DAY 2 : ENGLAND : COAST TO COAST : ENNERDALE to ROSTHWAITE

What have Meg and Mark Smith and Bill and Hilary Clinton got in common? They have all slept in the same bed! Our host, Martin, at the Fox and Hounds hotel at Ennerdale, gave us a little run-down on the area and Coast to Coast walk over breakfast and we just happened to be sleeping in the so-called Presidential suite. Bill and Hilary slept here when they were doing the Coast to Coast walk, when Bill proposed to Hilary near Ennerdale Waters. Martin also said that we should look out for a hunting lodge en route where Henry V111 met Anne Boleyn. The gorgeous scenery obviously sparks love matches. Unfortunately, it hasn’t moved Mark …yet.

Martin's morning briefing

In bed with Bill and Hilary

The Fox and Hound closed in February 2011. The 300 villagers were devastated as it was the hub of their little community. Within 6 weeks they had gathered enough shareholders to reopen the pub with 67,000 pounds. Now they have paid staff and many shareholder volunteers, who man the kitchen and bar etc.  A fabulous success story – such a friendly, fascinating place to stay.

Locals buy pub

What a day today! Said to be the most difficult walking day on the Coast to Coast , Day 2 did pose its challenges but the spectacular vistas totally compensated for the long and arduous effort. We walked for 9 hours but we were able to stop at 2 youth hostels on the way, which offer (plunger!) coffee as well as other facilities with payment in an honesty box. The most memorable was Black Sail – some photos on display from the 1890s. It was stone building with so much atmosphere. We joined about 10 or so other walkers for lunch and shelter. Our Fox and Hound kitchen provided us with lunch.

Historic youth hostel - Black Sail, Ennerdale Waters

Our steepest climb was up the side of Grey Knotts, which was 300m in a distance of 1.5kms. An impressive effort by the team – all our training up Mt Ainslie paid off – Julie excelled herself, dosed with Ventolin, and survived!  When we reached the top we had the most amazing view of Haystacks (an impressive rocky outcrop) and the floating lake of Innonimate Tarn, High Crag, Buttermere and Black Beck Tarn.

Going up Grey Notts

Still climbing

Alfred Wainwright, the fell wanderer, who documented the route, wrote:

“All I ask for, at the end, is a last, long resting place by the side of Innonimate Tarn, on Haystacks where the water gently laps the gravelly shore and the heather blooms and Pillar and Gable keep unfailing watch. A quiet place, a lonely place. I shall go to it, for the last time, and be carried by someone who knew me in life will take me there…”

Magnificent vista. Definitely worth the climb.

We’ve been learning lots of new  terms: Stiles, kissing gates, tarn (lake), fell or ghyl (hill), beck (stream), spur (ridge).

Kissing gate

Stile

We arrived in Rosthwaite about 6.15 and had dinner at the local pub, which was bursting with activity as the Borrowdale Fell Run is on tomorrow – the main highlight in the Rosthwaite summer calendar. Not something we will be considering. We will make a quiet exit to Grasmere tomorrow morning.

Bob head and shoulders above the locals of Rosthwaite