Day 10 – Blakey Ridge – The Lion Inn (23 miles)
Man Alive this was hard.
I think if I was to put the sections into hardest order it would be as follows:
1 – Ingleby Cross to Blakey Ridge
2 – Richmond to Ingleby Cross
3 – Patterdale to Shap
Easiest
1 – Reeth to Richmond
2 – Grasmere to Patterdale
3 – St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge
The day started off as I gingerly put my walking shoes on, the blister that developed on my left heel yesterday wasn’t going anywhere quickly. The 23 miles started slowly as I crossed a main road and made my way up through the woods to the first peak. This walk was something like a 300 metre climb which took a long time as the path was switchbacks. Once up on the top it was lovely, views and clear sky !
The walk meandered down then up, then down for a few miles then up, up & up, then a serious descent. Crossed a quarry road and had a break at the café around 8 miles in.
2 peaks done out of 5. Temperature was probably 20 degrees today so tough going. Filled my water bottles up again at the café then set off.
Took the wrong route and ended up on some seriously steep and close to the edge routes, I had no choice but to go down off the fell . My map reading skills came into play now as I trawled through farmers fields, scared away a few cows and wallowed through some seriously thick mud patches until I reached a scout hut. It was at this point that I knew if I climbed back up I would join my original route.
So 200 metre climb straight up ! In the Sun ! and already knackered. Now I still have the peaks to traverse, which I did with a grimace.
Once off of Clay Bank Top (where most of the walkers stop for the day) I made my way down the very steep steps to the road, you then cross over and up you go again (for the last time) to the North Yorkshire Moors. This section is really flat when you are up top, takes a good effort getting there and then its wide rocky/sandy/gravelly paths. We say goodbye to the Cleveland way (which we were following since the start) and follow the old railway track. 9 miles across the moors with ever worsening feet until you see a glimpse of heaven, the Lion Inn (where I was staying tonight). Now it was about a mile away in the distance but to get there you need to follow the road, which decides to do a horseshoe and adds a further ¾ mile to the journey. Once there you take a shot cut up over the heather to the Lion Inn.
I arrived at 5:15 which was a 9 hour day!
Jack Dee and accompanying production expensive caravans and crew were in attendance (he was making some film around here).
Checked in, bathed, fixed feet and ate dinner. Bed at 9pm!!