We got up in Orton this morning to rain falling and wind blowing. We got ready for the day, made it downstairs to breakfast only to find that the help had not shown up to make it! The poor Manager came staggering out of a back room to a room full of 13 people waiting! We actually had entertained ourselves pretty well so all was okay. I fixed up Elizabeths' foot (Dutch woman) whose blisters looked horrid. I used a remedy of wrapping the sore area in sheeps wool that I had gathered yesterday and washed out. I got the idea from Janice (Australian from Adelaide) who had bailed on walking the day before. The farmer who took her to the next hotel told her about the remedy and claims that is what the locals used - It worked for me! There is quite a large group of us walking each day, we figure about 30ish, and we see different folks in the places we stay, where we eat and along the trail. It is a wonderful group and always entertaining! Tonight we are dining with the only other American couple walking and the Australians from Adelaide to celebrate Tom's birthday tomorrow and my birthday on Friday!
The walk was wonderful today...by the time we got going (we finally skipped breakfast and just picked up fruit at the market) it had stopped raining and the sun was peeking out from behind the clouds. The entire day was perfect, coolish at times. We walked 12 miles and averaged about 3+ mph according to our GPS. The hills were gentle and rolling, no exertions needed to climb hills or descend down from them. Lots of beautiful scenery. We even stopped for a long lunch break and watched the British Airforce practice their daily runs...tried to take a movie..will let you know what I caught on tape as I couldn't see what I was filming! We arrived in Kirkby Stephens around 2:30, stopped by our B&B but it wasn't ready yet so we headed down to a coffee shop and had beer and tea/cake. Very good!
