St Bee's

 Gillian took me to the train station in Paisley where I caught a train to Glasgow and another to Carlisle and another to St Bee's finally getting to the B&B at 2:30.  It's a beautiful place high on a hill (they offer to pick you up  at the station - I walked - mistake - take them up on their offer) with very nice rooms, and they greet you with tea in the garden overlooking the town.

Fleatham House in St Bee's

Earl and Lois were already here with their friends Arnie and Margaret from York.  Keith arrived shortly after me and wisely called for a ride up the hill.

I took a walk around town and visited the St Bee's priory.  It is a 12th century church in use as a church for nearly 1000 years.  http://stbees.org.uk/history/priory/index.html

St Bees school.  The part on the left is the original school built in 1585,  It's been centuries since the class of '85 had their last reunion.

I went down to the sea to find the start of the coast to coast trail,  It's at least a 2 mile walk from our B&B. While I was there, I picked up my Irish Sea stone.  The coast to coast tradition is that you take a stone from the Irish Sea, and drop it into the North sea when you finish.

All six of us went to dinner at The Queen.  I had Toad in a hole which is British for sausage on a pastry with potatoes and carrots.

As I am typing this, an Alfred Hitchcock movie has broken out.  It sounds like thousands of birds are waiting for Tippi Hedren to leave the Fleatham House.  I'm yelling out the window "Hey birds she died" but they don't listen.  I may have to send Lois out.

Walking around St Bee's has given me my first chance to practice my UK street crossing routine.  It goes like this - look right, look left, look right, look left, look right, look left, if no cars coming, cross street but continue swiveling your head.  Many British cars are invisible until they are twenty yards from you.

The hike starts along that cliff.

Tomorrow we start the hike with a 14 mile walk to Ennerdale Bridge

From the internet (so it must be true) 

Ennerdale village is on the quiet winding road that leads from Cleator Moor to Ennerdale Water, and is a collection of largely modern dwellings spanning the River Ehen.  Ennerdale Water is the most westerly of the lakes, and the most remote, so it offers, even in high season, a place to escape. It is the only lake that does not have a road running alongside it.

Ennerdale Valley from Kirkland.

The Ennerdale valley, around Ennerdale Lake, contains one of the largest forests in Cumbria, and has more than 20 miles of forest road, and many other paths open to the public. The village is only a short distance from the West Cumbria Cyclepath from Whitehaven to Rowrah, which continues along minor roads towards Ennerdale. 

Wainwright‘s Coast to Coast Walk, starts at St Bees, and travels through Cleator before reaching Ennerdale village, so the village with its two pubs and a village shop is a popular stopping off point on the route.

St Mary’s Church, and the Fox and Hounds pub.

The church of St Mary was built on the site of a medieval chapel between 1856 and 1858. The fell road from Ennerdale Bridge to Calder Bridge passes within a few metres of the small but impressive Kinniside Stone Circle, and continuing along this fell road, one can park and walks to the ancient Monks Bridge packhorse bridge.

Ghyll Farm B&B

Ghyll Farm is in the heart of Ennerdale with easy access to the Coast to Coast It has comfortable, high standard accommodation in one of the most peaceful valleys in the English Lake district with spectacular views of the Ennerdale fells and valley and easy access to the walking routes.