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Back to "Monthly Program History"
May 19,
2010
"Walk Across
England, Fall of 2009"
by Dick and Judy Opsahl
Dick and Judy Opsahl will
present pictures and experiences of their walk across northern England
from August 22nd to September 4th, 2009, along the
190 mile Coast to Coast Trail. They began in St Bees on the Irish Sea,
walked across the Lake District, with its sparkling lakes and steep
fells, through the rolling Yorkshire dales and the heather covered
Yorkshire moors, ending 14 days later at Robin Hood's Bay on the North
Sea.
The Coast to Coast walk
was established in 1973 by Alfred Wainwright by cobbling together the
numerous ancient footpaths and rights of way along the route. It passes
through three National Parks: the Lake District; Yorkshire Dales, and
North York Moors, all of which are known for their beauty and varied
terrain.
This is a charming example of a rural English village in North England:
stone houses along side a stream or river (in this case, the Swale
River) surrounded by sheep pastures, with a stone church at its heart.
The village also contained a school and a few shops. The Swale Valley,
where this village is located, is famous for its woolens.
En route they passed
through charming country villages, beautiful countryside, crossed
hundreds of styles, saw a million sheep, and had plenty of rain.
Accommodations were in nice B&Bs with luggage transport provided. They
will offer information on how to set up your own trip along this route
to those interested.
Styles,
designed to help walkers cross the fences or walls that prevent sheep
from wandering off their grazing land, come in various shapes and sizes,
and since most of the wild land in Northern England is used for sheep
grazing, you cross innumerable styles on the walk. This one is in the
Lake District (Cumbria) and is the tallest style we encountered.
About our
speakers: Dick and Judy Opsahl met when
skiing, and outdoor activities have continued to be a part of
their life together. They have skied the High Route from Verbier
lto Zermatt, walked the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu, and
sections of the Appalachian and Colorado Trails. Both became
marathon runners, with Dick having run well over 100 marathons,
including the Everest Marathon from Everest Base Camp to Namche
Bazaar (the only marathon in the world where you walk 3 weeks to
the start). Dick soon moved up to ultra-running, and in 1998
completed the Grand Slam of ultra-running: four 100 miles trail
races in one summer. Both Dick and Judy have participated in
long distance XC ski marathons, canoe races, and multi-day bike
trips.
Dick and Judy Opsahl in
the Swale Valley. This picturesque river valley
in the rolling hills of central North England is famous for its woolens.
Since coming
to Los Alamos in 1999 the Opsahls have led a number of trips to
to the Tenth Mountain Huts; five in the winter and three in the
summer. Their trip for this summer to Skinner Hut (July 1-5,
2010) is full and has a waiting list. They walked the Camino to
Santiago in Spain from the Pyrenees to Santiago in 2002, and
have since gone back to re-walk it in three sections. In 2008,
they led a trip of Mountaineers there to walk the last 120 miles
of the route. |
