November 20, 2025:
My sons conceived it, curated it, and believed I could do it: the three of us hiking in the Lake District, England in celebration of a milestone birthday. The initial plan was to be five days, 11 to 13 miles/day, self-supported except for bed and breakfasts. Reading between the lines, this meant carrying backpacks with clothes and gear for the trip, including rain jacket and pants, enough water and snacks for long days on the trail, and wearing boots and bringing hiking poles for the rocky, slick, very steep, and scree-filled trails. I could tell by their excitement they’d put a lot of thought into the location, the geography, the weather, my fitness, and enough time (five months) to build up strength, endurance, and stamina.
Christopher was chief trail-decider, choosing a square loop that started in Ambleside near Windermere Lake, the deepest and largest lake in England. We’d transverse Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England, to Wasdale Head Inn, the birthplace of British mountaineering, to Keswick for two nights, with an easy hiking day around Derwent Water lake (meaning no steep mountain passes), then the final assault over Sticks Pass to Patterdale. They’d contemplated a number of different destinations with the Lake District becoming the logical course. I liked England, having spent my junior year in college at Durham University. The area was easy for Alex to reach from Paris and Christopher from Pennsylvania (a bit longer for me from California). The weather wouldn’t be too harsh in spring, although most likely rain as it always rains in England. The trails, we naively believed, would not be too strenuous (proven so wrong)! The area shouldn’t be too crowded as it was shoulder season between winter hiking and the enormously famous walks in summer.
I was thrilled by their thoughtfulness while simultaneously hesitant that I could, in fact, complete the journey. Ambitious, yes. Feasible, maybe. I envisioned spending the next few months on trails in northern California, wearing a weighted vest to mimic carrying a 12-15 pound backpack, and managing my physical and mental expectations of this “stretch” goal.
The boys and I had last traveled with only the three of us in summer 2004. Christopher had finished a month-long session at Cambridge University while pursuing his doctorate in philosophy. Alex, then fifteen, and I met him in Edinburgh, explored the city, traveled to St. Andrews College, drove over to Isle of Skye, checked out Scottish kilts and scotch, all in the country of our forefathers. Now, to take a week or so away from their families and partners to spend time with me, was more than most mothers can dream. I had to believe in myself, too.
March 4, 2026:
Eight weeks out from departure day of May 3. For the last two months I’ve hiked 6-10 miles a day, three or four days a week, wearing a weighted vest (starting with six and eventually increasing the weight to ten pounds). I hiked primarily on the Pioneer Express Trail along the North Fork of the American River, from the Rattlesnake Bar launch either north to Auburn or south past Loomis. I also wore the vest when walking around our neighborhood, slowly increasing my ability to carry weight for longer periods and distances. On non-hiking days, I ran four to six miles, swim a half mile, or biked. I tried to increase my strength work, especially focusing on lunges, kettlebell swings, planks, step-ups, single leg squats, hamstring bridges, and the like. There is a plethora of information about training for multi-day hikes, so no excuses.
The physical part of training was going well. I struggled with the mental part of trip preparation. I was so anxious at times, not wanting to let the boys down, but also knowing I’m not as nimble or strong as I used to be. My friends called me the roadrunner when we backpacked in northern California many, many years ago. My ability to scramble up and down forested peaks above alpine lakes seemed natural to me, wanting to go further and longer whenever I had the opportunity. Fifty years later, I no longer had such confidence in my physical ability, wondering whether the boys realized how much I’ve slowed down, how my balance on vertical slopes has declined, how long days on the trail might affect me. Despite my worries, family and friends seemed to think I could meet this challenge, that I was inspiring in my training and discipline, that this was a once-in-life time opportunity.
