Cark and Cartmel station is a five minute walk from our BnB in Flookburgh, and it’s a four minute train ride to Kents Bank, where we finished our walk last time. It’s a grey morning but we’re not expecting rain.

Walking up the minor road northwards we pass the entrance to Abbot Hall – I had wondered if it was possible to take a shortcut through the grounds of the hall, but there are No Access signs everywhere so we carry on up the hill, past rows of neat semi-detached houses. As the road dips down, I find the footpath I’ve been looking for off to the left – a battered old signpost shows us the way. The Cumbria Coastal Way is actually not marked on OS maps anymore as I’m told there are a few farmers who have withdrawn their permission to let walkers on their land. We do however come across quite a few signposts helping us on our way.

At the bottom of the lane we pass a farm and walk under the railway line, heading for a small limestone promontory named Humphrey Head – have tried to find the origin of the name to no avail.

The track now leads us in the direction of an Outdoor Centre where we turn right, pass through a kissing gate and up a narrow grassy path which then meets up with a minor road leading to the beach. A short distance down the road we turn off left and start to climb the gentle hill which leads up to Humphrey Head Point. The view from the top is stunning, the endless sands of Morecambe Bay stretch out in sinuous curves which then run into mud flats at low tide. Further inland are gigantic cultivated fields and in the far distance the Cumbrian hills.

Retracing our steps we rejoin the lane which bends round to the left, and then it’s tarmac for about two miles. After circling Cark Airport we arrive at Lakeland Leisure Park to join a footpath called the Old Embankment. To our left a wide expanse of marshland stretches out to the sands and on our right, the gorse bushes shine brightly in contrast to the vivid green grass of early Spring.

Beautiful stone walls start to appear………………………

……………and enchanting pieces of driftwood———————————–

We reach Cowpren Point where the path curves round to head north……………………….

And Lenibrick Point where three ageing trailers stand in line.

From here it’s a straight run through Sandgate Marsh up to Cark where there is a pub ,but it’s a bit early for a drink and it’s a short walk to Flookburgh where our cosy rented cottage awaits. On our way we had to stop to watch this lively bunch of lambs exploring their territory.

Distance: 10 miles