Finn and I were up at six this morning, intending to walk Ingleborough, but the rain was coming down heavily. We had our breakfast and I read a few chapters of my book accompanied by Finn gently snoring beside me, but, two and a half hours later, the rain was still coming down and showed no signs of letting off. So the decision was made to pack up a day early and go home to Norwich.
It’s been an amazing fortnight – I’ve really enjoyed it and I think that our walks to the local park will no longer cut it with Finn. I will have to make a concerted effort to take him further afield at weekends from now on. So, it’s back to the planning stage now for my next holiday – bring it on. In the meantime, thought I’d share some of the things I’ve learned from this holiday – hopefully next time I’ll be a wee bit more organised and actually get some proper walking done!
1. It’s so much harder camping when you have a dog. Finn has worked out how to escape from his cage. The cage is fine when the tent is pitched within view of the showers so he can see me entering and leaving. Otherwise he needs to be locked in the car. (Unless it’s an independent campsite – minus the fascists – and I can take him in the showers with me!)
2. Finn needs a rest too – after walking fairly hard surfaces all week, his paws become very tender. I think the next time I do a walk like this, I will only walk alternate days, thereby taking twice as long to complete as everyone else – a major change in thinking for me. It’s not a race. Blimey!! (This strategy will also help me to get to campsites and set up on the non-walk days, rather than tearing around at a hundred miles an hour after I’ve finished walking, trying to get camp set up.)
3. Days don’t have to be sequential. Blimey again!
4. You have a much better time doing support than walking – I think I’ve found my new role in life!
5. Walking with a dog is far more preferable to walking on my own. I would say Finn, with all his irritating ways, boundless energy and little tricks to escape, has made this holiday. He’s kept me entertained, amused and irritable in equal measure, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. (Although I could do without having to apologise for him constantly – especially the time he stole a sausage off someone’s barbecue and ran off with it.)
6. Things don’t always go according to plan ….. live with it!
So, over to Tristan and Steve for the Coast to Coast update …
Monday, 31 May 2010
Finn and Susan’s big adventure – Day 13 – Friday 28 May 2010 – The Conquest of Whernside!
Finn and I were sad to see Andy leave at lunchtime today, but to stop me moping I decided we should go and stomp over Whernside – not my most favourite hill, it has to be said.
The last time I climbed it was during my failed attempt at the Yorkshire Three Peaks in April. At the time, Rachel pointed out that we only had to climb the peaks, not the bits inbetween. So I decided to use this plan and do them all separately. I then took this a step further by determining to do them all on separate days too – I’m sure this will meet with Rachel’s approval.
So at 1.00 pm we were parked and ready to go. It’s been pretty breezy all day but the views have been amazing. And I could even see the sea from the top too.
There were a few Three Peakers about today – all barking mad – but I have to admit I actually had a smile on my face today when I reached the top – a totally different expression to the one I was wearing the last time I was up there!
The last time I climbed it was during my failed attempt at the Yorkshire Three Peaks in April. At the time, Rachel pointed out that we only had to climb the peaks, not the bits inbetween. So I decided to use this plan and do them all separately. I then took this a step further by determining to do them all on separate days too – I’m sure this will meet with Rachel’s approval.
So at 1.00 pm we were parked and ready to go. It’s been pretty breezy all day but the views have been amazing. And I could even see the sea from the top too.
There were a few Three Peakers about today – all barking mad – but I have to admit I actually had a smile on my face today when I reached the top – a totally different expression to the one I was wearing the last time I was up there!
Finn and Susan’s big adventure – Day 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 – Sunday 23, Monday 24, Tuesday 25, Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 May 2010 – more odds and sod
Sunday saw me and Finn driving from Haltwhistle to Bellingham, to Richmond and back to Bellingham, a distance I didn’t dare clock! Steve’s feet were still a mess and there’s no public transport on Sundays. As Finn was still limping, walking was cancelled for us and I offered my car as a taxi from Richmond to Ingleby. While en route, we met up with Tristan at the pub at Danby Wiske to wish him well for the rest of his walk.
Monday found me lazing – reading, doing the laundry, painting my nails and waiting for Andy to arrive. Finn and I were meant to be walking to Bellingham on the Pennine Way and had arranged to meet Andy in the village at 5.00 pm. However, I managed to get a message to him and he came straight to the campsite for about two o’clock, so we lazed about, with a short walk into the village for essentials – wine, chocolate and sausages! – and had a very pleasant evening with a barbecue.
