National Geographic provides several adventures around the world. I discovered
England Coast to Coast: A Scenic Walk Across England several months ago and, after discussing the trip with my husband with whom I had already planned -- and now have taken -- an early anniversary trip in August 2012, and calling my friend Kathy who jumped at the chance to go, I booked the trek offered in late September/early October.
This trek follows much of the path identified by Alfred Wainwright in his book,
A Coast to Coast Walk (1973). More information can be found at this
link.
In fact, having this book (I have the
Revised Edition, 2003) has continued to help me identify places as well as photos I took. There are, as well, some wonderful passages in the book one of which Alex (one of our guides whose photo you'll come across later) read to us as we paused at a bridge.
As with the Canadian trip, I had a wonderful time. The walk across England was a totally different experience that yielded a completely different result; however, that's why I signed up and I'll talk a bit about that later in the post. I'll also include, following links to photo collections and some discussion, some comments about my preparation and things I wish I'd done differently or brought along (or not brought along, as in clothes, too).
First, another image of the route from the alpineexploratory.com website:
And now a fantastic graphical representation of the elevation profile found
here.
The trip is described in the
National Geographic's literature:
"Cross England on foot, trekking from the Irish Sea to the North Sea through three incredible national parks. Immerse yourself in the mystical landscapes of the Lake District, where gemlike lakes reflect England's highest mountains and poets like William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge drew their inspiration. In the lush green hills and valleys of the Yorkshire Dales -- James Herriot country -- hike to storybook villages filled with half-timbered cottages and warmly lit pubs. Then climb into the wild, heather-covered highlands of the North York Moors. Along the way, discover ancient stone circles, medieval castles and monasteries and the legendary charm of northern England. This is a moderate 137-mile [the total mileage changed downward] hike designed to take in only the most beautiful and historic sections of Alfred Wainwright's famous 192-mile Coast to Coast walk."
The only thing I would change in this initial description would be the word "moderate" to "moderate to strenuous" to describe the hike since the first section -- following the first day of walking in the rain and blowing wind -- included two quite strenuous days, the first (the second day of the trek) which I opted to miss and instead joined two others in a ride with our driver and the luggage. We were greeted by quite a strong weather system when we arrived in St. Bees. The rain and winds caused severe flooding throughout England so I was concerned about my physical ability to leap rushing streams and walk across slippery rocks during climbs up fells. However, the trek I missed was quite difficult given any weather conditions, based on the reports of our fellow trekkers as well as one by a very fit gentleman who was staying at the Scafell Hotel and who had taken the same route the day before.
As well, I might have read
Steve Kemper's account (fantastic detail and descriptive writing of conditions along the way) more closely but the first pass did not deter me from my decision to go. After all, I've run a Grand Canyon Double in less than a day several times. What could be more difficult? Leaving aside my age at this point.......
So, here's
National Geographic's outline of the trek including mileage and places we stayed. Regarding the latter, some were better than others; in fact, changes were made, I understand, in next year's trek to stay in one place (that we loved) for two nights since the trek includes sort of a double-back and a lot of hiking within range of the inn). A couple felt luxurious, actually! I've indicated what I hiked in bold, italicized print. I've changed some of the published itinerary information based on my notes taken each evening during the briefing for the next day. Our guides made changes as we went along to address flooding and other trail conditions and added a train ride that ended in the station used in the Harry Potter film(s).
Our Guides:
Alex Wainwright
Tony Powell (photo courtesy of Kathy Howard)
Following this outline, I provide my own notes about each day.
Itinerary - 13 Days (the thirteenth day included a ride to York to connect with independently-arranged plans/transportation)
Day 1 — Penrith, England/St. Bees
Arrive in London and take the train to Penrith in northwest England.
Your trip leader will meet you at the station for the transfer to the
historic village of St. Bees. After a trip briefing, gather for our
welcome dinner.
1 mile exploring the village of St. Bees
Seacote Hotel (D)
Day 2 — St. Bees to Ennerdale Bridge
Our journey kicks off early this morning with a Coast to Coast
tradition, dipping a toe in the Irish Sea. Then set off along the
sandstone cliffs of St. Bee’s Head, keeping an eye out for puffins,
kittiwakes, and guillemots. Turning inland, we’ll pause for a typical
pub lunch on our way to Ennerdale Bridge, nestled at the foot of the
Lake District mountains. (14 miles hiking, 8 hours)
Ennerdale Country House Hotel (B,L,D) 8.5 miles
Day 3 — Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite
Today, we’ll walk into spectacular Lake District National Park, where
glass-like lakes reflect mountains that rise abruptly from their
shores. Our splendid ramble traces the southern edge of Ennerdale Water,
the park’s most westerly lake—and one of its most remote. After lunch
at the Black Sail Hut, climb a 2,000- foot pass and take in the vista of
peaks, lakes, and sheep-speckled pastures. (13 miles hiking, 7-8 hours)
4 miles on the Grange footpath in Rosthwaite and in the village.
