August 1-10, 2012 / The Lake District – England – COMPLETED
Participants can choose either the first or second weeks of this summer’s trek in Northern England. This itinerary is for the first week’s walk through the Lake District and a portion of the Coast to Coast Path. This first stage is a great exploration of both the English countryside and each individual’s core gift as both the external and internal landscapes unfold each day. We define and explore how we can apply our core gift to the world around us through our talents and skills!
August 1st – Wednesday – Take a late afternoon/evening flight to Manchester, England.
August 2nd – Thursday – Land in Manchester, rally with other group members, and catch train from the airport to the coastal village of Ulverston – our trail head for the next morning. Catch some rest, enjoy the town sights, and get group orientation. Ulverston is the birthplace of the Quaker Church and current Quaker Conference Center.
August 3rd – Friday – Hit the trail north into the Lake District. 16 beautiful trail miles to the Village of Coniston. Coniston is famous as the site of the crash of the speedboat “Blue Bird” in which Donald Campbell was killed in 1967. Campbell set eight world speed records and is the only person to have held both the world land and water speed records.
August 4th – Saturday – Hike 9 miles into the heart of the Lake District to the village of Ambleside, located on Lake Windermere.
August 5th – Sunday – Ambleside to Grasmere and back – day trek – 8 miles
August 6th – Monday – Ambleside to Patterdale Hit the trail again heading northeast across the Lake District’s and around England’s highest mountain (Helvellyn) as we start our way toward the Yorkshire Dales. Stay in the small village of Patterdale after following the beautiful and pastoral low road for 11 miles.
August 7th – Tuesday – Patterdale to Shap – Head for the Dales across the high Roman Road on a long but beautiful 16 miles to the Roman/Medieval coach-stop village of Shap. On the way investigate the ancient Shap Abby ruins.
August 8th – Wednesday – Shap to Orton – An 8 mile shorty as we enter limestone country and head for the hamlet of Orton. For your pain at the end of the walk is the famous Orton Chocolate Factory. Many consider it to be the best chocolate that money can buy.
August 9th – Thursday – Orton to Kirkby Stephen – A pleasant 12 miles as we continue to approach the Dales and the village of Kirkby Stephen. Kirkby Stephen, a medieval market town.
August 10th – Friday – Group A returns to Manchester for flights back to the US in the early afternoon.
