DAY 1 ... ST BEES TO ENNERDALE BRIDGE ... 14 MILES
My itinerary; started the C2C May 6 in St Bees on
the Irish Sea, finished 18 May in Robin Hoods Bay on
the North Sea, 195 miles in 13 days. I'll be adding
another 15 miles down the coast to Scarborough to
catch the train to York. This morning I'm well
rested and raring to go. After a very nice English
breakfast with four eating mates, I was off by 8:45.
Robert was gone by the time I finished breakfast and
I didn't see him again. At the beach carpark, I saw
a group of 8 leaving a van and hoisting their
backpacks. I'll glimpse them every day until we
reach RHB and the Bay Hotel where we hoisted some
pints.
Statue of St. Bega
Overlooking Start of C2C
Up Onto St. Bees Head
From St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge was sloshy, muddy
and rainy. Light clouds hovered along the clifftops
as I pass a couple struggling up onto St. Bees Head,
a rocky cliff with soaring seagulls, crashing waves
below. At Fleswick Bay, I followed the ravine to the
beach with high red rock cliffs. Wonderful pebbles
here, I selected one to carry across England and
throw into the North Sea, an old tradition. Passing
the lighthouse, everyone else is behind me except
for a fresh set of boot prints. Could it be Robert
who had left by 8 am?
Birds Below St. Bees Head
Fleswick Bay Where Wonderful Pebbles Are Found
Cliffside Path Near The Lighthouse
Away from the coast, I pass under RR tracks and into
bog/water heaven, primed from yesterdays rain. Map
is vague here, can this really be the right way? The
van group catch up and I follow across the water
logged field. They have a good navigator. At
Cleator, they stop for lunch and I pass them for
good. I'm in familiar territory now. In 2004, I
walked from Cleator to Richmond, about 2/3 of the
C2C, skipping St. Bees by bussing to Cleator from
Whitehaven just up the coast.
Climbing up Dent Hill I pass a couple putting on
their waterproofs. It's getting very windy and rainy
and they are having a hard time. My Marmot jacket is
keeping me snug and dry. The cairn at the top of
Dent has been built into a wind shelter since I was
here last. It's so foggy I can hardly see the way.
If clear, there would be a wonderful view. Down,
down, down to Nannycatch, one of the most invitingly
beautiful, isolated dales in England but its hard to
tell on this rainy day. There is a stone circle
around here, but I couldn't find it. Not much
further to Ennerdale Bridge.
Nannycatch Beck - A Little Bit of Heaven
Cloggers B&B is a cozy and friendly place but bare
bones, shared bath, no TV, no cookies with
tea/coffee. Also no cell phone reception. Tom
suggested the old oak tree across from Shepherds
Arms was the best place to catch a signal, but I had
no luck. My wife will just have to wait another day.
Had a very good pint of Speckled Hen ale at the pub,
but the food was as mediocre as it was 5 years ago.
I had a beef stroganoff but should have tried the
spinach Wensleydale tart just for fun.
Oh my god, I just found the room key from Stonehouse
Farm. What to do? Luckily, Tom said he will give it
to the postman who stops at St. Bees. It will get
back by tomorrow. Whew, I hate it when this happens;
last time was 12 years ago in Ireland.
Shepherds Arms in Ennerdale Bridge