Hullo. How are you? I hope you are having a good day. I’m Mark and I’m walking from Land’s End to John O’Groats…
I had a very comfortable night at Hollin Root B&B and awoke to a delicious breakfast hamper left on the doorstep by the lovely host.
Filled with ham and cheese, I set off along lanes towards Garnett Bridge, where I joined the footpath across fields filled with sheep.
Following the course of the river Sprint, I headed along Longsleddale towards the start of the Gatescarth Pass, which would take me steeply up and over the hills between Sadgill and Haweswater.
The pass follows the line of numerous waterfalls, giving a dramatic backdrop. The rain was soon lashing down and the winds had changed to pretty significant gales as I ascended to a couple of thousand feet.
As I climbed, visibility reduced to around 100 feet, keeping the top of the hill always out of sight. It is a steep finish to the hill, with the footpath snaking back and forth to cope with the incline. The wind tried its best to knock me over and nearly succeeded in a few occasions, which made the climb exhilarating.
As I started the equally steep descent, the clouds broke a little and gave me the first glimpse of the mighty Haweswater reservoir.
On the climb down, I met four young lads slowly making their way up the hill in attire better suited to a wander around a shopping mall. They asked if the weather was worse on the top and I gave them an honest appraisal after which they happily plodded on upwards.
At the climb down came to an end, it was then a matter of following the road along the side of the lake. Usually, there is a lakeside footpath to keep the hiker away from the tarmac, but today that footpath was entirely under water.
The views from the road were tremendous and a great way to end the day. I checked into the Haweswater Hotel, which stands in perfect isolation along the banks of the reservoir, and found as many spots as possible to hang my gear to dry!
The Day 35 Vlog
Fundraising for MacMillan Cancer Support
As I walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats, I am hoping to raise £10,000 for MacMillan Cancer Support, who do such a wonderful job of supporting families through the most difficult times. If you are able to spare any amount and would like to donate to MacMillan, please do so through my Just Giving Page.
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