Log No 179. Fri 15th Nov 2013 - Kirkby-in-Furness to Barrow & Walney Is, 19 miles (2758 miles walked)

It was good timing this morning, I drove to Barrow-in-Furness from near Silecroft, found somewhere free to leave the camper and got to the station for the 09.10 train with 5 minutes to spare.

I wasn't sure whether I was going to walk the direct route through marshland or come inland to avoid it but after watching from the train decided on the direct route.

The weather had changed with the wind of the last few days dying away completely but the sun had also gone leaving a calm, overcast day.

It pretty much stayed next to the railway then went through the golf course and chalet park into Askam.

I continued on or next to the shore to Sandscale Haws, this area of sand dunes is home to the Natterjack Toad, one of 50 sites in the country where this protected animal lives. There's not much chance of seeing one though as they only come out of their burrows after dusk.

I didn't go round this headland but cut across on a footpath through farmland.

The tide was on it's way out but the shore was more mud than sand so I kept as close to the edge as possible.

The footpath turned back towards the road at Sowerby Lodge but I carried on along the shore, I had been told you could walk all the way along the shore into Barrow.

Just before Barrow the land rose quite steeply and it was rocks on the shore, seeing a path going up the hill I followed it and once I had got to the top saw evidence of landscaping and a network of paths.

Part of this was a cycleway and it took me right along the side of the shore, past the Dock Museum and to the bridge over to Walney Island.

I wasn't walking beyond Barrow today but it was only 13.15 so I went on to the island for a couple of hours for a shortened circumnavigation, I didn't go right out to the north and south points.

There are a lot of small boats and yachts moored along the channel and sone of them look as though they haven't moved for years and quite a few wrecks among them.

Getting back round to the bridge the tide was almost at it's lowest revealing what looks to be a firm bed and possible to walk across, a pity that the actual banks are very muddy.

I got back to the camper at 16.00 having walked 19 miles and I drove back on to the island to a car park for the night, unfortunately there is no phone network where I am.