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Better Lost Than Duffers: Walking Offa's Dyke Path and the Cumbria Way
This trip report may not have broad appeal, given its focus on long-distance walking, but it may inspire others to visit Wales or the Lake District. Both are very beautiful, as you will see in the photos.
We made this trip last month, flying from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Glasgow, where we spent a couple of days. We then went by rail to Hereford and onward by taxi to Hay-on-Wye in Wales for two days of walking on part of Offa’s Dyke Path. This was followed by a rail transfer to Ulverston, in Cumbria, from where we walked the Cumbria Way to Carlisle. We returned to Glasgow and flew home. Llanthony Priory to Hay-on-Wye Our first steps were straight up an escarpment, from the ruins of Llanthony Priory in the Vale of Ewyas up onto Hatterrall Ridge. We had been delivered to the priory by taxi from our inn in Hay-on-Wye; our driver pointed to the start of the trail and said, “I hope you have a good day, but I will say that I am happy that it is you who are doing it, and not me.” https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5b85e8f2c.jpeg Looking back at the ruins of the priory: https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b911c67c1.jpeg The climb was very stiff, rising 300 metres, and somewhere in the middle of that we each concluded that this was a terrible way to start eight days of hiking. But eventually we were on the ridge, where we were immediately welcomed by wild Welsh ponies. We were now on Offa’s Dyke Path, running north back to Hay-on-Wye, about 19 kilometres away. (The footpath itself is 285 km in length, running from the Severn Estuary to Prestatyn on the Irish Sea.) https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ec34cc161.jpeg Hatterrall Ridge is high, barren, and devoid of any shelter whatsoever, but we were fortunate with a mixture of cloud and sun. The wind, which can howl in that exposure, was brisk but tolerable. Running on our left was the deep Vale of Ewyas in Wales; on our right the equally-deep Olchon Valley in England. The path (and the spine of the ridge) followed the border between the two countries. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f4119a0c7.jpeg We met a few other walkers, but we were mostly on our own. Red kites soared overhead, and we continued to see groups of wild ponies, including mares with new foals. On one occasion two beautiful stallions sparred for a moment, by chance just a few metres from where we sat eating our lunch. Sheep were ubiquitous. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0453a0dc8.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...20f8003c9.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4755becff.jpeg The northern end of the ridge culminates in Hay Bluff, but we missed the turn that would have taken us gently around the eastern side of that. We walked instead to the peak of the bluff, and while it afforded a magnificent view down to Hay, it meant a rugged descent on another steep hillside. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...999c91e77.jpeg We finally rejoined the official path, and then walked fields and woods, crossed steams, and manoeuvred farmyards, frequently under the gaze of sheep and lambs. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6bbdf6443.jpeg Stats for the day: 18.5 km, total time on the trail about 6.5 hours. A good beginning. We had arranged this part of our holiday through Celtic Trails, who booked our accommodation and transfers. They describe this package as “The Heights of Offa’s Dyke,” appropriately named, as Hatterrall Ridge on the first day and the Hergest Ridge on the second are the highest points on the entire path. I would recommend Celtic Trails without hesitation. They are responsive, helpful, and thorough in their attention to detail. Their walking pack (maps, guidebook, specific arrangements, and supplementary information on restaurants and amenities) was very good. https://www.celtictrailswalkingholid...h/#itineraries Our accommodation for four nights in Hay-on-Wye: the Old Black Lion (“Boots & Paws Welcome,” according to the sign outside). It’s a 17th-century inn, a welcoming place where one will meet other walkers. The restaurant is very solid. Tomorrow: our second day of walking |
Oh - what glorious photos! One can feel the wind.
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Wow. Stunning.
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I could never do this type of trip, but wonderful pictures!
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This looks amazing! I really would like to explore more of the UK...but sunnier, warmer places usually win out...
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That two horse photo.... what a shot.
