Today we are joined by Jennifer who by all accounts is responsible for mine and David's slower than slower pace which we blamed on last nights Apple Pie and Custard which when served in the quantity that we ate it in was probably enough to stop an elephant, besides, today is a Sunday so who needs to rush anyway.
We kit up with our cars parked side by side having just parked up at the parking spaces close to Giggle Alley which is also next to the public toilets which we found are closed for Winter which meant that if you needed a pee right now you'd have to wait until Spring time. The air is mild and feels like it's in double figures without so much as a breath of wind although no doubt it's going to feel much warmer once we are underway. With Gaiters added for the boggy bits we head out towards Eskdale Green Station making use of the whole width of the road seeing as there was no one about, soon passing sleeping cottages we reached the Station where we hooked a right signposted Muncaster Fell.
We flank the narrow gauge line to our right for a short time before continuing down a narrow tree lined lane where distant views opened out over the summit of Hard Knott Pass but it was so murky a camera wouldn't have done the view any justice. Up ahead we reach a wide wooden gate which opened out into a field but first we had to watch over footings as opening the gate meant trawling through thick mud, it wasn't the first, nor last time our boots would be christened with the stuff. |