Henrikdoc

A reasonably early start (for us) although most of the other walkers staying at the hotel we were in started before us, ie we were almost last to breakfast and THAT was at 8 am 😱.

Had to collect lunch first (preordered yesterday)

Then the first decision of the day (actually the second but the first is described later).

First of all an early morning view of the lake

There then followed a ‘lumpy’ path along the south side of Ennerdale water. “Why are there no ducks” was a good question raised by C.

ChatGPT says; ‘there is a good ecological reason you can walk around Ennerdale Water and see almost no ducks…because it is classed as a nutrient -poor (oligotrophic) upland lake.’

Although he / she then goes on to say that goosander, which are diving ducks that feed on fish rather than aquatic vegetation do thrive well in Ennerdale .

Every day is a school day 😂

..then a bit more tricky terrain, not unlike the Loch Lomond bit of the West Highland way but a bit more in the open.

But also some calmer areas to enjoy.

So onto decision two that was actually decision number one which we made yesterday evening (have I lost you yet?).

It concerns going left after YHA Ennerdale up to Red Pike, High Stile,High Cragg and Haystacks (where apparently Wainright had his ashes scattered – see below )

Sooooo…

1) When Wainright says the high route is only for supermen ….

2) When others comment that only really fit and younger ones should be attempting the high route on their second day …

3) When various social media posts and blogs where a party of walkers has split up with some taking the high route and others taking the low route, and then have commented that those who finished the high route were decidedly exhausted, ragged, and definitely worse for wear…

We concluded that as we are not as young as we used to be we would do the low route.

…. And anyway , the weather was not conducive to it in the morning – although it brightened up considerably in the afternoon.

So we continued along the Forest Path.

Where the fairies lived

AND a lot more mushroomy things were found.

And a few more I won’t bore you with.

Back to the Forest path

And so we whiled away the hours – 4 miles worth.

Having some deep conversations as always.

“Why did God make slugs as well as snails”?

“When you think of a lake , do you think of it as female or male?” “What about a mountain?”

“How did hiking/ wandering/ walking long distance first came about? What did Dorothy Wordsworth have to do with it.”

…and then finally the YHA Black sail for a spot of late lunch.

Short note to all future walkers. HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT BEFORE THE NEXT BIT!

There followed a short gentle rising small path before a whole mile of steps!

What a view though

Made it💪

With views to die for over Buttermere and back over Ennerdale

Then it was a case of following the cairns before heading down

To the slate mine and Honister Pass

Fancy some dust? only £8

But some pretty good sculptures as well

…onwards downhill to the last stretch to Seatoller and Rosthwaite in Borrowdale, the fairest of the valleys of the Lake District according to Wainwright.

A final bit of scrambling using a chain to hold onto was needs about half a mile from the end

…and a final bit of fungus to boot …

and of course some Herdwick

Arrived , at last, 26 km done!

Overall , couldn’t have been a better day for walking.