Whitehavening

After a good sleep, we kind of kicked into local life quite quickly. Very helpful and friendly marina folks and locals, sad town of course (even more dead shops in the main streets since covid) but a lovely location and surroundings. After a major wash off, the boat looked at home here too:

The place is full of supermarkets so you are spoiled for choice. Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi and Asda all in a few minutes walk. 5 minutes to the train station too although we are still not sure about travelling in an antique 2 carriage slow Northern Rail service to Carlisle when all the little Covid spreaders are on half term holiday. Instead the bikes had an airing, first of all following the well paved cycle track to the north. The initial part follows the railway line along the coast:

with lovely views and a Starbucks en route to top up the fluid and sugar levels which helped the crew's smile: 

It was not as cold as her attire suggests - coming back was mainly downhill so little pedalling was involved to help the body temperature.

We also explored the track in the other direction, following the start of the coast to coast cycle route that the mad Anne completed a while ago. We were not planning to go quite that far, Egremont (around an hour away) was our turning spot, again after a coffee stop. This time at a great independent place, Deja Brew. Very good coffee indeed, thoroughly recommended.

This picture of one of the marker posts is just added in so we appear more energetic than we really were:

Since we were on the berth of a boat that was being relaunched, and as we didn't really want to rush off yet (nicer forecast here than the one for Campbeltown or the Gigha anchorage) we moved berths. A wild ocean voyage of at least 5 minutes. To begin with the boat didn't feel "right". It just did not respond to the helm as it normally would. Then the rather forgetful captain realised that he had unpinned the stabilisers (manual job on our boat) but not energised the system to hold them centered after starting the engine. They got unpinned in case we came across a shallow bit or something substantial as when they are help by hydraulic pressure, they will "give" a little, unlike when the big stainless steel pin is holding them. However, you must remember to turn on the system. Little simple boat moves always lull you into forgetting something important. Maybe a proper checklist is really needed rather than just an elderly brain....

Anyway, system duly fired up, fins centred, boat behaved like a boat again and we popped onto a new berth, much closer to the promenade than before:

We ought to charge for pictures now, we could make a fortune based on the number taken by passers by in one day.

A slightly longer (18 miles or so) cycle trip took us through delightful countryside, on very good bike tracks, to Workington. The town is neither delightful or very good but is way busier than Whitehaven with fewer empty shops. After a coffee stop, we escaped but were intrigued by the quality merchandise on the market stalls:

No comment needed.

In a wild moment, after half term had finished, we braved the train to Carlisle. Lovely ride along the coast and then through the countryside (although it does stop in salubrious places like Maryport and Workington). A very plesant wander around Carlisle, the castle (free thanks to Welsh Heritage membership) and then through the riverside park.

During the walk we bumped into a first for us - a crufts champion. Sevy was named after the golfer by his owners. Alex Little is a famous lady judge on the dog show circuit, specialising in sheepdog breeds. This beautiful boy won best in class at Crufts and many awards abroad as well. He was not at all "special" with us, he just liked cuddles and attention as most dogs do:

The main reason we had stopped and talked to the owners was Angel, a 12 week old pup who was on her first walk out in the park and was enjoying every moment:

She is destined to become a champion we reckon and her owners are planning to show her in the major competitions. Lovely dog, lovely temprement, nice owners too who told us quite a bit about the rather cut throat world of dog shows. Motto being, never leave your dog unattended.......

We continued to enjoy the area with a mix of walks, supermarket raids (big stores will be few and far between when we head north again) and cycle trips. We also did our bit for the bee population, this sad guy was in our outdoor sink and barely moving so on the second day we read up and gave him the emergency sugar /water mix. Amazing restorative properties, after consuming it (as in the picture), the bee managed to fly off again. No idea if that was a temporary thing but we felt good all the same. Little things and all that: