Day 7: Fri 21st: Shap to Kirby Stephen

Another very long day and the longest distance yet. 

So we departed at 8.40 and arrived at 16.10 a total time of 7:34. We covered 33km. 

We crossed the main East Coast rail line and then went over the M6 (just before junction 39 heading south) in less than half  a Km from Shap. 

Then we headed into the North Yorkshire Dales National Park.  

So the next set of photos represent the Dales taking us to 12.00 and the half way point

At approximately half-way (12 noon and 15.41 km) we came across Sunbiggin Farm Cafe that operated and honesty policy, hot tea and coffee, chocolate and cakes and shelter from the wind. 

Here we were joined by Julian who is a retired lawyer, who had done the C2C before in as a race and completed in 6 days. He is now a part time guide for a company that  do adventure holidays and he has his first group in September so he was scouting it out with his partner driving the support vehicle.

Afternoon photos( more of the same)

At about 5km we met up with Julian again and he suggest a slightly alternative route to by pass the Smardale Fell and while slightly longer didn’t require us to climb the Fell. It was an interesting detour. We walked the rest of the way into Kirkby Stephen together. Amazing how just chatting  helps to pass the kilometres. 

We met up with Julian’s partner and had a coffee in a cafe in the centre of Kirkby Stephen before they departed. Our accommodation was directly across the road which peleased Christopher as he had lost normal control of his legs😃. 

It was a very different walk no where near as exciting as the Lake District but was still very enjoyable. 

Today 32.98 Km

Total: 149.45 km, nearly half way. 

Tomorrow we head to Keld a gentle 21km but forecast is rain but maybe we can get lucky. Leave at 09.00 and make a run for it and get there before 13.00. 🤪

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