Day 3. Patterdale to Bowness.

Hello. I'm afraid it's a post without photographs again. I haven't found a camera shop.

It was chucking it down this morning so I delayed my start until it had eased off. Mind you, there were plenty more showers during the day. At one stage I wondered whether to give up, but I soldiered on. Patterdale is on the A592 to Windermere. I thought it would be a busy road, and after all the rain it might be the easier option. However I did find a path to take me away from the road to start the day, so I took that. I was so far along it and found parts of it waterlogged, my feet were going to get wet again. The swollen waterfalls came cascading down, and at one point the path was impassible. A long legged person might have been able to stride across the stream, but I couldn't without danger of falling in, so I turned back and found another route.

I ended up back on the road and decided to take my chances with the traffic. Surprisingly it wasn't very busy. I noticed that some footpaths ran alongside the road, and gave one a try. Alas I didn't get very far as it was alongside a small lake on the other side, which was heavily swollen and the path was under water. So at this point I realized it was pointless to try footpaths and decided to stick with the road. At least I could stride on at a decent speed.

It rained on and off, so the brolly went up and down quite a few times. I had my jacket on but going uphill makes me hot so I took it off, then put it back on again later. The weather was so unpredictable. It went dark, it rained, the sun came out it stopped, then it started again while the sun was still shining. Some of the downfalls were quite heavy but only lasted a few minutes.

On and on I went along the road. Kirkstone Pass was up ahead, this is notoriously steep, I wondered if I could manage it. The traffic was still light, no lorries use this route because of the gradient. The Pass is a very long incline, getting steeper near the top. I adjusted my pace, slowed down and concentrated hard on my breathing. It seemed to take ages to get to the top. What magnificent views along the way, car drivers miss all that when they whiz along. Water was flowing freely downhill, gathering speed as it went.

Eventually I came into Windermere, I asked if there was a camera shop, but there wasn't. I walked on to Bowness, still no camera shop, sorry.

I really made my legs work hard today, and tonight they are a bit achey. I am in a B & B in Bowness, today's miles are slightly less at 15, due to that long hard haul up the steep hill. Only two blisters which have been popped and smothered in Germoline. I have been wearing a skirt, much more comfortable, even in the rain.

That's three days done, I hope the rain eases off, I'm getting a bit fed up of it. Breakfast is 8.30am then I'll be off again, will reach Kendal, and hoping for a few more miles past there.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip