Too Old Codgers

Statistics:
distance - 20.7 miles
moving speed – 3.2 mph
start – 9.20 am
finish – 6.30 pm
moving – 6h 30m

When we came down for breakfast at 7.30 we were surprised to see the table set with Royal Albert china, complete with tea pot, coffee pot and milk jug. We were almost too frightened to use it in case we broke something. We both thought of the neighbour in 'Keeping up appearances' trying so hard not to drop her tea cup when visiting Hyacinth. We needn't have worried. Margaret was not the Hyacinth type, and put us at our ease. There was fresh fruit salad, and Graham's breakfast was nicely cooked. Mary had cereal and toast. After paying our bill we chatted with Margaret until 9.20.

'Breakfast at Brookfield House'

We took the 'short cut' up the lane beside the B&B, passed the cement mill, then traipsed through long wet grass for quite a distance beside the M6. After crossing the M6, heavy grey clouds rolled in so we put on our raincoats. We walked through mist past the quarry and Oddendale, but there was no real rain. We removed our coats near the supposed stone circles.

'Leaving Shap and the cement mill'

Although we saw a few cattle and sheep, there was no long-horned shaggy Highland beast blocking the track as there had been in 2010. When we reached the corner of the pine plantation, from where the guidebook suggested 'follow the posts past the two trees', we met a farmer out on his quad bike looking for lost cows – we were able to tell him of the ones we'd seen a bit further back.

We walked through limestone outcrops, then across the desolate heathery expanse of Crosby Ravensworth Moor. As we neared the road at the edge of the moor, we met a C2C walker coming the other way. We swapped stories about what was ahead for each of us. He had passed the Leicester 10 earlier, reminding him of his home also in Leicester.

'Crossing desolate Crosby Ravensworth Moor'

As we made the long climb up Gilts Lane the sky grew darker. After crossing the B6260 we stopped at noon in a depression in front of an old lime kiln for a late morning tea. We put our raincoats back on as mist descended. The lime kiln and depression protected us from a chill wind.

We left the lime kiln and followed the route via farms, including the intriguingly named Friar Biggins Farm, around Orton. We caught glimpses of the Leicester group ahead. After crossing moorland and passing Sunbiggin Tarn, we found them having lunch in their bus. They generously invited us to join them in their mobile shelter. We had decided to aim for lunch at 2.30pm when we should have reduced our post-lunch walk to a more manageable target. Coincidentally we reached the same lunch spot as we had in 2010, with beautiful views over farmland and the Howgill Fells that we had seen from Sedbergh two weeks ago. We had walked 13 miles, with another 7-8 miles to go.

'Crossing fields near Orton'

'Tarn Moor'

The Leicester group passed us as we had lunch, but we caught up to them near Severals village as they stopped to put on waterproofs. We chanced the weather and continued without rain gear. Although the bridge over Scandal Beck was one of the prettiest on the C2C, we decided to detour for an easy walk along the disused railway along Smardale rather than tackling the climb up Smardale Fell along the C2C route.

The route along the old rail line through Smardale Gill Nature Reserve was level, smooth and easy walking. And Wainwright would have approved following an old rail line had it been available when he devised the walk. The route beyond the Nature Reserve was somewhat unkempt, with rabbit warrens, mud, stinging nettles and several steep little descents and ascents to cross roads. We made much better time than Graham expected, and he miscounted the number of cuttings and bridges crossing roads. We went a bridge too far, and ended up in a dead-end nettle forest in Waitby Greenriggs nature reserve. After a GPS check we retraced our steps through the nettles and walked back to the last bridge – an extra mile and 40 minutes at the end of a long day. We climbed up to the bridge and followed the road into Kirkby Stephen. At the end of the day, we had walked the longest mileage to date of 20.7 miles with a moving average of 3.2 mph.

'Smardale Gill viaduct'

'Easy walking along a disused rail track'

'We should have taken the road bridge back there'

We arrived at our B&B, Fletcher House, at 6.30. It had been one of our favourite stops in 2010, and it didn't disappoint this time. We had a lovely spacious room and bathroom. We showered, washed, and ordered our breakfast and lunch for next day.

'Kirkby Stephen evening'

We headed off for the pub we had enjoyed last time, the Black Bull. Graham ordered a Black Sheep (great beer) and was served the Wainwright (not so good) with the same charm we had seen at Ribblehead. We sat at a table adjoining the Leicester 10 and were looking forward to spending the evening in their company. When we went to order dinner we were told the pub was fully booked. So we headed across the road to the King's Arms where the clientele were more earthy and a football game blared from the television. But we were served efficiently and with a smile. Graham judged the Black Sheep and steak and ale pie as very good, and Mary's pinot grigio and gammon steak were good.

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