Day 6 – Sunday, June 11

Shap – Kirkby Stephen

Kerry was up early, but I could have slept in this morning.  The sun was shining – what a blessing!  The weather has been very kind to us by British standards.   Said goodbye to Karen and Helenne (the Dutch girls) as they are also only going as far as Orton so we won’t see them again.  Forgot today was Sunday – no shops open so couldn’t get supplies.  Got a Mars Bar each at the Newsagent.   Left Shap at 8.45 am.  Climbed steadily upwards – easy ascent over grassy hills.  Could see the M6, and eventually crossed via a footbridge – a long awaited event.  Pressed on and up over green hills, past a quarry. Passed the walled village of Oddendale.  After seeing it on Wainwright’s video, had intended to walk down and have a look, however, with nearly 20 miles to go, we decided to just keep walking, across the fields and through limestone outcrops.  We crossed what we thought was a Roman road, but we weren’t sure.  We met up with the Lancashire lads (Russell and Stephen – different pair to the Yorkshiremen) but we parted at Robin Hood's grave and we took the footpath to Orton and they continued on Wainwright’s track a bit longer way around.  Walked a couple of miles across heather moors and then some fields, following the public footpath to Orton.  Came out at a church graveyard.  Just before that we went through a good bog – all churned up by the cows - so we stopped at the church and cleaned our shoes and re-filled our water bottles.  Being 11.30 am on Sunday morning, we expected to see people at the churches, but there was no sign of such.  The church bells did toll just as we were coming into town.  Came to a lovely little tea room, and as it was about lunch time, had some soup and rolls.  Just as we were finishing, the Lancashire lads turned up and we had a brief chat.  They are camping out, so have a lot to carry.  Walked through Orton (hoping to find an icecream shop as we had seen people eating icecreams – but alas!) and then along the road to Knott Lane.   Just up Knott Lane, over the dry stone wall we could see Gamelands Stone Circle.   Just past it we went over a stile and through fields with many gates and stiles.   We seemed to walk for ages across heather moors – we just kept on walking, intent on covering the miles.  Today is somewhat boring.  On walking down the road to Bents Farm we could hear lots of bleating.  We wondered what was happening and then we saw the mobile shearers.  We were relieved to finally see Smardale Bridge – a very pretty stone bridge.  Crossed the bridge and doubled back and up grassy hills.  We saw the Giant’s Graves but wouldn’t have noticed them except they were on the map and Wainwright talked about them on the video.  We could see some of the others we had met previously who are also doing the Coast to Coast (we called them "The Five"). By now we were rather footsore and weary.  Allan was flagging a bit and we had a couple of rests.  How he keeps up is beyond us. When we are 73 and sitting in our rocking chairs, we’ll be even more amazed, I suppose.   Pressed on, one foot in front of the other, wishing Kirkby Stephen (pronounced Kirby Stephen) would come into view, but as we got to the top of each hill, there was just another hill, more stone fences and yet another stile to climb over.  Each one got more difficult as our legs got heavier.  Finally there it was and we walked down a footpath at the back of houses and hoped we hadn’t gone past our B and B.   Finally, there it was – "The Old Coach House".  The lady of the house, Betty Rome, met us at the door and warmly showed us to our room.  We weren’t sure we had an ensuite, but we did – with a bath!  Kerry wasted no time in running the bath and getting in to soak.  I just sat on the edge, soaking my feet.  Allan is also staying here at the same place.  Rested a short while and then went into the village for tea.  We had hoped to have fish and chips at the "Coast to Coast Fish and Chip Shop" (Which we had seen on the video) but it was closed - Sunday is a very closed day in England like it used to be in Australia when we were much younger.   Had tea at another fish and chip shop instead.  Ordered pie and peas which turned out to be mushie peas, and pie with beans which turned out to be baked beans – forgot we are in England!  Went to another shop and bought an icecream.   Came back to the B and B as Kerry is feeling crook.  We think it is just sheer exhaustion.  Hopefully that is all it is and a good night’s sleep is all he needs.  He went to sleep and I did the washing as the central heating is on – well it was until about 8.00 pm – another day when we won’t get it dry. This B and B is really lovely and so are the couple who run it (Derek and Betty Rome).   Betty offered to put stuff in the drier, but I said I would just put it on the heater – silly me!  The Romes have done the Coast to Coast three times so when he was made redundant a few years ago they decided to set up a B and B in the middle of it.

Day 7