Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Off to the beautiful Lake District for Easter. An early start got us to the National Trust campground in Great Langdale by 1pm and we climbed up to Stickle Tarn, soaking in the sunshine and scenery. With a prediction of Easter crowds arriving on Good Friday we pressed deeper into the mountains to the Wastdale Head NT site.

Nelly and I set out to run around the lake and discovered that the "screes" labeled on the map were not just loose talus, but gradually increased to car-sized boulders, at which point we finally gave up and retraced our steps back to camp. 4.2 miles in 90 min - ARG! Not exactly an aerobic pace... but my heart was beating fast and Nelly was spooked trying to pick her way through the boulders. I worried about her breaking a leg!

Billy had made good use of the time, taking photos around the lake. The nearby pub offered a selection of local brews, so we enjoyed sitting beside the stream soaking up the sunshine.

The next day we climbed up to Black Sail Pass and had a picnic lunch in the soft dry grass, then began the long decent. Why is it always so much easier to climb then decend? Or does that just come with age? Over all only about 8 miles, but over 4000 feet relief.... not sure how to equate that to running miles in my log.

Finally Nelly and I got our chance to run and we followed the road along Wastwater and into the woods at the south end of the lake.
Then for a change of scene we headed to the coast the next day and walked on the beach at St Bees before scouting a field with just a few campers, where we stayed the night outside of Santon. Finally the last day the weather changed and we took an 8 mi walk through fog and rain from Eskdale up to the Hardnott Roman ruin and back, before the long drive home.