Why on earth are we hiking this 60-mile trail?
We have my wife, Bethany, and my sister, Gilli Simmons, to thank for this one! While Bethany was on a trip to Scotland in early 2015 (for a sad occasion – the funeral of Heather Neal, a very dear friend), she and Gilli had a chance to talk and somehow the conversation worked its way around to long-distance hikes. Gilli had read the book “Walking Home” by Simon Armitage, describing his walk of the 256-mile Pennine Way. Bethany mentioned a trail that friends had hiked in the Lake District, one that could be completed over several days. Gilli responded that it sounded somewhat like St. Cuthbert’s Way, which Bethany had never heard of. After further discussion they quickly agreed that it would be fun to organize a group hike of the Way, the next time we were all in the area – both perhaps secretly thinking that most likely nothing would ever come of it. But it stayed in their minds, and when both of their husbands (Allan Simmons and I, respectively) agreed that it sounded like a great idea, plans began to be made. Big brother Philip Appleby was quickly on board, and for a while it looked like the one remaining Appleby sibling, Steve, might also be interested in being involved – if not actually walking the trail, at least joining us at points along the way and ferrying our overnight gear from one stop to the next. In the end however it was the two U.S Applebys (Bethany and myself), the Simmonses (Gilli and Allan) and brother Phil who found themselves making plans for the 60-mile hike. The date was set for a June 25th start, flights were booked and hotel reservations made, and the hike was on!