Horse thinks " just challenging boffo and these two humans wandered up" :-) |
Hay-on-Wye to Kington
Our second day was a walk from Hay to Kington, about 24 kilometres to the north. We set off around 9 am, walking at first under cloud, but then in heat and sunshine. We were soon in short-sleeved tees and wishing we had worn our shorts. We started with a pleasant walk by the Hay River, and we were soon back among hundreds of sheep. Fences and dry-stone walls ran beside us or across in front of us; regular gates, kissing gates, and stiles led from one field to another. We occasionally followed streams, and in these places we often encountered deep, slippery mud. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9baa4fad8.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2940fa9bf.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b00bb62c1.jpeg Mid-morning we met a bullock. The risk of injury by cattle had been on the mind of my wife Jeane, who had spent her early childhood on a farm. “Of all the ways I could possibly die, the last thing I want is to die by cow!” I know, it sounds like a remote possibility, but it does happen. (According to this report in the BBC, those who work with cattle are at the greatest risk, but it also happens to walkers, especially if they are accompanied by a dog. We, happily, were dogless. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-54268160 ) This particular bullock was alone in the field, but near our next gate. He started to walk away as we approached, but then he turned, lowered his head, and made a feint towards me. Happily, he immediately lost interest, and turned away again. We scooted through the gate. Later, we met a farmer driving his sheep to a field. He was carrying a lamb: https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e5356f325.jpeg On we walked until we reached the village of Newchurch, where we had to climb Disgwylfa Hill. The sun was now full-on, but the climb was thankfully short. More rolling fields until Gladestry, which marks the foot of Hergest Ridge. It was at this point that I called our pre-booked taxi and set up a 4 pm meeting at the Swan in Kington. It made sense at that moment, given how fast we had been walking, but it turned out to be a miscalculation of the time it would take us to climb and descend the ridge. We met more wild ponies on Hergest Ridge, including this pregnant mare: https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d68c68300.jpeg The ascent was truly a breakheart hill if ever there was one; steep and shadeless, it rose through successive false summits before finally overlooking Kington. The descent, while easy, seemed endless, and neither of us wanted to keep our driver waiting. At our scheduled meeting time, we were still more than half a kilometre from the Swan. (Any hope of a quick half-pint while we waited for our taxi was now completely dashed.) I called our driver to tell him we’d need another 10 minutes, but he kindly offered to drive down a road towards us. Moments later we were hurtling down those narrow hedge-edged lanes in Wales, headed back to Hay-on-Wye. A good second day, all-in-all, but neither of us were happy about having to hustle a bit to meet our taxi in Kington. We would have been wiser to have set a later pick-up. Stats for the day: 25 km, 7 hours elapsed. (My app also said I burned 2,229 calories, which justified that evening’s pizza and beer.) We then had a rest day in Hay-on-Wye. It is a charming village, well-known for its used bookshops. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...74e0911b6.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c5cd533c3.jpeg |
Stunning photos, the stallions especially. Looking forward to more! If I were to do something like this, I'm afraid I'd do more resting than walking.
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Great pictures. I love following on your trips.
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Really wonderful photos especially of the stallions. The scenery is beautiful.
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The day after that, we made our transfer to Ulverston in Cumbria. On our first leg, our scheduled train was running two hours late, but the ticket agent said that we could get the one coming before ours, as it, too, was late. We boarded, but halfway along we were informed that our train was terminating two stops short of Manchester, our transfer point. The reason? “… because we are running late.” We had to scramble to come up with an alternate routing, jumping off at Crewe and catching a train to Preston. We were there able to catch a third train that got us in to Ulverston in time for our check-in at our B&B. Transport for Wales was the cause of all this; the man in the seat behind us referred to it as “Transport for Fails.”
Our accommodation in Ulverston: one night at Church Walk House, a lovely B&B with a genial, helpful host. The Cumbria Way Our next adventure was to walk the Cumbria Way, a 114 kilometre path from Ulverston on Morecambe Bay in the south to Carlisle in the north. This walk is described as the low-level or valley path through the Lake District. If you are a fell walker, used to walking along ridges and mountain tops, I suppose this is an accurate description, but it is still rated as “moderate to challenging.” I think this is largely due to the presence of rough terrain and repeated ascents and descents. (We often exceeded 500 metres a day of cumulative climb.) And while the trail begins and ends at nearly sea level, it does peak at 658 metres on High Pike in the Northern Fells. So yes, it is mostly low level, but it is still a workout. We used Mickledore Travel for this part of our holiday, relying on them for booking all accommodation, packed lunches, luggage transfers, and taxi transfers where needed. Like Celtic Trails, they were responsive, thorough, and effective, and we have no reservations about recommending them. https://www.mickledore.co.uk/walking...-days-walking/ Our B&B in Ulverston was the one place that couldn’t provide packed lunches, so on our first morning we stopped by a bakery to pick up sandwiches before setting off for Coniston. We passed through hours of farmland, climbing one stile after another. Part way through the morning we were overtaken by three women running the same route. “Are you the Canadians?” they asked. We enquired how they knew, and they said that the staff at the bakery had told them that we were ahead of them. But not for long; they wished us well, ran quickly across the next field, and disappeared. Their plan was to run the entire Cumbria Way. Jeane and I are runners; these women left us in awe. