle Tarn where breakfast was served from the day-pack in the company of flock of ducks and a few campers.

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Still continuing upwards not realising that it was NOT the correct path, met just one lone hiker going the opposite direction but did not think to ask him being too stupid…

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Was instead admiring the views which are not on the correct path!

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Thank goodness for Peter and his group, took a different path but at least headed to the correct direction. Appreciations to Norman Crump of Lancaster U and son for getting me into Shap which has an interesting history. Just too tired and frustrated to write but will edit and update another day.

Night: Wed 31Jul at New Ing Lodge, Shap GBP22 for bed (dom-style room with 5 others) and full breakfast) S$43