Early morning in St. Bees
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An 8.15 start after an average breakfast. We walked down to the beach and dipped our boots in the sea, as is the custom. Then we followed the minor climb (with good views backwards over the beach) to the clifftop followed by a mostly level path, except for the drop to Fleswick Bay and climb out again. Nothing on the bird cliffs this late in the year, but a Peregrine and a few Fulmars flew by. Once we left the clifftop path it was a pleasant but unexciting inland walk to Cleator, ignoring the pub at Sandwith (OK, it was shut!). Great lads in the Three Tuns at Cleator, very friendly and talkative. After the pub (and a tuna and coleslaw sandwich from the shop - odd mixture but it was the last sarnie they had - eaten on the go) we faced the long drag through conifers (still and sweaty), then a tiring slog to the top of Dent Fell - good views seawards but a bit hazy. Boggy saddle between the two summits then steep stony descent through more conifers to Uldale. Pleasant level walking along the stream then long downhill stretch on paths alongside the road to Ennerdale Bridge.
Went wrong twice, between Stanley Pond and Moor Row, and marginally on the way up Dent Fell. I also managed to lose a T-shirt which I'd draped across my rucksack to dry. Slightly tired and sore-footed but no major problems so far.
Weather: sunny and warm throughout. Walk: 6/10. Mood: 7/10. Cumulative distance: 14.9 miles.
Early morning in St. Bees
Dipping our feet in the Irish Sea
First footsteps...
The beach at St. Bees
Caravans
Lesson one - light your campfire outside the tent.
St. Bees Head
The route down to Fleswick Bay
North Head
Leaving the coast with Whitehaven in view
Sandwith...and Andy walks past a pub
Demesne
Near Stanley
We went slightly wrong somewhere near this old chestnut tree...
...but followed this cyclepath to get back on track
Andy struggles to get himself and his pack through a tight-fitting kissing gate
The River Ehen at Cleator
En route for Dent Fell (scene of another minor route-finding glitch - this isn't
actually on the official C2C route)
Climbing Dent Fell
First proper view of the Lakeland fells
Descending to Uldale
Nannycatch
Dedicated C2C footpath alongside the road to Ennerdale Bridge
Angler's Crag and C2C sign near Ennerdale Bridge
So far so good - the end of Day 1 and no major problems.
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