Sun 10 April (0745-1610) (Beyond Stanhope to Hexham)
Distance: 18 miles (Tot: 390)
Ascent: 5000' (per the altimeter)
Weather: some high cloud but mainly sunny
It wasn’t surprising, given that we had camped in a valley, that our day started with an upward trend. I may have huffed and puffed my way up, but the view back was worth it, particularly with the mist hanging over Stanhope.
The moorland was as lovely as the views were extensive.
We didn’t need to go via the trig point on the top of Bolt’s Law, but it was the easiest thing to do (i.e. following a trodden path versus more yomping through heather), and once we got there it seemed like a good opportunity to use the top of the trig pillar for a timed photo.
It all seemed so big and open!
Too soon we were out of the big openness … and wondering if we had entered a war zone. That damage had been done by something more significant than a shotgun, but happily all was quiet and deserted as we passed through.
At around lunchtime we were walking through some woodland and looking out for somewhere nice to sit for lunch, when we noticed that the whole place was crawling with massive ants. Wood ants, I thought (and some Googling has borne out that thought). I don’t think that I’ve ever seen such massive ant hills in this country before. Here’s one of them.
And here’s another – it’s the lump above and to the right of the right-hand arch in this photo. Huge!
This was the day when we saw four sheep with bottom-less buckets attached to their heads. No idea what that was about, but they weren’t all in the same area and I’ve never the same thing before or since.
WOW! I seem to have stirred up a right ant's nest on your last post.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned The Dales Highway - this one finishes at Appleby, and doesn't go into The Lake District. The Dalesway finishes in Windermere I think, and with a short link you could pick up The Cumbria Way which finishes at Carlisle.
I have cropped and enhanced your anthill/viaduct pic and sent it to your email.
I'm looking forward to further daily doses of your east west trip.
Oh dear, I've had to put even more thought into the route for the next LEJOG. Is this a good thing? Next thing Mick will know I'll be setting a date to go and walk it!
ReplyDeleteSo, Dales High Way over to Sedbergh (on the basis that we walked the Dales Way on our K2CW and as lovely as it was I feel that the High Way would be a better choice), then pick up our K2CW route over to Ambleside.
Having already walked the Cumbria Way a few times, I think from Ambleside we would do the same as we did last year, which was to go over Fairfield and Helvellyn, and around the east side of Blencathra to pick up the Cumbria Way on its way up to Lingy Hut.
The walk into Carlisle isn't the most inspiring, but I couldn't see a better option last time I looked - and at least when we get to Carlisle I know the location of a barber (because my hair will be due a cut by then) and a fry-up!
Question then is how to get from Carlisle to Killin. I'll have to put a little more thought into that...
Gayle
See! Planning is irresistible!!
ReplyDeleteLouise - not only is it irresistible, but it serves the purpose of keeping me out of trouble of an evening when we're at home!
ReplyDeleteThe sheep with buckets around neck had probably had minor surgery by a vet, the bucket is to stop them picking at stitches
ReplyDelete