Writing this in Yorkshire!

The Lakes are behind me and morale has picked up. The day after my last post, I had the short but steep Grasmere to Patterdale leg, where I was overtaken by Australians, South Africans, The Germans and many others. This is an international experience.

But they were all NPC’s. That’s non pack carriers. I’m sure they are nice people, but I loathe them so as they hop across becks, and leap over stiles with nonchalance. I took great pleasure motoring past a group of them (prob all a lot older than me) today on a steep tarmac hill which is my natural terrain and when my big engine can get up a head of steam. They caught me about an hour later on the moor but I pretended I was looking for a spot to have lunch.

Also – NPC’s don’t know the equisite joy of the first 5 mins sans-load of an evening. I assume that is what being thin feels like, all bouncy and light.  Or perhaps they are just wiser than me with the will to drop serious £ on B&B’s? c£70 a night for 13 nights? Ouch.

Anyways – how is the walking going?

It was on the tricky haul up to Angle Tarn (which means Ankle Turn in Olden) when I realised why I wasn’t enjoying the Lakes. The views were stunning, the weather sublime. It was the terrain. All rocky, loose, ankle risking, rock hopping nonsense. I was spending so much time focussing on not twisting something, falling off / over or slipping on some cheeky boulder that I wasn’t concentrating on, well, not concentrating.

When I walk I like to zone out, lose myself in thought and let the miles roll by. But when every 2nd step is unsure, there was no rhythm, and so for me less fun in the plod. Those long, steep hills were a drag. The views at the top well worth it – but not the sort of rambling I was looking for.

So, that night I read the c2c book for the first time and learned that high routes were only a preference of The Creator AW, and he recommends you find a route you like. Next day I took the much longer, slightly flatter route to Shap and had a lovely time as a result. Lesson learned.

The day after, Shap – Kirkby Stephen was another long haul – c33km, over beautiful rolling terrain, with decent solid ground to enjoy. Best day yet. Tired at the end, but happily so. Tunes, sugar and ale will see me through this.

And so today I made it to Keld. Into the Yorkshire Dales. I could turn South, and walk home to Luddenden or carry on East to RHB. East it is. The book says Keld is halfway. So woot to that.

Much colder tonight – so my Talisker liquid pyjamas will be going on at bed time.