08/05/2007 by AOS.

Keld to Grinton (11 miles - total so far 118 miles)

Another good days walking in fine conditions. Today we met a man from London who is doing the Pennine Way walk.

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08/05/2007 by AOS.

Kirkby Stephen to Keld (14 miles - total so far 107 miles)

Halfway Point

We set off after a days rest and crossed the pretty stone arched Franks bridge with it’s ducks and goslings on the water below. We climbed steadily for two hours until we reached Standard Rigg. This lies on the watershed of Britain sending waters one way to the Irish Sea and the other to the North Sea.

The prevailing wind was unrelenting and we could hardly hear ourselves speak being, as we were, totally exposed over Hartley Fell. It felt more like the roaring of the winds at the North Pole! Height 2000 feet. We met two seasoned walkers one an experienced European Walking Guide who volunteered a generous donation for the AOS. Like all other walkers who have shown an interest or indeed given a donation, he was presented with an AOS leaflet giving details of their work and this web address.

Through Whitsun Dale we encountered a hugh flock of Herdwick sheep and then on to the river Swale and into Keld to await the arrival of AOS volunteers John and Carole Hodge who are part of the team supporting us on the walk; they brought some much needed items. We had just arrived at the B&B when it started to rain, the first we have seen in our days of walking so far.

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08/05/2007 by AOS.

Whilst in Kirkby Stephen, Veronica and Eddie were able to attend Mass at the local Church which is served by the Catholic parish of Our Lady of Appleby (from the nearby town of Appleby). Fr Peter Chappell made the couple very welcome and they were able to chat to parishioners after Mass about the walk and the work of the AOS for whom they are collecting sponsorship monies.

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08/05/2007 by AOS.

A rest day…

‘These feet are made for walking’… or ‘These boots were made for walking’.

We never thought when we set off on this adventure that we would be climbing mountain ranges, or have such perfect sunny clear skies (and no rain in the Lake District!). We have climbed so high and practically touched the sky; however, what goes up, must come down.

Scrambling down ravines and over waterfalls was awesome if not dangerous; of course tarns and lakes are two a penny. The babbling brooks, the thunderous waterfalls, the bluebell woods with other wild flowers were a treasure to behold. While grazing sheep and lambs were in abundance, cattle came into their own once we crossed Shap and came eventually into the Yorkshire Dales. Golden Eagles have been sighted in the Lakes and we have been warned via signs to “Beware of Adders” although we have not seen any so far.

The verdant trees by Hawswater were magnificent as was the velvet turf underfoot. At the start of the walk in St Bee’s, we had the red sandstone, the lakes showed us blue grey stone and on into the dales where we encountered limestone. Our walking companions have come from all over the British Isles and beyond and we have encountered them on different occasions as they divided their days out, and met them at B&B’s or in the Pub where we would argue at the evening meal over the best route. We discovered there are four different Coast to Coast guides and in fact Wainright has suggested we adapt our own route. However we are following his, as well as Terry Marsh’s closely. When we have gone wrong, we are reminded of the psalm “Alone with none but thee my God, I journey on my way; what need I fear when thou art near, oh King of night and day”

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08/05/2007 by AOS.

Orton to Kirkby Stephen (16 miles - total so far 93 miles)

Veronica and Eddie provide this further update;

Olive Bland B&B donated £6 in sponsorship (the price of our packed lunches). We walked through the idyllic old village of Orton with it’s many streams and bridges before setting off for Knott Lane and Sunbiggin Tarn. We met a lone American Coast to Coast walker who chatted with us for some miles before he left us to go on his chosen route.

We eventually reached Smardale Bridge after getting lost for several miles. Crossing Smardale Moor we approached the Settle - Carlisle railway viaduct which we photographed while a train was crossing. Some trainspotters had pitched camp along the line waiting for the steam train to pass.

The journey into Kirkby Stephen ended another tiring day and we were glad of the friendly welcome from Mrs Leeson (with whom we were staying) who washed our clothes. Two other couples from Sheffield who are also doing the walk arrived shortly after us.

Through arrangement in advance, we were delighted to be joined for our evening meal by AOS volunteers John and Carole Hodge from Darlington.

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08/05/2007 by AOS.

Burns Bank to Orton (14 miles - total so far 77 miles)

Veronica reports; The landlord of the Crown and Mitre drove us back to where he had collected us at Burns Bank the previous day.

We entered a woodland glade towards Naddlebridge where the mighty sound of cascading water of Thornthwaite Force rose to a crescendo. Following the signs for Shap, we came across the ruins of Shap Abbey (12th Century) and in Shap village found a welcome coffee shop. The pounding of the nearby motorway traffic reminded us of how close we were to reality as we crossed over the M6 into a dusty cement quarry.

We then headed towards Hardendale (where Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed on the night of 17/12/1745), before proceeding along the Lunn Valley to the pretty village of Orton where we sampled Kennedy’s chocolate at their factory once visited by our own Prince Charles.

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08/05/2007 by AOS.

Burns Bank to Orton (14 miles - total so far 77 miles)

Veronica reports; The landlord of the Crown and Mitre drove us back to where he had collected us at Burns Bank the previous day.

We entered a woodland glade towards Naddlebridge where the mighty sound of cascading water of Thornthwaite Force rose to a crescendo. Following the signs for Shap, we came across the ruins of Shap Abbey (12th Century) and in Shap village found a welcome coffee shop. The pounding of the nearby motorway traffic reminded us of how close we were to reality as we crossed over the M6 into a dusty cement quarry.

We then headed towards Hardendale (where Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed on the night of 17/12/1745), before proceeding along the Lunn Valley to the pretty village of Orton where we sampled Kennedy’s chocolate at their factory once visited by our own Prince Charles.

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