Tuesday found us at Kielder Forest – we walked all morning before lunch and then we fished all afternoon – hoping to catch trout for another barbecue. Finn did not help matters as he loves to swim, so spent most of his time in the lake frightening the fish! Instead we ate at the pub in the village.
Wednesday was really miserable – grey and raining – so we drove to Hexham to Tescos for more provisions – including venison burgers! – and we had another evening barbecue as the weather cleared up a bit. The rest of the day was spent reading and snoozing.
Thursday was time to move on – so we moved camp back down to Malham in Yorkshire. We’re camping in the lovely Town Head campsite at the foot of Malham Cove where I stayed last year. After the tent was up, I told Andy that there was a huge lake not too far away – Malham Tarn – and we could walk to it. My idea of “not too far away” and Andy’s idea appear to be wildly different! Still, we had a lovely walk, although it did get very breezy at the top – a good opportunity to wear my new lime green Berghaus coat – an early birthday present from Andy.
Tea was taken at the Buck Inn – rabbit pie and steak, followed by cheeseboard and port. How very civilised!
Monday found me lazing – reading, doing the laundry, painting my nails and waiting for Andy to arrive. Finn and I were meant to be walking to Bellingham on the Pennine Way and had arranged to meet Andy in the village at 5.00 pm. However, I managed to get a message to him and he came straight to the campsite for about two o’clock, so we lazed about, with a short walk into the village for essentials – wine, chocolate and sausages! – and had a very pleasant evening with a barbecue.
Tuesday found us at Kielder Forest – we walked all morning before lunch and then we fished all afternoon – hoping to catch trout for another barbecue. Finn did not help matters as he loves to swim, so spent most of his time in the lake frightening the fish! Instead we ate at the pub in the village.
Wednesday was really miserable – grey and raining – so we drove to Hexham to Tescos for more provisions – including venison burgers! – and we had another evening barbecue as the weather cleared up a bit. The rest of the day was spent reading and snoozing.
Thursday was time to move on – so we moved camp back down to Malham in Yorkshire. We’re camping in the lovely Town Head campsite at the foot of Malham Cove where I stayed last year. After the tent was up, I told Andy that there was a huge lake not too far away – Malham Tarn – and we could walk to it. My idea of “not too far away” and Andy’s idea appear to be wildly different! Still, we had a lovely walk, although it did get very breezy at the top – a good opportunity to wear my new lime green Berghaus coat – an early birthday present from Andy.
Tea was taken at the Buck Inn – rabbit pie and steak, followed by cheeseboard and port. How very civilised!
Sunday, 30 May 2010
Finn and Susan’s big adventure – Day 7 – Saturday 22 May 2010 – Greenhead to Once Brewed – 7 miles
The eagle eyed among you will have noticed that this week’s walks do not appear to be sequential – this is a major breakthrough for me – I’m trying to train myself to be less OCD!
The reason for today’s change of plan lay with the boys again – as they had a day off today in Richmond and I quite fancied the idea of finishing early to meet them – their antics have kept me entertained all week!
Finn and I were walking just before eight – I would have liked to get there earlier but the campsite nazis at Haltwhistle wouldn’t let me get off the site until gone seven. I rang the boys early on to say I had started and was told that Tristan was still in bed and Steve was making the tea. This for some reason brought the Morecambe and Wise image flooding back so I set off with a chuckle.
My first sight of Hadrians Wall was really exciting – much more so than I thought it would be. The Pennine Way on this stretch combines with the Hadrians Wall National Trail – and although I didn’t meet any other Pennine Wayers today, I met lots of Hadrians Wallers!
It’s been a really hot day – a real scorcher and Finn seemed to be having a lot of lay downs – due to the heat I assumed. I positively encouraged him to swim in the two lakes that we passed – old quarries which have been turned into picnic sites by the National Park Authority. It was only a while later when we were back on the wall ridge again, that I noticed he was also limping and not putting all his weight on his back left leg. Luckily, we only had a mile to go now to get the bus back to our car at Greenhead.
Now, while I’m quite stubborn and would possibly carry on with an injury, there’s no way I’m putting Finn through that, so a day off for tomorrow was called. (This day off actually turned out to be a bonus as, when I met up with the boys at Richmond, Steve was too injured to walk again and had no way of getting to the next B&B because of the lack of Sunday public transport. I’ve really enjoyed doing support for Tris and Steve this week – I’ve felt quite useful for a change!)
So, Finn and I had a quick ice cream at the National Park Authority visitor centre before catching the AD122 bus back to Greenhead – lovely to see the bus company has a fantastic sense of humour!