I worried about what to carry, not wanting the backpack to be more than 13-15 pounds with water, the heaviest, most important item in the pack. I needed to include my clothes, books, water, rain gear, toiletries, and snacks. The weather was an unknown, rain likely a certainty, perhaps low temperatures, as it does snow at the higher elevations even in spring. We wouldn’t have shelter throughout the day, so planning was critical. Certain items were non-negotiable, like clean socks daily, wind protection, sturdy boots, first aid kit. I changed my backing list on an almost daily basis. We joked that, if necessary, the boys could carry some of my gear but I was proud and hoped not to come to that solution.
Most of all, it was not lost on me how very fortunate I am that the two of them, together, planned this adventure–yet a bit daunting. Fortunately, the trails here are gorgeous in their early spring green, yellow, and purple flowers with bright blue skies to encourage me to keep moving!
March 31, 2026:
A month out from our Lake District hike. Our itinerary has been finalized (except for specific trails to hike each day, which will depend on hiking conditions, weather, legs, exhaustion level) and training is progressing, alternating hiking days with running days and some strength work. I’ve worn my backpack with my hydration system (reservoir with tube) but still deciding what to bring. The boys send out updates on shared items, e.g., chocolate and first aid kit, lightweight backpacks to consider (my old one was too heavy, almost three pounds), miscellaneous thoughts on the journey. They ran/hiked in the Dolomites in Italy last summer, so have some experience on how our planned trip should go.
Christopher has estimated each day’s mileage, using the geological survey maps he’s gotten of all the Lake District fells and dales, the lakes, the elevation markers. We will be flexible once we are there, depending on the quality of the trails, and my ability (no question about their abilities) to handle the distance. In my heart, I’m nervous, but also excited to see what I actually can do. The planned itinerary:
Saturday 5/2: Alex and I drive to Ambleside (drive from London’s Heathrow International Airport) (five hours)
Sunday 5/3: Alex and I hike Ambleside —> Wasdale Head Inn, near Scafell Pike (13mi); meet Christopher who is arriving a day later (he is planning to RUN 20 miles from Windermere trail station to Wasdale)
Monday 5/4: Wasdale Head Inn to Keswick (13–15 mi)
Tuesday 5/5: Keswick walk around Derwent Water lake (~10mi)
Wednesday 5/6: Keswick to Patterdale (11–13 mi)
Thursday 5/7: return to Ambleside (9 mi); then onward to London.
April 16, 2026:
Two weeks before the hike starts. Five months preparation, increasing weight of backpack, hiking longer distances, handling more strength work, checking everything twice. My backpack is eleven to twelve pounds (full) including 2L water [to be refilled daily]. We will be staying in small Bed and Breakfast hotels each night for meals and sleeping, so we don’t need to bring tents/sleeping bags or food other than lunch and snacks. My hiking poles and boots are probably the most important things to bring. Many of the trails are very rocky with scree and uneven boulders, so besides potentially aggravating my hamstring or straining my knees, I am concerned about sprained ankles. Cool weather is expected, probably rain, a change from sunny spring-like northern California. Adaptability becomes a key word for us on the trail!
Finally, April 30, departure time. I flew from Sacramento to London, met Alex (he came from Paris on the Channel Tunnel) for our drive to Ambleside. He drove well on the left side of the road, although at times I flinched as we got too close to the ubiquitous rock walls. The countryside was lovely, spring in England, green, flowers, a bit of sunshine. And then, a few miles from our Bed and Breakfast and a detour (diversion). The road was tight and narrow with few pull-outs to pass. All the cars were stopped, a van was stuck about ¼ quarter mile ahead, cars were turning around or backing down the road. Suddenly, a bump and loud hiss. Did we sideswipe the rock fence? We gingerly squeezed out of the car and realize we’d hit a pothole; the front passenger tire is flat. No spare. What a mess. Fortunately, the log jam of cars eased amid offers of help. And thus began a several days battle with Avis/Budget to try to get roadside assistance. Not having a spare was a surprise to us coupled with no local tire shops having the size and brand of tire the car needed. What to do? Evening was coming on, cell coverage was spotty, we were at the behest of strangers who didn’t seem to have any sense of urgency or customer service.