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...caefa421c.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5a8e0b8ad.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6f3627a6b.jpeg A while after that we encountered a gate with a sign warning us of a bull in the field. Oh, great news. But we saw only sheep, making me wonder whether the sign was a “just in case I want to put him there,” or simply a wind up. I completely understand how some farmers dislike having a public path running through their land (and sometimes even between their house and their barn). Someone leaving a gate ajar or letting their dog off leash near livestock, or trampling newly-sown fields would make any farmer bloody-minded. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a0a6b4b25.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4f212dbfc.jpeg Somewhere around Gawthwaite we entered the Lake District National Park and we could soon see the Old Man of Coniston and the Coniston Fells in the distance. We reached Beacon Tarn (very wet and muddy around the edges) and then started a long and awkward descent to Coniston Water. Uneven ground and some challenging way-finding followed, but we ultimately found ourselves on the lakeshore, where we turned north to follow the water to Coniston. For future walkers on this route: this is a tranquil end to the day, but the path along the lake is uneven and root-filled; tripping is a real hazard when you’re tired. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0a3b7cd78.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a07cb4e8c.jpeg Coniston Old Man and the Coniston Fells: https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b1af3b630.jpeg Stats for the day: this was our our longest day at 26.25 km and 9 hours of elapsed time. Our accommodation in Coniston: two nights at the Yewdale Inn, which gave us a rest day after the long stage up from Ulverston. The Yewdale Inn has a lively bar and dining room, and helpful staff who organized an early breakfast for us on the morning we left. |
AnselmAdorne, you and Jeane put
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Thanks for posting. We walked the Camino in Spain last year and I am always on the lookout for walking vacations. Such a wonderful way to experience a country.
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Thank you all for the comments. (Just as an aside, I think one of the greatest things Fodor's ever did was to allow us to upload photos.)
mama_mia, Congrats on the Camino, and I agree, walking is truly a great way to see a country. TDudette, thanks for that. :) We are just trying to keep old age at bay! About the wild ponies on the ridges in Wales: I assume they see walkers every day, although perhaps less so in the winter, but they seemed to be completely unconcerned with our presence among them. Next up: how we navigated our way, and then Conistion to Old Dungeon Ghyll. |
We Were’t Duffers
Did you ever read Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons, the first book about the adventures of children in the Lake District? If you did, you will recollect that the children’s mother had written their father, a naval officer who was in Malta, asking his views about their using a dinghy on the lake. He sent back a telegram: “Better drowned than duffers, if not duffers, won’t drown.” And so I felt about way-finding, another of our pre-trip anxieties. Better lost than duffers, I thought, so I revisited my navigation skills, once used in coastal sailing here in Nova Scotia. I acquired the appropriate UK Ordnance Survey Explorer maps (they have a 1:25,000 scale and show great details, including field boundaries and public pathways), pored over our routes, and refreshed my compass skills, should we need them. Once I was familiar with the OS symbols and the UK grid reference system, I felt we were almost ready. Celtic Walks and Mickledore sent us route guidebooks and maps, but still a bit edgy, we bought a subscription to the online version of the entire UK OS mapping. This is a fantastic app that allows you to call up any spot in the UK at a scale of 1:25,000, so you essentially have the entire Explorer series on your phone. You can also download any area you choose so that it can be used offline when you are out of cellular coverage. (There were significant portions of both trails where we had no cellular signal.) The most brilliant feature of the app is the small red arrow that pinpoints your exact location. While I carried the appropriate paper maps on the trail, our usual methodology was for Jeane to read out the directions from the guidebook while I called up the OS app when we wanted to be sure we were in the right place or on the right path. We did miss the odd turn, but we usually caught it straight away. We didn’t get lost. This leads me to say that both Offa’s Dyke Path and the Cumbria Way are marked, but inconsistently. Many of the marks confirm that you have found the right ford, the right fork, or the right gate, but they fail as an explicit indication of where to go next. This is complicated by the multitude of diverging and crisscrossing paths all along the way. I cannot imagine doing it without a guide book and the 1:25,000 paper maps. Adding the OS Online app puts the icing on the cake. There is a risk of using an electronic device. As I mentioned, we always had our paper maps with us, but we had also downloaded the offline maps to Jeane’s iPhone, as backup to mine. Jeane’s phone had an external battery pack and I carried a power bank. We had backup to our backup to our backup, you might say. And just in case we had an accident while out of cellular coverage, we had my daughter’s Garmin InReach, which has satellite texting in case of an emergency. