Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite

24 miles is a long way to hike especially if one throws in a 450 metre elevation gain towards the end. I had another late start. Mr TPRM thinks I need to get going a little earlier. I got up late 8 and by the time I was packed up and Peter had driven me back to Ennerdale bridge it was almost 10. The hike by Ennerdale Lake was very rocky and very up and down. After the lake it was through the Ennerdale valley on a logging road. That's correct they were logging parts of the valley. Made me feel like home. Didn't meet many other hikers at all as they had all left before me. Very quiet. Got off the trail once as there are many trails and the C2C trail is not well marked. Only lost about 10 minutes. Thank goodness for the Garmin. Invaluable. At the Black sail hostel met two elderly couples having a break. I don't know how they are coping. After the hostel the path had to leave the valley so it went straight up the valley side 400 metres. No switchbacks. It was tiring. Caught up with some other hikers. Went into the next valley which had been mined for slate. By then it was getting on to 4 ish and I still had a few miles to go. It started raining but this is the most wet part of the UK with 5 metres of rain per year. The trail seemed to go on and on. Finally made it to Rosthwaite. Asked an elderly gentleman where the Royal Oak hotel was and he told me that he had lived there for 2 years and had never heard of the Royal Oak. Felt he had to be wrong. Walked 1/2 block turned right and there it was. Incredible. What you don't need to hear at the end of a long day. Met the three brothers at the Royal Oak and joined them for a very swank supper. Met a fellow in the lobby today who was camping and hiking and had managed to turn his ankle today after becoming lost. He was calling it quits after 2 days. Yikes. I will have to be carefulLæs mere