Bill's Coast to Coast Diary

Day 1: St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge

(N.B. Hover your mouse over the pictures for captions)

As I walked to the sea wall at St. Bees from Stonehouse Farm near the station, I was full of apprehension. Would I get to Robin Hood's bay? Would my feet stand the pace? Would I really want to get up and walk every day for the next sixteen days? Would the weather be as bad as looked likely? Had I done enough practice walks? Fourteen miles on the first day was not exactly a gentle introduction.

The sea was surging as we picked up our pebbles from the stony beach: we were hoping to carry them all the way across England to Robin Hood's Bay, where we would cast them into the North Sea.

Bill, Kath, Viv and Phil at St. Bees

We photographed the plaque at the start of the walk,

Plaque at the start

and soon we were climbing up the steps onto the cliffs and looking behind to St Bees.

Looking back to St. Bees

The torrential rain during breakfast had stopped and it was brightening up nicely.

Walking round the coast was really lovely. We dropped down to the beach at Fleswick Bay - what a wonderful romantic place, and then back up for two more miles of wonderful coastal scenery. The RSPB have erected viewing platforms along here. Unfortunately, we didn't feel we had the time to use them, so pressed onwards.

Clifftops at St. Bees Head

Eventually it was time to say goodbye to the coast and we headed inland to Sandwith, where we met Nancy and Jo eating on the bench. Although the pub looked tempting, we were too early for lunch, and so we pressed on past a sign on which some wag had written 'Robin Hood's Bay 185 miles'. Right then, I didn't really need reminding of how far we had to go!

Walking inland

Pressing on through the farm at Demesne and Bell House, we descended to pass under the railway. Hard to think that we were almost back at sea level again several miles inland, after being on 300 ft. cliffs right next to the sea.

The Lake District ahead near Bell House

Of course a downhill means an uphill (at least on this walk) and so we climbed up the fields to the cycleway and continued on that as an alternative to the road. The cycleway was fairly busy and we had to let several cyclists pass.

Fields climbing up from the railway

We left the cycleway at Moor Row and headed through terraced streets, along the road and down a field to meet it again. I think another time I would keep on the cycleway all the way. From here it is a short stroll to Cleator, where we tried in vain to find the cafe for lunch that is promised in the guidebook. Eventually we headed to the pub for a drink and bought some lunch at the shop, which we ate as we climbed up to Black How farm.

Because of tree felling on Dent, we had to walk down the road for a mile or so, and then climbed up Nannycatch road to enter Flat fell. This road felt quite steep after ten miles walking, so it was a case of 'admiring the view' every so often! Leaving the road, the path skirts round the fell, although for a few moments we were unsure whether the waymarks were taking us straight up or less steeply by the wall. The latter was correct, and we had a walk with pleasant views to meet the normal route just before the Kinniside Stone Circle.

View from Flat Fell

After climbing up to see the circle, we had a fine walk down to the Shepherd's Arms at Ennerdale Bridge.

Kinniside Stone Circle

Exhausted after the first day, we nevertheless had a great evening where we met fellow walkers, had a good meal (finally got my Cumberland sausage) and plenty to drink.

Sheperd's Arms