C2C day 3 Rosthwaite to Grasmere
A nice comfortable sleep at Yew Tree farm and breakfast in the lovely dining room. I had resisted a little, getting poached eggs, tomato and mushrooms rather than the full English… But they also had grapefruit segments and a nice muesli and local jams and marmalades for the toast…. So I didn’t actually eat less. I had eaten my sandwich from day 1 on route yesterday, so also set out with a new and large packed lunch today – tuna sandwiches, flapjack (which was sooo good), chocolate bar and crisps. It was raining as we set out so we decided to put on our waterproof trousers – a very good move as it turned out. The route today was over the fells up lining Crag (apparently a bit of a scramble there). From there you can remain high and go up over a few peaks along the ridge and then decide to Grasmere, or gradually descend from Lining Crag following Easedale gill. We had decided to take the high route for the views unless the weather turns really bad. Hopefully the rain would turn to showers as we went.
Off we set on a stony/muddy path (well often you couldn’t tell if it was a path or a stream) fairly flat for 3k following Stonethwaite beck. All good, except that before long we had to cross a fairly deep (we thought at the time!) stream. Mine and John’s big boots stayed dry, but Helen’s trail shoes got swamped. We splashed on down the path, and within 5 minutes came to a much harder crossing, with about 4 others hikers already there weighing up what to do. I couldn’t see anyway to keep my boots dry, so decided to just go for it using my poles to balance and stepping on the about 5 inch submerged stepping stones. The current was also fairly fast, and the water much deeper all around. I made it across, but now had boots full of water. Helen and John came across using the wall/ fence the stream then flows through to hang on but in even deeper water. Some of the others were taking off their boots and I wondered if we should have tried that. But all good we had made it, a bit cold but still happy to be on the trail (ok I was happy, Helen pointed out that she was cold wet and not so happy at this point) with although not so many far off views with the rain coming down, some great views of waterfalls – water everywhere! Me and John emptied a pile off water out of our boots then on we went.
But you guessed it, another crossing. If it hadn’t been that we had already got very wet and narrowly avoided falling in the previous streams, and liked to believe this could be the last, we may have turned back. But this was probably the last right? I got across, but the current was very strong and this time on the stones I used I was still knee deep, and around me my poles barely touched bottom. We looked up and down the stream (torrent!!) for a better place for Helen and John to cross and found a possibility 500m upstream. A jump to a mid point above water, a step across to sit on a big rock, then a leap off the other side. John made it, but his pole got washed away. I tried to chase it but it was gone so fast. Helen fell at the first jump, and current was so strong we thought she would be swept down stream. But she got across, now thoroughly soaked and cold. The rain was harder now and visibility in and out. There were about 8 feet wet crossings in total as we climbed lining Crag. After the 3rd we gave up emptying our boots!
The scramble part was fine. Very steep and rocky and it would have had amazing views on other days, but we didn’t need our hands except to brace against the wind that was now quite strong. I don’t understand
I had taken my fleece off earlier expecting to get warm as we climbed, but stupidly I now didn’t want to take my rain jacket off to put it back on again. Also although today I could easily reach my (slightly soggy) wool gloves, I had put in my thin tighter fitting ones and with my hands so wet and cold I couldn’t get them on. Helen sensibly did put her fleece back on, and although it was wet it helped.
We quickly started descending after lining Crag (6k), abandoning our thoughts of the high route and hoping to get out of the wind. As we descended we met a couple coming up from Grasmere and asked if there were any hard stream crossings ahead of us. Just 1 they said, pretty deep they had taken their boots off. We were crazy ecstatic to hear only one to go… but had to tell them there were many ahead of them!
Even in this weather we still had amazing views, not just of the waterfalls but misty views across the mountains. We decided to get the last crossing done and stop for a quick snack break. There were actually several of what in normal times we would have called hard stream crossings, balancing with fast water, or needing to get your feet a bit wet, but nothing too bad by today’s walk’s standards. Except the one. It was deep and fast. Again up to my knees at the best crossing point. A few people had gathered here, and after getting across me and Helen managed to use our poles to help others get across without falling. We also heard from this group that many had (sensibly in retrospect) turned back at the first or second crossing and taken the bus to Grasmere
But now the worst was over and we found a spot for a little lunch break. The rain even eased off for us, and we were lower now so bit more sheltered from the wind.
At about 12k we danced around deliriously happy – the stran we had seen ahead of us had a bridge! We cheerfully crossed and within another k we hit the small lanes leading into Grasmere.
At last Glenthorne Quaker centre came in to view. Hot tea and showers and a drying room awaited. An exciting adventure with lots of memories to relive together. 15k and it took us 5 3/4 hours. As the farmer where John had left his car said the next day when he was regaled of the adventure, it sounds biblical!
Glenthorne was built in 1800s and became a manor house before in 1960s it was given to the Quaker society which developed it to the center it is today. Tea and cake was served in the conservatory area at 4pm which I participated in of course, and diner served in the dining room at 7pm (the bell rings to announce the dining room is open for dinner and for breakfast). And a bell for a moment of silence before dinner.
It’s a set 3 course dinner with a few options and a decent price, and beer and wine are available. A very good dinner was had with the very pleasant company at our table of an older couple and lady who had all been coming there for years and regales us of many stories about he place. They had also been great walkers and still got out for short walks. We discovered later the guy was 94, and enjoying life very much.
Between our very large and warm bedroom and the drying room, and a hair dryer, it looked like our stuff may have a chance of drying. And fairly early (again) we happily settled in bed warm and cozy and DRY!