Travel Day

This trip had been planned in November 2009, and I was supposed to be doing it with my friend Anne and Zuka, her Labrador, but unfortunately, Zuka injured her paw the night before departure, and so, on the morning of departure, I had to make the decision to go it alone. Anne had booked the luggage transfer and all the accommodation, and the weather forecast, at least for the next few days, was good, so I decided to give it a go.  Anyway, I wouldn’t be walking entirely alone – I would have my Boxer, Poppy for company.

The route from Ulverstone to Carlisle

Leaving Anne’s house at a little after 5am, I think I arrived in Ulverston at about 10.30am.  I found the B&B quite easily, but took Poppy for a quick walk on Hoad Hill before checking in my bags.  Logistically, it might have seemed easier to drive straight to Carlisle, leave the car at the final B&B and get the train back to Ulverston.  However, with 2 heavy bags, a rucksack, and a dog, I really didn’t fancy it, particularly as the train journey involved a change at Lancaster.

Hoad Hill and monument from Canal path

Swan sitting on eggs

After dropping off the bags at St Mary’s Mount (B&B), I drove into the town centre to purchase a camera. Anne always takes the photos on our walks, so I hadn’t brought one with me – it was £80 I hadn’t intended spending, but never mind, I couldn’t possibly walk the Cumbria way without taking pictures to look back on later.  Poppy & I then walked down the (now disused) Ulverston canal, to the basin on Morecombe Bay, and back.  Although there were some rather ugly industrial buildings on the opposite bank of the canal, Morecombe Bay itself was very scenic.



Morecambe Bay



Poppy at the canal foot

Then it was back in the car to retrace my steps to the M6 and then north to Carlisle.  Having dropped the car at Howard Lodge, the final B&B, I walked the half mile or so to the station.  I had to wait about 40 minutes for the train, and then a further 30 minutes for the connection at Lancaster, so it was about 7pm by the time I arrived back in Ulverston.



Waiting for the connection to Ulverston at Lancaster station

Crossing town, I bought some fish and chips for supper, which I ate back at the B&B.  There was then just time for a walk up to the Hoad Hill monument (built in 1850 in memory of John Barrow, a famous explorer and founder of the Royal Geographical Society), before collapsing into bed.  A pretty tiring day with all that travelling, but I was now really looking forward to starting the Cumbria Way the following morning.

Evening sky, Hoad Hill