The reason for today’s change of plan lay with the boys again – as they had a day off today in Richmond and I quite fancied the idea of finishing early to meet them – their antics have kept me entertained all week!
Finn and I were walking just before eight – I would have liked to get there earlier but the campsite nazis at Haltwhistle wouldn’t let me get off the site until gone seven. I rang the boys early on to say I had started and was told that Tristan was still in bed and Steve was making the tea. This for some reason brought the Morecambe and Wise image flooding back so I set off with a chuckle.
My first sight of Hadrians Wall was really exciting – much more so than I thought it would be. The Pennine Way on this stretch combines with the Hadrians Wall National Trail – and although I didn’t meet any other Pennine Wayers today, I met lots of Hadrians Wallers!
It’s been a really hot day – a real scorcher and Finn seemed to be having a lot of lay downs – due to the heat I assumed. I positively encouraged him to swim in the two lakes that we passed – old quarries which have been turned into picnic sites by the National Park Authority. It was only a while later when we were back on the wall ridge again, that I noticed he was also limping and not putting all his weight on his back left leg. Luckily, we only had a mile to go now to get the bus back to our car at Greenhead.
Now, while I’m quite stubborn and would possibly carry on with an injury, there’s no way I’m putting Finn through that, so a day off for tomorrow was called. (This day off actually turned out to be a bonus as, when I met up with the boys at Richmond, Steve was too injured to walk again and had no way of getting to the next B&B because of the lack of Sunday public transport. I’ve really enjoyed doing support for Tris and Steve this week – I’ve felt quite useful for a change!)
So, Finn and I had a quick ice cream at the National Park Authority visitor centre before catching the AD122 bus back to Greenhead – lovely to see the bus company has a fantastic sense of humour!
Finn and Susan’s big adventure - Day 6 – Friday 21 May 2010 – Garrigill to the Kirkstyle Inn, Knarsdale
Finn and I were walking at nine o’clock today along the South Tyne river towards Alston. It was a very gentle riverside walk for quite a way before heading up into sheep pastures where it stayed all the way to Alston. I spoke to Morecambe and Wise early on as they had started at about the same time I had and we checked each other’s progress all day – I think they were running out of conversation as I kept receiving texts asking obscure geography questions – I did feel a bit like I was being quizzed!
(The Morecambe and Wise comment came about one evening in the pub as Steve and Tristan have twin rooms for their holiday. I did ask if they sat up in bed together in their jimjams discussing the day’s progress – for some reason this image really tickled me!)
From Alston, the path became very different as it climbed up over the fells to enter Northumberland. We then followed the route of the old South Tyne railway line which closed in 1976, but which has now been turned into a trail.
At Slaggyford, the path heads along the road for a while before turning left and heading uphill again. I had meant to stop at Slaggyford to try and get a taxi back to Garrigill and my guidebook showed a post office and ‘phone box which I was intending to use as I had no mobile signal. Sadly though the ‘phone box has long gone and the post office closed twelve years ago!!
A quick glance at the map showed a village three miles further on with a pub – decision made! The landlord of the Kirkstyle Inn furnished me with a lager shandy, Finn with a bowl of water and procured us a taxi ride back to the car at Garrigill, at a fare less than half what I’d been quoted by a rival taxi firm. Bonus!
So a very good day – and the bonus miles means less to do over the next couple of days.
(As I sit here on our new campsite writing the diary, Finn has – cool as a cucumber – wandered down to some campers a bit further down the field and got into their car and laid down. Unbelieveable! Luckily the couple were laughing at his antics, but I’m so mortified, I’m off to hide in the tent now!)
(The Morecambe and Wise comment came about one evening in the pub as Steve and Tristan have twin rooms for their holiday. I did ask if they sat up in bed together in their jimjams discussing the day’s progress – for some reason this image really tickled me!)
From Alston, the path became very different as it climbed up over the fells to enter Northumberland. We then followed the route of the old South Tyne railway line which closed in 1976, but which has now been turned into a trail.
At Slaggyford, the path heads along the road for a while before turning left and heading uphill again. I had meant to stop at Slaggyford to try and get a taxi back to Garrigill and my guidebook showed a post office and ‘phone box which I was intending to use as I had no mobile signal. Sadly though the ‘phone box has long gone and the post office closed twelve years ago!!
A quick glance at the map showed a village three miles further on with a pub – decision made! The landlord of the Kirkstyle Inn furnished me with a lager shandy, Finn with a bowl of water and procured us a taxi ride back to the car at Garrigill, at a fare less than half what I’d been quoted by a rival taxi firm. Bonus!
