The day gradually came to life. With the windows open due to the heat, first there was the dawn chorus, who made a right racket, then the noise of early morning workers going off, and then the sound of the occasional train at the back of Lesley’s. When Megan the dog arrived in the room I figured it was probably best to get up. After packing up and breakfasting, Les took us down to Millom station, and we took the train to St Bees. On arrival I called the B&B we were scheduled to stay at to see if we could leave our cases there early… stroke of luck, the lady said the room was ready and we could drop our luggage off.

The first part of the Wainwright walk takes you up the coast towards Whitehaven, before coming inland and going slightly south towards Sandwith, before venturing off East. All of this was scheduled to be part of tomorrows walk, but as time was on our side, we decided to do the first half today, about 6-7 miles, coming off the path about a mile north of St Bees to return to the B&B. We will just walk back up tomorrow and pick up the path.

First port of call was the beach at St Bees. Wainwright says you should go for a paddle… so we did. The water was lovely and warm as well. Feet dried off and booted up, we then headed up onto the coastal walk. Past a few lookout areas, we could clearly see the Isle of Man. I tried to tell Tricia it was Thunderbird Island, but that just earned me one of Tricia’s ‘looks’. The sky was clear, it was very still, the Irish Sea very calm. Beautiful. There were a couple of RSPB lookouts, where you could see sea birds, mainly guillemots, some razorbills, crammed in the cliff and rock. We stopped for lunch in a little cove… the sea beckoned, and so I was down to my undies and in the sea. Bloody hell it was freezing. I don’t know what the difference was in a few miles of coast, but I wasn’t long in the sea. Lunch over, and further on we passed a Lighthouse, now privately owned, and then the gradual trend back East and inland. We went through Sandwith, and down to a rail line, where we left the path and headed back to St Bees. Just before we went across a crossroads, and there was an old guy sat in his garden in the shade enjoying the warmth. I glugged the last of my water and he promptly asked if I wanted it refilled. Top Man.

We poked our nose in the Priory, a beautiful old church, and then into the local shop for some cold drinks. After showers we ate in a local called the Manor. Food was ok. But the place was full of people, who had finished for the weekend and were filling themselves with alcohol. They were a little loud. Never mind. So we are

all ready for tomorrow, 4 bottles of water in the fridge chilling. Breakfast at 8, and not so far to walk tomorrow. Which means no time pressures, we can stop and enjoy the route when we want to.