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9ab52734a.jpeg Coniston to Great Langdale On our second day of hiking in the Lake District, we walked from Coniston to the old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel in Great Langdale. This stage climbed out of Coniston, ever upwards towards the scenic and popular Tarn Hows. Two kilometres in, I realized that something was wrong with my left boot. I have walked for years in Keen’s Targhees. This was my third pair, barely four months old and with less than 300 kilometres under foot. Crazily, the tread had delaminated and was now flapping around; the only way to walk was to cut the tread away, completely exposing the smooth sole of the boot. We considered walking back to Coniston, a small town with a single outfitter, but the likelihood of their having my size (a short but very wide foot) was remote. So we pressed on, realizing that the earliest I would then be able to find new boots would be in Keswick, a couple of days ahead. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...75f9a61bb.jpeg Our last view of Coniston Water: https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1d79ebb00.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a82bd7616.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...10c3c7603.jpeg The path followed more fields and woods, initially under the shadow of the Yewdale Fells. We climbed up to Tarn Hows, where we ran into a lot of people out for the day, and then made a gradual descent to the River Brathy. We then entered a park-like setting bordering Elter Water, another place filled with day-walkers. This led us to the opening of the valley known as Great Langdale, where we followed a brook, past Chapel Stile, and finally to our accommodation. The valley of Great Langdale opening up before us: https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e55281184.jpeg Time for a water break: https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6cbd839f3.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...df6ef05d5.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...88af061da.jpeg Stats for the day: 18.5 km, 6.5 hours elapsed time Accommodation: one night at the Old Dungeon Ghyll. A classic walker’s inn, situated under the towering slopes of Great Langdale. Drinks and dinner in the Hikers’ Bar. |
Fabulous report and photos. Really enjoyable.
Bummer about your Keen, did you pack any duct tape?! |
Originally Posted by Nelson
(Post 17469972)
... Bummer about your Keen, did you pack any duct tape?!
I am just now filling in a warranty claim with Keen. |
I love that photo of the 2 of you!
What a feat. And what feet! The shoes though, what a disaster. |
Originally Posted by Adelaidean
(Post 17470079)
I love that photo of the 2 of you!
What a feat. And what feet! The shoes though, what a disaster. |
We “Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”
William Wordsworth lived much of his life in the Lake District. While his wandering was the prelude to discovering golden daffodils, it aptly describes our journey from the Old Dungeon Ghyll to the village of Rosthwaite in Borrowdale. Our path took us from Great Langdale into Mickleden, a blind valley with tall overhanging crags. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a99cc5738.jpeg Mickleden ended in a wall of rock. From a distance, it looked like a puzzle, but the Cumbria Way followed a steep trail of switchbacks that led up to a col. As the slope eased, we passed a cairn marking the summit. This was Stake Pass, and as challenging as it was to climb up, the descent was a vertiginous drop with what must have had fifty switchbacks. We eased our way down, having first paused to admire the extraordinary sight Langstrath, an uninhabited valley stretching beneath us, running north as far as the eye could see. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...466c7525c.jpeg The route up to Stake Pass: https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d07ce0987.jpeg The view back into Mickleden from the summit of Stake Pass. The Old Dungeon Ghyll, where we started the day, is around the left corner at the far end of the valley: https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e1b60d99e.jpeg The uninhabited Langstrath, with all of the switchbacks leading down to the valley floor. You can just make out the silhouette of Skiddaw fell in the distance: https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...15f42e8ce.jpeg We would have loved a smooth track on the valley floor, but we faced rocks, boulders, marshy bits, and constant undulations. “The going is a little intricate across bouldery ground,” said the guidebook. A classic understatement. It was unrelenting, all the way to the left turn into Borrowdale. There it finally eased, and we were soon walking beside the Stonethwaite Beck, which we followed to Rosthwaite. Lonely it was; we saw no more than a couple of other walkers the entire day. Having learned our lesson in Wales about setting a specific time to meet our taxi transfer, we waited until we arrived In Rosthwaite before we called our pre-booked taxi. Thirty minutes later we we being driven to Keswick. (Our trail organizer had initially tried to book us a B&B in Rosthwaite, but there were no vacancies, so they arranged the taxi onwards to Keswick and then back out to Rosthwaite the next morning.) Stats for the day: 14 km, about 5.75 hours elapsed Our accommodation in Keswick: three nights at Hillcrest22, the best B&B on our entire trip. It is an old building, completely refurbished, overlooking Derwentwater and Borrowdale. The staff were warm and helpful, and the breakfasts and packed lunches were delicious. We arrived in time for me to shop for new boots. Our host suggested George Fisher. “They are not going to be the cheapest, but they are well-known for their fitting.” They had Keen Targhees, which I knew would fit perfectly, but I will not trust them again, so I got pair of Meindl’s. There was a risk walking long days in a new type of boot, but two days of walking without a proper tread had been enough. The new boots turned out to be just fine. Rosthwaite to Keswick The next morning our taxi picked us up and drove us back out to Rosthwaite. This was a morning and early afternoon of easy walking through Borrowdale, starting first along the River Derwent and then passing through more woods, farmyards, and fields. We ultimately arrived at the southern end of Derwentwater, and we then followed the western shore all the way up to Keswick. Stats for the day: 13.5 km, 4.5 hours elapsed The River Derwent: https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...599aa7b21.jpeg The valley of Borrowdale: https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cc4f4f904.jpeg And finally Derwentwater; https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e0be4547e.jpeg |
Stunning landscapes.
