Cumbria Way

 Day one

Oh I do love an adventure!  As for lots of people, the past few months have been a barrel of stress and I decided, to see me through the last little bit of term, that I needed a break planned.  I wanted the focus of my holiday to to be being outside and spending a bit of time alone with my thoughts. 

A little research later I decided to go for the Cumbria way - starting at Carlisle and ending up in my home town of Ulverston.  Obviously nothing is simple so step one of getting a string of accommodation with availability sent my blood pressure through the roof. Then trains were a little sparse but, where there is a will there’s a way.

I started off the day in south Cumbria with a lift  to Oxenholme and then the train north. The offer of a lift to Carlisle was there, but what is an adventure without a train ride?  Off the train and straight to the tourist information which was unfortunately closed so no log book for me. Instead I snapped a snazzy photo of the post box. 

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The reputation of the last / first five miles of the Cumbria Way does somewhat preceded it. It does not take you through the most beautiful parts of Carlisle but the people I met more than made up for that. Not a one passed without a cheery hello.  It is lovely to be home. 

The miles slipped away and lunch at Dalston was in the pub. Fuelled up and on my way I met people walking the other way and stopped to chat. We agreed this hadn’t been the best stretch but as predicted at the next turn the country side suddenly started.  I wandered through parkland filled with sheep, chatted to fell runners and meandered along feeling ok. The was a river side clearing where I ate my sandwiches and much to my delight watched a kingfisher zip up and down the water. 

The last stretch was harder work for my by now tired feet: As those miles always are no matter how far you’re going. I took one more river side stop and then took on the last few miles. Ironically I was both extremely thirsty and dying for a wee but I made it to my hotel and settled in. 

Knackered probably covers it but I’m happy enough. I’m in a pub listening in on conversations about false eyes and eagle poo  and having a medicinal glass of wine. In short, my Easter hols are off to a good start