5* hiking

Day 4 and Zan and I were collected at our hostel by Brian, Inge and Seung on their way past.

I’d been receiving live weather and terrain reports from our sixth team member who was already ‘on location’, so it wasn’t a surprise to find ourselves climbing once more and gradually feeling the mist envelop us.

About an hour and a half in, we located a woolly hat poking out a bivvy bag at the side of the path and our party was once more complete.

At that point, the mists also magically cleared to reveal Grisedale Tarn below. Cameras were quickly whipped out of bags but, after a brief stop to let Mark pack up and to check the map, we were back on our way.

Today was the easiest and shortest walk so far which meant that it was possible to look up a bit more and talk without wheezing quite so much! We arrived into Patterdale in time for lunch and then checked into our lovely little B&B, Old Water View, where Wainwright himself famously stayed on numerous occasions.

My appreciation for the finer things in life may have been the topic of some good-natured teasing over the last few days but it’s served me well on this occasion. Zan and I both have double beds with crisp white sheets, a large en-suite with a hot, powerful shower and a toasty drying room downstairs for airing our hiking gear. I couldn’t think of a nicer place to be dealing with my bleeding feet and aching joints!

On that note, I have to commend Patterdale Village Shop for knowing its audience. It may be tiny but it still has the largest selection of knee supports and blister plasters that I’ve ever seen!

Dinner was steak pie and mash with the gang at the White Lion before an early night. It’s a long one tomorrow and our last in the Lakes.

Day 4:
Walked: 24,266 steps (8 miles)
Stayed: Old Water View
Ate: White Lion Inn

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