Patterdale to Bampton Grange

The stats

• Day 5 - Patterdale to Bampton Grange - 12miles (19km)

The verdict

We set off reasonably early as it is going to be a long day.  The Minnesota Ladies leave before us as they have an even longer trek ahead of them but not before giving my Dad some of their high potency sunscreen.  It is very generous of them.  With great stoicism, Dad smothers the sunscreen over his red skin, laces up his boot over his terrible blister and limps the first few steps.  As we leave Greenbank Farm, our hosts point us towards the path and for the first few hundred metres we're accompanied by one of the farm's cheeky puppies which lollops behind us before being summoned home.

Even as we cross the fields and start on the uphill path that winds its way out of the valley, we can hear the dogs from the farm breaking the silence of an otherwise still Monday morning.

View back over the valley towards Greenbank Farm

There are some steep sections before the path levels out on the approach to Angle Tarn.  Our paths intersect with plenty of other Coast to Coasters at this point including a lovely Canadian couple whom we last saw at Ennerdale Bridge.  

Approaching Angle Tarn

The morning sun packs quite a punch and it is surprisingly warm as we walk the left bank and then gradually leave the tarn behind us.

Angle Tarn

The Californian group catches up with us at an opportune time as the track leading up to The Knott is boggy in parts and it isn't always apparent which path to follow.  The guide steers his group on the right trail and we surreptitiously observe and follow.  Soon we see our goal - the summit of Kidsty Pike, at 780m the highest point of the entire Coast to Coast walk.

The approach to Kidsty Pike

Some fast moving cloud sets in which partially obscures the neighbouring peaks and surrounding landscape.  As we get closer to the summit of Kidsty Pike the wind picks up until we're battling the wind at every step...but gradually we inch closer, closer, closer until finally - we're there!

Dad walking up to the summit

We summit at midday and there's quite a crowd of walkers on Kidsty Pike.  We allow ourselves some self-congratulation and trophy photos.  Dad leans precariously over the edge to try and capture a shot of the valley below through gaps in the cloud.

Here at last! The top of Kidsty Pike, highest point of the C2C

And then it's the descent down the other side, which is very steep in parts and punishing on the knees.  I may have started out a sceptic but I am now a total convert to the humble walking pole so as much as it pains me to admit it... Ross...was...right. AGH!

The descent from Kidsty Pike - looking towards Haweswater

As we approach the shores of Haweswater, we look around for a good lunch spot as we need to refuel before tackling the long trek along the path which switchbacks along the full length of the lake.  Not really a lake as it turns out, but rather a reservoir for Manchester when the original smaller lake was flooded in the 1930s.  

We conquered the mountain - Kidsty Pike is behind us

Regardless, it is a long body of water and we end up walking along a fair bit of it in our futile search for a clearing where we can stop and rest.  All our fellow walkers who overtook us on the descent have taken all the best spots but finally after lumbering along the path on weary legs, we collapse on some boulders and tuck into some sandwiches.

We don't rest too long as we wish to stay ahead of the main group of walkers so we continue. The guidebook doesn't lie.  Although the path along the lake is easy walking, the lake seems to go on forever.  The afternoon sun is hot and we're all thirsty and tired by the time we reach Burnbanks.  I am so relieved we are not pushing on to Shap tonight even though we still have a way to go before we reach our own accommodation in Bampton Grange.

Looking down Haweswater

We leave the trail at Burnbanks and navigate towards Bampton Grange, which reveals itself as a quintessential little English village with its own ancient church, stone bridge and houses that have stood there for centuries.

Bampton Grange

Our accommodation at the Crown and Mitre Inn is directly opposite St Patrick's Church.  It might be a historic old building but the rooms are beautifully refurbished.  We carry our suitcases up the stairs on wobbly legs and collapse into the luxe soft furnishings in our room.  Dinner in the pub downstairs is glorious after such a long day and we bump into quite a few of our fellow walkers.

The Crown and Mitre Inn

Needless to say it is an early night although our sleep is punctuated by the church bell which chimes every quarter hour through the night.  Midnight is particularly interesting!