The Scafell Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 4 — Rosthwaite to Glenridding
Take a short drive to Grasmere, where the great poet William
Wordsworth wrote some of his most renowned works. Visit the poet’s home,
and stroll through the village where he found inspiration. Then climb
over Grisedale Hause (1,936') enjoying views of Helvellyn, England’s
third-highest peak. Hike down the valley toward Lake Ullswater and spend
the night in Glenridding. (9 miles hiking, 5 hours)
9 miles
Inn on the Lake (B,L,D)
Day 5 — Lake Ullswater to Shap
The day begins with a scenic cruise on Lake Ullswater to Howtown.
From here, follow a historic Roman road to Bampton. After a break at a
village pub, hike to the 12th-century Shap Abbey. (12 miles hiking, 6-7
hours)
8 miles
The Greyhound Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 6 — Shap to Orton and Ravenstonedale
Trek across a limestone plateau dotted with prehistoric settlements,
stone circles, and burial mounds. In the charming village of Orton,
we’ll stop for lunch and visit the chocolate factory. Continue the hike
or travel by bus to the quintessential English village of
Ravenstonedale. (8 miles or 16 miles hiking, 4-9 hours)
8 miles
The Black Swan (B,L,D)
Day 7 — Ravenstonedale to Reeth
Follow a lovely trail across rolling hills to the market town of
Kirkby Stephen. After a lunch of fish-and-chips, drive to the hamlet of
Keld in the heart of Yorkshire Dales National Park. Hike along the River
Swale, discovering waterfalls and enchanting hamlets tucked in among
the dales. Pause for an afternoon cream tea in Muker before walking on
to Gunnerside. A short bus ride brings us to Reeth, once the capital of
the Swaledale region. (12 miles hiking, 7 hours)
The Buck Hotel (B,L,D) 9 miles
Day 8 — Reeth to Richmond
Continue through the Yorkshire Dales, hiking along fascinating
stretches of lunar-like limestone on the way to historic Richmond. Here,
we’ll explore an 11th-century Norman castle and visit the Georgian
Theatre Royal; with luck, we’ll have the chance to catch a play [closed the day we were there]. (10.5
miles hiking, 7 hours)
The Kings Head Hotel (B,L,D) 10.5 miles
Day 9 — Richmond to Osmotherley
Our path takes us along the River Swale past the remains of Easby
Abbey, founded in 1152. In Catterick Bridge, we’ll hop on our bus,
heading through the Swaledale plain to Ingleby Cross. After lunch,
venture into the ruins of Mount Grace Priory, an important 14th-century
Carthusian priory. From here, it’s a short walk to Osmotherley, at the
edge of North York Moors National Park. (10.5 miles hiking, 5 hours)
10.5 miles
Vane House (B,L,D)
Day 10 — Osmotherley to Blakey Ridge
Set out early this morning on the Cleveland Way, hiking across the
sometimes bleak, often dramatic landscape of the North York Moors.
Continue on a roller coaster of a trail as well as on the old railway track path to Blakey Ridge. Our home tonight is the 400-year-old Lion Inn.
(10 miles hiking, 6-7 hours.
10 miles
The Lion Inn (B,L,D)
Day 11 — Blakey Ridge to Goathland
Descend to Great Fryup Head, an important region during the
19th-century iron ore boom. Enjoy a picnic in Glaisdale at Beggar's Bridge and then hike
along an old trade route to Grosmont where we all picked up the train for a fifteen minute ride to Goathland . (9 or 14
miles hiking, 5-8 hours [this changed]
11.5 miles
Inn on the Moor (B,L,D)
Day 12 — Goathland to Robin Hood’s Bay
Climb out of Goathland and cross the moorland to the hamlet of
Littlebeck. Our walk takes us back into the Arncliffe Wood, past a
legendary cave, and up to the gorgeous waterfall of Falling Foss. Walk
along the cliff-top to the picturesque fishing village of Robin Hood’s
Bay, and bathe your feet in the North Sea. (15 miles hiking, 9 hours)
10 plus miles
The Victoria Hotel (B,L,D)
I covered a bit more than 100 miles during the trek and I was pleased by the accomplishment.
