29th - 30th March

29th March day 388

I was up early feeling way too hot after sleeping in my 4 season sleeping bag which is much better suited to freezing temperatures rather than a centrally heated lifeboat operations room. I'd just finished my breakfast when john came back to the boathouse to show me round the high tech tamar class lifeboat.  It was like entering the brig of the starship enterprise with more technology than the international space station.

Leaving the boathouse i began the long hike around the infamous Morecombe bay. The  hike was to be much easier than i had expected, the sandy shores quite firm under foot and the wind was at my back.

It was several miles well more than several miles before i reached the top of the estuary. Again i had the choice of doing something stupid or doing something down right stupid. I settled for stupid which would save more about half a day hiking. It did mean stripping down again and getting wet. Arriving on the other side a train passed overhead and i can only imagine what the passengers must have thought seeing me in my boxer shorts.

Fully dressed once again i set off across the marshes keeping Morecombe bay in view although i didn't risk getting too close to the water as I'd been told horror stories about dog walkers and cattle that had regularly followed a route only to be caught out when quuck sand and soft muddy areas shifted. It was certainly squidgy under foot and at points i did sink almost up to my knees. It was several miles before i noticed the bay search and rescue head quarters located outside Flookburgh. Reaching the station i called mike. I'd expected a much tougher and longer hike than I'd experienced, even mike wasn't expecting me so early.

Joining me at the station mike gave me the tour. It was pretty much as you'd expect from an independent rescue service but what was particularly impressive was the types of equipment they used. Although they had a small d class rib which you'd expect the independent service boasted some incredibly specialist machinery. In the garage at the back they had an airboat similar to the type  you'd see red necks hammering around the swamps of florida as well as a hagluund tracked vehicle which was able to to be taken out onto the marshes as well as being used in deep snow.

After the tour we headed to his home to meet his wife janet and as she called them daughters no 1 & no 2. After treating myself to a bath i joined the family for dinner followed by the famous sticky toffee pudding invented in Cumbria. With my calories topped up we went out onto Morecombe bay to have a go in the bay hagluund rescue vehicle. It was easier to drive than you might think.

30th March day 389

I was expecting to wake to a miserable morning so was delighted to hear the birds singing and to see the sun shining. Before i left bay sar i said goodbye to mike for an interesting stop over, an evening i will remember until dimensia sets in.

Being so close to the coast it took all of a couple of minutes before i was back on track and following the grass sea defences separating the marshes from the land. It was quite a pleasant although windy hike round the headland towards Grange over sands where i then began to follow the railway line.  Looking some way ahead i could see the viaduct which i hoped would allow me to cross over the estuary near to Arnside.

Once again i was surprised at how easy going the walk was following Morecombe bay was. The sand was firm and the tide along way out. After a few miles i reached the viaduct where i wanted to cross but being a railway bridge with no public footpath i decided to unpack hoolley and paddle across. It all sounded good in my head but when it came down to it the crossing wasn't as easy as I'd first thought. To start with i had to pull the packraft far enough out to enable me to actually paddle but just as i got underway i beached myself on a shallow sand bank. Using my paddles to push off i spent most of my time pushing as opposed to paddling. I eventually made it across though and almost reaching Arnside  i still had to get out in the water to drag hoolley up.

At least it was still a lovely day, although not for long. As i headed away from the village it began to rain. It was going to be a wet afternoon. Following a sort of coastal path i went down to the bay and started to skirt around the rocks traipsing through the silt and sand. Reaching the headland and unprotected i felt the full force of mother nature the wind driving the rain at me. The tide was also starting to come in and it became apparent that i wouldn't be able to stay down on the coastline for much longer. With rocky cliffs to my left and very little chance of scaling them i carried on hoping to find some kind of way up. The weather was now turning horrible.

The tide in Morecombe bay has a reputation for coming in quickly and i was now experiencing this first hand. With the sea now at my feet getting off the coastline was becoming imperative. Still continuing on i moved up onto the rocks looking for a way up. I eventually found it, a well trodden track heading up into the woods above. The track joined what appeared to be a footpath that eventually led me through a caravan park. The light was fading fast and i knew I'd soon have to find somewhere out of the way to pitch up for the night.

Sticking to the public footpath i was eventually forced onto the road near far Arnside. The road wound between fields and finally followed the clifftops towards the Lancashire boarder and silverside. I was soaked to the skin and seeing a sign pointing to the local pub i decided to take a break and dry out.

Whilst warming myself by the fire sipping a mug of coffee i recieved a call from alison, seeing a post I'd made on Facebook she'd contacted ye olde fighting cocks b n b and arranged a room and pizza. I'd been at the pub earlier that day when chatting to emma from the bbc recording an interview that was to be broadcast that evening. The b n b was a fair few miles back in Arnside and i was now in Silverdale.

Thinking i was going to have to hike back in the dark i was grateful when sarah and roger,  a couple enjoying a drink at the pub began chatting to me about what they'd overheard. Very kindly they offered to drop me off once they'd drunk up and in the morning return me back to Silverdale so i could continue on.