Today, the first day of the Herriot Walk, was the first day I was filled with such joy walking that I wished the walk would never end. Granted it was freezing cold and windy for the first couple of hours until I smartened up and put on a second windshirt over my fleece substitute and first windshirt, the hoods up on all of them.
The scenery was a combination of dales:
and moors:
A bridge:
And a good-looking sheep:
This structure marks THE place, the summit of Great Shunner Hill, the literal high point of the walk, where one can sit, snack, and enjoy the view when it is not freezing cold and windy, or even when it is, if one is so inclined:
A major portion of today's walk was along the Pennine Way, and that means, aside from good signage, lots of boggy ground:. Fortunately, most of it could be avoided because miles of paving stones have been set down. Still and all, fancy footwork required to get around in some places:
A mighty fine cairn:
About three miles before Keld is Thwaite where it is customary to stop and have a little something. They do a fine latte there and there were leftovers for our little feathered friends:
Is this not picture-book pretty?
Chatted a while with a my-age-ish couple who were up in these parts visiting friends. The weather had warmed considerably, so they were sitting, admiring the view, and having tea by the side of the path. A most pleasant encounter. And it was a short day...13.5 miles, so dawdling was allowed. In fact no day for these final days of walking should exceed 14 miles. That is most civilised.
On to Reeth on a gorgeous, cold morning. Today's walk may be even more gorgeous than yesterday's with lots of variety, both in terms of upping and downing and changes in the landscape. Whoever designed this route did a wonderful, wonderful job, and the person who wrote the little instruction book, did as well.
Pack bridge—not crossed:
Sheep with long tail:
Sheep with long tail and itch behind ear:
Valley and river, and path:
Two wee cairns inviting one to turn here, as indeed one was to do:
Hills scarred from mining but growing things appearing,:
Landscape that looks like a moonscape:
A nice, plump chicken:
Where is the itty-bitty pinch stile?
B and B here in Reeth is lovely even though I am definitely in the "Where shall we toss the old lady room." Can't complain about the wi-fi. This place has lots of rules. No admittance until 3:30, but the guy, more like a geezer, showed up at 2:30 (I had been waiting since about 2:00), and greeted me not with "Hello," or some nicety like that but rather "We do not admit guests until 3:30." He did, however, relent and let me in. Would not leave me anything for breakfast (which is really OK) because, "Dining room does not open until 7:30," (very important to keep the corn flakes under lock and key), but did, at least, provide milk for coffee. Nice place, bad vibe. What can I say! The town, itself, is adorable and boasts an excellent cream parlour!
Today also a day of losses. Lost instructions. Fortunately, that happened fairly near the end, and ven without them, I was able to figure out a super tricky bit. Left poles down in town before getting to B and B but that is also OK because they can no longer be collapsed (very annoying), so will use the back up pair. At least they were not biding time in the suitcase for naught! Then thought I lost the power cord for the phone, which sent me into a tizzy, but baruch hashem, it had just fallen on the floor.
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