Led by Andy

Eleven participants met up at Whitriggmoor and after a short road walk entered Glasson moss followed by Bowness Moss and up to the highest point of the day (83ft) at Rogersceugh a good viewpoint but unfortunately the midges curtailed any prolonged stop at the viewpoint and refuge was sought in the nearby shelter!

 

After leaving there it was along the lonning to the road to Longcroft then to Anthorn, viewing quite a few egrets on the Moricambe bay shoreline before leaving the road and into a lane running near the perimeter fence of what was HMS Nuthatch many years ago, now a radio transmitting station.

 

Back onto the moss at Bowness common, and after crossing a heathery patch got onto a boardwalk part of the circular RSPB red trail which we followed to the bird hide and from a distance observed the Ospreys after which went to the Campfield RSPB visitor centre where a short break was had.

 

The next section was along the road to Bowness on Solway, a quiet road with good views across the Solway Firth to Scotland, this section is designated as an AONB, now renamed as National Landscape.

With the tide now coming in the half netting area was viewed as was the remaining embankment of what was the Solway railway viaduct, closed in 1921 and demolished in 1934. Just before entering Bowness some stakes were being hammered into the ground just above the shoreline it turned that this was part of the Bell Running event that takes place annually, weather and tides permitting!

 

At Bowness another short break was had where the church was visited and also the smugglers grave. On leaving the church, Banks was visited which is the official start/finish of the Hadrians Wall path which was then followed to Port Carlisle. Some good information boards there to tell people about the past history of this place which was called Fishers Cross until the arrival of the 11.25 mile ship canal from Carlisle in March 1823 hence the name change.

The canal was superseded by the railway in 1854 which used the canal bed and was horse drawn for part of its life before closing on 01/06/1932, one of the four Dandy cars can be viewed at York railway museum.

We stayed on the Hadrians Wall path passing through Glasson then leaving it to cross part of Drumburgh Moss after which another long lonning lead us to the road and the final 1.25 miles back to the cars.

 

Stats, Start 09-00, Finish 16-00, Miles 17.0, Ascent-Negligible!