Coast to Coast 2006

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      > Afterthoughts
 

Links on Walking Places

End of Day 2: 9th August, 4pm, Room 4, the Royal Oak, Rosthwaite (Borrowdale)

The Fox and Hounds was another comfortable B&B. Last night we were in bed by 8pm, rain having driven us inside and options in Ennerdale Bridge limited. Until closing time, sleep had a battle on its hands against the Fox and Hounds sound system, pool table and beery guffaws. If you want an early night at this place I suggest you avoid Room One (above the bar). I also suggest you avoid their packed lunch offering. We found our cheese and pickle sarnies today inedible.

We were on the road this morning at 8.20am. My intention was to slow the pace a little today. Great start, walking the length of Ennerdale Water. The walking from the end of the lake to Black Sail Hostel is largely through forest paths with tree breaks at intervals to give you views across and down the valley – it must have been some place before all the forestry planting.

I have to say I was a little anxious about the route from Black Sail over to Honister. Things didn’t appear at all clear on the maps and the description in some of the guide books only served to confuse things further. In the event all became clear when we were on the ground and we had no problems. It is quite a pull onto the top but the views make it worthwhile. The panorama takes in some of the great peaks as well as Ennerdale Water and Buttermere. William was all for taking lunch at Black Sail but I, all for getting my credits on the board first, wanted to get the climb out of the way before we sat down. I got a look and a snort from him but he agreed. Just to make his point, he trailed up a distance behind me. After that it was largely gravity that took us down to Honister, Seatoller and Rosthwaite.

We’ve had a fair bit of weather today. The waterproofs have been out and on a few times and on the top between Black Sail and Honister, it was very windy and cold. Through it all, though, visibility has remained pretty good.

Inevitably, on the walk you meet others doing the same: John and Tracey from London, who are walking to the same stages and timescales as ourselves and stayed in the same accommodation the first two nights and who you have no doubt will be dipping their toes in the North Sea at the end of next week; the student pair (boy/girl) who are camping and started the same day as us but already have the gait of the battle weary – it wouldn’t surprise me if their pebbles remain in rucksacks for some time to come. And spare a thought for the lone male walker whom we passed near Seatoller, he was on his third day but managed to break his spectacles on day one – map reading was a bit of a challenge he said.

Despite the steadier pace (and I was probably expecting today to be a little more taxing than it in fact was) we still checked into our accommodation just after 3pm.

Tomorrow promises to be the most challenging day to date; more mileage and elevation than previous days with the weather outlook mixed.

PS William is still talking in his sleep but at least the camera worked today.

PPS I rang home this morning; Patrick answered; no interest in how we were getting on just a “Tell Will that Nikki has been voted back in.” The sad thing is I knew what he meant.
 

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