The Walk - Stage 6 - Shap to Orton

When I sat my suitcase down on the floor this morning it just rolled on across the room on those sloped floors. 

We go through our normal morning routine: get dressed, pack up, bring suitcase down, eat breakfast, grab poles, put on boots, chart the course, out the door and start walking.

We are sent off with a good breakfast. 

We both had porridge and toast this morning. 

We're stopping at Orton today and will walk the Orton to Kirkby Stephen (second 'k' is silent, pronounced like the vacuum cleaner lol) portion tomorrow.

As we leave the Lake District behind, we know the next section will be entirely different.

"I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water." Isaiah 41:18

The route to Orton is fairly easy underfoot, rarely rising above 315'. Only thing is, it climbs that 300’ several times. This moorland is quite different from what we've been through previously, with big open skies and a breeze that blows us gently forward. The grass is very wet and before we realize it the bottoms of our pants are soaked and our feet are wet. I had opted for my waterproof low top hikers this morning because of gentler terrain. Not a good plan. Or it would have been fine if I had realized in time to put my gators on. They don’t do much good in the backpack. 

Walking under the railway.

The forecast today was for no rain but the skies look ominous. 

Shapfell Works smoking in the distance, where limestone from Shapfell Quarry was heated to make lime.

Lime is a key ingredient in steelmaking and has helped the UK to deliver steel for
some of the world's most iconic structures. The quarry is now disused and being
restored, but the works site is still active, using limestone from other quarries.

Shapfell Quarry

No worries about swimming on our part. 

More stiles 

The electric lines were crackling when we walked under them. It was eerie. 

The paths are obvious and good, with the exception of a few boggy bits which we can easily skirt. We started off heading up, then down, then up, then down, repeat and repeat until we arrive at Orton. 

Not far away to the north lies the hamlet of Hardendale, birthplace of John Mill, the Greek scholar (and greatgrandfather of philosopher John Stuart Mill), who gave most of his life to transcribing the New Testament from Greek manuscripts. He died in 1707, two weeks after finishing a work that had taken him 30 years to complete. 

Kissing gate leading to the bridge over the M6. 

After walking miles and miles in the solitude of the English countryside for the past week, it is a bit nerve-wracking to walk on top of 6 lanes of loud, fast, traffic. But I am thankful there is a footbridge above it so we do not have to run across the freeway.

I quickly snapped a photo and scurried across. 

Seems like whoever built this could have made it go straight across. I’m sure there was a good reason for stepping down and then back up. At least I will give them the benefit of a doubt. 

More kissing gates. 

Most C2C hikers consider the M6 motorway footbridge the dividing line between the Lake District and the Pennines (pronounced like a pen and the plural number 9). The Pennines have been called “the backbone of England” because it is a range of limestone hills running up and down the
length of northern England. 

Soon we cross the boundary of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. I can see the landscape changing. It is becoming more level and green.

This sheep poo is what we walk on all day. It’s never ending. This spot is actually clearer than most. 

Watching the clouds. 

Looking back at Shap

These guys were backpacking the C2C and had a dog with them that had his own backpack. He couldn’t get over the stile (I know the feeling) so they helped him over. 

Down these steps then up the other side 

Really like seeing these C2C signs. 

Beautiful brindle colored cow. 

These sheep were taking it easy. 

We’ve seen quite a few of these banded cows. Never really close enough for a good photo. 

The two trees at the top of the hill are where we are headed. The instructions say look for the two isolated trees. 

Another C2C sign 😁

Remains of a sheep fell

“Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.” 

Psalm 50:2

The light from the sun coming through these clouds hitting the hillside just took my breath away.

We seem to be following the right path. 

We are now walking on the Westmoreland Plateau made of grassy areas and limestone bedrock. It feels gentler and more level under foot than the Lake District rocks. 

We can see the Pennines in the distance.

We pass by the prehistoric Oddendale stone circles on our right. They are double-ringed Neolithic circles that have been here since before the Bronze Age. Archeological excavations produced artifacts that indicated this site was a very important place for hundreds of years. But it doesn’t look like much today.

