Day 3

Yesterday was supposed to be an easy 8 1/2 mile trek so we started from Rothswaite a little later at 9:30. HA!  The trails here are not what we would call "paths," but rather streambeds, many of which are flowing.  If not streams, they look like this:

As one fellow traveler put it, every step is an opportunity to break an ankle (cancel clear).  That's how it feels, though.  It is exhausting having to watch every single step all day long, and the rocks and water and bogs make it very hard on the ankles and feet.  After a relatively short walk up a hill on this path, we began a 2000 foot ascent over rivers, up streams and up what they euphemistically call "steps."  Here's a picture of us at the first summit:

If it were a better picture you'd be able to see the Irish Sea behind us with its windmills.  Unfortunately they was another steep climb ahead of us.  We had been meeting a wonderful family from Australia along the way from time to time and thank goodness we met up here because I don't think any of us could have made it without the help of the young man. The "steps" were indistinguishable, very wet and steep with times where huge steps up were required.  All this with a deep cliff just about a foot to the side! Next we had to wander through very deep bogs, searching for signs of the path.  A couple of gentlemen from Bellingham stumbled through that part with us.  We finally reached the real summit.  Just before this I had said to Tara that I was very disappointed that we had not witnessed any dogs herding sheep.  Just over the summit we looked across the valley and saw a huge herd of what we thought we cattle, but turned out to be sheep, being herded down from the ridge in front of us, across the valley and up the mountain to the side of us!  Tara asked why I couldn't manifest a helicopter like that.  It was so fun to watch the dogs race around the hills after those sheep, who act like cats.  Those dogs are FAST!!  and so are the shepherds, who are on foot.

That provided delightful entertainment for our horrid descent down through streambeds and bogs.  What we thought would take about 5 minutes took over 30.  A little later we happened upon a group of day hikers who were also on their way to Grasmere.  Thinking we had about 20 minutes to arrive there, we asked the hike leader to confirm how much farther and were very disappointed to hear him say 1-1/2 hours.  Just about then it started to drizzle.  We arrived safe and somewhat sound about 7 hours after we began. Whew! The Australians arrived two hours later!

I have caught a nasty cold and Tara has a nasty blister on her foot so we've decided to take today off, along with half of the Australians, and ride with the sherpas to our next destination, Patterdale.  Grasmere is a quaint little town, appropriately famous for its gingerbread.  It would be nice to spend more time here. It was supposed to be a very difficult 8 miles again today.  We think quite a few people have abandoned the trip already.

Here are a couple of photos to show you why it's so worth it all.

I apologize that this is so haphazard, but I want to keep documenting our adventure as best I can under the circumstances.  Just now an F18 flew over.  They like to practice close to the ground maneuvers here.  I'm glad we were warned.   Much love, Mary/Mom