The annual test ride to Arnside. On the Over Kellet road I realised that, actually, the views were every bit as beautiful as those around Kirkcudbright. The tide was out at Jenny Brown’s point and we watched shelducks nuzzling into the mud. Arnside is busy – not surprising given the lovely weather and Easter holidays.
Barrow: a rather left-behind town where you see a group of naval officers in smart uniforms waiting to cross on the green man. Lots of once-prestigious Victorian and Edwardian civic buildings, all stripes and terracotta, announcing high ideals. It’s a pleasant train ride away, and there’s a bus to Walney Island – so what was I waiting for on so fine a day?
I walked along Biggar Bank to the South Walney nature reserve, looking out for the sight of seals’ heads bobbing about in the calm sea. At the very tip of the island I went into a hide, where a keen photographer pointed some out to me. One was basking – in that odd, crescent-moon position that makes them look as if they have found a new yoga posture – and others were swimming effortlessly. There were eiders too far out to be seen clearly, and Piel Island looked like something out of I Know Where I’m Going.
It would have been a long walk back, but fortunately a family I had chatted to in a hide stopped to offer me a lift on the road, saving me four miles of walking. And on the return journey I was unable to resist the temptation of stopping off at Arnside to eat fish and chips in the last of the sunshine. A perfect end to the day.
A walk from Arnside to Silverdale stations – quite a lot of it along the beach into drizzly wind and bits on very slippery limestone. Not great – but I’d watched “The Piano” the previous evening and amused myself by recreating the beach scenes as I walked along.
Our pre-holiday test ride to Arnside. The tide was high, and mist gave way to evening sunshine in time for us to eat our fish and chips beside the estuary.
Old Shoe Box 