Day 8 (Part 2)

We added cowslips and orchid to our list of wild flowers. We also surprised a couple of roe deer and a hare. Sheep are still in abundance although the lambs are probably a couple of weeks older than those we saw in the Lake District.  At one point we met three horses that wanted to be rather too friendly. We also crossed a stone stile that appeared to have a very good example of fossilised coral on one of the stones.

We stopped for coffee, just after Sunbiggin Tarn, with a young dutch man who is doing the walk from east to west and camping every night. He wants to save the best bits, i.e the Lake District, until last. We hope the weather is kind to him.

We had lunch in a stunning location at Smardale Bridge. Whilst there, we were joined by 3 other couples who are also doing the coast-to-coast walk - the Dartmouth couple, the Salisbury couple and the two farmer's wives from Yorkshire.

We crossed the Settle to Carlisle railway near the end and got to Kirkby Stephen at around 3pm. After updating the blog in the library, we had a cup of tea and met our australian friends again. After we had checked in to The Old Croft House, showered and changed we took our washing to the local launderette. Whilst it was washing we had a beer outside the Kings Arms in the sunshine and Liz was quite touched when the australian wife presented her with a fossil she had picked up on the walk that she wouldn't be able to take home without a licence. Then we were overrun by a group of Newcastle Ramblers out for their regular Wednesday walk and had a good chat with them.

Returning to the launderette, we put our clean, wet clothes in the dryer. Whilst waiting for them to finish, we heard a loud commotion outside like a couple of cats fighting hard. It turned out to be three yellow and blue parrots up on the roof having a loud discussion of some sort. Apparently a local estate agent (Strutt of Strutt & Parker) used to keep them but they were released a while ago and have become a regular feature of Kirkby Stephen.

We had dinner at our digs for the night - an excellent choice. The Salisbury couple are also staying there but had dinner out. The Old Croft House is a bit strange, with lots of upholstery about the place and lots of pictures on the walls. I would describe it as baroque.

Tomorrow we head for Nine Standards Rigg and there we cross the east-west watershed. We finally end up in Keld.

Distance walked today 12.13 miles. Total distance walked to date 82.50 miles.