Walk 56 (C2C 7) - 13.2 miles - Total 764.3 miles - To Go 235.7 miles

A walk for Patsy, Sarah and everyone with MS
Orton, Sunbiggin Tarn, Ravenstonedale Moor, Severals Village, Smardale Fell and Kirkby Stephen.





Wainwright

'Sunbiggin Tarn has no pretensions to beauty; its appearance is that of a large reedy pond in the middle of a morass difficult to negotiate. The attractions of this desolate place lie in other directions; it is the haunt and nesting place of many varying water fowl, a rewarding 'station' for bird-watchers. Botanists too find delight in the profuse display of the delicate and lovely bird's eye primrose, rampant on the roadside banks in this area. Geologists will seek to find a reason for the existence of so large a sheet of water in surroundings so dominated by limestone cliffs and outcrops known to be porous and unable to contain static water, and discover the answer just below the road where the limestone ends abruptly along a line of many bubbling springs, the tarn itself, of course, occupies a base of impermeable rock.'

I know it is cheating to borrow such wonderful prose but it is such a perfect description of a big part of todays walk. Wainwright feels like a close friend now as he directs us first to look at this, be surprised by that and a little bit of 'would you believe it' as we turn another corner. Friendship and camaraderie are strong sentiments as we start our seventh day. Last night in the George we sit and chat with Dave and Maggie from Sussex. We have shared many happy moments and great scenes already along the way and feel at ease together like long lost friends meeting up and reminscing over good old times. Over breakfast we talk with Craig and Mary from Australia. Again there is the Nikon Canon rivalry between Rob and Craig but a shared love of photography and I can tell Craig that Karen has facebooked Jelenek (who Craig went to medical school with and is an inspiration to many with MS) and he has responded with his support and a comment on how small the world is. Tonight in the Kings Arms at Kirkby Stephen I enjoy a drink and great company with Dick and Jane and Mary and Liz from Essex. Liz and I have in common that our bags are not delivered by Sherpa which is a real pain when you need dry clothes after a very wet day. We meet, we move on, we meet again, tell our stories, move on and by day several new friendships from shared relationships are blossoming and enjoyed by all. Dick (happy birthday and I hope you get to taste a real Malbec rather than the tale of a promised bottle leaving a bag on its way home from the shop), Jane, Mary and Liz finish today and will complete the other half next year. It was great seeing you and sharing moments together. To you and all the other great people we are meeting thanks for the companionship, conversations and campaign encouragement you have given us both.

We set off this morning with waves from friends at the George Hotel as we make an early start. The weather forecast is horrible and Rob has decided it is going to be a miserable day and suggests we get this walk over with as quickly as possible. Long miles of misery are no fun so it is time for a 'conversation'. Football exhausted and cook book recipies reviewed we need a distraction. I know my beautiful and wonderful wife Karen is at this moment thinking 'poor Rob' as she reads this. I suggest to Rob we play with some theories about reality and enquire in to whether today is miserable or amazing. We delve in to theories of how each of us creates reality in the moment from theories of the world, memories and environmental data we choose to use. I make a mistake of offering to play the role of misery and for him to coach me to see the world in a better way. This is a disaster as he agrees wholeheartedly with every piece of misery I can create! The result is that the 'conversation' takes us at least eight of our miles and passes in a blink. And yes just after Sunbiggin Tarn I get Rob to stop, take a look at the grey view ahead and around, breathe in and say how wonderful it is to be alive.

The walk is real moorland walking and we are buffered, battered and bruised by a gale force wind. Torrential rain is lashing across the scene and horizontal at times as it attempts to play its tune of misery to those who will listen. But by now we are in the zone and all is wonderful. Every now and then we need to turn a corner and face the wind and rain which both hit us with their full force and sting the face and make us realise how good the decision was to walk West to East with the wind on our backs.

We arrive at Kirkby Stephen at around 1.30 and can't check in to The Jolly Farmers until 3.30. We settle down in the Mulberry Bush for a deliciously welcome Brocolli and Stilton soup and a panini for lunch. A wonderful spot where we sat and steamed and so many people came to make donations and support us in our cause. We are both touched by the generosity people show us and how they want our campaign to succeed and bring hope to people who have MS. Rob has to be at the Jolly Farmers for an important call to the City by 3.30 so we head back and are welcomed by Carol who tells us the scones are in the oven. She shows me to my room and most importantly a dressing gown so I can get out of my wet gear. A deep luscious soak in a jet massage bath takes me to another world and I join a dozen other guests for the tea and scones. Delicious. A photo opportunity missed by Rob with everyone else dressed as you would expect and me in my dressing gown.

Now the day is done. Another great experience. The weather doesn't look great for tomorrow, the rain is lashing my bedroom window tonight but ahead are more friendships from shared moments and more miles and pounds to bring hope to Patsy, Sarah and everyone with MS.