16/08/07 St Bees To Ennerdale Bridge
Marching off this morning in the bright clean air I headed towards the beach and Bees Head, the beginning of the walk. Must've been on time, as another couple of hikers, man and woman (turned out to be John and Sharon Carlin) left their hotel right behind me.
Bees Head is remarkable, with the kind of cliffs that inspired Alfred Hitchcock's terror movies. It was also the longest time of the day's walk, as I took snap after snap. I think the idea of walking the first 5 miles around the Head and coming back by bus to your camp in St Bees (as suggested by the Stone House caretaker and followed by the Chaney family) on the day you arrive is a good one, as the light would be good (from the west) but walking it all in one day is important as well....
Breakfast was a hearty full English at 5L (L is for pounds), making a total of 8.50 for room and board. I was out about 0830. At one point after BH it looked like heavy rain coming, so I put on my Frogg Togg top and just as the rain was imminent a typical British red telephone booth turned up. I stepped inside as the first drops fell, waited out 5 minutes of heavy rain, and stepped back out to remove the top and continue on.
Found the Guidebook by Henry Stedman (British Walking Series) a little TOO detailed, as it covers a small distance per page and one needs a marching band music holder to keep it at eye level as one walks. Several pubs/restaurants were closed, but 3 Tuns Pub was open for lunch and strategically located at a turn in the walk. 5L bought a meat and potato pie and a pint.
Got a bit off track at Stanley Pond, where the walk just traverses a few fields, so I stopped and had a 'think', buried it, and pressed on. Found a roadway/bike path and switched from book to Harvey Map and compass walking through Moor Row and Cleator in quick succession. Crossing a dent and by Nanny catch Beck I also erred, but got back to the road into Ennerdale Bridge.
Continued into Ennerdale Bridge and set up camp - meeting the Chaney's again (they had reservations down the road another 5 mile but had stopped for dinner) and John and Sharon Carlin (the couple who started behind me) and a chap from the Netherlands named Louk who had only been speaking English 3 years!
What a road! Barely 1 1/2 car width, if that, with NO berm or side for the pedestrians. It did have a nice, high, safe public footpath paralleling, though, which was used and appreciated. Fox & Hound at EB was the first, and , to our knowledge, only game in town, so soon there were 3 tents in the garden. We had a merry time of it (just a little too merry), enjoying dinner and beers.
Bees Head is remarkable, with the kind of cliffs that inspired Alfred Hitchcock's terror movies. It was also the longest time of the day's walk, as I took snap after snap. I think the idea of walking the first 5 miles around the Head and coming back by bus to your camp in St Bees (as suggested by the Stone House caretaker and followed by the Chaney family) on the day you arrive is a good one, as the light would be good (from the west) but walking it all in one day is important as well....
Breakfast was a hearty full English at 5L (L is for pounds), making a total of 8.50 for room and board. I was out about 0830. At one point after BH it looked like heavy rain coming, so I put on my Frogg Togg top and just as the rain was imminent a typical British red telephone booth turned up. I stepped inside as the first drops fell, waited out 5 minutes of heavy rain, and stepped back out to remove the top and continue on.
Found the Guidebook by Henry Stedman (British Walking Series) a little TOO detailed, as it covers a small distance per page and one needs a marching band music holder to keep it at eye level as one walks. Several pubs/restaurants were closed, but 3 Tuns Pub was open for lunch and strategically located at a turn in the walk. 5L bought a meat and potato pie and a pint.
Got a bit off track at Stanley Pond, where the walk just traverses a few fields, so I stopped and had a 'think', buried it, and pressed on. Found a roadway/bike path and switched from book to Harvey Map and compass walking through Moor Row and Cleator in quick succession. Crossing a dent and by Nanny catch Beck I also erred, but got back to the road into Ennerdale Bridge.
Continued into Ennerdale Bridge and set up camp - meeting the Chaney's again (they had reservations down the road another 5 mile but had stopped for dinner) and John and Sharon Carlin (the couple who started behind me) and a chap from the Netherlands named Louk who had only been speaking English 3 years!
What a road! Barely 1 1/2 car width, if that, with NO berm or side for the pedestrians. It did have a nice, high, safe public footpath paralleling, though, which was used and appreciated. Fox & Hound at EB was the first, and , to our knowledge, only game in town, so soon there were 3 tents in the garden. We had a merry time of it (just a little too merry), enjoying dinner and beers.
posted by Randy Masters at 1:15 AM
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