Thursday 26^th June:- Fine again. Away at 7.45 – my acquaintances from Ennerdale Bridge were camped here but not yet up. That was the last I saw of them. A slight error on the upland hill path, but it became obvious that I was not climbing so I turned back up on a miner’s track and lost nothing. Very pleasant walking up to Angle Tarn and over High Street.

High Street

At the Straits of Riggindale I missed my turn left, but, pausing a hundred yards on, saw a kilted figure stop, consult a book and turn left. So I consulted my book and retraced my steps to the turn. He was resting on Kidsty Pike when I reached it – a chunky man, born in Scotland, but living in Derbyshire -–a lecturer and Rugby Club man – and quite a walker. But he was not tenting. He then preceded me on the descent to Hawes Water, which I found pleasant and easy. But my visions of a level two mile lakeside path were but visions. The path climbed up and down quite a bit before eventually settling down at lakeside level. At Burn Banks I picked up a cardigan, clean and good and soon met a group sitting in folding chairs, to one of whom it belonged.

No refreshment at Burn Banks which is really just a forestry village, so – on your way traveller and I chose the road from Rogghill to Shap. This, though including a longish climb, was very pleasant walking, and I arrived at Shap hungry, tired, but content. But alas – the pub didn’t open until 7, the telephone box was broken, the cafe chips were hard and sharp and blistered the roof of my mouth, the camp was near the road – A6 and the main line railway with 100mph trains thundering through – so, all in all, the verdict was:- NEVER GO TO SHAP!!!! I put cotton wool in my ears and wound a pullover round my head, but even so, had a poor night. My ankle improved steadily. The walk from Burn Banks was very lovely, thick with wild flowers, particularly a lovely purple geranium and masses of marguerites.