To cut a long story short I had a CVA (stroke) in december right out of the blue. I thought I was pretty fit and healthy, only 50 and didn't really bother going to the doc's, mistake!
anyway, after being quite ill for a few months and completely paralysed down my right side, I'm now making a really good recovery.
I always used to do a weeks walking at the end of term (teacher), that's not an option, but I have a bus pass now and lots of time and I can walk about 1 - 2 miles. I am hoping to get to the lakes for a few days hostelling, camping is really out. So, I need suggestions for places to visit that are not too steep, fairly even ground, on a bus route and feel like you are 'out there'. I'm probably going in september when it's quieter.
gratefull for any ideas and enjoy your walking. you never know how long you have left!
Hi gritty, good to here you are still on the mend.
You could check out some of the railway walk series that Julia Bradbury did on TV, they tend to be fairly flat, I am sure that you could work out doing some short sections than catching a bus back.
In the lakes I would have thought that perhaps some suitable walking would be around the "coastline" of a lake itself.
Hi Gritty. Glad that you're making a good recovery.
I think an ideal base for you would be Keswick, as there are a range of buses that you can catch, and there is also quite a few flat walks that can be done in the area. For example:
- you could walk part of the Keswick to Threlkeld railway footpath which is completely flat. It's four miles in total, but you could do part of it then retrace your steps, or pick up the X5/X4 bus at Threlkeld, which will take you back to Keswick.
- or you could catch the launch across Derwentwater to one of 6 drop off points around the lake and then either walk back to Keswick, or walk part of the way back and pick up the launch again.
- or you could catch the Seatoller Rambler bus, no 79, which runs from Keswick down to the end of the Borrowdale Valley, and then follow the Allerdale Ramble back. A suggestion would be to catch the no 70 to Rosthwaite and walk over New Bridge to Grange and then pick up the same bus back to Keswick. The bus passes alongside Derwentwater, so you could easily get the bus down to a certain point, walk for a couple of miles in the direction of Keswick, then pick up the Derwentwater Launch to take you back to Keswick.
Hi Gritty, welcome back, and good luck, hope you continue to make progress.
Walking-wise, following MSP's idea of lakes, Buttermere allows a full and flattish round of the lak, although if you only want 1 to 2 miles I guess you'll end up on an out and back?
The east shore of Derwentwater is directly accessible from Keswick, but a nicer (quieter) idea would be to use the boat service as a bus and go walk some stages over on the west and south shores.
Perhaps a bit tame but Keswick also offers the converted railway path along the River Greta. And there won't be a bus but maybe you could take a short taxi ride (or scrounge a lift) up to the carpark just N of Latrigg? From there there's a fairly new wheelchair-friendly route to the top of Latrigg, so a shortish distance, a good surface, gentle gradients, but the view while you're up there is superb!
Other ideas - down Borrowdale you could walk along the River Derwent between Grange and Rosthwaite, or from Stonethwaite go as far as you fancy up Langstrath and back.
I hope some of those might be some use? If I think of any more ideas, I'll be back....
Edit: Ha, look what happens while I'm typing!! Lorraine's local knowledge comes to the fore
I like the derwent water launch ideas and the seatoller/borrowdale ones. I intend to stay at least 1 night at honister then perhaps get the bus to buttermere and do the lakeshore, with a bus pass and a timetable I can afford th be flexible. I was also thinking about the drum house path? rough ground is more of an obstacle then gradient, legs still a bit 'clumsy'! if I remember the first bit is a 'made' pat.
The Drum Track should be OK, it's a fairly good path Although the first bit as you come up from the slate mine is pitched, so is a bit rocky. There's also a very small rock step before it starts to level off.
An idea would be to walk the Drum Track from the slate mine as far as Dubs Quarry hut and then take the Warnscale Path down to Gatesgarth Farm and pick up the Honister Rambler in the direction of Buttermere, or the other way back up to Honister Pass and onto Keswick.
For every ten people replying, there will be a thousand others thinking well done so far and get well asap - this goes for anyone else out there seriously incapacitated, 'cause we can all relate to something stopping us just getting 'out there'. GR8 suggestions coming in too.
I LISTENED TO 'NO TRIUMPH, NO TRAGEDY' on radio 4 today with a deaf opera singer, it's all down to how you deal with what life throws at you. It's another part of life I need to deal with, it has its good bits as well, no work for a while! I saw too many people in hospital who had given up, it's a second chance at life and you need to take second chances.
what happened to me isn't a tragedy or if I climb ben nevis next year it's no triumph, I'm just trying to live a normal life.
I LISTENED TO 'NO TRIUMPH, NO TRAGEDY' on radio 4 today with a deaf opera singer, it's all down to how you deal with what life throws at you. It's another part of life I need to deal with, it has its good bits as well, no work for a while! I saw too many people in hospital who had given up, it's a second chance at life and you need to take second chances.
what happened to me isn't a tragedy or if I climb ben nevis next year it's no triumph, I'm just trying to live a normal life.
Well said - I can thoroughly emphathise with your situation. It is all about just getting on and dealing with whatever life happens to throw at you on any given day.
It is good have goals to achieve that mind - Ben Nevis was one of mine. Just 18 months after I was hit and run over by a large van and exactly 2 weeks to the day after undergoing the removal of a brain tumour, I managed to struggle to the top of Ben Nevis. Chuffed to bits I was but the people I walked up with were 68 years old, so now I'm out as often as I can... keeping myself as fit as possible. That way I can have a go at almost anything anyone else can attempt.
You may just be trying to lead a normal life... but you will end up a shining example of courage, endevour, ambition, determination etc.
Suggest you base at Grasmere YHA close to village and bus route.
Routes. Catch bus to Rydal walk to ambleside along River brathy quiet road. Grasmere to Loughrigg terrace out of back of village bus from quarry car park back. Bus to Rydal walk alongside Rydal back to start of L. terrace then back to Grasmere by bus. Two buses to Skelwith Bridge walk alongside river to Elterwater; Langdale bus back from just outside village. Buses to Coniston walk down to lake and on to C. Hall campsite then walk back to village. There might be a bus near to Tarn Hows circular walk round. Tilberthwaite to Little Langdale via Miners Bridge but don't know about buses.
Series of books Walks for Motorists might have ideas.
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