Day 23 Orton to Kirkby Stephens

Our last day on the Coast to Coast, and I didn't sleep well. Too hot again and jumpy legs.

Underwhelming Stone circle

We get out of Orton at our usual time, about 9.00AM, plod across grassy fields with boots getting wetter and wetter in the dewy grass.

Another fine day, though initially misty and later hazy!

Past a stone circle, that is underwhelming to say the least! The Shetland ponies are more interesting.

We then start the plod onto the moors, initially Tarn Moor, where we nearly overshoot a turn, then past Cow Dub a small lake and onto Ravenstonedale Moor. Not inspiring walking after what we have done the previous days.

There a few views and lots of stone walls, which in their own way are quite impressive.

The excitement comes when we miss a stile and find ourselves on the wrong side of one of said walls, but this is quickly corrected by another stile further on.

Here we find a couple of men repairing the drystone, where it has collapsed. They are double stone with a large tie-stone connecting the two walls to stabilise them.

Smartdale Gill Bridge

Soon after we find a bout twenty walkers sitting having an early lunch, and about 10 minutes later, by which time we have crossed Smartdale Gill, we hear the shout “Four minutes” and they are soon off. Happens worldwide!

It’s then across Smartdale Fell and Kirkby Stephen comes into sight, across the rail line.

We are not there yet and have some fields with lots of cows to negotiate, before getting under the rail line, then more cows, and through a cutting of an old rail line into Greenriggs Farm and then Kirkby Stephens.

Our accommodation is The Jolly Farmer and we are in the cottage out the back, which is great as we really don’t have to share with any other guests.
A walk around the town, where we catch up with other walkers whose paths we have crossed repetitively over the past 7 days.
We have a beer with John and Vanessa, with who we have become quite friendly.
It's like that on the Coast to Coast.
Well ours is now over! 

We have an early start tomorrow, the train leaves Kirkby Stephens Station at 7.18AM, for Carlisle, where we have a car to get us to Cornwall.

Indian tonight at the Mango Tree. I hope it’s good, we really don’t want pub food.