Day 5: Walltown quarry to Carlisle…It’s along way to go!

We’ve eventually made it to Carlisle. It’s been a long day today, harder than any of us could have imagined but it has also been an incredible experience with stunning views and support from so many people along the way. We have walked through beautiful pastoral landscapes, peaceful woodlands, and up more and more hills. We have been hunting for fairies in trees, seen really cute fluffy cows and giant fungai.

My phone has died today so I have no idea on how many miles we have done. But we are finally in Carlisle. What an awful hotel and an awful come down from the luxury of last night. We really needed a pick me up after the mileage covered today and to prepare us for tomorrow. It’s an early night tonight for all of us as we have about 14 miles to cover tomorrow and it is forecast heavy torrential rain.

I have 4 more blisters today and am dreading tomorrow but the nagging pain from my feet keeps reminding me why we are doing this. Every penny we raise helps to fight this awful disease and is nothing in comparison to what Mum went through. She had such strength right up until the last. She continues to inspire me and keeps me walking forward, step by step closer to Walls End. I hate gravel, and I will be so happy to never see a gravel path again, you really can feel every stone through your shoes when you have blisters.

I’ve been renamed by Dad as Mountain Goat today for finding the best paths, and also Magnet as people seem to keep stopping to talk to me. It’s wonderful how many people we have met from all over the world. We have also been singing songs to ourselves to keep us going today. We came across two fantastic Honesty box snack bars today, in particular one run by Matthew. What a brilliant and kind idea. I’ve also never been so happy to see an emergency port-a-loo, I did not care about the state of it.

We are staying in the worst hotel I have ever been to. The County Hotel in Carlisle, and when we arrived there was a press conference going on for the Labour party and Jeremy Corbyn was here.

Me and Dad are sat planning the final day tomorrow as we have a glass of red wine in my room failing to open a packet of crisps as he is so tired. We will do this, but oh my legs are killing me and I pray we do not get too rusty in the torrential downpours forecast for tomorrow.