Day Two: Eskdale Green to Coniston

Distance: 15.5 miles
Ascent: quite a lot of up
Weather: warm and misty to start, turning wetter.

There was quite a lot of rain in the night, or at least that's what it sounded like on the roof - but by morning it had stopped and things were pretty dry underfoot (apart from the bogs, obviously.)

The day started with a big cooked breakfast (where I got confused by a mushroom), and we were set off at 9:30am. Supplies were bought in at the Eskdale Stores shop, including the obligatory slab of Kendal Mint Cake (to be used with caution.)

We walked passed some very big, very impressive houses, on to a bridleway and followed the river Esk for a while. Avoiding some cows being herded into a new field, we headed up on to the fells by Spot How Gill, between Harter Fell and Green Crag.

We passed through Dunnerdale Forest, where they are replacing the conifers with more natural deciduous trees and boggy areas. Their introduction of boggy areas has certainly been a resounding success - we found plenty.

There was a steep rocky path heading down into Seathwaite, with some very impressive crags keeping the climbers entertained.

A fine lunch was had at the Newfield Inn and then we took the Walna Scar Road up to the highest point of the day, at 600m, just under Brown Pike.

The path then heads downwards towards Coniston, joining the main path that is much more travelled from the higher tops. There were a surprisingly large number of very large tents pitched up here near the end of the access road.

Coniston seemed very busy indeed as we passed though on our way to the youth hostel for tonight's stop. Dinner is ordered and we are in the lounge, enjoying a sit down and a pint of High Pike (brewed by Heskett Newmarket Brewery, Cumbria.)