One of our guides,
Alex Wainwright, put together a photographic essay of our trip. Another of my traveling companions,
Kathy McM, put together her photographic journal. Yet another of my traveling companions, Pauline Ryan, posted
hers, as well. Pauline provides photos taken on the day I did not hike and there's one in which the fell appears monstrous, actually. The main thing to know is that switchbacks don't exist. You go straight up; and then straight down. My photographs are absent for I need to find out the new method of attaching them in a group here. If I cannot, I'll go back and select a few to illustrate the text.
So, you have all the photos that I'm aware of at this point.
I kept a brief journal of sorts and here are some excerpts to illuminate my own thoughts and experiences along the way to augment the outline of the day's activities. I'll start by noting that our group got along famously and I hope to cross paths with all of them in the future, if the opportunity arises -- including our guides, Alex Wainwright and Tony Powell. The latter is a certified search and rescue mountaineer. Both have broad experience and were wonderful guides. Photos of them are included in the above-linked collections.
Day 0
Kathy and I flew by British Air nonstop from Phoenix and arrived in London the day before we were due in Penrith (about nine hours over; 10.5 hours back). We stayed at the Thistle Euston Hotel on Cardington Street near Euston Station, the beginning of our adventure. We took the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station and then a cab to the hotel. If we had not been hauling as much luggage including backpacks that we wore, we might have taken the Underground (subway) and saved a fair amount of money but we were tired. The connection to the Heathrow Express is at the airport and very easy to access. Signage, we found, is excellent in England. I highly recommend the Thistle Euston Hotel, which I reserved online. After checking in, we walked around the area a bit and explored Euston Station to figure out where we needed to catch our train - this preparation helped us the next morning. Here I want to thank my son, Michael, for his tips about the Heathrow Express, wielding unwieldy luggage, and getting around. He traveled several times to London while a partner with Ernst and Young.
Day 1
We boarded our Virgin Train to Penrith. I had made the reservations easily on line. First class was a good decision -- we were served a hot lunch as well as beverages as part of our ticket price. Important caveat: find out immediately what you need to do to exit the train at your destination. The doors of this train line do not open automatically; rather, one must be in the vestibule ahead of the planned stop and one must watch for the green indicator lights to flash once it's time to press the specific button to open the door yourself. I learned later that our experience was not unusual but it certainly was unsettling. In fact, another couple on our trek almost experienced the same thing but were helped before time ran out. I pushed the correct button and nothing happened. I tried again and heard a "beep, beep, beep" sound and then stood there in shock as the train started moving towards its next destination -- Carlisle -- and from there on to Glasgow, Scotland. A member of the crew was of no help whatsoever. We also learned that if we had pulled the emergency stop signal, we might have been fined 50 pounds. I'm glad we didn't.
So, on we went to Carlisle, exited the train thanks to the help of another passenger, and related our situation to the Station Master. Fortunately, another local train was scheduled to arrive that would return us to Penrith. The Station Master advised us to get on and stay in the vestibule and get off in Penrith - at no additional charge. We knew what to do and we got off. Kathy was quite composed about it all; I, less of a traveler in recent years, was somewhat discombobulated. But all turned out well, we and the others were met at the station and driven to St. Bees, the start of our journey. We made a brief stop at the local version of REI where a few of us picked up some additional items.
Once settled at the Seacote Hotel in
St. Bees, we explored the town and became acquainted with some of its history including the Legend of St. Bega (she established a nunnery in the Seventh Century) as well as the ancient priory (see photo links for now) built on the same site in the 12th Century. Years later the priory was restored and is now known as the Priory Church of St. Mary and St. Bega.
Before dinner we gathered for a briefing, an activity each night that helped us plan what we would wear or think about the following day. My notes in my journal indicate that I felt somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of rain and wind we would encounter the next day.
Day 2
After a hearty breakfast (the daily offerings included eggs prepared the way you want them (after one go at poached eggs which arrived on my plate looking like eyeballs, I kept to either scrambled or over easy fried eggs), ham, bacon, roasted tomatoes, some sort of black pudding, yoghurt, fruit juices, fresh fruit, toast, biscuits, cereals, milk for the cereal, and tea and coffee), we got our things together. We were also provided with a sack lunch each day that usually included a sandwich, a piece of fruit, some sort of small cake, and the very delicious and welcomed Mars Bar.
We began our trek by dipping our feet into the Irish Sea, picking up a stone to carry, and then heading up St. Bees Head and then along the trail that followed the cliffs.
The wet and uneven trail conditions made for slow going and eventually our slower group took a slight detour away from the cliffs and later met up with the others. The rain came down heavily at times; so much so, that we missed glimpses of the rookeries along the cliffs that friends of mine had seen six years ago when they made this trek.