So a very good day – and the bonus miles means less to do over the next couple of days.
(As I sit here on our new campsite writing the diary, Finn has – cool as a cucumber – wandered down to some campers a bit further down the field and got into their car and laid down. Unbelieveable! Luckily the couple were laughing at his antics, but I’m so mortified, I’m off to hide in the tent now!)
Finn and Susan’s big adventure – Day 3, 4 and 5 – Tuesday 18, Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 May 2010 – odds and sods and aborted walks
After spending a couple of days chilling out; ferrying injured parties and baggage between B&Bs; a quick stop in Keswick for spare tent pegs; visiting local waterfalls in Ullswater; an unscheduled amble on the Coast to Coast to check on the boys’ progress; and finally moving campsite back to Newby near Appleby, Finn and I were psyched up and ready to continue the Pennine Way – a sixteen mile climb over Cross Fell, the highest point in the Pennines. Sadly, the weather had other plans …
We left Dufton at seven thirty this morning to climb seven hundred metres to the top of Cross Fell before heading downhill to the village of Garrigill, our scheduled end point. The mist had been really low from the start but I was ever hopeful of it clearing away to give us some amazing views from the fell tops.
However, after two hours of walking, the mist was thicker than ever, to the point we lost the path. My guidebook said the path is pretty indistinct anyway and we needed to follow the cairns as our path indicators. Unfortunately, the mist was so thick and low that there were no cairns to be seen. I thought we should sit and wait it out for a while to see if it cleared but twenty minutes later decided to call it a day and abort the walk. I was getting cold and, to be fair, we could have sat another hour and it still might not have cleared. We then had a very grumpy trek back down to Dufton – we’d walked eight miles, just to get back to the beginning.
Unfortunately, my schedule doesn’t allow for me to do this day during this holiday so I need to plan to come back up again for this section – oh, what a hardship!
Back at the campsite, I had a home made (with a little help from the Co-op!) cream tea and gave Finn a bath, before heading back to meet Dastardly and Muttley at Kirkby Stephen. So then followed the fourth hysterical evening in a row with the boys, mainly at their expense of course! Their walking style at the end of the day was a cross between a Julian Clary mince and a John Wayne swagger. Now, although I’ve been unofficial support duty over the week, I feel my involvement tonight went above and beyond the call of duty … while Tristan was showering and Steve was having tea and cake with the other B&B residents, guess who was in the laundrette washing their smalls?!!!! (One, who shall remain nameless, actually stuck all his teeshirts in the wash, so had to go out for dinner in his pyjama top – priceless!) Although I DID get another dinner out of it – and am planning on getting loads more mileage out of this favour too!!
We left Dufton at seven thirty this morning to climb seven hundred metres to the top of Cross Fell before heading downhill to the village of Garrigill, our scheduled end point. The mist had been really low from the start but I was ever hopeful of it clearing away to give us some amazing views from the fell tops.
However, after two hours of walking, the mist was thicker than ever, to the point we lost the path. My guidebook said the path is pretty indistinct anyway and we needed to follow the cairns as our path indicators. Unfortunately, the mist was so thick and low that there were no cairns to be seen. I thought we should sit and wait it out for a while to see if it cleared but twenty minutes later decided to call it a day and abort the walk. I was getting cold and, to be fair, we could have sat another hour and it still might not have cleared. We then had a very grumpy trek back down to Dufton – we’d walked eight miles, just to get back to the beginning.
Unfortunately, my schedule doesn’t allow for me to do this day during this holiday so I need to plan to come back up again for this section – oh, what a hardship!
Back at the campsite, I had a home made (with a little help from the Co-op!) cream tea and gave Finn a bath, before heading back to meet Dastardly and Muttley at Kirkby Stephen. So then followed the fourth hysterical evening in a row with the boys, mainly at their expense of course! Their walking style at the end of the day was a cross between a Julian Clary mince and a John Wayne swagger. Now, although I’ve been unofficial support duty over the week, I feel my involvement tonight went above and beyond the call of duty … while Tristan was showering and Steve was having tea and cake with the other B&B residents, guess who was in the laundrette washing their smalls?!!!! (One, who shall remain nameless, actually stuck all his teeshirts in the wash, so had to go out for dinner in his pyjama top – priceless!) Although I DID get another dinner out of it – and am planning on getting loads more mileage out of this favour too!!