How awful about the shoe treads...glad you were able to get a replacement pair. May a full refund be in your future. |
I am really impressed with the distances you both accomplished. The views are worth every step. The shoe story is priceless. 😁
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The Lake District, an inspiration for poets and authors (Wordsworth, Keats, Shelley, Coleridge, Ruskin, and the children’s writers Beatrix Potter and Arthur Ransome), has attracted visitors for centuries. Mountains and lakes, deep glaciated valleys, barren moorlands, stone walls, stone buildings, slate roofs, deep green fields, gorse, bracken, and heather, narrow lanes, birdsong, the scent of sheep … these are the sensations that will endure in our memories.
Keswick itself is beautifully situated, lying at the northern end of Derwentwater. The mountain of Skiddaw, at 930 metres, towers over the town; looking down the lake, there is the Castlerigg Fell on the east, Cat Bells on the west, and the Borrowdale valley to the south. On our rest day, we made a circumnavigation of the lake. Launches run every ten minutes or so, stopping at landing stages at various points around the lake. We were on an early boat, but we noticed walkers already climbing the ridge up to the summit of Cat Bells. They looked like ants silhouetted against the sky. Cat Bells: https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f97c3ae18.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3b79665ea.jpeg Keswick to Caldbeck While not quite the longest, this was a tough stage that was under our skin from our earliest planning. It crosses High Pike, the highest point on the Cumbria Way. Uniquely, it includes a bifurcation point at a place called Skiddaw House, about 10 kilometres out of Keswick. The shorter route, “the good weather route,” runs northeastward, ultimately climbing High Pike. The longer route, “the foul weather route,” heads northwestwards to make a low-level half-circle around High Pike. The problem with the low-level route is that it adds another 6 km to the day, and it actually has just as much cumulative ascent as the shorter route; it just doesn’t reach the same height. The choice between the routes is a question of visibility at altitude. Walkers are advised to avoid High Pike in low cloud, as it is quite easy to get disoriented in fog. Does this sound unsettling? It did to us, even with our maps, compass, and GPS. And neither of us was prepared to walk the longer route. Happily, the day proved to be a mixture of sun and cloud, with a high ceiling and a strong breeze. We climbed out of Keswick, shouldered the Latrigg Fell, and then continued to climb until we followed a balcony path along the side of Lonscale Fell. Above us, the monstrous wall of the fell, and immediately to our right, the very deep valley of the Glenderaterra Beck. This was not a place where you wanted to trip. Last view of Derwentwater: https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...70a2ffa6e.jpeg The balcony path on the side of Lonscale Fell: https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ac76a9dfa.jpeg The track climbed again towards Skiddaw House, once a shooting lodge and more recently a youth hostel. These days, it is vacant and for sale. Turning northeast on the good weather route, we then descended, following the newborn River Caldew, which would figure prominently in our journey the next day. This was followed by a left turn away from the river and the climb from hell, from an abandoned wolfram mine up to the high and distant Lingy Hut, a bothy sitting on a ridge below High Pike. We slogged our way up (40 paces and then a rest; repeat), and finally opened the door to the cosy and immaculately clean hut, shared by how many thousands of hill walkers over the years. Skiddaw House, in the middle of nowhere: https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...475c35d85.jpeg The tiny box on the top of the ridge is Lingy Hut. It's a long climb: https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...122d484eb.jpeg We finally arrived: https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5f3c0e292.jpeg Map-reading in Lingy Hut: https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a7fed258a.jpeg The view from the bothy: https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...698c1595d.jpeg Rested, we tackled High Pike, happy with what was now a gentle slope to the summit. At the top: a stone cairn, a stone bench, and a stone wind shelter. And sheep, of course, they’re everywhere on the fells. We didn’t linger; the wind was honking and we were tired. From Lingy Hut to the summit of High Pike: https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7ccfaee81.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...99013ba73.jpeg At the summit: https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c0f3a95ef.jpeg It was a long descent into Caldbeck, eventually reaching level ground and farms. The Lake District was now behind us. Stats for the day: 25 km, 8.5 hours on the trail Accommodation: The Oddfellows Arms, another walker’s inn, with lots of congenial chat with fellow hikers. Warm, good-humoured hospitality |
I like both the poetry and intrepidness of your journey, but have one footwear question:
Is it possible the hiking boots that had served you well were made in Canada and the last pair were made in China? Carry on! |
nyse, I still have my previous Keen boots and use them almost every day in the garden. I just checked the label; they were made in Thailand. As for the pair that failed, I really don't know where they were made, and I didn't bring them home with me.