I noted that my Marmot "water proofs" (pants and jacket) were among the best purchases I'd made because I stayed totally dry. I hiked for five hours before catching a ride and avoiding the final 5 miles. My boots stayed dry (inside) but at the end of the day I turned them over to the inn where they were placed in the boiler room to dry overnight. This was a daily occurrence and very soon my boots conformed completely and comfortably to my feet!
Day 3
I and three others took the day off and rode to Rothswaite and our hotel. While Kathy took a nap after we enjoyed our sack lunch, I took a look at the literature in the room and decided to hike along the Grange Trail for awhile. I'm unable to find a map link; however, I headed right from our hotel (The Scafell), up the road a little bit and left at Yew Farm. This took me by a teahouse and further on made a right and then somewhat of a left over a charming little bridge and then up on a path next to fenced pastures, over a stile, on past a rock quarry, and a bit further before climbing a bit and then taking a fall on slippery rocks (sort of like black ice but instead wet slime) at this point and realizing that being alone wasn't such a good idea. So I returned the same route. I walked at a comfortable pace for about 40 minutes out and 40 minutes back. Many photos on
my link. Later I took Kathy the same route to the teahouse. Following the evening briefing decided to complete the entire hike tomorrow.
Day 4
My notes indicate I felt ready to tackle anything. Enjoyed the tour of Wordsworth's home in
Grasmere - our guide enthusiastically brought everything within
Dove Cottage to life. (The link here provides photos inside, something we were prohibited from doing.) About 10:30 a.m. we walked about a mile to get back on the trail and I note that either Tony or Alex needed to help many of us cross streams as we climbed and climbed up towards and then over Grisedale Hause. The waterfalls were spectacular. The sun peeked through several times, views were magnificent. The rocks were slippery, the trail quite wet.
We sat behind a wall to have a sack lunch and then made our way down to the Inn on the Lake. As an example of lunch, my bag held a ham and cheese sandwich, a tomato, an apple, a hard-boiled egg, cookies, a little fruitcake, and a Kit-Kat chocolate. The wind was blowing quite hard along the top from which we could actually see the ocean to the east.
I note, "I was so tired! but the scenery was incredibly beautiful." Again, see photos.
Day 5
After breakfast we boarded the Lady Dorothy for a ride down
Lake Ullswater (glacier formed - lots of information at this link including information about the "steamboats" and the rides offered). We met several volunteers who planned to work on a fell trail for the day. We set out again and climbed about 2500 feet along a grassy trail to another ridge where we picked up the "Roman Road" and walked the entire spine of the fell. We enjoyed lunch in a portable shelter (yellow nylon that we pulled over ourselves and then sat upon) before descending into Shap.
Visited
Shap Abbey along the way.
We drove from here to the Greyhound Inn. Delicious dinner -- most of us enjoyed the special: lamb henry. Washed clothes and hung them to dry on the radiator and towel rack - I was able to recycle several things over several days but often wondered if we'd have facilities to do that each evening. By now I had figured out a routine with my clothes and packing. Was glad I had purchased the different color waterproof sacks at Summit Hut - one for my camera, one for my daily foot preparation (Aquaphor and Glide are wonderful as is one of our traveling companions -- Kathy McM -- who gave me several
special blister protecting Band-Aids. These made all the difference and I am convinced that her generosity made it possible for me to complete the hike even though the skin of my foot was cracked underneath my bunion.) The
duffel bag I found at Costco was perfect for this trip (more about the bag later).
Day 6
We started directly from the hotel this morning onto a limestone plateau. Odd rock formations and sudden cracks/depressions in the land - gryke - great word for scrabble if I can remember it (thanks, Kathy McM).
We encountered this splendid mellow Highlands Cow that apparently wandered down from Scotland:
We also came upon what is known as Robin Hood's Grave - probably incorrect since he supposedly died in his bed. Here Kathy takes a "shoot the arrow" pose to place one above his head.
We were rained upon heavily at times and ate lunch under a protective cluster of trees along a stone wall. Lots of bogs, mud, and stiles. We continued down to Orton and the
Chocolate factory where I enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate mounded with whipped cream. I decided to climb in the van and Phil, our driver, took us to a ring of stones known as the
Gamelands Stone Circle before heading on to Ravenstonedale and our lodging, the award-winning Black Swan. Wonderful fire in the pub and a lovely dinner.
