Day 2: Ennerdale Bridge to Blacksail Hut - the fulfilment of a childhood dream.

We woke up to sunshine and I was totally amazed at the healing properties of a night's sleep - last night I'd seriously questioned the likelihood of getting halfway, let alone finishing the Coast to Coast - this morning I had my bounce back!!

Breakfast at Low Cock How was amazing - soooooo tasty - an orange with it's top cut off was an unusual starter, but it really worked, then the best full English ever.....




But the best part was the bottomless pot of tea - every time we finished it, it was refilled - my idea of perfection.

The owners of were really friendly - it was one of the best Bed and Breakfast's of the walk - the welcome was evident, we had everything we needed, there was tea & cake in the kitchen (and cooking facilities if you needed them) and breakfast was plentiful.

And so we started off on our second day, replete with food and once more raring to go...although a few blisters had been discovered the evening before, which would prove problematic as the day wore on.

Day two would take us from Low Cock How, over the fields to the village of Ennerdale Bridge, along the road to Ennerdale Water, which we would walk alongside before continuing along the valley, through the remains of Ennerdale Forest to Blacksail Hut Youth Hostel. (Route map)

Walking across a well manured field - we negotiated kilos of the stuff during the course of the walk - never seen so much natural fertilizer in such a short space of time - all different types as well - quite an education.

Dani's day didn't start too well as she misjudged the depth of a boggy puddle & got a bootful of mud right at the start - not the end of the world you might think, but she had to live with it until the end of the next day as we were spending that night in Blacksail Hut and had no change of clothes with us - a rude introduction to the life of the long distance walker.  

At Ennerdale Water we got chatting to a man who had had an accident earlier on in life which meant that he had struggled to walk from the car park nearby to see the lake - made you very grateful for fully working limbs even if the blisters were beginning to make their presence felt. 

(Picture courtesy of man with walking stick)

There are 2 paths along Ennerdale Water - one that is pretty much flat, along the north side (taken by Mum, Jonny & Dani), and the other along the south side which goes up and down a little more (taken by Dad, Phil, Ben & Sharon). 

Picnic lunch at the far end of the lake. 

Phil and Ben set off to take the high route over High Stile, High Crag and Haystacks

The rest of us took the low route along the valley, stopping off for tea and to be eaten alive by midges at a Youth Hostel on the way.

It was beautiful scenery....

...but it did go on a bit...

I remember walking this valley as a kid and it seemed endless then too!!

Finally....there it was....
Blacksail Hut youth hostel -
I'd wanted to spend the night there since walking past it when I was about 8 years old.

What an amazing place!

Phil and Ben arrived too & it was beers all round.

And of course, the pirate had to make an appearance.

Dinner at Blacksail Hut was delicious - even a vegetarian option - pretty impressive.

And we met lots of really interesting people,
including Eric and Linda from Liverpool,
who kindly donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. 

An evening bevy

 

Should the socks stay outside and get wet 

or go inside and gas everyone?????

Will Jonny beat Phil at cheat?????

Read tomorrow's exciting blog entry to find out.....