25th September 03

The big day has arrived and Kevin, my son-in-law, is taking us to the start for 9-30am. On the way to the start we stop at some temporary traffic lights in the country that are on red. As we wait for the lights to change Brian says that there are some female joggers approaching, he says there are 2, but when we get closer I say there are 4 as it appears they may be braless, the words rabbit in a sack spring to mind. Riotous laughter sets the tone and puts us in good spirits for the start. The weather is perfect, slight wind, dry with sunny spells, and to continue for the next few days. After eventually finding the starting point and having our photographs taken, Fig 1, we get under way at 9-45am.           

Figure 1 – The Start - Bowness-on-Solway - Ready for the off and looking up for it. Brian on my right.

The walking today is generally flat as we are following the coastline of the Solway Firth then the river Eden. The walk is very boring at this stage as there is a long straight stretch of tarmac road about 3¼ miles long when you feel you are walking and getting nowhere. The right knee is letting me know it is there so I take 2 tablets to tell it to go away, and it works. Brian tells me he is presently reading a book by Wainwright the well known writer of books about the lake district, called A Pennine Journey, the story of his walk in 1938 from Settle to the Roman Wall along the eastern flank of the Pennines, returning down the west side of the Pennines. His journey highlighted the difference in walking then and now, as Wainwright would have walked in shirt and tie, jacket, ordinary trousers, flat cap and shoes with a cape for protection when it rained. He carried no change of clothing apart from one pair of socks on a walk of about 10 days; this provided plenty of banter during our walk, as we were sure we could smell him during our walk through the many farmyards. Our walking gear is in total contrast to Wainwright's or anyone else who walked before WW2. We are wearing 100% cotton tee shirts/polo shirts with lightweight showerproof walking trousers, waterproof walking boots, lightweight anoraks (Not invented in 1938) waterproof overtrousers for when it rained and a fleece sweater if it got colder. But we did have a change of underclothes! Of course walking in the countryside was quite rare in Wainwright's day compared with our walk in which we were encountering walkers approaching us from the east maybe every half mile.

As we approach the built up area of Carlisle, we are glad that our path takes us on a scenic route by the river and into the parks of Carlisle, past tennis courts, football pitches, gardens and golf courses and missing completely the hubbub of the city centre. The last few miles appear to be never ending as auto pilot sets in and we trudge on to finally see our accommodation in sight, it is only 200 yards from the walk, so it will be easy to rejoin tomorrow. The walk today has been what we would of expected, monotonous and tiring. I have asked Brian to keep reminding me during the walk that I am doing this for pleasure.

 After a bath and a well earned rest on the settee in the bedroom of our well appointed accommodation we venture into town for something to eat, but we must first find something for our midday break tomorrow and decide on a bag of apples We both agree on an Italian meal and soon find the Casa Romana, which was voted “The Uk’s No1 Italian Restaurant” and luckily it is “Happy Hour” so a Lasagne with a pint of beer goes down a treat. Returning to our accommodation we retire to bed at 9-00pm, 2½ hours earlier than I would normally retire but an indication of how tired I feel and of the thought of having to awaken at 7-00am.

         HOME                                     NEXT DAY