I am very disappointed to be walking away from Keen (haha). Finding a hiking boot that is both comfortable and a perfect fit over a long distance is a real pleasure. I am happy with the new Meindls, although they were more expensive than the Keens. |
To finish up:
Caldbeck to Carlisle Some walkers of the Cumbria Way call it quits in Caldbeck, feeling that they are by now well out of the Lake District. It’s understandable, as the walk onwards feels nothing like the previous days of fells, dales, crags, fields, lakes, and tarns. No, this last stage is generally level, with pastures, fields of crops, and small woods, all beside the ever-present Caldew River. When we first met the Caldew in Back O’ Skiddaw, it was a small stoney brook; on this last day, it was a tree-lined river, fast-moving in places, tranquil in others. We saw ducks and herons. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...40834aa45.jpeg Leaving Caldbeck, our final view of the Lake District and the Northern Fells. That's High Pike, which we went over yesterday: https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ed58c5239.jpeg Lower level farms meant more horses and cattle. We encountered a small herd of bullocks that we navigated without attracting too much attention, although neither of us were very happy about it. And later, our path led us into a field with both cows and bulls. We were standing at the gate, pondering what to do, when two women emerged from a thicket on our right. They had detoured around the entire field, and explained to us how we could do it. It turned out to be a convoluted route that I am not sure we would have figured out on our own. As we parted, one of them observed,“You’re wise to steer clear of this lot.” And so Jeane avoided death by cow. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ad808d6f3.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...475b83253.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cf0e257cd.jpeg Our Cumbria Way ended at the train station in Dalston, a small town about 8 km short of Carlisle, the official termination. Our trail organizer had advised us that construction of a gas pipeline just north of Dalston had temporarily severed the Cumbria Way. Our options to get around it were a train, a bus, or a taxi, so we opted for the train to whisk us the last few kilometres into Carlisle. Our stats for the day: 17.5 km, 5.5 hours elapsed. Our total walk over eight days: about 160 km Our accommodation in Carlisle: two nights at Courtfield Guest House, with a comfortable room and a very helpful host. The day after we finished the walk, we took the scenic train from Carlisle to Settle. Described by some as the most scenic rail journey in England, it is a 100 minute ride through the spectacular landscape of Cumbria and the northern Yorkshire Dales. We stopped in Settle long enough for a pub lunch and caught the return train home. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/2...shouldnt-exist Some Parting Thoughts Would we do something like this again? We see ourselves as reasonably fit for our age, but I am 73 and Jeane is just shy of 70, so we can’t keep doing this forever. Neither of us have the balance we used to have. Steep climbs have become more difficult, and Jeane doesn’t feel sure-footed on uneven descents. Three of our eight days of walking were more difficult than we thought they would be, but in each case, we still had some gas in the tank. Not surprisingly, our conditioning improved as each day went by. There was also the mental side to it. As we became fatigued towards the end of the day, our optimism and enjoyment started to fade. But we turned that around by thinking in a more positive way. We started to focus on how far we had walked and how well we had done, rather than on how much more we had to do. We divided our day into five-kilometre blocks, and forced ourselves to take a rest after each block, whether we felt we needed to or not. So, yes, we would do it again, but we would prefer slightly shorter daily distances (something like 18 km, perhaps), and tracks no more difficult than what we encountered on this trip. The best parts of it? Unquestionably, the sense of achievement, but the enduring memories will be what we saw. We’ll leave the final words to John Ruskin: “Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty, if only we have eyes to see them.” https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5c4bc07a4.jpeg |
What a wonderful account of your travels, AA; as well as the photos I especially enjoyed the Lake District section as when DH and I were first married [and indeed before] we did a lot of walking there. In those days there was no GPS or Garmin, just Ordinance Survey maps and Wainwright's little books with his invaluable hand drawn maps and directions. Did you come across any of his books?
