Cumbria Way 6

 Day Six

The final day!  

Today was all about a relaxing walk. I’m in familiar territory, my dad is joining me, mum is giving us a lift to the start (yesterday’s finish) and I’m promised a visit to the pub at the end. 

We set off today from Sunny Bank. The exact point at which we finished yesterday. The route takes you over Torver common and up to another familiar lake, Beacon Tarn.  After a brief snack stop and a long discussion of which anniversary in my childhood they lit the beacon for (Edit - the anniversary of the Spanish Armada in 1988) we trundled on dropping into the small hamlet of Gawthwait and the back road into Ulverston. 

From this point the way was confusing to say the least. We both could have happily walked to Ulverston map free but I wanted the full Cumbria Way experience so we stuck to the prescribed route. 

Hoad!  Almost there?

This route was basically a trawl through field farms an occasional gate and a lot of styles. It was pesky and seemed to take forever. There is some walking lore that the last mile is a mile too far but eking it out into one minute sections adds a extra blister to an already suffering foot. 

We went through field after field saw sheep, cows, bullocks (very much the teenage ne’er do wells of the bovine world) and several miniature horses. We wandered through at least three farms and along countless becks. None of which were ever familiar or the way we were expecting to go.  All to eventually drop into the Ghyll. 

And then we were done. We took a couple of obligatory photos then headed to the pub. 

I have to say, I’ve really loved the Cumbrian way. The weather has been truly fantastic but that’s not all that made it so much fun. I think I felt fit and prepared, that helped. I was ready to get away from it all and so a few days with no phone reception were a pleasure. I think the biggest thing for me though was the journey through a county I will always call home. 

Every day the landscape changed. The urban start in Carlisle. The parkland of Dalston and the farmland of Caldbeck and of Furness. Then the rough heather covered fells and the pretty dry stone wall valleys. Lakes and hills and lots of sheep. All to eventually end up with family. What more can you ask for from a holiday?