Or, really it is the same walk several times, four attempts with the same goal, and a double dent summit! Huh? Read on…
Our “I don’t want to go far or put too much effort in” walk was to go to Longlands Lake, just outside of Cleator Moor. It was a quick drive there, never too many people (although there were these two little ones out with their grandparents for a walk one morning…I wanted to hug them…then I got sad missing our two grandkids – and our kids!) and somehow it just instilled a sense of peace. We were there several different times, in different weather, but it always was a good walk!
In Cumbria, the hills are called Fells. I’m sure there’s an ancient reason for that. And the area where we were (and maybe on other hilltops), the summits have rock cairns built on them. It’s kind of nice because you have a visual goal to keep you going up the hill! One day we decided we would climb not one, but two fells! Which wouldn’t have been so bad except you have to go down to go back up. Ugh. Plus it was a misty day so the views weren’t so great. But we did have an excellent sense of accomplishment😁
We kept meaning to do that hike again but never got to it. But the last one is the hike we did over and over…mainly because we had a goal that was proving elusive! Shortly after we arrived in Cumbria we heard about the coastal path (which is different from the coast to coast path, but both begin at the same point) that started, or I guess ended too, at St Bee’s beach. As we began the hike we could see a lighthouse way off in the distance – this was our goal. We discovered that it was further away than we thought! So, on the first attempt we did not make it – although we still got a great hike in. And met loads of very nice cows and sheep as we walked through their fields.
The next three attempts to reach the lighthouse were begun from Whitehaven instead of St Bee’s. Why? It was closer to us, that’s all. From either direction it is a gorgeous hike along the coast. When it’s clear you can see the Isle of Man to the west and an arm of Scotland to the north. On the fourth (and final) attempt we finally made it to the lighthouse. It’s not that the hike was difficult or anything – we just never allowed enough time!
Did we take a photo of the lighthouse when we finally reached it? Um, no. But we did make it there I promise!
Our time in Cumbria had come to an end. It was time to load up the car and move ourselves across the country to York.