I'd had a particularly good nights sleep in the new tent and woke to a calm morning with the birds chattering away. After having breakfast my first challenge of the day was to work out how to efficiently pack the tent away, then I would need to recce the estuary which I'd been warned had a strong tidal current.
All packed up i headed over to the water to find a good place to cross. As i searched for a spot to land on the other side i noticed a red flag flying. I had camped opposite a military range. The red flag meant the range was active and the military were out playing. I wouldn't be able to cross there I'd have to hike round.
As i followed the estuary back still looking for a place to cross i noticed the water shallowed opposite Ravenscar. Taking my boots and socks off i waded across and began to hike round the range. As i did i heard a loud explosion. Then another. I was quite frankly pleased i hadn't crossed the night before as i would have most definitely found myself camped in the middle of a war zone.
From Ravenscar i decided to follow the banks of in of the tributaries that joined the estuary. It wasn't long till i found a shallow section that allowed me to cross over still out of bounds of the firing range.
Continuing with my journey i hiked around the range to a pebble beach on the other side and back to the coast. The beach was mostly pebbles and stones and not the easiest of surfaces to walk. A few miles along while taking a little rest i was joined by a black and white collie. He seemed quite friendly and after a minute or two of petting spotted some birds and darted off to chase them.
I grabbed my pack and headed off once again. The beach went on for miles, an endless expanse of stones and pebbles that stretched as far as the eye could see. Looking out to sea was what would one day be the largest wind farm in the Uk. After hiking a good few miles i realised that the dog was still following me. Taking a short breather i sat on my pack, the dog came over and lay beside me. While stroking him i noticed a name on his collar, reef. There was also a phone number. I took out my mobile but no signal. With very little choice i carried on, reef in tow.
Finally arriving in Haverigg i was able to connect to the mobile network and called reefs owners whom not sounding too pleased agreed to meet me and collect my companion. They weren't long in coming out and with reef on his way home i decided to stop at a local pub for a quick orange juice and lemonade.
It was dark by the time I'd rested and i still hadn't found anywhere suitable to camp. I carried on using my head torch to light the way as i walked on from the village. After a couple of miles i found myself in what appeared to be common ground beneath an old lighthouse. The ground was level and if nothing else i was hoping for a good view the following morning.
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