Day 7
The day's description pretty much covers what we saw and did today. The afternoon's 3.5 mile walk along the River Swale and down into Muker was gorgeous. We all walked at our own pace and were met by Phil who drove us into Reeth and to our inn. Took lots of photos today.... Spent quite a bit of time in the parish Church of St. Stephen in the Village of Kirkby-Stephen (I realize I misspelled this in my photo album) . I am developing a fascination for churches and their architecture as well as the early history of England given my heritage.
Day 8
My notes say "I did the whole thing!" meaning 10.5 miles. I also wrote, "today started out auspiciously by our needing to wade through a wet grassy field with water deep enough to pour into people's boots. I found a way to walk on reeds and stay "afloat" pretty much. We had periods of rain followed by misting followed by truly blustery winds, especially up high.....We went over an incredible number of stiles including the squeeze-through variety and finally arrived at our hotel - The Kings Head -- right across the street from beautiful and ancient Holy Trinity Church (now a military museum) and just around the corner from Richmond Castle."
I washed a lot of clothes here for our room was quite large and well-heated and then enjoyed a very, very hot shower followed by a soak in the tub (after last night's cold bath). I then walked over to Richmond Castle, ran into one of the trekkers, and climbed the many stairs with her to the top of Richmond Castle.
What views!!!!!! This castle was never used in battle. What a solidly built castle, too. Here I am within the walls of the castle.
 |
| Photo courtesy of Pauline Ryan |
My notes also include, "I made a personal acquaintance with stinging nettles during a 'privacy stop' but fortunately only developed one or two painful welts that immediately subsided once I took a hot shower, smeared Purell Hand Sanitizer on them and took an antihystamine. My little Nexus tablet served me well here by providing these remedies on Google. The nerves in my buttock tingled well into the evening but by morning all was well.....thank goodness! I purchased a little booklet on Richmond Castle as well as Easby Abbey I found in the gift shop. I also noted the pain in my right lower leg, present with me when I arrived in England, finally had subsided. I'm pretty sure my new boots gave me tendonitis during hikes in Sabino Canyon in Tucson but now that they have been molded to my feet and lower leg, they're softer and much more comfortable.
By the way, Wainwright writes in his book at this point, "
Don't bother to clean your boots before leaving Richmond. There is mud, glorious mud, ahead." (p. 111)
Day 9
We did not quite follow the itinerary today because of wet, boggy fields but did make our way to Catterick Bridge where we had lunch before we climbed into the van and drove to Ingleby Cross, "....cutting out several miles of very wet and boggy fields." We then hiked from Ingleby Cross down to the ruins of
Mount Grace Priory. As we approached the priory, the sun and blue sky appeared, as reflected in all the photographs taken here. I also bought another booklet. What a fascinating place!!! There were plenty of models and explanations of life at the Priory for the Carthusian's.
The impressive manor on the property was built using the stones of the priory. Following our visit, we climbed back up to the trail and on to Osmotherly where Kathy and I were given the keys to "The Three Bears Room".
 |
| Photo courtesy of Kathy Howard |
I note that we had lots of hot water but for some reason very little heat so I climbed into bed with wool socks and a sweater.
Day 10
Following our briefing last night, I opted to split from the fast-trekkers and be driven to a spot that supposedly put us about an hour ahead of the other group. Kathy and I climbed and climbed a steep grade for at least a half hour until we finally reached the top of the moor with splendid views in all directions plus fields and fields of heather -- both "ling" and "bell". We walked along the Moors for awhile - a relatively easy track, taking a detour to what I think was called Round Hill which is the highest spot in this area
 |
| Photo courtesy of Kathy Howard |
and then turned right and picked up an old railway bed used to haul iron a century ago. From there we headed to the Lion Inn, fighting what Tony estimated to be 30-35 mph winds the entire way to the point that I joked once we walked inside the inn, we would all fall over to the right.
I took a long, hot bath - usually I take a shower but this evening the bath felt very good. Kathy and I both were quite tired out -- I split the orange I'd saved from lunch.... tasted so good!
I found myself getting quite depressed this evening - it was difficult for me to socialize with the others. I imagine the effort to get to the Inn took a lot out of me. While taking photos inside, one of the servers told us that another lodger had captured photos of "ghosts" who were well-known at the Inn, the establishment being over 400 years old; Wainwright indicates the inn dates from 1553. None appeared in my photos, however.
