Dad seems to be going further today in the car than we have done on recent walks but in the air is a familiar scent that seems to be getting stronger as we approach a place called Whitehaven.
Looking through the window in the back of the car we see the sea to our right but dad drives straight past. Eventually we turn towards it and a new place called St Bees.
For many, St Bees marks either the start or the end of the Wainwright Coast to Coast walk. Around 190 miles long the trek takes you from St Bees to Robin Hoods Bay on the east coast of England.
Our walk would hopefully only last a few hours and not the 14 days of the Coast to Coast.
Looking out across the sands at St Bees
Winding our way along some narrow roads, we park in the big car park on the sea-front near to the pale yellow coloured RNLI lifeboat station. Built in 1995 the boathouse contains an Atlantic 75 boat. This is the same kind of boat we saw launched last August up the coast at Silloth.
To our right are the many static caravans of the Hoseasons Seacote holiday Park. Between us and the beach is a wide strip of grass, some pebbles and then all that lovely sand just waiting for us to run over it.
So what do you find in a rock pool?
Rock pools
Mum and dad have their splodging boots on so we know we are in for some fun and a great long walk.
Although the beach looked very flat and boring, we soon found that it was littered with big deep puddles which we just had to inspect.
Slimy green stuff, mum called seaweed, clung to the rocks which made them a bit slippy and smelly.
Coastal erosion at St Bees
We have come to expect the water at the seaside to taste funny so it was a good job dad had the bottle of fresh water on hand for when we wanted a drink.
Erosion
Many dogs had brought their humans to the beach to take advantage of the dry, reasonably warm weather for the time of year.
Stop, Look and Listen as we cross the tracks
Our walk went right to the far end of the beach where we came upon what appears to be damage to the embankment and the remains of some sea defences.
Climbing up off the beach, we find a gap in the fence with a footpath sign nearby pointing us back towards the town.
To our left are the manicured lawns of the St Bees Golf Club to our right the coastal railway line.
Daffodils are open in St Bees
Daffodils
Using the small bridge to cross Pow beck, we climb the steps up to the railway line where we stop, look and listen as the big sign says, before we cross over the long metal snakes that dad calls tracks.
Facing us is quite a steep climb up a path lined with daffodils and other assorted plants. Many of the bright golden trumpets were heralding the arrival of spring, in contrast to many areas of the county where the daffodils have so far failed to open.
Turning left at the top of the hill we past one house that had a very unusual front garden.
Miniature house in St Bees
Hillside Cottage has many small houses made from stones, no doubt collected from the beach, placed around a pond.
Next to one of the buildings we spotted a caravan and sat outside another are a pair of dogs.
The Pinfold at St Bees
It must have taken hours of work to put these buildings together.
Pinfold
Somehow dad always seems to be able to find interesting things and right on cue he turns right up an alley and comes across a round enclosure built of stones with a wooden gate.
Alongside the gate is a small plaque that says that a Pinfold is where stray animals were impounded and only released to their owners upon payment of a fine to the Pinder, who was an officer of the Lord of the Manor.
The St Bees Rimming Stone
Dad suggests that he leaves us here and collect us later in the day. Mum thinks about it but suggests otherwise.
Rimming stone
Our walk has now entered the town proper as we head towards St Bees Railway Station but not before we investigate the St Bees Rimming Stone.
Nearby a large black cold lump of metal called an anvil gives a hint that the rimming stone is connected in some way to metal bashing.
On the wall above the anvil is a silver plaque that explains that the rimming stone was used in the construction and repair of wooden cartwheels.
A welcome drink of fresh water
The cartwheel was laid on the rimming stone, with the wheel hub in the centre. A red hot metal band was then forced around the edge of the wheel. As the band contracted it shrank to fit with a little encouragement of a big hammer blow or two.
Thirsty
By now we were getting a little thirsty, so it was with perfect timing that we spotted this small stone drinking bowl.
St Bega statue in St Bees
No doubt it had some special local significance, however it had some cool water and that is exactly what we needed as we approached the railway station.
Erected in 2000 and designed by Colin Telfer the statue of St Bega can be seen in a small park area just beyond the railway tracks.
Sleeping child garden, St Bees Priory Church
St Bega has close connections with this area, as it is thought that she landed here after fleeing across the Irish sea.
Josefina de Vasconcellos
Our walk now seemed to take on a bit of an artistic flair as we approached the area around St Bees School.
In the gardens of St Bees Priory and in the grounds of the school are to be found sculptures by the renowned artist Josefina de Vasconcellos.
St Bees Priory Church
The Sleeping Child Garden alone features three of her works donated shortly before she died in 2005.
With our paws starting to ache a little dad decides it is time to start back towards the car and we head further up the hill away from the Priory.
All our beach has gone, hidden under the sea
Our walk took around two hours and we still have loads to see if we come back in the summer, including the cliff top walk to see the lighthouse and the assorted birds on the cliffs.
Vanishing sands
Arriving back at the car park we noticed that the sand we had walked over only a few hours earlier was now covered with white foaming sea.
It was a good job we walked along the beach first.
Until next time
Buster and Charlie.
PS. As with all our walks we gather more content than we can put in this one update. So please keep an eye on some of Mums other websites for other stories and details. Links to these sites can be found to the right of this page.
Further information
St Bees local website - Some great information if you are thinking of visiting the area.
