This is the stage I was worried about. It is reputed to be the most difficult stage of the Herriot Way; it is also a stage of The Pennine Way. . (It really was not THAT hard.) Have a look at its elevation profile:
At the tippy top is the summit of The Great Shunner Fell! The first ascent is 1693 feet, 207 descent, The second ascent is 732 ft. 561 descent. Maybe that does not sound like so much, but it was a day's exercise.
From my B and B in Hawes (a very nice B and B) the walk was a bit over 13 miles. First the good things: the weather was fine! Had it been rainy or very hot, it would have been terrible, most especially on that shorter, but more difficult climb near the end. And maybe along the the long, flat, completely exposed stretch of the first part. In fact, for all of it1 However, rarely does one have to worry about navigation. There were a lot of paving stones over the boggy areas, and a lot of the stage was on a wide track. It was not nineteen miles!! And I was mentally prepared!
I got an early start...5:05 a.m. out the door, bade Winnie farewell:
and was off. This walk deserves some adjectives: bleak, barren, and vast are the best ones I can come up with at the moment, but more would be fun!
Picture of bleak, barren, and vast:
Every time you see a cairn, your heart gives a little leap of joy!
Interpretation: No, I have not disappeared into the moors never to emerge again!
Now, this is one stately cairn:
While I was marching along—and I have to say, I felt as if I really hit my stride today—all of a sudden and out of the blue, the word "alfalfa" popped into my head. What the heck! Then I realized I needed it for yesterday's Spelling Bee! It was so weird. (But I still need one more word to get to Queen Bee.)
Your heart gives another leap of joy when you don't have to navigate the bogs:
OK, this is the peak of the Great Shunner Fell and there is no trig point? Really?!
There was not even a plaque to explain and elucidate and inform what grand structure used to stand in this spot, now reduced to not much more than a heap of rubble. For shame!
A while after crossing over whatever this whole geological phenomenon is, the scenery changes.
But not too fast too soon:
Sooner:
Later:
Large segments of the walking surface were of the unpleasant variety, especially on the long downhill:
Finally, after gingerly making your way down the mountain you reach Thwaite a tiny little hamlet with a big reputation as it is the major landmark on the route, being located near the base of a major accomplishment and just before the second big climb.
But if you are hoping for some refreshment, you must come another day.
The short stage takes you to Keld
The second segment is definitely prettier than all those dull miles of that first big chunk. For starters, the person who lives in the house next to the gate that leads to the path, planted a stand of gladioli. After seeing nothing but moorland for many hours, it was a most welcome and cheerful sight:
Whereas the majority of the walk was on a big, wide track of differing surfaces, the shorter, second, very very steep climb was a narrow (very narrow), dirt path with big rocks and was a little bit scary in places, not too too scary, but a little bit. Then there was divine relief along a ridge of packed grass, the way I imagine Wimbledon!
View from the top of that fierce little hill, which honestly, was not so little!!!
After seven hours and fifteen minutes, I arrived in Keld. The guy who runs the Keld Lodge and who was outside doing some weeding, informed me that check in was not until 2:00. "OK," I said, "But could I use the wi-fi?" "Yes." "And I think my suitcase arrived. Would it be possible to have access to it so that I could change my shoes?" He just gave me the key to the room! Then he suggested I go to the coffee shop about two doors down if I wanted something to eat.
That did not work out too well. Anyway, I repaid the owner's kindness by setting off the fire alarm when I took a shower! It seems that the filter or the sensor or whatever it is does not work too well. The guy came running up to the room and there I am wrapped in a towel not quite knowing what to do. "Open the windows," he said. I did and the alarm stopped. Then, when I was washing my socks, the water in the sink overflowed because the drain thing does not work either! However, since this room is for two and I am only one, there were extra towels with which to mop up the mess. Dinner was sickening. There are signs on the windows that warn you not to open them at night because the midges, being attracted to light, might come in. And a sign in the room telling you, in a most stern manner, not to wash your dirty boots or muddy dog in the shower. But the only really annoying thing is that guests are allowed to bring dogs into their rooms and guess what? They bark. A lot. The headphones will come out tonight.
P.S. I did get the final word in the Spelling Bee yesterday, but it took a while. (It was flyby.)
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