Sunday, so it must be...

After religiously eating our breakfasts (it is Sunday after-all) we prepared for what will be our longest day yet - Ennerdale Bridge to Borrowdale, 17 miles give or take. The day started with us swapping notes with another couple of C2C'ers over breakfast. Neil had them down as a couple of lesbian vegetarians but they turned out to be meat-eating mother and daughter (not that it implies that ate each other). We did meet them once on the path, but never saw them again.
Because of the way we had arranged our cars certain possessions had already left, and were residing at Borrowdale.This meant Jen was without her antihistamines so, because the B&B had been so good up till now, Jen asked if they had any - yes - but only a veterinary preparation for the dogs. Beggars cannot be choosers, so Jen spent the rest of the morning cocking her leg, chasing sheep and coming to heel. Neil got the diuretic (look it up) record though 'cos he needed to visit his own tree every couple of miles or so.
The day started cool and cloudy, which was a welcome relief. So the first part of the walk along Ennerdale water's south shore

and thro the tree plantation to Black Sail Youth hostel was clocked off in good order. At the hostel, taking the correct path, we headed for Loft Beck. Now, all the guide books take great glee in telling you - 1000ft of ascent in half a mile - and so you 'come' prepared for the worst. In actual fact it took us about 25 minutes and was a pussy-cat of a climb.

Once at the correct altitude the views are amazing. We could see right back to the coast (in the haze) and see almost all ot the walk done to date.
The next objective was Honister Slate Quarry. A nice place, ice-creams all round, good toilets and somewhere to sit in the shade. After that it was all down-hill to Borrowdale (actually Stonethwaite) which will be our start for tomorrow.
Tonight we are staying in Grisedale Lodge in Patterdale, with a couple of American C2C'ers. They've just had a rest day and are a day in front of us (on the ground) so we spent a pleasant ten minutes or so swapping tales.

It's amazing what you see on a walk.