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After a slightly chilly night, we woke in light drizzle packed up quickly and headed off down the hill to Dufton for breakfast. The weather soon improved and we arrived at the Postbox Pantry to find it already open and busy.

Chatting to Martin and Pam we discovered that everyone was there for the Appleby horse fair, a major event involving hundreds of horses and people travelling from far and wide to enjoy the events which take place for several days. Martin and Pam had been coming to Appleby for over 10 years.

We enjoyed a very good breakfast, Pam made a generous donation to Mind, making use of Helen’s QR tag, and then the boys headed home in a taxi to Kirby Stephen. I had really enjoyed their company. Suddenly, the world seems like a much quieter place. However, it was a lovely day now and I had a long way to walk across the highest point on the Pennines, Cross Fell at 893 metres. 

I climbed steadily to begin with and then more fitfully as the gradient increased markedly, stopping to rest several times on the way up to look at the view. Eventually, I made it to Knock Fell at 793 metres and gazed around at the extraordinary views of the Lake District, Hi Cup Nick and Scotland, in all likelihood. I had walked perhaps 5 miles in 2 1/2 hours so needed to get a move on to make it to Alston by 8:30. I was booked into the Cumberland Inn for my rest day and last orders for food were at 8:45. 

Happily, most of the climbing was now done and I walked along the ridge past the weather centre, up and over Little Dun Fell and finally to the summit, where the views were more amazing still. On the way I met a local walking his dog who wasn’t quite as complimentary about the horse fair and being besieged by incomers for days at a time.

I walked down from the summit quickly, stopping to have a look at Greg’s Hut, once used by miners, now as a bothy or a refuge for walkers in bad weather. Then followed 5 miles or so of rapid downhill walking which meant I was in with a chance of making it to the pub on time. I’d spotted a shortcut near the bottom of the descent which brought me out on the pretty path along the South Tyne river. An hour of walking along the valley brought me into Alston at 8:25, five whole minutes early.

Everyone was lovely at the bustling Cumberland Inn. Fish pie and syrup sponge and custard (bloke food Helen would say) was the perfect end to a memorable day. 

Day Summary:

Farewell the lads. Cross Fell at its finest. A sprint down the hill. A warm welcome at the inn.