Since I was the only guest at my B&B I had the choicest seat by the big bay window for my breakfast. Anna walked by as I was eating and we waved and I felt all cool to be recognizing people on the street, lol.
I had slept well. With all the walking everyday sleeping is not a problem, but I feel worn out and tired. Today’s hike is a 12 mile (19km) hike with the first 4 miles a continuous uphill slog to a place called “the nine standards” (which are these old cairns that kinda look like giant people from far away)
Even worse, to protect the natural landscape (which is extremely boggy), they laid out miles of flat stones to hike on to stop erosion. Good idea for the environment but bad idea for your feet. And while it was a 19km hike, the next village, I realized, was actually only about 7kms away by car…
So…
I booked a taxi for the afternoon. Call me a cheater but I need this.
Since I wasn’t in a rush anymore I spent the morning wandering around Kirby Stevens. It was dead the night before but on a sunny Monday it was lively and vibrant with a lot of cute cafes and art shops. I went to one specialty cafe to write some more and I got a vegan cheese platter that was absolutely delicious. Vegan cheese! Who knew?
Then I took the taxi which, despite being so close “as the crow flies” turned out to be a 25 minute puke inducing ride in a narrow twisty road that went up and down hills. The driver, from Pakistan, told me that while he enjoyed living there, the winters were miserable and quiet with very few customers. He said only during the summer months when hikers and sightseers came was it a vibrant place and he was probably going to move after this hiking season. I realized I had been seeing each village at the most picturesque and bustling time which was probably giving me a very optimistic view of life there.
This next village, Keld, is super tiny with just a few old stone buildings turned into B&B’s and cafes for hikers and day visitors. I ran into Hanna (the older woman from day one) who I hadn’t seen in a few days despite knowing we were at some of the same B&B’s. I asked her why and it turned out she’s been leaving around 5am everyday just to get an early start and a chance to walk in quiet solitude.
We check in, it’s still early, so I go to the cafe next door for some tea and writing time. As I walk up I’m met by the owner standing out front who told me the cafe was closed but I could go around to the side garden and order what I wanted there. There were several people in the side garden, including my pals the Norwegians and some day trippers, and despite bringing my journal I got no writing done again as I was chatting with others.
It turned out the reason why the cafe was closed was a large woman tripped and fell while entering and couldn’t get up on her own. They had all tried to help her get up but her knees were so bad she was crying in pain and so they called the fire department and police to get experts to help her. To save her dignity they weren’t allowing people in the cafe to gawk at her and so we had our cream teas in the side garden.
It was an unfortunate incident and honestly a cautionary tale as, with my health condition and natural body structure, that could easily be me. It reminded me that although I sometimes dislike trying to stay active, (I’m naturally a sitter and I haaaattttee sweating) it’s a necessary part of aging gracefully. As I enter my second half century I really need to force myself to stay physically active as much as my health issues allow even though I kinda really do hate it, if I’m being honest.
That night at dinner I saw some familiar faces and I heard for the first time the flat tones of an American accent from some people I hadn’t met yet. So I went over and said hi. They were doing the James Harriot walk (the author of All Creatures Great and Small) and for 2 days it had a similar route with the Coast to Coast trail. They were friendly and we were all going to the same village tomorrow so I’d probably see them again.
So I didn’t do a lot of hiking yet it was still quite a full day. Somehow I seem to have a full social calendar despite not knowing any of these people just a week before.
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