July 2000
Coast to Coast, England.
200 miles
Written, and walked, by Jill Green.
I'd always wanted to walk the Coast to Coast(C2C) and had decided to do it on my own and was contemplating getting a GPS in case of bad weather. Last year after doing the Dales Way with Spencer I stayed with a friend Ann Beeching while Spencer went off to his conference. Ann also wanted to do the C2C. In the normal way she always walks with her partner, Ron. Alas Ron had been told he has Rheumatoid Arthritis so thinking his days of walking every day would be over it was arranged that Ann and I would do the C2C together in 2000. I am glad Ron is now much better and may have been able to do the walk himself, however he drove us for the first 5 days from their Lakeland home to the start of the walk each day.
Day 1 - 20th July 2000
St. Bees - Ennerdale Water, 14 miles.
We set off at 8 from Kendal. It's quite a long drive to St. Bees so we did not start walking until 9.50.
It was a good morning, with fine views of the Isle of Man. During the day we passed 9 other C2C walkers and were glad of the compass to check our route as many of the little C2C markers were missing, possibly collected.
We took an alternative route along an old railway line, a bit longer but much more pleasant. We made a good stop at Dent, on top of the hill with fine views of all the Lakeland Fells and a splendid place to enjoy a packed lunch.
Our destination of Ennerdale Water was a beautiful sight, so blue and glistening in the late afternoon. A great days walk.
Day 2 - 21st July
Ennerdale Water - Stonethwaite, 14 miles
We left Ann's house at 7.45 for Ron to drive us back to Ennerdale Water and started walking at 9.15.
A very pleasant walk along the banks of the Lake. As the weather was good we decided to take the high route that Wainwright describes. His advise reads "Do this in clear weather only, it is for strong and experienced fellwalkers only". Indeed it did seem a long climb up to Red pike on a hot day. I was so lucky to be carrying only a day pack thanks to Ron's kind Taxi service. As always I was well worth the effort, once we reached the ridge it was great to walk from Red Pike to High Stile, High Crag and on to HayStacks. The flagstones were a great help on the steep descents.
We stopped at In-nominate Tarn, this is the place Wainwright had his ashes scattered, I can see why. We didn't meet any other people doing the C2C.
We visited Honitor slate quarry, very good quality slate items on sale, but too heavy to carry. We ghad a welcome cup of tea at the bottom of the hill at Stonethwaite.
Day 3 - 22nd July
Stonethwaite - Patterdale
Ron joined us as we set off from Stonethwaite at 9.05 up Greenupedge. At 11.15 he left us to do his own walk. Ann and I took the high route over Gibson Knott to Helm crag above Grasmere. A very pleasant spot to enjoy our packed lunch. It was a hot day as we came down and went slightly off-route to the Travellers Rest in order to fill our waterbottles, I enjoyed a swift half, Ann just had orange and water. Then up to Green Tongue to Griesdale tarn, here people were swimming in the tarn as it was so warm, certainly looking inviting.
It would have been wonderful to do another high level route, we calculated if we went up we would not be in Patterdale till 7, hardly fair to Rojn for us to go the long way as he was waiting for us, so common sense prevailed and we really enjoyed a pleasant walk down Griesdale Beck into Patterdale.
Day 4 - 23rd July
Patterdale to Shap - 16 miles
We set of and up to Angle Tarn, quite a pull up the hill. We met lads camping at Angle Tarn. Two from Liverpool walked with us for a while. On and up to Kidsey Pike, now in mist. Soon, as we descended out of the cloud, we saw Haweswater, it was strange to see the lake so low.
I noticed a large Green Emswald moth, it was so beautiful. We found a pleasant place to enjoy a late lunch by the lake. Ann was very worried as Ron was walking out to meet us, clearly we had somehow missed each other. Ann is walking up all the Munros (3000+ feet peaks) in Scotland, Ron often comes out to meet her, and this was the first time they'd missed. It was annoying. I was carrying my mobile phone, Ron had a mobile and just when we needed them they were not working. We found his car at Burnbanks and left him a note.
We passed the ruins of Shap Abbey, worked out another alternative way into Shap, using what turned out to be beautiful flowery footpaths. Then past the Goggalby Stone=I do find these old stones interesting. We had a large pot of tea at 4 and Ron came at 4.15. I left them to work out how we missed each other.
Day 5 - 24th July
Shap - Kirkby Stephen, 20 miles
I was really sad to be leaving the hills and mountains behind us. We had enjoyed four wonderful days walking.
It was quite a cool start to the day. The surroundings were different, the shepherds here were rounding up the sheep with little tractors. On the day before we met two shepherds on the high fells with their dogs, one had eight dogs with him.
The countryside turned into high moorland, curlews calling, lapwings, stonechats, wheatears -- peace all around. No walkers - I had expected to meet lots of people on this famous well walked route, perhaps it was because we started on a Thursday, but we had met 9 on the first day and we were walking it in quite usual stages.
Smardale Bridge over the stream was a very pretty spot, also a grand viaduct further up the valley and fine views of the Howgills and the Pennines.
Day 6 - 25 July
Kirkby Stephen - Keld, 13 miles
This was the last day that Ron would take us out. Ann had a few things to do before we left home. This was a very short day. We left Kendal at 9.30 and started out with "proper" pack at 10.20.
