Planned layover day

We spent the day in Richmond, a moderate size market town, on a planned layover day in preparation for the rest of the trek. We wandered the market, poked in and out of shops around the market square and had tea and scones in a tea shop.

We started the day by touring Richmond castle. There was an interesting interpretive center to start then we climbed round the keep (the tall part) and met a couple from Minnesota! We had great views from the top and took some awe inspiring pictures (you'll have to trust us on this as we arent going to try to post until we are back in the states). Then we poked around some antique stores and walked to the visitor center. The public bathroom had a unique feature: one machine, recessed in the wall, has a button for soap, a button for water and a button for air dry! Very efficient.

We then walked down by the river to The Station, a restored train station that now has shops and a cinema. We had ice cream outside in another day of perfect weather.  As we started back to town, we checked the cinema and saw the new movie Anna Kerinina so decided to see it. Fabulous movie, very well done with a melding of the story as stage play and as real life. Of course, you cant go wrong with Kiera Knightly and Jude Law!

As we Mosied back to the market square, we met Ann, one of our trail friends from Cambridge. We chatted and had tea together then wished each other well for the remainder of the trek.

As we sit in the lounge of the B&B, we are listing the highlights and accomplishments of the trip so far. For Kelly, the people along the trail and the sheer physical accomplishment is the highlight;for Kay, the physical accomplishment of the Lake District and the 23 mile day; and for Betsy, being able to keep up with long-legged Kelly and Velcro woman Kay make me happy. Velcro woman zeroes in on a hiker ahead on the path, catches up and stays in their back pocket. You should see her when she smells the barn - zoom thar she goes on to the destination without regard for Kelly and I. It's ok because Kelly has the compass and Betsy has the maps. Kay eventually waits for us. It was a bit satisfying to learn that the guide for the California group didn't believe Betsy would make it past day 2 (when she blew a big heel blister going uphill) and who now has said to his group that he has to admit that he would actually help us if we ran into trouble on the path.

Indeed, we're ready to go back on the trail. Our feet are rested and the swelling has gone down so I guess it's time to walk some more.