Tuesday, 8 November 2011

Coastwalk

Askam in Furness → Barrow-in-Furness

askam-pier.png Distance: 9.34 miles
Ascent: 71 metres
Duration: 3 hours 24 minutes

It's a secret
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The blue skies have gone. We headed out this morning in a misty drizzle as the incoming tide lapped at our toes. About a mile south of Askam, Roanhead Crag looks as though it may be impassable at the highest of tides, but we just about sneaked round on the rocks.

sand.pngThe next three miles were wonderful on wide, sandy beaches that enclosed the dune system of Sandscale Haws. On the south-west corner of this promontory, a cluster of ramshackle buildings gave the sense that it may still be possible to scrape a living together here by fishing.

hamlet.pngHere, with under half of the walk completed, we moved away from the shore and onto roads. We pounded the tarmac for the rest of the day.

Barrow-in-Furness is dominated by its shipyards. The BAE submarine hall is visible throughout the town and beyond, towering above adjacent houses.

submarine-hall.pngOn the wall of one of the shipyards is a memorial plaque. If you give the security staff your name and address they'll let you take a photograph of it. At least, that seemed to be their view of the deal. The plaque is on a public highway, and moments after snapping it they came running after me. While tempted to decline their request for details and see what the police would say, I caved in. I regret doing so; it's not clear under what authority they thought were demanding this information.

We'd hoped to walk a little further, but this incident dampened my spirit severely, so we called it quits near the town hall and made our way back to Askam by train.

Posted by pab at 19:51 | Comments will be back one day. Please email me instead!