Oak Cottage - Loweswater

Retreat to the quiet of the Western Lakes

The Cottage, and  the view up the Buttermere Valley

 

 

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Time and place : St Bees Head - West Cumbria - 7th Nov 2003 pm.

Occasion : A coastal walk with Ann, and the dogs.

Walk details : 2.8 miles 550 ft of ascent.

Weather : Late afternoon sun and a gentle, warm southerly breeze.

For a change we decided on an afternoon visit to St Bees. So often it is considered a place to walk when the fells are rained off, so for us St Bees had the reputation of being a grey cloudy place. Today we decided to give it a chance to redeem itself, and it certainly did.

It was a busy little village, with lots of pubs and restaurants, including one or two shops selling "Coast to Coast" maps and memorabilia. Here we waited for the Cumbrian west coast train to pass before we made our way down to the beach.

Already bathed in late afternoon sun the foreshore and beach looked picturesque.

 

This late in the day, the children were away, so the playground was able to provide the silhouette to a rather good sky.

 

On the beach the river outflow mark, and the high sandstone cliffs at the southern end of St Bees Head.

 

Looking back the sand dunes were catching the evening sun.

 

The red sandstone cliffs were likewise glowing in the fast setting light.

On the second headland, the lighthouse itself.

The Wainwright walk starts by dipping a boot in the sea, then up onto these cliffs. Easterly progress is first made when the lighthouse is reached and you turn inland for Ennerdale.

Sunset over the Irish Sea.

 

Going . . .
going . . .
gone.

The sun and the dramatic sky from the old coast guard lookout.

Back now to the village.

With the sun set, the moon now ruled the sky, as it rose over the western fells.

 

Back on the foreshore, the inshore lifeboat tractor was being changed over.

The regular tractor was off for annual maintenance and a replacement had arrived by low loader. The IRB is beach-launched, and the tractor has been built to be semi-submersible as it has to enter the water for the launch and retrieval of the boat.

St Bees certainly is more attractive in fine weather, but then so are most places. However, this evening, the sunset over the bay really added a new dimension to the place.

 

Technical note: Pictures taken with a Canon IXUS 400 Digital camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed . . . with a tide table and a good sunset.

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