Day 6 - Far, very very far

Once you get to Shap you're officially out of the lakes and in Yorkshire. All this means in reality is that you're phone might work and everything in the pub will be half the price ; yay for Yorkshire!

Shap is a funny town,its very long and thin and has a few OK pubs and a chippy. It also has a co-op, being London folk we're spoilt for shops but up here you learn to count your blessings.

We stayed in New Ing Lodge which is cheep and cheerful and has a good breakfast all for 25 quid. It was also packed with loads of what I can only assume were the over 60s Ghent Ramblers association - every time you opened a door there was a geriatric Dutch person smiling politely,even in the wardrobes.

The days walk is long at just about 20 miles - there are none of the crazy lakes style climbs which is a blessing, you can only take so many razor sharp slippery rocks.

There is a lot of walking over quite bleak moorland and its such a contrast from lakeland it comes a bit of a shock. Luckily we met up with the Dutch support vehicle which was waiting by the roadside to refuel our European cousins and we had a cup of odd Dutch tea and a biccy which was most welcome.

By the time we got to the hill over Kirkby Stephen we were on our last legs but some shrewd map and compass jiggery pokery by Sherpa Kerr cut of the last few Km and got us into the Croglin Castle Hotel just after 6. I like this place as I've stayed here before - its old,creaky and eclectic (bit like me really) and only 25 quid a night and does brilliant food. I had a pie;and it was the best one I've had in ages (and I've had a lot). Tomorrow's trek is a slightly More sensible 14 miles and ends in Keld where the phone probably won't work so I might disappear