2023 England and Scotland - Day #13 - To Carlisle

Anna-Marie, Tom, Sharon and I had a buffet breakfast at the Scotch News Arms. We had a small kerfuffle with a piece of luggage. At the Angel of Corbridge, the company moving our luggage each day decided that all of our bags weighed too much. They gave us a large vinyl bag to put stuff into lighten our suitcases. While Sharon was packing the bag, the zipper broke. With a little work after breakfast, I was able to get it back together again.

The plan for the day was for Tom and Sharon to take a taxi to Newtown. Walking from the inn, I was going to try and catch up with them.

I left just before 9 am. I retraced the three mile route back to Haytongate. I pushed hard to Newtown. When I got there, I realized that I didn't have much chance of catching them. I was about two hours and ten minutes behind them. It was over seven miles to Newtown; I had hoped it was less than six miles.

The segment from Haytongate to Newton was interesting. I walked through the middle of several working farms. At one point, I literally walked between two large dairy barns with lots of activity taking place on both sides. After Newton, the terrain started to flatten out. Hiking for almost a mile through a cut alfalfa field, I must have passed almost fifty people going the other way.

I never gave up the idea of catching Tom and Sharon until after they had lunch. I thought that they might take an extra long lunch, but I was just too far behind.

I finally stopped and had a quck late sack lunch just past Crosby-on-Eden along the river. Generally, I was disappointed with the scenery on the walk into Carlisle.

In total, I walked 17.4 miles in five hours and fifty minutes. My average pace was 20:05 minutes per mile. The splits are here. I walked the whole day by myself.

After crashing in the room for a while and then getting cleaned up, Sharon used her superpower to find a great restaurant. The four of us went to dinner at Sannas, a Sandinian Restaurant. For a starter, Sharon and I spilt BRUSCHETTA AL POMODORO [Bruschetta topped with cherry tomato, garlic, basil and a touch of pesto]. Tom, Sharon and I all had FREGOLA FRUITTI DI MARE [Traditional Sardinian fregola with king prawns, mussels, clams, and squid] for our main. I had TIRAMISÙ for dessert; I am fascinated by the number of ways that you get tiramisu.

Working back to the bed and breakfast, Tom noticed two Woodrow Wilson plaques!? [Cavendish House and Pilgrimage of the Heart]

After a long day, Sharon and I crashed early.