It was back to the English leg of my journey around the coast of Great Britain. I drove to Knott End on Sea and parked in the large free car park there. As I opened the car door, so did the heavens and so it continued for the next couple of hours!
Very few people were around the ferry terminal where I began my walk. The rain added to the gloominess of the place. I quickly took a photo of the stainless steel sculpture of LS Lowry and dog, who apparently used to sketch his drawing at Knott End. I continued walking along the promenade, with the sea some distance away, across marsh grass. I decided to seek shelter in a wind shelter during one particular heavy downpour. The footpath continued out-of-town along the Lancashire Coastal Way(LCW). The persistent rain and clag ensured I could not see any distance.
I arrived at a parking area at Fluke Hall, where I could see some Traveller families had pitched a few tents. Here the LCW continued along the road inland. I exchanged a few words with them about the weather and then continued below the grass-covered sea wall on the seaward side. I had seen a small notice saying that public access to Lands End ( another parking area almost 2 miles away) was allowed. However, I could see construction workers working just below the sea wall on the landward side about a kilometre away. I remained on the seaward side, which was very easy walking. By the time I had got the place of work they had disappeared over the other side of the seawall. I continued on to Lands End and rejoined the seawall and could see signs advising that the sea wall was closed due to construction. Well I had not walked along the sea wall, so everything was ok.
From the Lands End car park I had decided to see how far I could get along the grass covered sea wall. I could see a stile allowing access down to area below the seawall, so just kept on. Eventually, I came to a small channel that required me to climb back up onto the sea wall and cross the channel. The field I emerged into had an old sign on the gate warning of “Bull in the Field” and another damaged sign that said “No Public Access”. The field I walked into was full of young bullocks. I lengthened my walking stick and proceeded to pick my way through them. One or two of the cattle became quite frisky, so I simply stood my ground and pointed my stick them, not letting them get up a ahead of steam or get to close. They followed me for a while at a respectful distance, before coming bored and eventually ignoring me. The only fence I climbed was a barbed wire one. Because I was walking along at the base of the sea wall, nobody could see me. Eventually the sea wall came to the Cocker Channel which headed in land to join the A588 at Cocker Bridge and enabled me to re-join the LCW.
The Path then set towards Pattys Farm and then along a road to a caravan park at Bank End. Here, at a kissing gate, I came upon a fellow walker called Tony. It soon transpired that Tony was also walking around the coast of Great Britain, albeit in a rather eclective way. He had already achieved a grand total of some 4000+ miles and estimated he may even top 6000 to 7000 miles. We exchanged information about routes in the local area and after some 30 minutes of chatting we said farewell. This chance meeting was very nice and uplifting. Unfortunately, Tony does not have a website or blog. But if you are reading this, Tony from Abingdon, then good luck with your journey. We may even meet again, as we both have stretches of coast both of us have not yet walked.
About 5 minutes, after meeting and chatting with Tony, I stopped and another 10 minute chat with a dog walker. I continued on to Cockersand Abbey, although there is little of the left . The weather by this time had become very sunny, with a strong wind blowing in from Morecambe Bay. the views had also opened up with the Nuclear Power Station at Heysham dominating the view north.
By the time I reached Glasson Dock I had well and truly entered the Lune estuary. Withe tide well out, the Lune was lost in a sea of mud and sand. Beside the small Dock itself onto the Lune, Glasson had a small marina situated behind a further set of locks, which in turn had further locks linking to the Glasson branch of the Lancaster Canal. At Glasson Dock I joined the route of an old railway line, long since disused, to Lancaster. The route is now a popular cycle (NCN #6) and walk way. I followed the LCW and NCN 6 all the way into Lancaster, where after getting some refreshment I caught the 15:17 #89H bus back to Knott End. The walk had taken 5.75hrs.
Distance today = 20 miles
Total distance = 2058.5 miles
Walking the Coast of Great Britain 