Dales Way 2018 Day 6

Tuesday 7^th August 2018 Bowness-on-Windermere

I was away from the B&B by 8 a.m. and went to check out Kendal castle first.

After going into Kendal for a few supplies, I caught the bus back up to Burneside to rejoin the trail where I had left it yesterday.

It was a pleasant half-day of walking.

The official end of the Dales Way is a bench on a hillside prior to getting to civilisation.  I briefly sat on it to mark the occasion.

I arrived in Bowness about 12:30, but the tourists were like a locust plague, so I first located my hostel and then went to the movies for the afternoon.

At the hostel later, I showered and washed my boots.  I don’t remember now which day it was, but one of the days on this walk I was crossing a field that had recently been sprayed with fresh cow manure, and it seeped into the stitching of the boots.  I used these boots as a back-up pair in 2019 for the last few days of the Pennine Way and then the 5 walks that followed and found they managed to make my feet stink all the time; the only boots that have done that, and I put it down to this one manure-filled field.  I also discovered I had 2 more blisters.

It was out for a walk to locate the rail station, get some cider, have some fish ‘n’ chips, before returning to the hostel.  I must admit, this hostel had to be one of the worst I stayed in.  The room was tiny yet had 3 bunks (so 6 beds) jammed in there, and the guy on the bottom bunk kept tossing and turning all night.  I felt like I was at sea! 

Despite a rather disappointing end to the walk, overall it was enjoyable (except for the parts on and near roads), and a good choice considering I was recovering from a back injury.  I was fitter and my back better able to handle weight and twists and turns.  Which was good, as tomorrow I would be off to Hemlsley to take on the Cleveland Way (which, coincidentally, will be the next walk I post about).