Day 3: Ennerdale to Stonethwaite

Expectations

The long one! 15 miles from The Shepherds Arms in Ennerdale Bridge to The Langstrath in Borrowdale, including the first doozy of a climb, up Loft Beck, if we take the low route.

This will be a pseudo-re-creation of 2014’s “Death Hike” when we recklessly took the high route despite a howling gale and had to crawl for some of it just to stay on our feet. It will need to be the prettiest day ever in the Lake District to tempt me back up to Red Pike, High Stile, and Haystacks. We’ll see!

Dinner reservation at 6:30pm at Langstrath. We might have to leg it!

L’s brother is staying at the Scafell Hotel a mile away, and heads off to Portugal tomorrow, so likely we’ll bid farewell after dinner.

Realities

Updated at the next usable internet connection! Which is borderline here in Stonethwaite. I’ll give it my best attempt, but I suspect most of this entry will need to wait till Grasmere. Maybe just the words tonight and pictures tomorrow?

Typical breakfast

Attempted to leave Ennerdale Bridge by 8:30am but in reality more like 8:45pm. Very ominous skies,so we knew from the outset that the low route was the one to take. About a mile or so road-walking to get to the car park where we started last time.

Then a familiar trek along the south shore of Ennerdale Water (though the trail was more stream than path this time–clear evidence of the rainfall of the past 24 hours.)

Passed the YHA that no longer promises tea!

Managed to resist M’s plea to head up the high route (entirely theatrical, I’m sure.)

Then the long slog up the forest track. What the high route excelled at was drama and exertion. The low route excels at tedium and moderation. Still, glad to see Black Sail Youth Hostel. The wind was beginning to make its presence known.

We had our pack lunches inside the hostel. Forced ourselves back out for the big climb. Almost immediately, the wind howled. It made it hard to breathe and hard to stay balanced. The 1000ft climb up Loft Beck was a plodding climb. Count to one hundred. And again. And again. All while trying not to get blown off track.

At the top the wind was even stronger. Most of the high route from last time remained shrouded in cloud, but Haystacks was darkly, ominously visible. I don’t think this photo shows Haystacks, but good for the general idea.

We intercepted the old tramway successfully this time (got very off track trying to find it last time). What an ankle-turner!

Was glad to arrive at the Honister Slate Mine, this time before closing so we could grab a cup of tea. L’s brother ditched his hiking boots into the trash here, having discovered that both soles were detaching themselves. Lucky that his time on the Coast to Coast ends today!

We carried on down the hill–more work than expected, with rocky, slippy trails unsuited to tired legs. After 3 miles or so, L’s brother headed left to Rosthwaite and the rest of us left to Stonethwaite. We met up again for dinner at the Langstrath. Nice desserts!

Then bid farewell.

Tomorrow, L’s brother heads to Portugal. The rest of us head 2000ft up the hill out of Borrowdale. Just 8 miles between us and a rest day!