C2C day 2 Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite – about 23 km

Walking along Ennerdale Water

Moss Dub Pond

Ascent to NOT Honister Pass (to Green Gable)

top of Green Gable

View of Crannock Water and Buttermere

Almost down to Seathwaite after a massive descent

This is one of the longer walking days on C2C. All went well for the first half along Ennerdale Water and then the River Liza to Black Sail Hut (currently closed due to lack of water – they desperately need rain in the Lakes District). We then followed a path up which others told us led to Honister pass. It seemed to go up forever over boggy ground and then slippery shale. Finally we reached the top, only to find out that we were at the top of Green Gable. It was then that John announced that he should have looked at his compass earlier – we had gone SE instead of NE. We must have risen at least 300m more than we should have. But the views were superb (see photos). We could see Crannock Water, Buttermere, Red Pike, High Stile, Haystacks and Wainwright's favourite Innominate tarn (for those who don't know Wainwright is the person who is responsible for defining the coast to coast walk, but he wanted it to not be a fixed route but for people to define their own route). The downside was the downside – the horrible steep descent to Seathwaite that seemed to go on forever. Finally we reached our B&B having walked an estimated total of about 23 km with a massive ascent and descent.

Of course if there had been signposts from Black Sail Hut we never would have gone the wrong way, but the English don't seem to believe in signing the way to any of the peaks in the Lakes district. I guess that is part of the challenge! We had clear weather with sunny breaks; I dread to think what it would be like in poor visibility that often happens here,