A great walk today

April 6th

Suzanne brought me my hiking shoes in her luggage. There are many roads and trails around here, some originate right in the village of Gosforth. I headed up the road towards Wastwater this morning and along the way saw a gravel road called a bridle way that was open to the public. It's called "Guards Lonning" which is some sort of historic route; being very straight I'm tempted to say it dates from Roman times, but I can't find any details on the web yet. 

It's a steep walk up, I went for an hour to a planted forest (I did find that it was planted in the 90's) and then came back down. 

The picture below is about halfway up my walk. Stone walls, sheep and a stone cottage. Quintessentially English. This is looking west down the fell (hill) towards the Irish Sea (that body of water in the distance). 

Turning around, this picture is looking East towards Sca Fell, the highest peak (the one with snow in the distance). Below it and to the right, just in front of that dark hill and out of sight is Wastwater, England's deepest lake.

According to the web this road eventually leads to both, and is a favorite day hike up to the top of Sca Fell. Not today! After two hours of hiking I'm whipped, but it's a good goal for before I leave.

I had dinner with some fellow Americans last evening and they are all hikers (they don't look it) and we've got plans to spend next Saturday hiking. I'll have to get some Scotch eggs and a good water bottle for my backpack.

Until next time...