Day 11
Another day's start on the Moors -- we passed the Ralph Cross and the White Cross (otherwise known as "Fat Betty") but soon we were heading down to Great Fryup Head, a picnic in the bright sunlight at
Beggar's Bridge in Glaisdale , built in the 17th Century, and then a hike to Grosmont where we picked up the
steam train. which we rode into Goathland (also described in the link above). The ride was great fun! Along the way we visited the beautiful and old
St. Hedda's Catholic Church in Egton Bridge, one of the few that escaped King Henry VIII's order of destruction. The link provides quite a bit of information about this wonderful place at which we could only spend a few minutes. I would have preferred to spend more time here. The above link also includes photos of the beautiful sequoia's (brought from California) that were planted here many years ago.
Day 12
Our final day of hiking, this time all the way to the coast and the North Sea from Goathland. We were warned that no matter which way we traveled today, we were bound to make our way through gorse, reeds, and lots of wet marshland. On went the gaiters and off we went. We traveled into the woods, climb a path past the Hermitage (a hand chipped cave built out of a huge boulder completed in 1790, apparently as this date is carved in the rock along with the initials G. C.), a gorgeous (indeed) waterfall - Falling Foss - and a glimpse of a miniature "Nessie" - the last easy to miss if you're not paying attention (photo included in my set). I kept expecting to see Robin Hood and his Merrie Men suddenly appear. Soon we were walking across another moor -- quite boggy -- approaching the North Sea with views of
Whitby Abbey before we found the path that led us through a caravan park to the cliffs where we turned right to pick up the Coast Path and walked another four miles on into
Robin Hood's Bay, not only the end of our journey but also the site of smuggling in years past.
We walked down a steep lane past plenty of shops until we reached the water's edge where we again dipped in our feet and threw the stone we had each carried from the shores of St. Bees into the North Sea.
Afterwards we climbed back up and enjoyed a pint of beer in Wainwright's Bar in the Bay Inn before continuing up the hill to the lovely Victoria Hotel for dinner and the night.
Day 13
After breakfast we were driven to York to continue our journeys independently. Kathy and I caught the train to London and from there took a cab to our wonderful hotel, The Montague on the Gardens located at 15 Montague Street near Russell Square. Heather Williams of AvoyaTravel.com helped me with this reservation as well as the coach tour -- I was connected to her by the Montague when I could not find answers to the questions I had about our lodging/room. The hotel is literally right around the corner from the
British Museum, so after checking in and freshening up, we walked over (admission is free) and made our way to the section housing
The Rosetta Stone and from there to the
Elgin Marbles as well as exhibits from the Middle East. We could have spent hours there but we needed to get back for an early-ish dinner and bed to prepare for our coach tour the following day to
Windsor Castle,
Bath, and
Stonehenge.
Reflections
Why I went. One of my family members has been ill for a very long time. For many years during her illness for which I've been her willing advocate, I also was my mother's caretaker for about six years until her death in 2009 and for my father before that for two difficult years in the late 1990's while I was still working full time (I retired in the summer of 2000 to better take care of my mother).
Although my husband and I have been able to take wonderful short trips to visit my son and his daughter and their families -- four grandchildren now -- (living in different cities on the east coast) and brief vacations, neither of us has really had a long break for a very long time although my husband retired for 28 days before joining a Tucson-based nonprofit. He still gets away frequently on business trips and loves what he does - a very good thing! I realized I needed a vacation from everything and all responsibilities. I'm also close to seventy years now and don't know how much longer I'll be able to do things like this -- I have quite the list still! The timing was right. This seemed like the perfect solution. I had plenty of airline miles and points, too.
The hike itself called for in the present moment attention. Although I occasionally found myself reviewing experiences of my life, for the most part I was in the here and now enjoying so much what I was seeing and doing as well as the companionship of the trekkers of our group who were all wonderful people. Our knowledgeable guides provided a safety network each day. There simply wasn't time to even think about anything else. What a treat!
Sunshine is a must for me. I write this here because I discovered very quickly that grey days and I do not get along. I was so grateful when the sun appeared!!! I had suspected this while I lived in Boston but it's been a very long time since then and our sun-filled days here in Tucson rarely are interrupted by clouds for very long.
How I prepared. Fortunately, "muscle memory" helped a lot, I think, along with the experience I've gained by running and then hiking the many trails in the mountains and foothills in the Tucson area. I've run the difficult trails of the Grand Canyon, too, and have continued to exercise for years. Lately, though, I'd slacked off and put on some weight that wasn't good for me. Building up my walking seemed like a great solution.
