We thought we might be able to get back on the trail at Howtown because a low route option supposedly went through that village. We talked to some people who were staying at the Howtown Hostel who had done the coast-to-coast a few years ago, and they tried to give us some ideas of how we could get to Shap. Unfortunately, we have only strip maps and they didn't show the area around Howtown. The people also told us we could get a ferry from Howtwn to Pooley Bridge and then a bus or two to Shap.
We thought we would try the trail but changed our minds after just a few minutes. Good thing, because it started raining again when we got down to the pier to wait for the ferry. So, we had another adventurous day - the ferry from Howtown to Pololey Bridge, the first bus from Pooley Bridge to Penrith and the second bus from Penrith to Shap. We got off the bus at the Crown Inn where they had delivered Richard's and my packs, and we asked if we could stay in their bunkhouse. Our book listed 2 bunkhouses in Shap but it turns out one was closed and the one at the Inn wasn't supposed to be open either. Some people had just bought the Crown Inn and they told us the bunkhouse was filled with junk, and they had only one room and it had no bedding. We told them we weren't fussy and we asked to see the bunkhouse anyway.
Well, it was filled with junk but it had bunks and chairs and was fine with us. They didn't even know what to charge us because they just took over the place on the weekend and they certainly didn't expect anyone to want to use the bunkhouse. In any case, they let us stay for 5 pounds each and it's a great place for us. It has electricity and there is a bathroom across th yard we can use.
After we unpacked our gear we walked through town and out 1.25 miles to see the remains of the 12th century Shap Abbey. We got soaked because it really started pouring halfway out to the Abbey. We stopped at the store on the way back to town and then went back to our cozy bunkhouse and had some cheese and crackers and hot drinks. We used our Esbit stove to heat the water and we will use our stoves again tonight to cook dinner. I think we are all having Ramen. As soon as I finish my notes I am going over to the bar at the Inn (the bunkhouse is about 20 feet behind the Inn, just across the backyard) to have an ale and read my book.
Peter (from York) showed up at the bunkhouse about 5PM and he was as happy as we were to be able to stay there. The guys he was walking with (Paul, Mike and Stuart) were staying at a B&B in town. The four of us went to sit in the Crown Inn bar for about half an hour before dinner and Peter and I enjoyed some Guiness. I would have preferred some local ale but the bar didn't have any good ones. Peter went off to have dinner with the guys, and Shari, Richard and I cooked dinner at the bunkhouse. Peter invited us out for drinks after dinner and as much as I would have wanted to go and see everyone, I was tired after eating and just went to bed. I much prefer to drink before dinner than after, but I didn't want to wait to cook until later because it would have disturbed Shari and Richard.I woke up briefly when Peter came in about 10:30 to let him use my headlamp but then I went right back to sleep.
7/02: We got up pretty early, had breakfast and were ready to start hiking by 7:45. We said our goodbyes to Peter, because he was planning to go all the way to Kirkby Stephen (21 miles) and we were planned to go to Orton (8 miles). He was having his pack transported by Packhorse Company and the other 3 guys weren't carrying tents or much gear and their packs were fairly small so they could do the 21 miles! We definitely didn't want to go that far with our big packs and there didn't look like there were many places to stay to split up the 21 miles.
We walked all the way to Orton without stopping and we didn't get lost along the way, so we got there about 11:30. It was so early we decided to ask at the post office about places to camp further on, but they didn't know of many places except one about one mile further on.
We decided to go there and started walking out of town when we got a better idea to check into a bus to Kirkby Stephen. Unfortunately, none run from Orton to Kirkby Stephen, but we could walk 7 miles to Bigginon Lune and get a bus their at 5:15. So we kept walking. We were on a road and weren't sure if it was taking us to Gigginon Lune so we flagged down a car and a very nice older man stopped. It turned out we were on the right road and he even pointed out a short cut across a field that saved a little bit of road walking.
We finished the short cut across the field and got back on the road when we saw the 4 guys coming down the road. It was so nice to see them. They had left Shap at 9:15 but they were making good time because they had only small packs. They walked with us a bit and then turned off to go on the path to Kirkby Stephen (about 6 more miles) and we continued about a mile on the road to Bigginon Lune to get the bus. We made plans to meet up later for a drink in in Kirkby Stephen.
It turned out there was a bus at 4PM, so we got to the hostel a little earlier than expected. We had hoped to camp but it was raining a bit again, so we decided it was better to stay inside. We got to the hostel at 4:15 and had to wait for recption to open at 5PM. We were able to go in and wait in the kitchen area and have hot chocolate, so it wasn't too bad a wait.
We checked in, took showers and then the other guys showed up. They all ordered dinner as did Richard, and Shari cooked her own dinner. I bought a frozen pizza to eat later. Shari, Richard and I went to the grocery store and the guys gave us money to buy beer. I bought beer for myself and some for them, and we had some beers at the hostel befrore dinner, and then the guys and Shari and I went down to a pub for drinks. It is so much fun to go out for drinks with these guys. We got back tot the hostel about 10:30 and I cooked the frozen pizza that I bought at the store.
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