After a lot of planning the week finally arrived. I have done the Keswick to Carlisle leg of the Cumbria Way a couple of years ago, so the goal this week was to complete the Ulverton to Keswick section.
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| Complete Route |
Tuesday 11th Travel day
I set of around midday from Derby Station and a few hours later arrived at a wet Ulverston (via Sheffield and Manchester). I booked into the hotel /pub and then went for a quick stroll to check out the start point and also a quick look at the Laurel and Hardy Museum. The start point (The Gill) was only a few minutes walk away.
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| Stan Laurel (Ulverston's most famous son), and a dodgy random guy ! |
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| Outside the Museum |
Got to bed early after some food and a shower.
Wednesday 12th April Ulverston to Conniston
This type of hiking is not normally my favorite (farm yards, villages , roads, agricultural land), but I found this an enjoyable trek apart from one half hour period. I set of early (6:30 ) with cool but clear and dry weather. I managed about 4 hours walking before the winter blast forecast caught me up just as I was descending from Beacon Tarn. It took me by surprise and very quickly I couldn't feel my hands. It took quite a while to locate my gloves which proved to be bloody useless. Just after this I turned my left ankle , and then my energy just drained out of me. I found the next half hour very difficult. Finally I got to the shores of Conniston where there was some shelter from the wind and the hail had eased off. After a short, wet break I completed the last couple of miles to the town and a welcome cuppa and cake in a cafe. By about 4 PM I was checking into the YHA.
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| Hoad monument just outside Ulverston |
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| St Johns Church just before Broughton Beck |
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| First View of Conniston on max zoom |
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| Stopped here for a short break near Knapperthaw |
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| Beacon Tarn |
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| Conniston |
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| Snow topped Conniston fells |
Allowing for some muddled navigation about 17 miles.
Thursday 13th April Conniston - Great Langdale
Had a full breakfast at the YHA which was great. I set off around 8:30 into the pouring rain. It rained all day, but thankfully it was no where near as cold as yesterday. This would have been a lovely low level walk in fine weather, but due to the conditions it was a head down day.
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| Tarn Hows |
I stopped for a nice cup of tea to thaw out in Elterwater just after the lovely path from Skelwith Force along the River Brathay
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| Langdale Pikes come into view |
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| New Dungeon Gill Hotel |
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| Home for the night |
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| Great Langdale |
By the time I got to Great Langdale the screen on my phone had stopped working (probably due to it getting rained on through the daay). There was no food facilities in the bunkhouse , so had an evening meal in the hotel , and then finally got my phone working in time to listen to Man United throw a way a 2 goal lead against Seville !!
About 13 Miles.
Friday 14th April Great Langdale to Rosthwaite via the high level route
The official route goes over the Stake Pass and then drops down to Stonethwaite via Langstrath. I had heard recently on the CW facebook group thta the fords on the Stake pass were in full flow and difficult to navaiage, so I decided to opt for the high level route via Rossett Gill - Esk Hause - Ruddy Gill. I was rewarded with a magnificent days walking. The path up Rossett Gill is really well engineered and every time I stopped for a breath I was rewarded with a magnificent view down Mickleden.
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| About to enter Mickleden |
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| Rossett Pike in the distance |
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| Pike of Stickle |
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| Footbridge at the start of the Rosset Gill climb |
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| Top of Rossett Gill |
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| Beautiful Angle Tarn |
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| View down to Borrowdale from the top of Ruddy Gill |
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| Eagle Crag |
Once I dropped down Ruddy Gill / Grains Gill I picked up a decent footpath from Seathwaite to the YHA near Rosthwaite avoiding any road walking. Wierdly I ended up with a six bed dorm to myself in the YHA.
Brilliant days walking in great conditions. About 9 miles.
Saturday 15th April. Rosthwaite to Keswick
Met with Richard for breakfast in Rosthwaite for the final leg. He left his car in Keswick and got the bus to Rosthwaite. It was perfect weather. Sunny , warm, with no wind, so today felt like a walk in the park compared to the previous 3 days.
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| I had a wander around Rosthwaite while I was waiting for Richard's bus |
We went back to Richard's lodge for a couple of hours before he gave me a lift to Penrith Station for the journey home.
A great end to another wonderful long distance adventure
About 8,5 miles
47.5 miles for the 4 days
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