June 26, Kendal circular wallk

Komoot, an app like All Trails, featured a 5***** 10 1/2 mile circular walk around Kendal.  Who could say, "No," to that?  So that was my choice for today.  It did take in quite a variety of city and country and hill and dale, among which variety was the biggest climb of this walk so far, but the Dales Way is not known for its severe uppings and downings,  it is notorious for bogs and famous for aqueducts.  I would have enjoyed the challenges today much more had it not been so hot and humid. How hot is hot?  When butter turns to liquid and a chocolate bar is like a jar of Nutella and cheese becomes goo.  It is supposed to be cooler tomorrow.  I can't wait!

Speaking of tomorrow, which I shall do now, there is the issue of getting back to Burneside to meet the last stage of the Dales Way.  I  tired to get a taxi, but the only company that found someone to do the trip at 5:30 a.m. was going to charge £30 or about $40.00.  Even for me that is crazy for a couple of miles.  Then there is the 4 minute train ride for £3.80 but am I going to wait until 6:30?  Maybe.  I bought a ticket for just in case and we'll see how early I am up and ready to go.  If I do walk, at least it will not be on the A6!

But back to the doings of today.  One of the first sites was the old church, churchyard, and cemetery:

                                

No one has mowed the grass for a very long time.

Once, Kendal had a castle.  Visitors to Kendal are encouraged to go and pay homage, which I never would have done had it not been en route:

Sweet little gate in front of a stile:

At 8:00, I stopped to have some cherries and do Connections.  At 10:00, I stopped to have a snack and start the Spelling Bee:

An intriguing piece of Farm machinery:

Maybe it is for making hay?

The literal high point of today's walk was this Trig point   As you will see if you click on the link, some people make a real to-do about these pillars? Posts?  On one of my walks, I met a guy whose ambition was to see EVERY SINGLE trig point in the UK!  

Absolutely gorgeous horse:

Very bad picture of a whole bunch of bullocks who were following me.  The picture is poor because a) the bullocks are black, b) are at a distance  c) I wouldn't stop to take their picture when they were up close and personal.  But if you click on the photo, you will see them bigger! 

I felt very sorry for these poor bossies:

These Wilburs, however, are living the good life!

Tree down!

You know what?  I have no idea why I took this picture! (Maybe it is from yesterday's collection?!)  But that is one mighty fine pathway:

I will not be sad to leave Kendal.  If you look it up, it will seem like a really happening place, but my impression is that it is suffering economic hardhsip.  A shocking number of shops were out of business, and the town has a shabby feel.