Anyway kudos to you both for accomplishing this - it was quite a feat! |
How wonderfulAnselmeAdorn! Thank you for sharing this wonderful adventure.
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You've done great.
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Here I was feeling quite chuffed at the 5-13 km daily walks we have been doing, lol.
Well done on this, and your point about staying positive is so true in life. |
Thanks for all the comments!
annhig, I did see a copy of one of Wainwright's books in George Fisher in Keswick, but resisted the temptation. (I had just spent a small fortune on my new walking boots.) He really was a remarkable man. |
Great report, lots of food for thought as I put together our Lake District itinerary (later this year, hopefully).
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“Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty, if only we have eyes to see them.” What a beautiful quote to end your trip. Your distances traveled really are quite impressive and the scenery views are memory making,
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What an absolutely fabulous report of a real adventure! That you so much for sharing. You two are an inspiration.
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Spectacular landscapes and photos, illustrating an inspiring journey!
As I read I thought you might enjoy reading Anthony Bailey's A Walk Through Wales. I was interested to read that you visited Keswick. In NYC there's a store called Myers of Keswick which sells wonderful fresh English bangers and Cumberland sausages, as well as scotch eggs, pork pies, etc. If their products are representative of their origin, I'm sure you ate well in Keswick! |
Originally Posted by AnselmAdorne
(Post 17469551)
Hay-on-Wye to Kington
Our second day was a walk from Hay to Kington, about 24 kilometres to the north. We set off around 9 am, walking at first under cloud, but then in heat and sunshine. We were soon in short-sleeved tees and wishing we had worn our shorts. We started with a pleasant walk by the Hay River, and we were soon back among hundreds of sheep. Fences and dry-stone walls ran beside us or across in front of us; regular gates, kissing gates, and stiles led from one field to another. We occasionally followed streams, and in these places we often encountered deep, slippery mud. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9baa4fad8.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2940fa9bf.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b00bb62c1.jpeg Mid-morning we met a bullock. The risk of injury by cattle had been on the mind of my wife Jeane, who had spent her early childhood on a farm. “Of all the ways I could possibly die, the last thing I want is to die by cow!” I know, it sounds like a remote possibility, but it does happen. (According to this report in the BBC, those who work with cattle are at the greatest risk, but it also happens to walkers, especially if they are accompanied by a dog. We, happily, were dogless. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-54268160 ) This particular bullock was alone in the field, but near our next gate. He started to walk away as we approached, but then he turned, lowered his head, and made a feint towards me. Happily, he immediately lost interest, and turned away again. We scooted through the gate. Later, we met a farmer driving his sheep to a field. He was carrying a lamb: https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e5356f325.jpeg On we walked until we reached the village of Newchurch, where we had to climb Disgwylfa Hill. The sun was now full-on, but the climb was thankfully short. More rolling fields until Gladestry, which marks the foot of Hergest Ridge. It was at this point that I called our pre-booked taxi and set up a 4 pm meeting at the Swan in Kington. It made sense at that moment, given how fast we had been walking, but it turned out to be a miscalculation of the time it would take us to climb and descend the ridge. We met more wild ponies on Hergest Ridge, including this pregnant mare: https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d68c68300.jpeg The ascent was truly a breakheart hill if ever there was one; steep and shadeless, it rose through successive false summits before finally overlooking Kington. The descent, while easy, seemed endless, and neither of us wanted to keep our driver waiting. At our scheduled meeting time, we were still more than half a kilometre from the Swan. (Any hope of a quick half-pint while we waited for our taxi was now completely dashed.) I called our driver to tell him we’d need another 10 minutes, but he kindly offered to drive down a road towards us. Moments later we were hurtling down those narrow hedge-edged lanes in Wales, headed back to Hay-on-Wye. A good second day, all-in-all, but neither of us were happy about having to hustle a bit to meet our taxi in Kington. We would have been wiser to have set a later pick-up. Stats for the day: 25 km, 7 hours elapsed. (My app also said I burned 2,229 calories, which justified that evening’s pizza and beer.) We then had a rest day in Hay-on-Wye. It is a charming village, well-known for its used bookshops. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...74e0911b6.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c5cd533c3.jpeg |
