Coast to Coast:St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge, 14 miles, Tuesday 8th June (on foot at last)

“The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say”

(Tolkien)

So we finally start the walk, in the pouring rain, outside the humble shop / beach cafe on St Bees beach, at 09:30.

Wainwright’s route doesn’t actually send you east to start with. First, you have a steep climb north up St Bees Head, following the coastal path for a very pleasant stroll towards Whitehaven, before looping back inland.

Whilst it is indeed a grand coastal walk, I found it more than a little dispiriting to discover that, after three hours of walking, you find yourself a mere three kilometres from your original start point at St Bees.

There’s quite a few people on the route (thanks Julia Bradbury), but it’s not overcrowded. We overtake several groups of Greytops (irritatingly fit pensioners who will tell you, unprompted,  at every opportunity they can, that this is their third or fourth Coast to Coast walk), before finally climbing Dent, our first Fell on the walk.

The climb was bad enough, but the knee crippling descent far more painful. We finally hobbled into the tiny hamlet of Ennerdale Bridge seven and a half hours after leaving St Bees, for all the world looking like a bunch of arthritic geriatrics who’d misplaced their zimmer frames.

We’re staying in the Shepherd’s Arms, a Jennings pub (my favourite ale), so a couple of sharpeners were in order before dinner.

The menu was Cumberland Sausage, Lasagne, Fish & Chips or Lamb Chops. A menu we’d become very familiar with, as it was identical to the three previous pubs we’d eaten at.

Unfortunately the lamb chops were off, as were the fish and chips.  A couple of Greytops actually stormed out on being told this, but we hung in there and manfully ate whatever was available, being too tired to complain.

Tomorrow it’s another 14 miles. I’m not convinced I can do this.

Blister count: 0

Consecutive Full English Breakfasts: 2

Arguments: 0 (although Spike has tried to provoke me a few times)