Log No 178. Thu 14th Nov 2013 - Silecroft to Kirkby-in-Furness, 18 miles (2739 miles walked)

It was a good decision to park somewhere more sheltered as the wind had further increased and was still gale force when I woke.

Lying warm & cosy in my bed it was an effort to get up, this will be my biggest problem when the weather is bad and it is still dark.

I eventually got walking at 09.00, the tide was still in so I had to walk on the pebbles, fortunately the wind had changed direction and was now on my back so it was big help.

The wind was whipping up the foam from the crashing waves and blowing it about like snow.

I came off the beach at Haverigg as I was now at another big estuary, Duddon Sands.

There are a few public rights of way across the estuary but I wasn't going to chance using any of them, they all warn of "Dangerous Sands".

From Haverigg I went into Millom to get onto a track alongside the railway.

There were paths closer to the estuary but as they were on or adjacent to marshland I was going to avoid them if I could.

When the track came to the minor road I turned further inland going through the small village of Strand and on to Arnaby where I picked up a footpath going through farmland.


Apart from the cold northwesterly wind, this morning was the first time for months that I have needed to wear gloves, it was a beautiful day and a pleasure to be walking the country paths and lanes.

After walking through Lady Hall I was forced to join the main road and it was back to dodging traffic, all the more hazardous as there was no verge.

I stayed on the main road, crossing over the River Duddon and round to Foxfield on the other side of the estuary.

I was aiming to catch the 15.00 train, the next one at 16.41 was a bit too late in the day, and thought I might get to Askam in Furness in time for it but with the extra detours that wasn't possibly.

Kirkby-in-Furness was the station before Askam and I got there at 14.40.

18 easy miles.

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