These next two days have been
planned with military precision to get me back to the Beckside Bar each evening
at precisely “Beer O’clock”
Day 1 – West Side of Ullswater
No need for crazy early start
here, down for a leisurely breakfast at 9am. It’s December so the first steamer
that goes to Pooley Bridge from Glenridding Pier is at 11:10am. Back to the
beautiful room to get my kit packed for the day then set off to catch the
Ullswater Steamer named “Western Belle” at 11:05am.
It’s a crisp clear blue sky day
so the trip on the boat is spent “up top” a quick stop at Howtown to let folk
on and then it’s off again. I arrive in Pooley Bridge at 12:10pm.
Getting dropped off in Pooley
Bridge feels like I’ve been dropped behind enemy lines (The folk in Pooley
Bridge are really nice by the way) with one mission “get back to where you just
Came from” but as its winter and will be pitch black at 4:30pm I need to get a
wiggle on.
The first part of the route takes
you across open farm land and fields quite some distance away from the lake; I
guess the idea of this is to get you away from the road and traffic noise. The
lake eventually comes back into view and then it’s a gradual climb through
woodland up to Gowbarrow, the highest point of the route with classic views of
Ullswater.
Back down to Aira Force
(Waterfalls) then a low level, near lakeside wander past Glencoyne. The
Backside Pub now beckons and I spend the last half hour deciding what pizza
will be getting my attention.
Get back to the hotel at 3:40pm,
straight to the pool and Sauna for the “Bubble Massage Seat” to mend my weary
legs. Out the pool bang on “Beer O’clock” so straight to Beckside Bar and
“Relax” an ice cold beer, then pat
yourself on the back for 9 ½ miles in 3 ½ hours.
Day 2 – East Side of Ullswater
Exactly the same start as the day
before, with one main difference. The sun has disappeared, low cloud and misty
but thankfully no rain.
I land in Pooley Bridge again at
12:10pm but this time I turn right. The route follows the shore line from the
start all the way to Thwaitehill Bay then heads inland over fields and through
farms. I soon end up at Howtown Pier, my legs are now starting to feel the
strain of yesterdays and todays “leg stretcher” only another 6 ½ miles left of
the epic journey.
The last part of this trail is
one of my favourites and hugs the shoreline to the foot of Place Fell, if you
look right (west) you can see the Hotel and smell the lager. Now in fading
light I need to “up my wiggle speed” to “Dad Run” (10 paces running, 10 paces
walking, then stop, panting with a stitch)
Get back to hotel at 4:10pm –
pool / beer / pizza / beer / beer / beer (repeat)
Pat yourself on the back for 11 ½
miles in 4 hours.
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