Dales Way - Day 5 (Wednesday 27th April) Grayrigg to Bowness-on-Windermere - 15 miles

Such a good sleep in a proper bed, beats camping hands down! We have a lovely breakfast and set off eagerly on our last day of the walk, anxious to get to Bowness at a decent time as we're meeting friends there for a couple of days rest before we start the Hadrian's wall path! We stock up on some sandwiches and catch a cab back to Grayrigg where we left off yesterday.

It's a beautiful hot sunny day again and i've soon had to change into my shorts in a nearby field...much to chris' amusement as he tells me people are coming and i nearly fall over in my panic! We head through fields to Biglands farm and then onto Black Moss tarn which is a beautiful spot to sit for a while and watch the swans.

Grayrigg church

There's a fair bit of road walking before we finally arrive in Burneside and where i nearly have a little cry because all the pubs are shut and there's no toilet at the train station! I finally find a loo at the side of the church, very happy - don't think i could've made it all the way to Bowness!

We have a little picnic at the side of the river before setting off along the track. Now here's the thing, everyone we've met has told us it's all downhill today, well i don't know what they were thinking but there's actually an awful lot of uphill especially as you go up towards New hall farm!

From here we head along the lane towards Waingap and then uphill onto open pasture before reaching Hag End farm. We're both pretty tired by now, the heat really takes it out of you and all i can think about is that first glimpse of the dales way bench! Black Moss Tarn


My feet are absolutely killing by the time we reach the Bowness 1m sign, but we know it's not far to go and finally reach the much anticipated dales way bench, so happy, we stop to take photos before finally hobbling down into Bowness to dip our boots in the lake and head off for a few well earned pints at the Hole in't Wall with Fran & James!





Dipping our boots in the lake
So that's it, we made it and had a pretty marvellous time to boot! Amazing weather, beautiful scenery, fantastic pubs....what more could you want! I have to say it's one of the most picturesque walks i've ever done, especially the first day from Ilkley to Grassington and we'll definitely be back to a few of the places we've visited along the way. So now for a couple of days off for our feet to recover and it's onto Hadrian's wall!!