We found this nice boulder and decided to have a sit and a break. We are about halfway through the walk for today. 

Water and a biscuit (cookie), food for champions.

There is a grand feeling of openness in this area. It is popular with breeding birds and very clearly waymarked. Yay! The wind clears the mind, the sounds of moorland replace the subtly different music of the high fells, and the scenery rolls on forever to distant Cross Fell, the highest summit of the Pennines. 

"He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills." Psalms 147:8

There are numerous granite boulders brought to their final resting place by long-retreated glaciers, the larger ones with names, becoming useful guides for our way. 

There is a dried up stream bed  in a dip which heads south. It hides a pile of stones known as Robin Hood's grave. He got around a fair bit didn't he?

Since Shap to Orton is such a gentle walk of around 8 miles, I have plenty of time for taking photos and reflection. 

When I lived in Hobbs, Mother and I used to meet every morning, after I got the kids off to school, and go for a walk. I guess she was my first walking buddy. We solved all the world's problems on those walks, but mostly we had deep theological discussions. I'm afraid I wasn't much of a match for her in the theology department, but made a good sounding board, and was an enthusiastic student. And when we moved miles away, we continued those discussions every Sunday afternoon, usually regarding the sermon we'd heard that morning. I miss those times terribly. She was such a gifted teacher of the Word.

It is a satisfying moment to arrive at the edge of Orton Scar. The domed heights of the Howgills serve as a backdrop to the broad patchwork of the Lune valley and the rising Pennines, blue along the distant horizon. 

The last mile into town. 

The trees and light make a perfect circle around me on the trail.

We arrive in Orton at 12:45 (the earliest we've completed a walk) and after checking into our hotel, walk up the street to the Orton Scar Cafe. 

Quiche

Roast Beef Yorkshire pudding wrap

Orton is a small, quaint, “unknown” village with a few surprises.

13th century Church of All Saints

In the church yard there are ancient tombstones. 

There are even “stocks” or “pillories” where evildoers were punished! I can see how this would be torture to stay here for any length of time. I’ll be good – I promise! 

Granted a market charter during the reign of Edward I (1272-1307), Orton lies in a beautiful spot at the foot of Orton Scar, and is overlooked by its 13th century Church of All Saints. It is known as one of the most charming of Westmorland villages and a farmer's market is still held here on the second Saturday of each month. Many of Orton's cottages date from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Probably the most famous of Orton's inhabitants was George Whitehead. Born here in 1636, he fell under the spell of the charismatic George Fox and became a quaker while still a young man. This was a very perilous time for Quakers. They were universally hated by Anglicans, Presbyterians and Baptists and it was commonplace for them to be beaten with sticks. Somehow Whitehead survived this persecution and embarked on a personal crusade. He went to prison for his faith, was placed in stocks and whipped. It is said of him he was the law-giver, the Moses of his creed. 

Garden gate

Aren’t these begonias astoundingly vibrant?

Orton has a chocolate shop. We've been looking forward to this stop since before we embarked on this sojourn, but I'm not sure it's fitting to munch on a chocolate sheep after enjoying their companionship all day, so I bought three chocolate truffles and a homemade rum and sultanas ice cream. 😀

Our lodging is the George Hotel in Orton. It is a traditional, family run establishment, set on the border of the Howgills and the Eden Valley.

After walking around the small village and seeing all we can see, we head back to the Hotel where we will wrap up this day and get ready for the next..

Once again we are booked into a room with a full bed instead of twins.

However, we see a twin bed slid underneath the full so we asked if we could have bedding for it. Jo Anne is now making her bed. 😀

shower is not too pleasant

view from our room

Another day is in the books and tomorrow will mark the half way point of the walk! It seems so long ago since we were standing at the Irish Sea, but we are beginning to realize it will all be over before we know it.

Todays stats:
23,967 steps
9.9 miles
36 floors

We walk up the stairs (which actually adds 2 floors), get between the covers of our beds, say our prayers of gratitude for all the blessings of this journey and settle in for the night. The forecast for tomorrow and the next day is 100% rain. Perhaps it will just be a drizzle and not pouring down on us.

It has been another glorious day.