Scawfell Hotel
Rosthwaite
Aug 3/12
My dearest Wife,
We arrived here an hour ago (about 5.30P.M.) and were fortunate in getting quarters for the night, places being pretty full this bank holiday time, as it is Kath must have the only bedroom left and they are going to put me up a camp bed in one of the sitting rooms, it seems quite a nice country hotel.
We have been very lucky in our weather since we started from Rydal yesterday morning and feel the more pleased because half an hour after our arrival heavy rain clouds appeared over the mountains and it is now raining very heavily.
We accomplished our journey to Wast Water yesterday and went through some magnificent scenery, but it was real hard work getting up, over and down the Wrynose and Hardknott passes, however we felt quiet rewarded for our trouble and are rather proud of the feat, it was rather like pushing bicycles up a roof only the road was winding and a mass of loose stones and rock, quite impossible for wheeled traffic, we went in these places at the rate of less than two miles in an hour, altogether including not more than 1¼ hours for lunch and tea we were just ten hours reaching Wasdale head hotel (28 miles), this is a fair sized place but only second rate as regards accommodation.
On reviewing our journey we thought we would not go over it again so (train service being bad) we got very early breakfast and left at 7.10 for Seascale station 12 miles this was fairly good riding and we did it in two hours, we reached Cockermouth, via Whitehaven, about 11 o’clock and after milk and a biscuit rode on 10 miles past Crummock Water to Buttermere here a good lunch awaited us at an hotel and we rested (I had forty winks!) till 3P.M. thus refreshed we felt equal to undertaking Honister Pass 1170 feet the ascent from Buttermere is very steep and a bad road, the coaches do manage to come down it but avoid the ascent by going round another route, of course all passengers have to walk, there is a new road down this side which is safe for cyclists most of the way, however I preferred to walk not knowing quite what it might be.
If the weather is fine to-morrow we shall leave here after breakfast as we told them we expected to reach Nab Cottage for early dinner and this we ought easily to do as it is little over 20 miles and mostly good riding.
Monday should provide another trip if fine and then Tuesday morning we must start homewards and hope to reach Badsey station via Stratford about 5.30.
Altogether you see we are having quite a fine time and are both enjoying ourselves, Kath has got quite sunburnt and I think the change has done her good, my knee keeps mending notwithstanding the hard work and I only keep it covered still by way of precaution for it has mostly healed.
We are quite anxious to get our correspondence when we get back to Rydal for yesterday morning only brought the paper, by the way don’t post the Times after to-day Saturday.
I hope everything is going on well at home and that your toothache has disappeared. I was glad you could go to Mrs Rudge’s garden party.
I think it is about dinner time 7.30 so I will close this letter, I think you must thank this evening’s rain for its being such a long one!
Much love to all and especially to yourself dear Wife
Your loving Husband
Julius Sladden
The knapsack is quite useful but when I have it strapped on my shoulders I feel that I look like Christian with his burden.