Finn and Susan’s big adventure – Day 2 – Monday 17 May 2010 – The Ascent of Helvellyn!
The tent was down and packed away by seven forty-five this morning and set up again forty miles away by ten o’clock! Which left Finn and I the whole day to get up Helvellyn.
It’s been very hot and the views have been breathtaking, both of which caused me to sit down a lot during the day. Finn used these opportunities to run off and chase sheep and disappeared from sight a number of times. Bloody dog. The climb up was stepped and went on forever at a forty-five degree angle – punishing on the legs – but, towards the top, the steps gave way to scree. I only saw a handful of people all day – I guess that’s the beauty of doing such a popular walk on a weekday.
The boys ‘phoned while I was on top of Helvellyn – they were on top of Red Pike, so we all waved in different directions towards different peaks which made me chuckle at the silliness of the moment.
There was snow at the top of Helvellyn and Finn launched himself over the edge of a precipice to roll in it – at that point, once I’d dragged him back, I put him back on the lead – I was anxious enough as it was without the possibility of Mountain Rescue being involved!
I chatted to a few people about Striding Edge – it looked way too scary for me – but I’d been encouraged by the amount of dogs appearing over the top of the ridge. I don’t think I’d like to attempt it with Finn on his lead – he’d be quite likely to pull me over. (Later in the pub, I spoke to a couple who said their dog had fallen and they thought it had broken its leg. Another couple got as far as Striding Edge, but then turned back and fled the other way!)
So, we couldn’t put it off any longer – and started back downhill on the knee crunching steps – my legs kept going wobbly and I was glad to get to the bottom. Especially when I discovered an ice cream van in the layby where we’d parked. Result!
After a shower back at the campsite, we set off to Rossthwaite to meet Steve and Tristan. They were on day two of the Coast to Coast and we’d arranged to meet at the pub there so they could buy me dinner! (Actually I think that was MY arrangement!) On arrival, the boys were not to be seen, so I sat outside quietly until Finn got into a fight with a very exciteable Labrador, at which point Finn was exiled to the car. As I came back from the car, I found Tristan in a stew – he’d lost Steve. Day Two!! I thought this was pretty careless, but thought better about saying so. So Tris, Finn and I had a lovely drive through Borrowdale to find the wanderer, who we found quite cheerfully coming down the road towards Seatoller. So then, back to the pub for dinner and explanations which I will let Tristan make in his blog.
It’s been very hot and the views have been breathtaking, both of which caused me to sit down a lot during the day. Finn used these opportunities to run off and chase sheep and disappeared from sight a number of times. Bloody dog. The climb up was stepped and went on forever at a forty-five degree angle – punishing on the legs – but, towards the top, the steps gave way to scree. I only saw a handful of people all day – I guess that’s the beauty of doing such a popular walk on a weekday.
The boys ‘phoned while I was on top of Helvellyn – they were on top of Red Pike, so we all waved in different directions towards different peaks which made me chuckle at the silliness of the moment.
There was snow at the top of Helvellyn and Finn launched himself over the edge of a precipice to roll in it – at that point, once I’d dragged him back, I put him back on the lead – I was anxious enough as it was without the possibility of Mountain Rescue being involved!
I chatted to a few people about Striding Edge – it looked way too scary for me – but I’d been encouraged by the amount of dogs appearing over the top of the ridge. I don’t think I’d like to attempt it with Finn on his lead – he’d be quite likely to pull me over. (Later in the pub, I spoke to a couple who said their dog had fallen and they thought it had broken its leg. Another couple got as far as Striding Edge, but then turned back and fled the other way!)
So, we couldn’t put it off any longer – and started back downhill on the knee crunching steps – my legs kept going wobbly and I was glad to get to the bottom. Especially when I discovered an ice cream van in the layby where we’d parked. Result!
After a shower back at the campsite, we set off to Rossthwaite to meet Steve and Tristan. They were on day two of the Coast to Coast and we’d arranged to meet at the pub there so they could buy me dinner! (Actually I think that was MY arrangement!) On arrival, the boys were not to be seen, so I sat outside quietly until Finn got into a fight with a very exciteable Labrador, at which point Finn was exiled to the car. As I came back from the car, I found Tristan in a stew – he’d lost Steve. Day Two!! I thought this was pretty careless, but thought better about saying so. So Tris, Finn and I had a lovely drive through Borrowdale to find the wanderer, who we found quite cheerfully coming down the road towards Seatoller. So then, back to the pub for dinner and explanations which I will let Tristan make in his blog.
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