Walney Island

Friday 9^th May 2014  - Walney Island

We drove to the Premier Inn at Barrow in Furness where we would be staying and after lunch set off on cycle path that went by the Dockyard museum. We didn’t realise we were that close to water. We could see houses on Walney Island & then we came to the bridge, but with no visible cycle path we had to go with the very busy traffic. Obviously  people were leaving work, though only 1 pm, and where we would have taken to the wide pavement( later found to be the proper cycle route) these were full of pedestrians. After the bridge we headed towards Biggar then followed the road down to the south of island and the nature reserve.

There was blue sky above and it was very windy. We could see Piel Island across the salt flats almost immediately. Stopped at a layby where you can walk to Sheep Island. The tide was out but it looked very muddy. Next high tide at 8pm but Bob didn’t have appropriate shoes.

Lots of bird waders patrolled the sand but they were too small to identify from this distance. We paid £3 each at the nature reserve to walk – no vehicles allowed except with a permit. There was designated bike parking and toilets at the Nature reserve. A rabbit came really close with ginger highlights- must be semi tame. The ranger said it may have Myxomatosis, but its eyes looked knowing to me. We followed the red poles for a 3 mile walk dotted with bird hides, at first a red sandy path, then rounded flat pebbles. We passed an oyster farm with tall drums capped with plastic presumably housing the oysters. In the waters around it were numerous pairs of eider ducks.

We could see Piel island with its castle really close now and not looking terribly old, though  it has  been a ruin since the 1500’s.It was built by the Abbot of Furness in the 14^th century to guard against pirates and Scots raiders. It was used as a port once and ruins of pier on the flats stick up out of the sand.

Next we came to a white lighthouse marked PRIVATE. Although you can go around it and see seals from the bird hide, we decided the tide was too far out today. There was a lovely stretch of sand & a wind-farm out at sea. Pretty pink flowers were underfoot and then a sectioned off bit of path just behind a dune. Surrounded by an electric fence were many ground nesting gulls. We walked through little hillocks, dunes covered in grass, and decided to cut back to the nature reserve centre without following the red markers.

There are loos but nowhere to buy snacks or drinks. The rangers here seem friendly and ready for a chat though.

From the nature reserve  it was hard going against the wind. Sedge edged the shore. In a field were 2 alpacas used to harsh environments. The sheep we have seen here seem large boned with very square faces and are exceptionally well endowed with wool.

We stopped at The Queen’s Arms in Biggar,which looked closed but was open till 12 tonight. At gone 3pm, we were sitting in front of wood burning open fire with a pint of beer in a comfy arm chair. We had the bar to ourselves.

 We left keeping the sea on our left whenever possible, heading up the narrow bit of island to the north. Despite some angry clouds the wind seemed to keep the rain away and we had sunshine( unlike home which was in deluge)

We came to a long stretch of sand and on our right, little chalet type accommodation for the over fifties. There were a lot of these quite close together some with great views of the sea, which has wind turbines placed along it.

The road had come to an end. We were on what was left of it, churned up tarmac or on the stones. It had been destroyed a long time ago. Kite surfers were on the sea- fantastic weather for it. Two motorcycles came by us, scrambling over the dunes. We headed their way after a bit to get off the pebbles. We would ride for a bit but then be forced by the tussocks and soft sand to walk. On our right was a little airport, built during war. There are supposed to be natterjack toads in and around the several pools.

We thought we could get out onto the road at the airport but there was no way to go, only back to the beach where there was  plenty of small leaved sea holly, violas and views of the Lake District. We got as far as the nature reserve sign and decided we needed to go back the way we came. Bob pushed the tandem as it was tricky walking on the stones.  At the old folks homes we took a left down Cows Tarn Lane. A right took us back along the estuary and back to the bridge

We had done 19 miles cycling by the time we got to the Premier Inn with 3 miles walking in the nature reserve.  We had seen most of Walney that actually measures  11 miles by 1 mile.

We ate at the Ferry Hotel, a pub carvery with a medium plate for £4.19, with 3 meats and plenty of veg. I was impressed that gluten free puddings were on offer.

I really enjoyed the day mostly because we had the best weather but the island had a charm I hadn’t expected.