Don't believe frail older women...

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Day 4 Stonewaithe to Grasmere
I was all hepped up for a nice easy day. At breakfast our white-haired little landlady with a frozen shoulder said the day was an easy one. “It’s just an 8 mile zigzaggy stroll through the hill and I’ve done it many, many times. You’ll have no trouble finding your way just stay right when you get to the top.”
Again my ears are not picking up ALERT words like ‘top’. We started out early and didn’t bother with a packed lunch since it was only 8 miles and we have been averaging around 2 mph on the normal walks (in town, mall type). The first mile wasn’t bad and the day was overcast but not on the mountain tops. We followed along the beck (river) and saw many small waterfalls which meant that we ere steadily climbing up. The problem was 3 guys in front of us were always higher and higher everytime we zigged when they zagged. I was now getting into my just be quiet, put the foot out in front, and use the poles to pull. I saw the men at the top sitting for a break and snack - yes. But no, by the time we rounded and started up the ascent they were on a rocky cliffside of a small rill edged by bog. How can a bog be on a slanted surface like that? We had a drink and decided to save the snack for the top. Ross didn’t tell me we had progressed at only .7mph so I thought we would be done soon and be able to buy lunch in some neat pub. Our climb up the wet rock ascent was slow and careful and wet. Finally we reached the peak of Greenup Hill - which as you may have guessed was not the top. There was another crest to conquer behind us. We stopped and ate all our snack stuff, I sketched and we chatted with a couple from Lincoln who had plans to take the high ridge climb to Grasmere. No way for us - not even Ross wanted to attempt it. Our first trick was to cross a very huge bog. One nut, from a group that seemed to keep passing us and then stopping for long breaks, kept jumping through the bogs like a spooked deer. He was a mess and kept slipping and falling and then warning the others. Meanwhile I was trying to think of my body as a light cloud just passing over and using my poles to vault as much as I could. Only one foot sank in a little bit. Blessed be the waterproof boot. We found the marker that said this was decision time for high or low and we said good-bye to the group and the couple from Lincoln. We had caught up to them while they had stopped for lunch and decision discussions. We just walked right past to the down path. I don’t know how a descent can be so long, so slow, so boggy and stony. It seemed to take ages. It did we had no more food except Ritter’s Peppermint chocolate and I was now saving that only for emergencies. At last we came to civilization- meaning a few barns and stone-walled fields. Now we met people who were out for their dog walks. In England they must take their dogs for miles and miles. It was pee time again and no town in sight. We ended up in town, had a fantastic burger at Tweedy’s . Oour B&B was on the opposite side of town and it took quite a few tries to find someone who knew where we should go. As soon as we arrived Christine made tea and we had lemon cake and the world was good. An hour later Simon and Jane showed up and we had no idea they were staying at the same B&B. We went to the Traveller’s Rest with them for dinner and it was very good food (walnut tart) and port.

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Comments

[Deanna Keahey]

What a memorable adventure!
Thanks to that little old lady, it sounds like you had quite the adventure! (-: