Blade goes West to East / Coast to Coast

My original intention this time was to walk the Cape Wrath Trail again, using a different route closer to the Scottish west coast but still through remote areas. With a severe lockdown on hospitality in Sweaty Sockland I decided to switch to the English Coast to Coast path, which crosses from the Irish Sea in the west, through the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors to Robin Hood’s Bay on the North Sea coast. It’s just under 200 miles but I’ve added a bit.

To my shame I’ve not spent much time in the Lakes so I decided to start further south than the classic route, walk inland to a base in Wasdale for three nights and climb the five highest peaks in England. Then I’ll set off for the east coast. How super! Jesus. This blog is boring me.

I got a train from Leeds to Seascale this morning at 6am and arrived, after two changes, at noon. £10. Bargain of the month! On the last leg the Isle of Man was clear out west and Scotland was visible up north.

Doing the Coast to Coast (C2C) it’s traditional to dip a part of your anatomy in the Irish and North Seas. I’ve put two vids up as I had to cut out very rude language in the middle.

It was decent walking weather, cool and dry, and it was great to get a trek underway for the first time in 13 months, with a rucksack on my back. The route was all road walking for 12 miles but for a first day that was great, and I was a bit loaded up.

Gosforth was a decent village with an old church and a jolly graveyard. The headstones and caskets were reeling around. They’re having fun under there!

Another 5 miles and I was well and truly in the Lake District. I couldn’t get the smile off my face. It was frickin frozen on by the wind.

And just when I was getting tired and cold from the incessant headwind……… my lodgings appeared! It’s a good spot. The food is pub food, the rooms are adequate and the bed is brilliant. Hooray!!!

Tomorrow is a climbing day. Can’t frickin wait.

Night night.