Day 1 - Bowness on Solway to Carlisle


 So today began with a taxi ride to Bowness on Solway where the walk starts - then we had to walk the 15 miles back to Carlisle plus another mile or so back to our B&B.

On the way we walked alongside the Solway Firth (having carefully checked the tide tables as the road sometimes floods). We saw some sheep who seemed convinced they were alpacas; we had a great lunch at the Greyhound pub in Burgh-by-Sands (interesting fact - this is the place where King Edward I - known as Longshanks - died) (the town not the pub).

The path continued alongside the River Eden, going through an underpass (which looked more like the canals in the centre of Birmingham) to cross the Carlisle Northern By Pass. Fortunately there was a route to scramble through without getting our feet wet!

And one for the railway buffs - on the way into Carlisle we passed the bridge which used to take the Waverley Line over the Eden. 

Two very tired walkers this evening with icepacks on Paul's ankle and Kate's knee! Bring on tomorrow - just a short stroll of 10 miles!











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