COAST -TO-COAST WALK Day 1

Who is God? God is Creator
Those who suffer according to God's will
should commit themselves to their faithful creator
and continue to do good.
1 Peter 4:19

Our New Home 

A kookaburra perches on our side fence

At the end of March, hubby and I moved to a new home in Toowoomba, Queensland -
a humble 1950s home, not too big and not too small, 
with a cozy atmosphere, a garden to relax in, and room to grow some plants. 

Another big move for the baby grand piano!

This piano graced St Andrews Anglican Church in Hong Kong 

until I bought it in 2007. 

It was then shipped to Australia, 

and has just been given another move!

It is a delight playing it in our front sunroom, 

looking out over pink flowering camelias. 

The Great Outdoors

England's Coast-to-Coast Walk
In 2005, we were living and teaching in Hong Kong. I wanted to  visit England in the summer holiday, and to convince hubby that it was a good idea to go to England, I suggested we did the Coast-to-Coast Walk, knowing that he would not be able to resist the challenge! We carried our provisions of food, water, tent, sleeping bag etc. 

This is hubby's daily diary. 

Day 1                                                             Friday 7^th - Saturday 8^th July 2005

Hong Kong - London – St. Bees

Arriving at Euston Station somewhat uneasy
due to London's recent terrorist bombing

We left Hong Kong at midnight in a Cathay Pacific jumbo and arrived to a cool cloudy London morning after a not too tiring plane trip – lots of leg room sitting up against a bulk-head.  The plane flew straight into Heathrow without going into a holding position and it landed at 05-35 London time. After a long walk to immigration, we passed through in a matter of minutes.  We left the very quiet terminal 3 and headed for the Airport Express-  £34 for the three of us!  We had to travel on the more expensive line because all of the cheaper underground lines from Heathrow to Euston were closed due to the recent terrorist bombing.  Still, we got to Paddington in 15 minutes instead of the 60 – 80 minutes it would have taken on the Underground.

London was so very quiet and dismal after the bombings of 2 days previously.  St. Pancras Station was empty, and no tube trains operated yet toward Euston. The roads outside were empty – apart from occasional siren-screaming police vehicles. 

We caught a 205 bus (£7 for a family day pass) and reached Euston, passing Regent’s Park.  We were 4 hours early for our pre-booked train for Manchester, which we had booked on the internet.  But we were allowed to board an earlier train, which we appreciated. The train, operated by Virgin, was comfortable and quiet.  The ride was pleasant, passing from an un-inviting dismal day into bright sunlight in very short time, arriving in Lancaster at 2:05 p.m. for our connection to St. Bees.   We were worried that we only had 5 minutes to change trains, but we managed it easily in the end. 

Arriving at St Bees on a gloriously sunny afternoon 

What a contrast on the next train which was a noisy, dirty DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit).  The perfumes of summer scents mingled with diesel fumes blowing in through the open window.  The scenery was amazing as the train rattled along the coastline of the Lake District, passing through Grange-Over-Sands, Kents Bank, Cark and Cartmel as well as other stations along the western coastal line.  A stop at Barrow filled the train to overflowing and we arrived in St. Bees at 4:10 p.m. This was our starting point for the Coast-to-Coast Walk which would take us through the Lake District, Yorkshire and North York Moors.

The silence sang in our ears as the train left us at the station, disappearing into the distance. We walked for fifteen minutes or so to Tomlin House, the guest house close to the Irish Sea, where we would stay for 2 nights.  

Walking to Tomlin House where we would stay for 2 nights

Dave rings the doorbell at our B&B at St Bees - Tomlin House

Posing by the Irish Sea
where we each found a stone to take on our hike

After unpacking at Tomlin House, we walked to the beach at St Bees for our first view of the Irish Sea where we each collected a stone.  Traditionally, Coast-to-Coast walkers take a stone from the beach at the Irish Sea to drop it in the North Sea at the end of their walk.  And that is why the western coastline of England is being lost, while the eastern coastline is reclaiming more land!

Scenic path between St Bees and Whitehaven 

Then at 6:30 p.m. we went out for a long walk into Whitehaven - 7 miles along the coastal path. The sun was setting into whispy high cirrus clouds out over the sea, leaving a wash of white shimmering on the swell. For some distance, we threaded our way through thick fern on a path, often only as wide as one shoe. It was difficult walking through the deeply rutted path. 

Wildflowers on the coastal path 

As the path improved, we strode along at good speed, hoping to catch Trescos before they shut at 10 p.m. We needed to buy some food for our tea – and we managed it!  We were also looking for Metho for our camping stove, but didn’t find any.  At 10:30 p.m. we caught a taxi back to Tomlin House -£7.50 - to end something like 43 hours of being awake, apart from short naps on the plane. 

May we not be afraid to reach out to do something different!

from Robyn                       

 painting of robin by Brenda, my mum.