ROSTHWAITE TO GRASMERE

Started the day forgetting my poles 10 minutes in after enjoying a peaceful walk through trees and on a stone wall hemmed-in gravel trail with lambs and their mamas bleating to one another. Tom went back for them and I met up with Rachel. As we waited, it seemed like everyone we had met or seen on the trail the day before passed us on the long slow grind up yet another glacial valley to one of the Lake Districts peaks. The cloud cover was consistent yet higher today so we could see farther. About 50 degrees and not much wind. No rain. Perfect hiking conditions. Enjoyed yet another nearly 180 degree view of the Rosthwaite valley and ahead into another coming lowland, this time toward Grasmere. Celebrated at the top and began to feel a sense of accomplishment. Poked our way slowly down, leap-frogging all the people trickling in the same direction. Creeks with small waterfalls cascaded down the slopes at various intervals around us. The terrain continued to alternate between bogs without grass tufts, with grass tufts, chunky jagged rock and gravel. We needed to remind ourselves to look up now and then because we were so focused on our footing. Once Rachel slipped back on her butt, thankfully without injury, and once I face-planted into a creek trying to cross. I really don’t remember if I got a pole stuck or caught my foot on a rock or… but I know for sure I remember seeing the rocks in the shallow creek coming straight for my face. After some moaning, groaning and fears of broken things, I stood up with only a small cut lip, a bruise on each knee and a mild wrist sprain. Could have been much worse. Yes, mom, I’ll be careful!!! At the end of 10 miles at the end of a long valley, we reached Grasmere, an upscale Lake District town with two main streets, several stone-faced inns, a used book shop, a sheep shop called Herdy’s, a couple art galleries, 3 outdoor sports shops and more BMWs, Mercedes, Range Rovers and even a Maserati than, well, just about anywhere. Tom and I stayed in the upscale Inn at Grasmere in a little 3rd floor corner room with a wee balcony with table and chairs (Tina, just your kind of spot!) FInished the evening with a lovely laughter-filled dinner with our new Aussie cattle-rancher friends, a perfect ending.