Day two
Ennerdale bridge to Rosthwraite
14.3 miles
Dep 0940
Arrive 1810

I woke up a little the worse for wear and found the culprit was a puncture in my thermarest - something to fix before my next nights camping. I have a feeling it may have happened in rocky Corsica.
the morning started with walking past some warm up exercising keen beans on my way to full English at the pub but I wasn't inclined to join in at the expense of valuable eating time.
Only day two and putting on the rucksack was painful but the legs didn't seem to bad for he day ahead so I was quite hopeful, though my breakfast was sitting rather heavy.

The route started off very gently with a sedate walk along Ennerdale water in glorious sunshine and I even managed a little sunbathing on a handy bench half way along wondering, or hoping, that the whole trip would be as comfortable as this.

The day would pass a total of 4 hostels providing ample opportunity for sitting down, tea, and cake so I peeled myself away from the bench and set off again.
2 hours in the 1st stop at the end of the lake was for cup of tea and boots off. Unfortunately a large group were leaving just as I arrived and had rather inconsiderately cleaned the hostel out of cake. To top it off 5 mins after I left the heavens opened and I got more than a little wet before managing to get fully waterproofed, and hoped this would be a more accurate indication of the next 10 days ahead.

Next stop was another hour away at blacksail YHA - one of the remotest the supposedly most beautiful in the country. It didn't disappoint, though small it was a little oasis in the centre of the valley surounded on three sides by step ascents to the ridges above. The large group were there before me once again and I had to muscle my way into get a seat. They did make amends for the cake incident though and made me a cup if coffee before they set off and left me to it.

Next in, while I was finishing off my coffee, was David and Adam who were walking together and fashioning a rather large umbrella making me think thery were not seasoned walkers or just very odd. they were just odd. My intended 15 min stop turned into 45 as they seduced me with another cup of tea and a seemingly endless supply Jaffa cake cakes.

A little late we set off from blacksail for the big climb of the day, which suprisingly went quicker than expected and all that was left was the long walk down to rosthwaite. A pleasant walk had it not been for all the rain.

towards the end of the day I tiik on a very definate trudge like walk and thoughts of camping in the wet on a flat thermarest were not too appealing and so I had set my sights firmly on a YHA and hoped they would have a bed.

I was in luck, one male bed left. I wasn't the only lucky one though as a girl (Eloise) who turned up at the same time had walked to the wrong hostel somehow but fortunately managed to transfer her booking but not the kit that was delivered to the other hostel.

After a delicious meal of packet curry and pasta I retired to my nice warm bed. My plan if I get up early enough is to join the lost hosteller and some canadians to walk with tomorrow.