A glorious walking day…cool to start! No rain but a little windy 😂…oh my 45+ km/h walking on cliff top trails was fun! Two scary…well ok one of them terrifying events today…more later.
First the stats for today’s saunter…
Daily Information
Distance: 14.8 Kms
Walking time: 3h 18m
Avg walking speed: 4.5 Kms/hr
Elevation G/L meters: 239 / (239)
Total Daily Steps: 28,832
Went down for a late …around 8:20…relaxed breakfast as I needed my beauty rest after yesterday’s travels. Sat at a table with Nina (UK last 13 years formerly Holland), Dave from US and later a couple from UK who were visiting relatives. Dave has clearly done a ton of long distance walks so the stories started…so of course I followed…😂.
Over at other tables 4 Canadians…a couple from BC…Catherine and another woman from Vancouver. Really fun to be back…after my PEI lonely walk, among fellow walkers. We quickly realized that our 13 day plan (Greg though it was 14) was the most aggressive…Nina, Catherine and friend were all planning 18 days. So we likely will not be seeing them too much except maybe on a crossover day!
Breakfast was superb…
Had a little trouble getting the Packa on my backpack early…something was wrong…then it dawned on me. I had it on backwards…fixed that …it’s good to have that quick recall ability! Then off we went.
Not quite…first Greg took me through a 15 minute flexibility routine…which I needed as my back was a little tender. Greg did mention that my back mobility could be improved…essentially it is hmmm 🤔 well…crappy! No problem this will become a morning ritual for the C2C.
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| Yep we are going up to the top! |
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| One of the few signs for the day! |
It was tiring but really good to be climbing steadily upward early…get the lazy legs moving. Quickly concluded that footing is tricky on the C2C as the path is often very narrow, muddy and far from flat.
Walking along the cliffs…often a couple (or less) of meters from the edge…was super enjoyable and spectacular. Must enjoy it early as the rest of the walk will be cross country, cross bogs etc.
Terrifying incident
My backpack is far from full given the daily Sherpa Van luggage transfer available to us. Greg commented before we started up the climb that my Packa looked like it might take off like a parachute.
I thought…a rookie comment…whatever all is good! Somewhere up on the cliff Greg yells “grab your Packa”…IT IS ON THE GROUND MOVING TOWARDS THE CLIFF EDGE…now there was a fence that might have stopped it!
How and why did it come off the backpack 🎒…clearly I did not cinch it tight enough but geez one day before the start the Packa could have been drifting away in the Irish Sea!
The C2C walk is as advertised…dodgy as to signage…GPS tracking came in very handy today. Even then at least twice we went a little ways off path…but quickly stopped and found our way.
Dangerous animals
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| Cows…no problem…pass them with ease now |
However there was one scary animal encounter…these critters followed me through Switzerland, France and Spain. Now again in the UK…I don’t know what to do…no not midges but much worse!
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| Laugh at your peril…these slugs are scary and they move fast! |
Once past the cliff tops we walked inland and came to a railway crossing where we had been well advised to leave the C2C trail and head back to St Bees. That was fun essentially working our way cross country on some paths using GPS.
Hungry we went for a quick bite…note to self a UK milkshake has NO ice cream…just milk and whatever flavour added. Not too satisfying!
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| Delicious corned beef, brie and cranberry sandwich |
Unfortunately while the delivery app says Smidge has been delivered Stonehouse B&B has not received it. I can only conclude that Smidge has been Swiped!!!
Tomorrow the real fun starts…a few other pictures from the day.
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| Ok which way do I go? |
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| Agility training is key! |
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| Could this be Abbey Road of Beatles fame? 😊 |
Those photos make me think this could be a walk worth doing….but I’ll reserve judgment until after the bogs!
ReplyDeleteNow just checking…..you do attach your Packa to your pack BEFORE you don your pack, don’t you? It really does seem to be giving you more grief than it ought to!!!
Rachael so far the scenery is outstanding. I think the first 4 days through the Lake District are the best scenery wise. As to the Packa incident…yes I cinched it on before wearing the pack. Clearly I did not do a good job…wind was wicked up on the cliffs and a cross wind. Nevertheless this should not have happened! Will/must do better !
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