DAY 6 ... SHAP TO KIRBY STEPHEN ... 21 MILES
An early breakfast at 7:30 to get a jump on the day.
Margaret fixes me porridge, omelet and sausage. Oh
wow, and a sawtoothed cut melon with strawberries,
pineapple and kiwi inside, grapes too. As she sends
me off, says she feels like she has known me all her
life. Bet she says that to all the old geezers.
Didn't even want to charge for washing my clothes.
What a lovely gal! She fondly remembered Lonewalker
(the host of this forum) from a week or so before,
who stayed here on his C2C walk and fixed a problem
with her computer. Like dropping flowers along the
way!
Footbridge Over the M6 Motorway
My longest day, 21 miles to Kirby Stephens, but not
difficult and its nice weather. Many of my fellow
walkers are stopping in Orton today, but I meet some
new ones going the distance to Kirby Stephens. On my
2004 walk, the 21 miles scared me so I took the bus
to Orton saving 8 miles on the day. This time I have
a better feel for my capabilities and more
confidence in the route. While taking the shortcut
over to the M6 footbridge, my maps fell out of my
pocket as I lurched over a stone wall stile, so I
had to backtrack to retrieve them. It was fun
crossing the footbridge with all the traffic passing
below. Not much interest on the path until near
Orton when I crossed over a limestone plateau with
wonderful weather worn shapes. Reminds me of Malham
Cove on the Pennine Way. I could spend the day
musing over these infinitely strange stone patterns.
I love them.
Limestone Landscape
More of the Limestone Plateau
Errant Glacial Boulder from Long Ago
Crossing farms above Orton, the distant Pennines to
the east are a beautiful sight with clouds gracing
the sky. I pass Sunbiggin Tarn and meet up with Bill
and Katie from Devon. I saw them briefly at
Burnbanks yesterday at the head of Haweswater. We
walked a bit together, then they pushed ahead until
I caught up at Smardale Bridge as they stopped for a
snack. Walking together to Kirby Stephen, we met a
60 year old lady with two hip replacements, an
American couple from Colorado and two walkers from
the van group.
What a Life!!
Sunbiggin Tarn - A Bird Sanctuary
Smardale Bridge
A Slow Walk Under A Fast Train
By 4:30, I arrived at Old Croft House and Chrys
greets me like an old friend (I was here 5 yrs ago)
with tea and hot buttered scones with jam. Yummm!
She put me in my old room, I got cleaned up and went
out shopping; two apples, peanuts and two spare
camera batteries. Now for dinner. Of the three
nearby pubs, one has food but no decent real ale,
another has a good selection of real ales but no
food, the third has food and Black Sheep. Yes, I’ll
take it and sat with Bill and Katie for dinner; they
were staying at nearby Fletcher House. A bland
vegetable pasta dish tasted fine after a liberal
dousing with tabasco.
Back at the b&b, I went into the lounge/dining room
and met other guests having dinner (Colin is the
host/chef and is a great cook). Three groups; the
American couple, Roger and Susan, three English
tourists and an English walking couple I met
earlier, Henry and Jane. Henry made a joke about
something, saying I would have to be a NASA
scientist to be able to understand it. I told him I
used to be one - everyone erupted with laughter,
especially Henry and Jane. That brought on a lot
more questions and conversation about our
backgrounds. They have recently retired from
education. It seems that almost everyone I meet has
been retired for a year. Now they have time for long
distance walks and loving it.