My younger son is the most patient person you might encounter. He persevered even as cell coverage faded in and out, trying to speak to someone who might take some responsibility to help us. Finally, a beginning solution: the car will be towed to a mechanic (where?), an assessment will be made whether to provide a new tire or different car, and sometime during the next few days (we will be hiking and not near any towns), we might have an answer on where the car will be and when it will be ready. Ultimately, we cancel our fifth day of hiking as the logistics and transportation issues overwhelm our schedule. This is where adaptability came into play. We mastered it well!
Finally, we were ready for this adventure to begin. I couldn’t change now how I trained, what I brought, the weather, my fitness. Surprisingly, after having been anxious and nervous for months, I feel a preternatural calm, an ease, putting on my backpack, boots, lengthening the poles to the correct height, leaving behind rain pants and puffer jacket. Let’s go!
May 3, 2026 (Day One):
Alex and I departed Ambleside on the Cumbria Trail in slight showers through forest and bluebell-carpeted meadows. Our goal was Wasdale Head Inn, the birthplace of British climbing and mountaineering, home to the smallest church in England, with a tiny graveyard, most of whose residents were British climbers. Christopher would meet us at the end of the day as he wasn’t arriving in England until that morning. His plan was to take train from Heathrow International Airport to Windermere Lake, then run (!) twenty miles to Wasdale Head Inn.
We hiked the Cumbria Trail for seven miles, mostly flat with some hillside walking. The showers lasted about an hour, not too heavy, so we were able to ease into the trek. And then, the real work started up through Langdale Valley. I don’t think any of us anticipated the quality of the trails, scree, small rocks and boulders of varying shapes and sizes, and the grade. I’d watched some animated videos of some of the trails and didn’t fully understand that we’d be hiking grades of up to 40% (think being on a tall ladder). In person, the trails were so difficult for me, the grade, the slippery slopes, the fog and wind. We thought we might summit Scafell Pike, the tallest mountain in England, but the fog surrounded us in near darkness, the trail disappearing in front of us. We pivoted, hiking over a lower pass, then around the mountain, instead.
Toward the end of the day, after twelve miles or so and eight hours on the trail, we could see the Inn in the distance in the valley, but it would be two more hours until we reached it. I was exhausted, losing confidence, and balance. My legs were shaky, hesitant, baby steps up and then down the steep slopes. I wanted to be off the mountain. The only way, of course, was to keep on going! After seeing some of the photos from that first day, a friend called me brave, an inspiration. I didn’t feel brave at the time, quite the opposite: I had to keep on going, no matter what. So I did. Later, Alex christened the trail “extreme,” telling my husband, his father, that “we put Mom through some trials!”
Christopher also had transportation problems, an accident delayed his train. He, too, was flexible and took an Uber for almost two hours to Ambleside, then running (yes) those same 14.5 miles we’d traversed, in the late afternoon, more fog and wind. We were glad to see him finally arrive about 8:00pm for dinner and sleep.
The details:
14.5 miles
2,969’ net elevation gain (ascent)
Up to 36% grade
Ten hours elapsed time (including cheese sandwich lunch)
Weather: slight rain, wind, fog
May 4, 2026 (Day Two):
The fog had lifted as we made our way from Wasdale Head Inn to Buttermere Lake via Gatherstone Head and Kirk Fell. We hiked along some streams and valley until climbing over Scarth Pass. We maneuvered rock and boulder-strewn fields, crossed soggy bogs, and carefully made our way over ice-cold streams. The path was infinitesimally easier than day one, but again, significant vertical grades on both the ascent and descent over two passes. The Lake District terrain is unique, green, sheep-filled valleys, then either rock steps or scree up and over the passes. Some areas reminded me of moonscapes, with very few trees and likely former volcanic activity thousands of years ago in the area.
