Day 9 - Rest day in Kirkby Stephen

What a treat to be able to rest our weary feet and bodies.  Kirkby Stephen (pronounced Kirby) is the second largest town we rest in during our walk, with a population of 2000.  It was a great place to replenish supplies, namely feet stuff.  We resisted the 'urge' to take a walk along the many lovely walks one can do around this beautiful town and instead, walked to the Laundromat to do some very needed washing.  It was a nice time to meet up with other walkers doing the same thing.  Spent some time wandering around and found a beautiful Indian restaurant, a great little gallery with lots of sheep pictures and generally rested.  Many of the small towns in England have very historic churches - nice to visit but they seem cold and lifeless.      

 

This 13th century Parish Church is one of several churches in town.  It has a book and gift shop that goes on for ever.  Rooms everywhere.  You can even make yourself a cuppa and just leave some money.  

  Every village or town we pass through has a church (or two) and most have a spire  that reaches into the sky and can be seen for miles.   Many of these churches remind me of the little red brick church in Milawa, a small hamlet just outside of Wangaratta, which also has a spire and looks lovely standing in the beautiful surrounds of the vineyards of Brown Bros.  Does this mean I am homesick??  Not yet, I am so loving the magnificent scenery and the beauty of each individual village - some just a cluster of homes, and a church of course, and others with many shops, a village green, lots of pubs and many houses, all compacted close together to create a sense of community.  The gardens in these villages are so English, just what I love in a garden, with lots of perennials, border plantings and green grass.

This pretty laneway separates the church from the the houses.  I believe this is the back doors of the homes.  Such a lovely outlook. 

So amazing that these plants can grow in the cracks between the walls and the path.  They look beautiful and so healthy in the cooler climate. 

Another feature of these English towns is the narrow nooks and laneways that beckon you to investigate what lie around the corner.

I believe this is a peony - another addition for your garden Jona?

Another feature of many of the towns is the hanging baskets.  They add such a burst of colour to the otherwise dull coloured buildings. 

Nick and Rachel, our hosts at The Old Croft House, were our most special and welcoming hosts so far.  They went the extra mile in all aspects of care towards us.  We very much appreciated them and their home.  Also loved the foot spa, bliss after some hard days walking.

Old Croft House

Outside the information centre are two stone seats in the form of sheep.  They are reputed to increase the fertility of any who sit on them!  

 The knitters of Kirkby Stephen were famous for knitting stockings as a way to supplement their meagre income.   Until the early 19th century, men would knit, as well as the women and children.  By holding one needle or 'prick' in a wooden knitting stick protruding from a belt, and the other in the right hand, the left hand was free to do another job.  But when 'off-comers' began visiting the area for the novelty of seeing farmers knitting with one hand and milking a cow with the other, the men became self-conscious and left the knitting to their women-folk.  Believable?? 

Looking down the Main Street of Kirby Stephen with the church spire drawing attention to itself.  Trouble was this building isn't a church - it's a  gift  and coffee shop which serves really ordinary food. 

As I have already mentioned, sheep have been our constant companions along our walk.  The lambs are born black and remain a dark brown colour for the first year, but then develop a coarse, ash grey fleece with a distinctive white face and legs.  These are Herdwick sheep and the wool is tough and wiry and has exceptional insulation properties.  It is mainly used for carpet making and more recently as house insulation.  

Packhorse, our travel company who are moving our luggage each day, operate out of Kirkby Stephen.     We enjoyed meeting the new managers when they visited us each morning at  Old Croft House to see how we were going on our walk.  A nice caring touch towards us walkers.