Day 41: Brampton to Kirkby Stephen
📍 Distance: 15.90 miles (25.59 km)
☀️ Weather: Gloriously sunny—and very hot!
🕙 Start Time: 09:56 | 🕔 Finish Time: 17:18
Today’s walk started to the charming town of Appleby where couldn’t resist stopping for a coffee. It’s a lovely spot, with a castle adding to the character and history of the place. Definitely worth the short pause before getting back on the trail.
From there I followed the River Eden, loosely sticking to Wainwright’s route from A Pennine Journey. The scenery was nothing short of spectacular—rolling countryside bathed in sunshine with wonderful views. That said, it got pretty hot at times, so I was glad to find some shade where I could.
One quirky highlight of the day: I came across a stile made entirely from fabricated metal. It stood out among the usual wooden ones and added a modern twist to the rural setting.
I reached Kirkby Stephen by late afternoon. It’s changed since I last visited in 2015—back then, there were three pubs in town, now there’s just the one!
The campsite felt familiar as soon as I arrived—it’s the base for the Packhorse Coast to Coast transport and luggage carrier, the same service I used back in 2015 during my Coast to Coast walk.
When I arrived, I met up with Jacky at the campsite, the first time we bumped into each other since the 4th May. She’d had a rest day here and will be walking with me tomorrow. It’ll be nice to have some company for the next leg, especially as Day 42 is a long one—16.75 miles—so we’re aiming for an early start.
