St Bees to Ennerdale

A gentle introduction.

Today we took a stroll along some cliffs.  The long detour from St Bees to Sandwith does appear a bit of a nonsense when you look at the map, but it makes the walking day more interesting than just heading across country from the coast.

We were blown around but the cormorants were enjoying the rollercoaster air in an impressive aerial display.  Unfortunately it is too late in the year to see any birds nesting along the cliffs at the RSPB view points.

Up till the lighthouse the path is now on a permissive path, a little way in from the cliff.  After that it becomes distinctly more interesting under foot.  Navigation on a misty day would be a little unnerving.

The three villages of Sandwith, More row and Cleator are joined by undulating pasture.  Rather featureless and not a lot to remark upon.  Nor have the ‘settlements’ themselves a great deal to offer.  Square, utilitarian houses built for practicality not visual appeal.

Sandwith

Sandwith having a little charm and Cleator an interesting church, but otherwise they are just for passing through.  Moor Row can be avoided altogether by taking the somewhat more attractive cycle route round the periphery, but we managed to miss it by looking at the Harvey Coast to Coast Map, not reading the book and ignoring my GPS.

Dent

Eventually we climbed a hill – Dent.  Not a big hill but a hill non the less and here  we could see the Lake District proper!  Scafell Pike and Scafell hit the horizon, unfortunately not in great clarity.

The drop down to Nannycatch is steep and caused a bit of a bottle neck.  The we people who had passed us while we ate our lunch all appeared at once.  May be they were just lingering as it was the first attractive landscape since the coast.

Raven Crag from Nannycatch

Nannycatch funnels up to the fell and suddenly we were in Ennerdale.  The first sighting of the lake with Bowness Knott and Crag Fell standing on the sides.

Ennerdale Water

And as with all good walks – we ended in the pub.  Fox and Hounds at Ennerdale, before being picked up by our overnight hosts, the Stork Hotel, Rowrah.

Bar at The Stork, Rowrah