We avoided the quarry road. We went the "pretty way" which turned out to be head high thistles! It was longer and better than the road, also we had plenty of time. Up to Nine Standards Rig, being the boundary between Westmoorland (now Cumbria) and Yorkshire, with huge castle like cairns. I met an interesting man from the States, he had been to a conference about the poet Byron, he was going to another on Wordsworth. I would have liked to have talked to him for longer but he was going the other way and I was being eaten by midges. On the way down to Keld I was cold for the first time. I put on my jumper, coat and gloves. Ann told me about her special gloves that really do keep your hands dry in the cold and wet, but they are £30 a pair and at the rate I lose them I've decided they are not a wise investment.
We had to wait for the hostel to open, but not for long.
Day 7 - 26th July
Keld Stephen - Richmond. 22 miles
The stay at this hostel was enjoyable as this hostel is on the Pennine Way, the Herriot Way and the C2C. Even so, Ann and I had a dormitory to ourselves. We did chat to other walkers, some on our walk. None of them were going over the hills to Reeth, rather going on the low level route. The description for this was being sold at 10p a sheet by the hostel, so we got a copy. At the spot where we had to make up our minds we decided to go up the "proper" way. At first we were very slow finding our way in the misty condition - but there were no real problems.
These now empty hills must have been full of noise and people in the lead mining days - so many sad old mine workings all over the place. Now it's alive with grouse - the shooting season starting soon on the day known as the "Glorious Twelfth" (of August).
Reeth is a pleasant little town, we had a good walk through to Richmond and a nice welcome from our B&B lady, Sue, who did our washing for £3 (£1.50 each). We had a pub meal.
Day 8. 27th July
Richmond - Ingleby Cross, 23 miles.
No other walkers staying in our B&B, but engineers repairing the bridge that had been swept away in the floods this year. This old bridge stood for 300 years. As we walked up beside the river, we could see the evidence of the wall of water Sue had been telling us about. The walk across the Vale of Mowbray is flat on quite a lot of country roads, hard on feet in boots. We had a welcome break in Danby Wiske, a large beer followed by a pot of tea. We were welcome to eat our packed lunch inside or out, a pleasant change. This is the lowest point of the route at 110 feet above sea level. The River Wiske is nothing like a whisk as it meanders about in search of a place to go.
We arrived at Ingleby Cross too early for the pub to be open, so we had to walk up the busy road to our B&B at Oxhill Farm. After the homemade scones and a shower, we felt less daunted by the walk back down to the pub.
Day 9. 28th July
Ingleby Cross - Blakey. 21 miles.
We were soon up on the Cleveland Way, good clear views of the countryside below and we could see "Oxhill" for a long time.
The hill farmers are having a bad time, no money now in the wool. In the Lakes its sometimes necessary to throw the fleece away. Sheep have to be shorn because they get too hot and maggots get in. We are still meeting very few people. I really do enjoy the peace and tranquility of these open spaces.
After a long walk along a disused mineral railway we reach the Lion pub. As arranged we ring Mr. Lawson to come and collect us after we have had our meal. We set out and walk to a stone (known locally as "Fat Betty") and Mrs Lawson collects us as arranged. It's interesting that they have had other LDWA members staying with them.
Ann has been teasing me about my old clothes - favourites from many years of walking. We now weigh both our packs with food and water and both packs are the same at 13 pounds.
Day 10. 28th July.
Blakey to Littlebeck. 17 miles.
We walked across open moors, the heather just coming out. In another week it will all be purple. Still loads of grouse. We do feel sorry for them, but it's a kind of farming that does pay. All along the Glaisdale Rigg and down into the little town of Galisdale. We walk through to look for a lunch stop by the River Esk. We find s seat high up in the woods above the river, here we enjoy an avocado -a large one - between us. We decided to walk on to the steam railway at Grosmont and treat ourselves to tea and cakes. Here we meet two n ice ladies who also do a lot of walking, they had walked the C2C both ways and they thought our packs very heavy.
I agreed with Ann's plan to cross Black Brow on Sleights Moor on the footpath marked on the map, to keep off the road. Not one of our better decisions. The first path just was not there, the next one started off but just petered out. We did quite a lot of heather bashing, hard work for people with short legs.
Judith Ventness happened to see us and give us a lift up to her farm. We called in at her Father in Law, \Henry Ventnes, who is a friend of my cousin Duncan on the Isle of Wight.
Day 11. 30th July.
Littlebeck to Robin Hoods Bay. 12
miles.
All our meals have been good, but Judith did us proud. A beautiful meal to remember, the best of the trip.
We walked back from Intake Farm to Littlebeck. Intake means it was the last farm to be taken in from the moors. We went into the chapel to see the carving of the last supper by Tom Whittacker that Henry had told us about.
We walked up through a pleasant wood. Out on the fields we were met by a group of off-road motor bikes. We got very muddy on the narrow footpath they were churning up.
We reached the coast by noon, and had arrived at the end by 1.30. e had an ice cream by the sea, then a celebration drink with Ron in a pub. It was great to see Ron come out to meet us. The drive home to Ann's house in Kendal was really beautiful on a perfect summer's day..
We stopped en-route for a tea with some of Ann & Ron's friends who have come down from Scotland to run a pub with a longer season. When we got back to Kendal our friends Boyd & Lilian gave us a great BBQ meal in their garden. We had no idea this was going to happen. I had just arranged to call in and see them. It was a splendid way to celebrate the end of a happy walk.
Jill Green
August 2000