Christian Aid at 80 Part 5 - The Walk Bowness on Solway to Carlisle

Thursday 10 July
After a restless night I woke to find the swelling on my ankle had almost gone and the redness had not spread any further.
I had muesli bars and a large glass of milk for breakfast and packed my essentials for the first day of the walk. Snacks of fruit & nuts, glucose tablets, first aid kit, sun cream, phone, power pack and charging cable, the walk handbook and map, hand sanitiser, travel towel, light waterproof, and plenty of water.
I was dressed in light clothing for the expected hot weather and pulled on two pairs of socks and my trusty boots.
The bus for Bowness on Solway was due to leave Carlisle at 9am and I didn’t want to miss it as the next one wasn’t until after 12pm. I was almost caught out as the bus pulled into a different stand from the one scheduled but the driver called out his destination as he was preparing to leave. Phew that was close!
The bus journey took 70 minutes as it meandered through villages eventually coming to those I recognised from the map as being part of the walking route. My only means of returning to Carlisle was on foot in the opposite direction.
After a brief comfort break at the small cafe near the start, (not food, I was too nervous to eat!) I left a donation in their charity honesty box and set out from The Kings Arms Bowness on Solway, following the signposts down a narrow lane to the official start point.
In the shelter on a short path looking out across the Solway Firth I paused to stamp my Hadrian’s Wall Passport and take a photograph. Strava recorded that I was on my way at 10.20am.
Ahead of me were 84 miles of walking and for a brief moment I asked myself “What am I doing and why?” All I needed to do in the next six days was keep moving forward and make it to my planned destination at the end of each day.
I walked the first miles alone, mainly along the narrow road towards Port Carlisle, occasionally the path went through grassed areas but then returned to the lane.
In the next village, Glassonby, I had taken a path away from the estuary and I came to a junction where the map showed a sharp right turn.
It was along this village street that I came across the first refreshment honesty box. I had come prepared with plenty of cash, as all the You Tubers I had followed had highlighted how generous locals provide these wayside supplies of cool drinks and treats. I selected a cold drink from an icy cool box and left my payment in the cash tin.
It felt strange changing direction but a short distance after leaving the village a left turn took me into remote farm fields with only sheep for company. Then, eventually, at another left turn onto a lane, I was heading back towards the estuary and the village of Drumburgh.
 At the junction in the village a couple approached from my right and we chatted for a few minutes. They had walked from East to West and in about two hours would finish their journey. They were from Switzerland. While we chatted Ed from L A and Sophie from Belgium emerged from a yard opposite where they had paused their journey for a coffee break. They were heading in my direction.
We fell into step and chatted as we made our way out of the village and back to walking parallel to the estuary again. It turned out that they were both walking solo and had happened to meet at the start.
I appreciated their company and after agreeing that we may not stay together if our pace didn’t match we found an easy walking and chatting rhythm for the next few hours. The following three miles were along a very straight lane through salt marshes beside the estuary with only grazing cattle and occasional passing vehicles to punctuate the monotony.
To be continued………….