Ah....the 15 seat Ford Transit to the rescue...

MM used the miracle of communication to establish that we can, after all, rent and drive a minivan that will accommodate everyone. That changes everything! Here's the re-think:

Day 0: "Fancy meeting you here!"

All meet up in Carlisle, pick up minivan. Drive (together!) to St Bees.

Day 1: "Warm up"

Loop walk, 5-8 miles
Acquire provisions (snacks etc) for days ahead

Day 2: "Drawing straws to (not) be driver"

Drive 11 people and bags St Bees to Ennerdale 20 mins
(Walkers set off east, 11 mile walk)

Drive bags Ennerdale to Grasmere 50 mins
Drive Grasmere to Honister Hause 34 min
Walk west to meet rest of party
Walk back to Honister Hause with everyone

Drive 11 people Honister Hause to Grasmere 34 mins
Drink

Map of bus system (not that we need it any more, with the wonders of a 15 seat van!)

Day 3: "We can't all drive..."

As muscles scream from the previous day's hill climb, there may be great enthusiasm for being the driver today.

Drive 11 people west Grasmere to Rosthwaite 29 min
Walkers set off east, 9 miles 2000 ft el
Drive back to Grasmere 29 min
Driver walks west from Grasmere to meet eastbound walkers

Day 4: "8 miles till a rest day"

Simpler days beckon

Walkers set off east, 8 miles 1800ft el gain
Drive bags to Glenridding 38 mins
Driver walks west to meet eastbound crew

Day 5: "Sit down protest"

I picture us spending the day on the lawn of one of the hotels in the sunshine drinking gin and tonic. Except that it probably will be raining and none of us will have the energy to walk to the bar to get the drinks and, since we're not in Kansas any more, no-one will bring the drinks to us. So we'll just slump somewhere blob-like.

Day 6 and beyond: "Too far away to care"

The biggest walking and driving challenges will be behind us. We'll be a well-oiled machine (or a creaking, groaning, grumpy machine) so I'm not going to think this far ahead.

Driving may be harder than walking...logistically

Because we're approaching this walk in an unconventional way (not walking coast to coast, nor even coast to middle, but walking a coastal loop then driving to the Lake District, and walking select segments not necessarily in the right direction or all together) we may have replaced a major walking challenge with a major driving one instead.

I think I'm the only one tangled up in the details of this. I'm hoping that a blog post will either untangle my brain or get everyone to freak out :)

Day 0: "Fancy meeting you here!"

All arrive in St Bees. Likely Cs by minivan, Ls and Ms by train.

Day 0 or 1: "Paperwork"

Everyone who might feasibly drive the 7-seat minivan has to present at the car hire place (probably Budget in Workington) to be added to insurance.

Day 1: "Warm up"

Loop walk, 5-8 miles
Acquire provisions (snacks etc) for days ahead

Day 2: "Drawing straws to (not) be driver"

Drive 6 people St Bees to Ennerdale 20 mins
Drive back 20 mins
Pick up bags and 4 people, drive St Bees to Ennerdale 20 mins
(Walkers set off east, 11 mile walk)

Drive bags Ennerdale to Grasmere 50 mins
Drive Grasmere to Honister Hause 34 min
Walk west to meet rest of party
Walk back to Honister Hause with everyone

Drive 6 people Honister Hause to Grasmere 34 mins
Drive back 34 mins
Drive 4 people to Grasmere 34 mins
Drink

There are some alternatives possible here. The first is simply to skip to the final step without ever leaving St Bees :) More reasonable alternatives include having all of the second group walk west with the driver. And/or finding 4 people willing to explore the public bus system at the end of a 11 mile walk (I'll sign up for that happily, so just need 3 more volunteers.)

Map of bus system

I don't think 6 people + all bags will fit in the van. It might even be tight with 4 people + all bags. So that also complicates things.

Day 3: "We can't all drive..."

As muscles scream from the previous day's hill climb, there may be great enthusiasm for being the driver today.

Drive 6 people west Grasmere to Rosthwaite 29 min
Walkers set off east, 9 miles 2000 ft el
Drive back to Grasmere 29 min
Remaining 5 people walk west from Grasmere to meet eastbound crew

Some alternatives here too. The van could be left in Rosthwaite, as long as the eastbound crew were determined to make it all the way to Rosthwaite to drive it back to Grasmere.

Also, depending on the bus experience from day 2, the eastbound crew could take the bus from Grasmere to Rosthwaite.

Day 4: "8 miles till a rest day"

Simpler days beckon

Walkers set off east, 8 miles 1800ft el gain
Drive bags to Glenridding with up to 5 people 38 mins
Walk west to meet eastbound crew

Day 5: "Sit down protest"

I picture us spending the day on the lawn of one of the hotels in the sunshine drinking gin and tonic. Except that it probably will be raining and none of us will have the energy to walk to the bar to get the drinks and, since we're not in Kansas any more, no-one will bring the drinks to us. So we'll just slump somewhere blob-like.

Day 6 and beyond: "Too far away to care"

The biggest walking and driving challenges will be behind us. We'll be a well-oiled machine (or a creaking, groaning, grumpy machine) so I'm not going to think this far ahead.