Coming over the second pass, we encountered one of our first trees, with plantations (planted forest) to the west of us. The bonus: descending to Buttermere Lake, along meadows of bluebells (perfect timing), huge panoramic views surrounding the lake, the peace and calm in the valley. We experienced more sunshine than rain, such a beautiful sight, undulating shadows on the mountains.
We cut this day short after a late lunch at Buttermere Lake. It was tricky estimated the time to hike over the mountains and passes; we had another estimated six hours of hiking from Buttermere to Keswick, which would probably have us hiking in the dark. Not a good choice, so we gave ourselves some grace and took public transportation to Keswick, our home for the next two nights.
The details:
9 miles
1,550’ net elevation gain
Six hours elapsed time
Weather: cloudy then sunshine (ah, eating chocolate at the top of the pass in warm sun was elixir)
May 5, 2026 (Day Three):
We christened this day “low impact day but still miles” as we walked the ten-mile loop around Derwent Water (“Queen of the Lakes”) outside Keswick. We had lunch overlooking gentle, peaceful farms with Cat’s Bells peak, a very popular hike, in the distance. It was rejuvenating, with forests, flowers (most known for bluebells), bogs, grasses, trees, and exquisite views of the mountains that we will tackle again on Wednesday. We had time to “walk and talk” as my father liked to do, no time limits, no hard passages, no backpack!
The details:
12 miles
1,062’ net elevation gain
Five hours (plus lunch, tour of pencil factory)
Weather: cloudy with a little sunshine
May 6, 2026 (Day Four):
This ended being our last hiking day. The rental car issue, the time it would have taken us to hike from Patterdale to Ambleside (which was no longer our final destination due to the car issue but where our luggage had been left), the need to drive Christopher to Durham for a talk he was giving to Durham University classics and philosophy department, and then for Alex and I to drive back to London, required more adaptability.
Another adventurous day as we walked through many sheep pastures (making our way through all the quintessential stiles, over rock fences or through narrow gates), scrambled down an embankment to cross a stream (some navigation issues), picnicked below White Crag, walked over Sticks Pass (2500’), encountered old mining operation, and always, incredible panoramic views. It was sunny but windswept and chilly with very steep climbs over this pass. We encountered different conditions of trails each day, each pass, each circling of mountains. A challenge but a feeling of success at the end of each day that we’d completed our goals, even as they changed from time to time. My sons are flexible, patient, encouraging. They are perfect hiking partners.
The details:
13 miles
3,100’ net elevation gain
Maximum 40% grade on ascent
Nine hours
Weather: sunny but chilly and windy at top of pass.
May 7, 2026 (Fifth and Final Day):
WE DID IT! Fifty Miles of Hiking over Four Days!
This trip was more than I could ever had imagined. So much harder than I anticipated but a challenge that I completed—and didn’t cry! In retrospect, I am proud of myself. I didn’t fall or get injured. I didn’t strain muscles. I didn’t complain too much. I enjoyed the constant movement, the long days of pushing my limits. I reveled in the beauty of the landscape. Most of all, I appreciated the time with my sons, their belief that at my age, maybe partly because of years of athletic endeavors or knowing I would be disciplined in my training, I had the ability to confront and complete this adventure.
The boys and Doug were so supportive of this trip, encouraging me from its nascent idea. Along the way, my friends noted their confidence in me, reminding me of other tough things I’ve done, hailing my fitness and training efforts, being inspired by my effort to train for and tackle the trip, and rejoicing in my endurance, my not quitting, my continuing to challenge myself and those conceptions people have about getting older.
And now? What’s next? I want to keep moving, to find other enticements to look forward, to stay healthy and joyous, to push my limits. For a bit, though, maybe a break from intense trail training.
The details:
Total almost 50 miles hiking
9,352’ net elevation gain
Up to 40% grade
Four days
Weather: sunny, cloudy, foggy, windy (what one would expect hiking in the Lake District!)
Impressive! I am very proud of you and very happy for you!