Log No 177. Wed 13th Nov 2013 - Sellafield to Silecroft, 20 miles (2721 miles walked)

It was a late start today as I first drove to Silecroft, where I intended to finish, then got the train back to Sellafield. I started walking at 10.10, the weather was overcast but dry and still windy.

A good footpath followed the railway from Sellafield and went alongside the golf course and into Seascale.

I met a hiker coming towards me on the golf course, I asked him if he was going far, "Round the coast" he said.

This was Rob, a young chap from Stoke, and he hadn't been going long.

He was camping and planned on completing the trek in 10 months which means we should meet up again!

He looked to be carrying less than I did, the only thing he had on the outside of his rucsac was a fishing rod and he seemed confident enough that he would catch his supper and cook it over an open fire. This would supplement the many chocolate bars he said he was carrying.

I wished him well but I certainly don't envy him, unfortunately he is not keeping a web log so I can't follow his exploits but he has mine so he may be in touch.

Leaving Seascale I took to the shore and walked on the beach, passing a group of cows who looked like they were having a day out at the seaside.

I had to get across the River Esk estuary, made up of three rivers: Irt, Mite & Esk. The map showed a footpath going across each of these by a ford.

I came inland to look at the first ford over the River Irt but it looked too deep and muddy so I took the detour round by Drigg and Holmrook.

Rob had waded across the Esk but then from Ravenglass took the detour to miss the next two.

I was heading for Ravenglass on the road but there was a cycleway sign going to Saltcoats and the second ford across to Ravenglass. I assumed there must be some kind of bridge over for the bikes so I took this shorter route.

The ford didn't look too bad with the tide out but there was a narrow bridge built onto the side of the railway bridge so I used it.

From Ravenglass the footpath was along the shore of the River Esk with the ford by another railway bridge, I thought I might chance walking along this bridge instead of wading across as Rob did.

The Esk was wide with muddy banks, crossing the bridge was out of the question as there were workmen on it.

I had no choice now, Rob didn't say how deep it was but I wasn't taking any chances and took my trousers off.

The water wasn't flowing too much at all and the bottom was firm, nor was it as cold as thought it would be.

I had brought sandals with me for crossing the rivers but because of the mud decided to go barefoot.

The water only went up to just below my knees but it wasn't much fun squelching through the mud on the other side.

There was no clean water anywhere so I wiped my feet on the grass and wore my sandals until my feet dried and then put my socks and shoes back on.

It was 14.00 and I had only stopped the once for half my lunch, looking at the map I still had almost 10 miles to go which meant it may well be dark before I finish so I decided I had better press on, I wasn't feeling particularly hungry anyway, strange as that may sound.

It was a couple of miles on the road then footpath along the low cliff top. Erosion had taken away a lot of the path so I had to walk on the stones on the beach.

I was briefly back on land to get to a footbridge across the River Annas then it was back onto the stones.

The map showed a sandy beach for the final stretch to Silecroft but it was only sandy at low water, the foreshore was all marble sized pebbles and tough and slow to walk on.

The tide was still quite a way out, so I was able to walk on the sand, but it was coming in and the light was fading.

I got opposite the car park at Silecroft just as the tide was starting to reach the pebbles, it was 16.50 and the light almost gone, I couldn't have tined it any better.

Another 20 miles completed but more than I had expected because of the detour.

The camper was in the car park and I was going to spend the night here, regardless of the No Overnight Parking sign, but after having a mug of tea decided to move to a layby I had seen a couple of miles back.
The wind had never let up and was rocking the van, I wanted somewhere a bit more sheltered.