Day 4 May 16th

After yesterday's escapade all I heard from my lovely caring wife was, "Please use common sense, you've nothing to prove to anyone especially yourself, have a day off, rest day, call it whatever you want to, just don't go risking walking on your own in that again". This started the previous night and carried on this morning, I had reluctantly came to the same decision myself, abandon today, live to fight another day etc etc. She was right, if she had been able to see me "fly on the wall" style yesterday she would ban me from walking, divorce me or take out a very big life insurance policy on me.
We sat in the pub having breakfast, sad and dejected as I was, we happened to see a guy sitting opposite our table kitting himself ready for another days walk. He overheard me and Liz talking, he turned to me and said "you not walking today then", I said no, not after yesterday plus the rain was still coming down this morning making things worse. He said come and walk with me if you want, he had a GPS gadget, waterproofed and all that, he was meeting another guy, Andreas a Dutchman he'd bumped into yesterday. Liz looked at me, I looked at her, words didn't have to be spoken, she was happy I wouldn't be walking alone, I was happy, the last thing I wanted to was miss a days walk.
Before we went on our way I said to Liz, that if she came across an outdoor store on her days travels, get me a bloody good waterproof mobile cover.
Andreas turned up, we shook hands, Mike the guy who rescued me led the way and 3 happy walkers were on their way, after all, even though it was raining things couldn't get worse than yesterday could they? the answer is yes and no.

Myself, Andreas and Mike

We climbed diagonally across the fells to Boredale Hause then it more or less levelled out to get to Angle Tarn. Now unlike yesterday, the paths were recognisable, but the downside today was wind, very high winds, making the rain hit you side on almost horizontaly, we had to take care but we made decent progress. We made our way across to Kidsty Pike, the highest point on the C2C at 780 metres (2,559 ft). We made our descent off the fells but one tricky section across Kidsty Howes had to be desended very carefully, steep and walking through a narrow path scattered with rocks, ankle and leg breaking area if ever there was one. We eventually came to the bottom and then had a walk of about 4 miles around the north bank of Haweswater Reservoir. Once you reach this point its bye bye Lake District, so disappointed that the same as yesterday, mist obscure any views from the tops, ok some you win, some you lose. It was then a flattish cross country walk to reach Shap, the village we were all staying in tonight, Mike, Andreas and myself had decided we would walk as a threesome tomorrow, this would also be Andreas last day before he goes back to Holland.
One small thing we came across today, something that restores my faith in people, going over a style on a very quiet lane we saw "Tommy's honesty box". A box full with snacks, sweets, pop, fruit juices etc, a small box with cash inside, presumably untouched, it made me smile and get a lovely warm glow inside.

Photo taken with my misted up camera

Somebody, a boy, a man "Tommy" as the faith in his fellow man to leave this for us, and we as good honest people to use this in good faith also. I was an happy man today. Just a few photos today, these were thankfully taken by Mike, my camera and mobile camera was still a bit foggy from yesterday.

Myself and Andreas somewhere near Angle Tarn, weather seems to be OK at this time

Same two again, or 2 old men if you like, me 66, Andreas an unbelievable 69.

Just left the Lake District at this point

PS Liz got me a waterproof mobile cover, thanks my guardian angel