Originally Posted by AnselmAdorne
(Post 17469551)
Hay-on-Wye to Kington
Our second day was a walk from Hay to Kington, about 24 kilometres to the north. We set off around 9 am, walking at first under cloud, but then in heat and sunshine. We were soon in short-sleeved tees and wishing we had worn our shorts. We started with a pleasant walk by the Hay River, and we were soon back among hundreds of sheep. Fences and dry-stone walls ran beside us or across in front of us; regular gates, kissing gates, and stiles led from one field to another. We occasionally followed streams, and in these places we often encountered deep, slippery mud. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9baa4fad8.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2940fa9bf.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b00bb62c1.jpeg Mid-morning we met a bullock. The risk of injury by cattle had been on the mind of my wife Jeane, who had spent her early childhood on a farm. “Of all the ways I could possibly die, the last thing I want is to die by cow!” I know, it sounds like a remote possibility, but it does happen. (According to this report in the BBC, those who work with cattle are at the greatest risk, but it also happens to walkers, especially if they are accompanied by a dog. We, happily, were dogless. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-54268160 ) This particular bullock was alone in the field, but near our next gate. He started to walk away as we approached, but then he turned, lowered his head, and made a feint towards me. Happily, he immediately lost interest, and turned away again. We scooted through the gate. Later, we met a farmer driving his sheep to a field. He was carrying a lamb: https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e5356f325.jpeg On we walked until we reached the village of Newchurch, where we had to climb Disgwylfa Hill. The sun was now full-on, but the climb was thankfully short. More rolling fields until Gladestry, which marks the foot of Hergest Ridge. It was at this point that I called our pre-booked taxi and set up a 4 pm meeting at the Swan in Kington. It made sense at that moment, given how fast we had been walking, but it turned out to be a miscalculation of the time it would take us to climb and descend the ridge. We met more wild ponies on Hergest Ridge, including this pregnant mare: https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d68c68300.jpeg The ascent was truly a breakheart hill if ever there was one; steep and shadeless, it rose through successive false summits before finally overlooking Kington. The descent, while easy, seemed endless, and neither of us wanted to keep our driver waiting. At our scheduled meeting time, we were still more than half a kilometre from the Swan. (Any hope of a quick half-pint while we waited for our taxi was now completely dashed.) I called our driver to tell him we’d need another 10 minutes, but he kindly offered to drive down a road towards us. Moments later we were hurtling down those narrow hedge-edged lanes in Wales, headed back to Hay-on-Wye. A good second day, all-in-all, but neither of us were happy about having to hustle a bit to meet our taxi in Kington. We would have been wiser to have set a later pick-up. Stats for the day: 25 km, 7 hours elapsed. (My app also said I burned 2,229 calories, which justified that evening’s pizza and beer.) We then had a rest day in Hay-on-Wye. It is a charming village, well-known for its used bookshops. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...74e0911b6.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c5cd533c3.jpeg Sobering thought that a km walking burns only about 90 calories, and the marginal difference relative to just standing still, less than that lol |
Originally Posted by AnselmAdorne
(Post 17470052)
Nelson, no, we didn't, but I'm not sure I could have taped it well enough to last two days. Our next leg, which I will post tomorrow, was over very rough ground.
I am just now filling in a warranty claim with Keen. ps, v impressed w your avg distances, i have gone max 16 km in a day, and doubt i could manage it repeatedly. You are in great shape! love the idea of looking back on what accomplished |
Originally Posted by Sue_xx_yy
(Post 17471180)
shoe goo? I have always wondered if that product worked...
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For all the "just in case" gear we carried with us on the trail (whistle, flashlights, insect repellant, sun screen, first aid kit, knife, cold weather and wet weather layers, the Garmin, etc), the last thing we thought would happen was a boot coming apart. As mentioned above, mine were quite new and low mileage. But as I think about it, gluing a tread on the trail would have been difficult, primarily because you'd have to get both surfaces clean and, I presume, dry. Here's a photo after I had cut away the loose tread. I was able to walk on that for two days, but with impaired traction. It was also slippery on wet rocks.
All this makes me wonder whether we should carry glue or tape on a future walk. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d6af91d82.jpeg |
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