Day 7 - June 9th, Shap
We get up every morning to the same routine. In some ways, I feel like Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day. Over the past two days, we have had some relief from not walking due to my knee issues.
Yesterday morning, we caught a taxi ride to Shap. The highlight of the ride was a drive-by look at Lowther Castle. It had that fairy tale look and beautiful gardens.
Shap is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, England. Its population is 1,264, and the village has many empty storefronts and housing—our first impressions were pretty bleak. We started calling the village "Shabby Shap." We were surprised to find a very nice and well-maintained public bathroom in the middle of the village, which we have not seen in the other villages we have visited. I was surprised that there was not an open pub until 5 p.m.! It was a mixed bag, but ultimately, we came around and made one of the best days we have had so far.
We bought crackers and cheese for lunch at the small local Co-op, to go along with an apple we had grabbed for breakfast in the morning. With lunch in hand, we went to find three historical sites: the Keld Chaple, Googlby Stone, and Shap Abbey. The idea was to test my knee and visit the few points of interest in the vicinity. We never did find the Keld Chapel, and the rock was, well, it was a rock, part of a megalith road, series of stones that marked a road to who knows where. The highlight of the day was our visit to Shap Abby.
The tower of Shap Abbey is the best-preserved section of the abbey. The abbey was founded in 1199, and construction started soon after. Like many of the abbeys, monasteries and convents through out England, the abbey was sacked and its treasures seized during the reign of Henry VIII. The Tower was erected in 1500 and is quite imposing. We ate our lunch on the site, seeking shelter from the strong winds and drizzling rain.
Our lodgings here in Shap, Brookfield House, a bread and breakfast, was among the best we have stayed in. In the late afternoon, we had tea and scones, which were outstanding. Later in the evening, we had dinner at the Kings Arms. A couple from Australia that we had met and walked with several times before joined us. The food was surprisingly good, and it was a pleasant evening overall.
Today, we leave the Lake District and head into the Yorkshire Dales. We will walk 7.9 miles with just 680 feet up and 745 feet down—a pretty flat profile. I am hoping that my knee will handle the gentler climbs and descents.
Yesterday’s images: https://www.reedpikephotography.com/coast-to-coast-photos/day-7