St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge - (Day 1)

Suddenly this magnificent profile with it's jutting determined chin,
petulant lower lip, furrowed brow, bushy hair and craggy hooked
 nose emerged from the morning sea mist.
This most famous 'Roman Nose' in the British Isles is found
dripping on the cliffs between St Bees and Birkham's Quarry.

Click on the photograph to enlarge

We left the coastal path and headed eastwards along this
quiet stretch of high hedged country road.

Just beyond Moor Row village we entered a narrow
lane, passing through a series of 'kissing gates' leading
to the rural hamlet of Cleator.

Our first obsticl would be Dent Hill. The sight of it alone
stiffened the sinus, furrowed the brow and brought forth
unutterable words of dismay.

From the top of Dent Hill there is a splendid all round view of the
coastal plain below. This is looking vaguely north west towards
the distant coast of Northern Ireland.

The Dent Hill Cairn with a westerly aspect towards St Bees
and the Isle of Man beyond (masked from view by the sea mist) 

Looking northerly towards the entry to the Solway Firth.  

West-South-West. The Sellafield nuclear plant can be seen
on the coast. 

The Lake District starts here! A backdrop of mountain peaks under
heavy skies would be our landscape to explore for the next few days.

A 'long' view of the same scene, leaves us full of hopes and dreams. 

The path ahead was a flat bog., nowhere near as treacherous
as might be imagined.

The steep decent from Flat Fell by Raven Crag to Nannycatch Gate. 

The sheltered valley cut by Nannyccatch Beck was a delight
of warmth that suited plants that could not survive on the
open hillside.  

Our first close-up glimpse of the mountainous Lake District
and a lake, Ennerdale Water. The near ground was warm,
occupied and inviting. The mountainous background
appeared bleak, rugged and uninviting.

As can be seen, the view from our digs was splendid and tranquil.