CW1
Cumbria Way - Day 1
TUESDAY 3RD MAY 2022: Here we go! Time for another trek, this time to the Lake District and the Cumbria Way. I am taking the traditional South to North route (nearly) so start from Ulverston, travelling up on Monday. Delays in flights and trains mean I only arrive early evening but enough time for a wander around and then a tasty pie meal at my overnight layover at the Sun Inn. Ulverston’s claim to fame is being the birth place of Stan Laurel and a very smart statue honours that fact, so I do the obligatory tourist thing and start my photo album
A comfy bed, a good nights sleep and then hogging out on waffles and bacon for breaky set me up for my first day’s walk to Coniston, a 16 mile walk, initially through farm country but then into the Lake District fells. First off I find The Gill, the official start of the Cumbria Way, marked by an interesting sculpture, integrating rocks from the route, compass points and OS map references. Quirky
The day is quiet as I make my way through fields and pastures, with a bit of country road walking. This type of landscape requires a very precise route to be taken, otherwise houses, hedges, gates & fences block the way, so thankfully I have GPS support (the Cumbria Way also not well signposted). The one time this goes wrong I find a work around without too much drama. Certainly at this time of year, you don’t want to be wondering into the wrong fields that might be full of ‘mums’ protecting their young. There are a couple of army cadet groups relying on map & compass and they seem to be struggling a bit, not surprising given the intricate route
The weather is a little dull, with light rain for half an hour or so, but I don’t care, I am lovin’ it, it’s great to be out exploring. Even better, a few miles in I start to get teasing glimpses of fells and hills and soon enough my surroundings evolve and I am walking through moors, by lunchtime reaching Beacon Tarn (Tarn an old Norse word for a small lake or pond which is typically used in this area). I stop for a bite to eat, sitting on the shore and able to contemplate life
I can spy a couple of hikers on the far shore, which is the official route but I remain to the East and climb to the summit of nearby Beacon Fell, a 255 metre top, which gives an overview of Coniston Water. This is the one of the largest lakes in the Lake District, noted for being 5 miles long and, to me, synonymous with water speed records and Donald Campbell. Unfortunately, the mist limits the view, but Coniston still looks tantalising and in the other direction I can just make out Morecambe Bay (whose immense sandflats had impressed me yesterday whilst passing on my train journey)
I descend from the fell top and saunter along in clearer conditions, a few miles on reaching the Southern tip of the lake, with the route then following the Western shore line to Coniston village. Mentally, it feels like I am nearly at the end, however, there are still 3 miles to go and this seems to take forever. Mind games!. It is a rough trail at times, but the water offers some lovely views. There is not a breath of wind and the water is mirror calm
Coniston finally arrives and I make my way quickly to the Ruskin Museum, my ideal end to the day, albeit one I had to reach by 4:30pm being last admittance, this achieved with 1 minute to spare!. I make a quick tour of what is a small, but visit-worthy museum, but my particular interest is the Donald Campbell exhibit and this doesn’t disappoint. Despite the tragic ending, Campbell’s story is fascinating and glorious
My day is done, one that I have really enjoyed. Whilst arguably presented as a low-key route, it’s a taster of what is to come and it builds nicely through to Coniston, a lovely end point. Being the first day of the journey, when you are full of anticipation, it works really well. Five stars
