| Name of walk | The Coastal Path from South to North Walney Island |
| Date of walk | 2015-04-27 |
| Distance walked (miles) | 11 |
| Duration of walk | 4 hours 30 minutes |
| Weather | Blue skies and sunshine |
| Peaks on walk | None |
| Walked with | On own |
| Parking | None |
The weather was going to be better at home than on the hills today so I decided to do a walk from the South Nature Reserve up to the North End of Walney Island, keeping to the west coastal path. I got Brendan to drop me off at the South Reserve entrance. I had my resident’s pass, but there was no one around to check it. So I headed for the southern tip of the island. There were blue skies and sunshine and a cold wind, but provided I kept moving I would not need to put a coat on. The walk around the reserve is about three miles, then about eight miles to reach home.
Passing Seasalter Shellfish Oyster Farm with Walney Lighthouse behind it.
Heading down to the old pier with Piel Island and the very clear lakeland hills in the distance. Eider ducks in the foreground.
A close up of Piel Castle.
There were hundreds of Eider ducks on the sands and in the water, busy with the process of courtship.
One Eider duck
Photo taken from inside one of the hides. No Grey Seals to be seen today.
Yet more Eider ducks in one of the inland pools.
Walney lighthouse. One of our new, but experienced bell-ringers, has recently moved into one of the lighthouse cottages.
Heading to Groyne Hide and the southern tip of the island. I still see no Grey Seals. The log book says that some were seen basking on the sands in the sunshine at the weekend.
I now head north, passing the summer breeding sites and on past the fort, leaving the reserve, and I head now down to the beach.
The tide is well out, there is a boat on the horizon.
I am making for the cliffs.
A close up of the cliff and old farm house ruins with Blackcombe behind.
Walking on top of the eroded section of field.
An odd perspective on this photo. It looks like I was laying down to take it. I was actually stood upright, but the 'pebbles' are about a foot wide and the beach is rising....hence the illusion.
I head up to the cliff top passing the old farm ruin.
On the cliff top.
There will now be a short wildlife interval....
I now had to walk inside the field fence-line as the erosion had taken out the path.
The walk from Biggar Bank to West Shore is very easy.
Civilisation.
The Roundhouse, Walney's premier Chinese Restaurant with a great view out to sea.
I put this photo in just for Owen, as I know how much he loves wind turbines ;-) Alas, there are only 39 in this photo.
Heading for West Shore. Walney School on the right, where I had my first teaching job, my laboratory looked right out to sea. Like my students, I spent far too much time looking out the window.
One of the old coastal artillery searchlight emplacements on the edge of the golf course. The other is in the South Nature Reserve on the west shore. Roger H, a young soldier at Fort Walney in 1956 told me: "By measuring the angles, when they were both illuminating the target it was possible to calculate it's position and direct the 2 x 6" guns at the fort onto the enemy. As far as I know the guns were only fired once in anger, that was during WWI against a German submarine that was trying to shell the shipyard. Fortunately their shells landed short in Tumerhill Marsh. The submarine sensibly turned tail and left. A 6" shell weighed 100 lbs and had a range of 20,200 yards, not to be ignored!" Thanks, Roger!
View out to sea from it.
Standing on the roof, my route ahead to Earnse Bay. The gorse is looking good! The weather is not looking too good in the hills. Snow is forecast.
A kite surfer. The British Kite Surfing Championships are often held on this beach, but it is unlikely they will be again.
The road in was lost to last years storms, and the parking areas further down the beach were reclaimed by the sea. New sea defenses are in place in front of the homes.
At this point I head off right and take the permissive path around the airport to North Scale.
Path through he gorse.
View across the runway.
The Control Tower with the hills behind.
The walk took me four and a half hours. Easy walking, lots to see, no navigational difficulties, just keep the sea on your left! With my little detours the walk was still under 11 miles.
Another good practice walk for the K2B Walk. I am walking the 40 miles from Keswick to Barrow on Saturday May 9th, in aid of The Hospital Equipment Fund for Furness (HEFF).
My Sponsorship page is: https://www.keswick2barrow.co.uk/sponsor/welcome.asp?ID=10204
Jo.