Late Fall into Winter followed by Spring here is a perfect time to train and I gradually increased my mileage by including regular hikes on the paved road in Sabino Canyon (7.4 miles round trip) made easier by the companionship of my friend Lina as well as hikes in the foothills of the Rincon Mountains near our home. Sunday 25-30 mile bicycle rides with our friends helped, as well. Summer came and made things quite harder but I continued to hold on to about 25 miles a week of brisk hiking. Frankly, I figured if I could cover the 7.4 miles of Sabino Canyon in about two hours, I could manage to cover similar distances over the course of a full day. I learned this was more difficult than I imagined given that being on one's feet for hours at a time while carrying a pack is tiring, too!
The end result is that I am much more fit, lost only about two pounds (the meals were so fantastic!), and feel psychologically rested. I think if I'd hiked Sabino at least three times a week and had thrown in a long (say 12 miles) hike on each weekend, I might have kept up better or managed to hike more miles of the trek. But the weather was pretty awful the first few days where I lagged so I don't think I missed much anyway. Our guides took turns leading and bringing up the rear of our group.
To bring or not to bring. (I am not financially benefitting by mentioning products here.)
I probably brought too many clothes although in the end I wore pretty much everything that I had packed. Light Smartwool garments worked fabulously in layers. REI offers a great selection. A silk cami provided close to the skin warmth, too, and was dry each morning after a quick wash. For women the Ex-officio panties are great (and the lacey ones pretty, actually) and dry very quickly. A friend wisely suggested I bring along a lot of minipads to line the panties. My purple North Face fleece jacket that I found on sale at Summit Hut last spring was a little too heavy; I wish I'd also brought along my Marmot vest (also found on sale) although on one of the early climbs a photo shows me wearing that fleece jacket backwards so my chest was nice and warm and my backpack protected my back. I did prepare a list of what I brought.
My pants were Royal Robbin hiking pants that also serve as travel pants. A bit on the expensive side, yes, but they dry in a flash, look very nice, and feel good too. I wore them to my high school reunion earlier this year as well as to Canada. Very versatile. I bought these on-line since I could not find my size but I know they are carried by both Summit Hut and REI.
Evenings could have been made much simpler by wearing a long Chico's traveller's skirt. One of the women wore such a skirt each night with two or three different tops. Unfortunately the long slim one with a short slit seems to have been discontinued but there is another that might work. A very nice touch and a great way to shed the hiking garment look of each day. I wore tights and a tunic with a pretty scarf or a black long-sleeved top again with the same scarf and black warm pants. I wore my Chaco sandals each evening - I love them. Great choice! Most of the time the inns were quite warm during the evening. I'm still looking for a comfortable a bit towards dressy pair of black leather shoes.
Waterproofs -- outer garments, both jacket (REI) and pants (Marmot) with side zippers resistant to water -- were essential. We stripped off our wet outer garments a couple of times in the middle of the day for lunch at an inn. The side zippers were a great addition. I stayed warm and dry each day (unless I wore too many layers underneath, which resulted in damp clothes from sweating). Gaiters should have been the higher kind but I didn't get wet feet given my learned as we went ability to walk quickly and lightly on the reeds.
My goretex Vasque Breeze boots were simply superb. I needed a good high and wide toe box but a narrow heel. I wore light inner liner socks and outer wool socks. I forgot to do this the first day and quickly changed to the double layering. My feet were well supported and it's tempting at times to wear these daily, given how comfortable my feet feel in them. What a difference!
As I wrote earlier,
Aquaphor is a wonderful coating for the feet. I brought along a tube which was just the right size for the trip. Cathy at Summit Hut here in Tucson was wonderful as we worked to identify the right boots and fit those boots to my feet. Superfeet (orthotics) molded to my feet helped a lot, too, for support of my high arch.
Gloves were essential - I brought two different weights -- as was a warm headband. I think a wool hat might have led me to keep the hood of my waterproof off my head leading to rainwater running down inside my jacket. I was grateful for the hood. I wish I had brought along a long-billed cap, however. One was provided by National Geographic but I left it at home. The Tilly hat -- a splurge, I know -- worked very well the last day with all the sun but on earlier days was uncomfortable and didn't work well with the hood of my waterproof jacket. Dry weather hiking would have made a huge difference in my clothing selection, of course.
Surprisingly, my long synthetic knit plaid neck scarf was a terrific addition. I could tie it or loosen it -- keeping my neck warm helped a lot. I learned this from my step-daughter who often wears a warm scarf rather than a jacket on cool-ish days.
I brought along one of my Leki Cressida speed lock hiking poles. I love these - they are so light weight! and they compact to a small enough size to fit in my suitcase. I've never been successful locking the other kinds. These lack an innerspring, though. I hope Leki will develop an innerspring one for women. I spoke with a rep the other day at the Grand Canyon and he confirmed one has not yet been developed. He did show me a combination pole but it was heavier and did not compact to a small size. I used this not only as a hiking pole but also reduced its height and used it as a cane the first few days until my lower right leg felt better. I regard the pole as my third leg for it gives me confidence when hiking in uneven terrain. At the Grand Canyon it is a must to help me overcome my fear of depths.
