Coast to Coast 2013, Day 4 - Thorney How, Grasmere to Noran Bank Farm, Patterdale 

Another sunny morning, another lovely breakfast (hot croissants), blistered feet still incredibly painful, but who could be grumpy on such a great day in such a beautiful place - we really were fortunate with the Lake District weather.

Today's route took us from Grasmere up to Grisedale tarn and then down Grisedale to Patterdale. It was a much easier walk than the previous day, largely because it wasn't as long, so we had time to enjoy the views and to linger over lunch at the Tarn.

There were 2 routes up to the tarn, one to the left of Great Tongue, which climbed to a path running around the edge of Seat Sandal, and the other which went to the right of Great Tongue and hugged Tongue Gill up to Grisedale Tarn. 
Mum and Dad went right, we went left.

Taking a breather to look at the view

The whole of the Coast to Coast walk continually went through fields of sheep, of many different kinds, but one thing that was constant was the call of a mother to her lamb and then the sight of a lamb bouncing across the field to meet her - seem pretty obedient these young sheep!

Looking back to Grasmere

This is the point at which the Tongue Gill path joined our path - Mum & Dad are down there somewhere.

Grisedale Tarn was beautiful - really peaceful

Relaxed lunch stop

Cooling off the feet

Dani trying to knock Phil into the water

It seems that the sheep here could also read.

After lunch we set off down the valley towards Patterdale.

The terrain was similar to yesterday's final valley descent, but the lack of time pressure made it seem much easier. (Although I was still hobbling)

On the way into Patterdale we bumped into a family that we'd met up at Black Sail - they'd driven round by car the previous night & spent the morning relaxing...bit of jealousy crept in there!!

Arrived at the Patterdale Hotel where we'd agreed to wait until all of us caught up - drinks all round and plenty of time to enjoy the late afternoon sun.

Here's Dad!

After the drink we walked another half mile to the farm where we were staying - Noran Bank

A very welcome sight! We had the bunk barn all to ourselves, complete with kitchen and bacon etc. supplied for breakfast.

Mum & Dad knew the proprietor of the Old Water View B&B, which also does evening meals. It had been full so we couldn't have stayed there, but we enjoyed a delicious dinner and Dani found out that she'd passed her school year.

What was Ben up to here?

Chip thief!

Delicious Dessert

Chocolate - guaranteed to make your feet feel better

A bit of route planning went on that evening after dinner (whilst Ben & Dani played Top Trumps!). We'd come to the conclusion during today's walk that I needed to let my blisters heal up a bit if I was going to be able to carry on and so the plan was to split into 2 parties again - Phil, Ben & Dad to go the harder high route over Kidsty Pike and along Haweswater, while Mum, Jonny, Dani & I took the steamer along Ullswater to Pooley Bridge and walked the flatter route over Askham Fell to Bampton Grange (this was Wainwright's bad weather route, and in fact, we were told that the first time he walked the C2C he took this route and then came back later in better weather to fill in the details of the high level stage in his notes).

It felt a bit like cheating, but it seemed better than not finishing at all!

Day 3 - Blacksail Hut Youth Hostel to Thorney How Youth Hostel, Grasmere.

Phil looks a bit serious

We woke up to a misty scene and waterproofs were needed - even to go to the loo - which had an interesting environmental policy.

No washing out today

Getting ready

Love those waterproofs Jonny!

Family pic before setting off

Today's route went up Loft Beck from Blacksail Hut, in front of Grey Knotts, behind Langdale Pike to the top of the disused Tramway, down the tramway to the top of the Honister Pass, down the Honister into Seatoller, then Stonethwaite, along Greenup Gill, climbing up Lining Crag to Greenup Edge, through the boggy bowl and down Easdale to Grasmere. (Route map)

Climbing Loft Beck

Still climbing Loft Beck

Whichever way you hold the camera
- it's a loooooong climb

Happy faces at the top?

I fear a touch of madness has crept in!

Setting off again towards Grey Knotts      

Not sure which tarn this is, but it was pretty. One of them is called Innominate Tarn & Wainwright's ashes are scattered there - not sure we saw that one though.

Another tiny tarn

Looking back the way we'd come

Mum going strong

At this point we all stopped for a rest - all that is apart from Dad, who can be seen here marching off strongly into the distance....the last we saw of him for about half an hour!!

"Anyone seen Dad?"

And so the search began..... "Dad! Dad! Can you hear us?"

"GRANDAAAAAAAD!"

No sign of him over there

Beginning to think the bog might have got him!!

But all was well - he'd just not realised that we weren't behind him.  

Needed another rest after all that searching!!

Mwah, mwah!

Mum's way of resting was always standing up - a skill that I learnt as well once I realised that blisters ease when you sit down, but then hurt 100 times more when you stand up again!

Buttermere and Crummock Water

This was the beginning of the old Tramway which had been used for the quarry. It was at about this point that my blisters really began to SHOUT! Going up had been relatively ok, but going down was agony. My whole right foot was clawed over in an attempt to ease the pain & I was hobbling along at about 20cm per step - not really fast enough considering how far there was yet to go.

Cup-a-soup stop!

The others catching up

How did Dani manage to look so good even in waterproofs??

A bit of old machinery

Descending to the Honister Pass

Ben playing trains at the visitor centre, where we bought drinks and used some very luxurious loos!

The descent down the Honister would have been so beautiful, but those blisters just took the edge off!

At this point I was crying to myself as I was in one of my favourite places in the world, with my favourite people & I couldn't enjoy it properly as I could hardly walk - I've never experienced physical weakness like that before - was quite a lesson! The rest of the party seemed to be doing fine though - Dani was in fine fettle, Jonny was tired from his cold but doing ok, Ben had blisters but he's so strong he just walked through them, Mum had sore hips so she was more doing my speed, & Phil & Dad were as fresh as anything.

We had lunch at the start of Greenup Gill & then split into 2 parties as it was obvious that some of us would struggle to get to Grasmere by the time dinner was served at the hostel. Phil, Ben & Dani went ahead more quickly while Mum, me, Jonny & Dad plodded along behind.

It was a beautiful walk up Greenup Gill and the desperation of earlier abated a little.

Lining Crag in the distance

Beautiful views back down the valley

Almost there....

Mum negotiating Lining Crag

Panda sheep

Jonny pointing to the mountains in the distance - we had started the day's walk right over there.

"What do you mean you've forgotten the cheese Gromit?"

The boggy bit on Greenup Edge

In spite of the bog and the lateness and the tiredness, it really was very beautiful up there!

Between us and the far ridge and the path down Easedale was a boggy bowl!

Amazingly we got across the bogs without much trouble and found our way to the ridge.

The walk down Easedale to Grasmere was very pleasant, but seemed so long when every step hurt. We had slowed down alarmingly and it was 9.30pm before we reached the beginnings of Grasmere village and 9.45pm when we finally arrived at Thorney How Youth Hostel, where the proprietors very kindly re-opened the kitchen and served one of the most delicious meals I've ever eaten.

So good to be full, warm and not walking anymore!! I had been quite shocked by how much the blistered foot had affected me and was quite worried about how I was going to finish the walk if things didn't improve. I think Mum may have been having similar misgivings due to her painful hips too. But things always seem better in the morning, so off we went to find our beds....