Day 2 - Wednesday 14th July
Ennerdale Water to Seatoller
12 miles: 10h 48mins
Decided to get up and make breakfast – porridge, bread, cheese
and coffee – at about 6:15am. I hoped there might at least be a break in
the rain to allow me to pack up. There was! Just as I was about to pull
down the tent it stopped. Left at 8:00am. The part of the Wainwright way
from the end of Ennerdale Water to the forest road is not clearly signposted
and hardly used. Perhaps not surprising. As I crossed the stile into the
field I was so engrossed in trying to determine the line of the path I failed
to notice a very large white cow a few feet from me. A fine specimen with
no horns. Only as I passed it did I did I notice the absence of an udder!
It was in fact bull! I wondered whether to stop and take a photo but decided
discretion was the better part of valour.
Walked along the forest road wondering whether the clouds would clear.
Towards the coast it looked a lot brighter. When I reached the cattle grid
I stopped to ponder whether I should take the High Stile route. A family,
(German I thought) mum, dad and two young girls, (about 14yrs) stopped and
chatted briefly. They were doing half the C to C. I decided that I was not
yet 70 and would like to be 23 so set off uphill towards Red Pike. It was
9:45am. My pack seemed heavier today but I decided to do ½ hour walking
and 15mins rest. I would gain about 600ft in each period. Entered the cloud
at about 1500ft and finally, a couple of hundred feet from the summit, stopped
to don my waterproof jacket as it was quite cold and windy. At this point
it started raining - heavy rain - horizontal rain. Reached the top at precisely
midday and, as I was leaving, a couple appeared. They had been planning to
do the ridge but had thought better of it. Just as well since they had no
waterproof trousers. I had expected a clear path along the ridge but this
was not the case. Sometimes it was easily visible but then it would just
seem to peter out. In the mist navigation was therefore difficult and I was
glad of the GPS. But this, combined with the very slippery rocks made progress
slow especially on the steep downhill sections. I slipped a couple of times
on paths with ‘steps’ made with small slabs inclined downhill. Whoever had
done this had never tried going downhill in wet weather!!
The final section of Wainwright’s route, that takes you to join the low
level path at the top of Loft Beck, was poorly marked and there was no clear
path. Hence I went astray (GPS had no signal at the crucial moment!!). This
was undoubtedly where David went wrong. I wish I’d followed his example
and continued along the track to the ‘disused’ (now in full use again) quarry.
He saved himself about ½ mile and quite some climbing by taking this
‘alternative’. I had taken a ridiculously long 7hours to reach the point
at the top of Loft Beck. Wainwright suggests it takes 4hours – in good weather
maybe – but at least I can now claim to be a ‘very strong and experienced
fell walker’!!! Made good progress from here on although my toe was hurting.
Stopped and made a cup of tea and took my waterproof trousers off when I
reached the tramway. (5pm) On the way down to Seatoller I spoke briefly with
two girls (advance party of five) doing D of E. They had come from Keswick
and heading for Buttermere that night. They asked how far it was and seemed
encouraged that it was only 2½ miles. Passed the other three (2 boys
and 1 girl) further down and they looked very tired. I reached Seatoller
at 6:50pm and saw a phone box and two B&B’s with vacancies. I succumbed
to temptation. Booked into an unusual B&B - Seatoller House – had a bath,
laid out my clothes to dry and phoned Gemma from the phone box. The B&B
was unusual in a number of ways:
1. It had no room numbers – they were named after animals – mine was badger.
2. They had no tea and coffee in the room but you could make it yourself
in the ‘reception area’. A large variety to choose from.
3. They had draught beer for sale and other alcoholic beverages as well
as chocolate bars and crisps. It was all laid out neatly and done on trust.
You served yourself and wrote it in a book.
4. There was no television as a principle.
5. You could not lock your door when you went out – there was only a bolt
on the inside.
6. Breakfast is communal around one large table. The manger seemed to
think I might have a problem with the other guests who were all ‘old’ ladies
and gentlemen.
The couple running the place were relatively young. I pulled myself a
beer and sank into the bath to drink it. It also had a drying room for my
boots. Cost £32.50 (excluding beer!)
It had been a long day not helped by the weather. It was not my legs I
felt or was I particularly tired despite not having slept well – it was my
feet. The load was too much for them and the left big toe was seriously swollen.
I hoped that it would improve and not curtail my trip.
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