27 Jul 2013 – Stonehouse Farm
References – various online sites
Unforgettable Walks to take before you die: Steve Watkins and Clare Jones
Coast to Coast Path: Henry Stedman with updates by Chris Scott
A Northern Coast to Coast Walk: Terry Marsh
Passing thru’3 National Parks (Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors), thru’ hills, moors and valleys in en entire country, this 301km/191mi starts from St Bees by the Irish Sea to Robin Hood’s Bay by the North sea. UKc2c is a testament to the dedication of UK’s most famous walker Alfred Wainwright who in 1973 made this walk possible.
St Bees: between the 6th-9th century, Bega, an Irish princess fled here to avoid an arranged marriage with a Norwegian prince. And so the legend goes, she landed here and lived as a hermit and became famous for her good deeds.. She approached the local land owner Lord Egremont for land to build a convent.
Egremont was not generous and promised Bega all the land covered by snow the next day, considering as it was to be mid summer’s day. Miraculously snow did fell that day and Bega was able to get the land and built the convent.
St Bees Priory, app from 1150, a blissful and serene place to visit. Was there when I arrived and again the next morning to get inside to make peace with whatever there is to make peace with before a serious hike 🙂
St Bees School founded in 1593 by Edmund Grindal, Archbishop of York and Canterbury during the reign of Queen Elizabeth !, and such a charming school in an ideal surrounding. Glad to have taken the extra day here to catch up with family and to see this delightful village, highly recommended.
And so the story goes, what a lovely story and a beautiful village to start a hike from…
Nights: Thu 25-Fri 26Jul in St Bees/Stonehouse Farm: 2 nights+2breakfasts+1packed lunch GBP76 S$148
St Bees Head, a red sandstone bluff, forms one of the most dramatic natural features along the entire coast of North West England. There are four miles of towering precipitous cliffs, of ‘St Bees sandstone’, the red stone used for so many buildings in Cumbria.
Appreciate the info and thanks for your comment and interest.
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