I spent hours trying to find a backpack that would work for me. I have plenty of packs for running (too many, actually) but wanted to purchase a pack that would serve me for a longer backpacking trip, if I decided to do something like that (a portion but not the entire the Camino de Santiago comes to mind -- should have done the Camino about seven years ago). I have a long-ish torso and hate having strap pressure on my shoulders - irritates the nerve affecting my neck. I finally settled -- and happily so -- on a Gregory women's pack that I found at REI.
The Jade 38. I did not bring along a bladder but rather relied on bottles. This was a mistake for it was hard for me to access the bottles on the side so I frequently asked a nearby traveling companion to help me pull one out. This became critically important to me because I neglected drinking enough water the first two days -- it's cool, why drink? I noticed very soon that I needed to change that behavior. This pack came with its own cover, too, a necessity in the weather we experienced and easy to access (the zipper is marked by a water droplet design).
At the beginning of the hike, we were all also provided with heavy duty polyethylene trash bags to place inside our packs with our belongings inside the bag. Nothing I carried ever got wet. This was a great solution to a difficult problem given all the rain we encountered.
One of our trekkers brought along a waterproof camera! Brilliant move. [I noticed in a recent Wall Street Journal that a good waterproof camera from Panasonic - the DMC-TSS - also is dust-proof and shock-proof, is a 16.1 megapixel shooter, and has built in Wi-Fi.] I brought my Canon G12 that takes wonderful photos, even without a flash, but I wish I'd brought along my little Canon Elph too for photos on the wet days when I could have simply fished (sorry about the pun) it out of my pocket or pocket of my backpack to catch something I wanted to remember.
Skin care was easy thanks to a visit to my dermatologist in early August and the discovery of a new Neutrogena product called
Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer spf 50. It's wonderful, isn't greasy and doesn't get flaky on the skin like similar products do. How wonderful the humidity was in England!!!! For the rest of me (I use this here in Tucson, too) I simply smear on Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion. I found a travel-size bottle to take along in my checked luggage.
Kathy gave me a "midge"head net and I had brought along a similar head veil, thinking we would encounter these little bugs - something like gnats - that gather at the side of one's mouth or near one's eyes, often stinging as well. Luckily, we encountered none as the temperature was too cool. I also had brought along insect repellant wipes (individually wrapped) recommended to me by a neighbor who had traveled to Wyoming and found them very effective. I located these before our trip to Canada where we really needed them to keep off the biting large flies and mosquitoes.
Finally, my suitcase. National Geographic suggests a duffel bag and I found one at Costco. The reviews haven't been all that favorable due to poor zipper and fabric, supposedly, and the product has been discontinued (see above link in the text). But, I had NO problem with either in spite of a lot of heavy handling. What I loved about this product: each end of the duffel has a storage compartment. I used one for all my personal products including lotions, foot care stuff, toothpaste/brush, etc., etc., etc. The other carried a book, charging materials (for my Nexus, my phone) as well as adaptor plugs (each hotel carried a hairdryer but I brought mind anyway) and other nonbreakable items.
The only drawback to these many compartments was the need for several TSA locks but that's a minor concern. I was glad to have them when we traveled on the train and the Heathrow Express and so needed to leave our bags near the vestibule and out of sight.
Again, I love the different colored and sized
Sea to Summit Stuff Sacks I found at Summit Hut. I realize they're expensive and I know I could have used ziplock plastic bags, for example, but I got them anyway. I knew what was where and I have used the orange one since, many times, while traveling. Made a huge difference for me in some of the cramped rooms that Kathy and I shared. The upper middle section of the duffel carried clothes for evening, travel, sleep, shoes, etc. The lower middle section carried my hiking clothing. I place all my clothes in the large, clear garbage bags used for shredding recycling. This keeps them visible, clean and separate from the dirty clothes that I place in the very bottom of the duffel. It works. I love it.
I think that's it. If I think of anything else, I'll add it here. And, I hope to add some photos to illustrate my text rather than to rely on the links a few of us have posted of all our photos.
Wonderful trip! Great time!
And, as a postscript, I have now incorporated a long two-mile hill into my walks as part of my weekly exercise. As I was moving along, a friend and runner from our neighborhood came up behind me and remarked she was startled to discovered the person was me. She said she thought, as she approached, that here was a jaunty, very happy person!
