SEA and MOUNTAINS.
| We sail a 21 ft. 6 in L.O.A. Corribee.
A four-berth bilge keeler, she was built in 1974 and is
beginning to look her age, but then aren't we all. Corribees are good sea boats, however, and have undertaken considerable passages including Atlantic crossings. |
Our home port is Workington where we have a mooring with the
Vanguard Sailing Club. From here a short passage of three or four
hours across the Solway Firth will see us at anchor off the
Galloway coast.
This area has a number of quiet creeks and bays where it is
possible to be the only boat with the silence broken solely by
the cries of sea birds.
There are also several small harbours with facilities for
visitors.
Our passage making is short. We tend towards what James Wharram
calls “coastal trekking”, a sort of floating
backpacking.Our philosophy of sailing is to keep it simple and
for many years we have managed without electrics. This season,
however, we have fitted a Forgen wind generator. This is proving
extremely effective and, despite missing the subtle glow of oil
lamps, we are enjoying the convenience of electric light.
Even our navigation is being dragged into the present day as
we have invested in a handheld GPS. Although this will remove any
lingering doubts on the part of the crew as to where we are, we
remain committed to traditional methods.
J.D. Sleightholme said that you could tell a shoal-water yachtsman by the barnacles on his shirt-tail, because of the time spent walking to and fro across the mud. We choose drying anchorages where we can walk off and exercise the dog. No shellfish have been spotted on our clothing as yet but we keep looking.
| The Solway is a splendid place to
sail, it is uncrowded and, on the Scottish side at least,
it is unspoilt. Nonetheless it should be treated with respect. Extensive sandbanks and unpredictable weather patterns can cause problems even for experienced sailors. |
The Isles of Fleet offer drying anchorages while small harbours such as Isle of Whithorn and Garlieston provide simple facilities for visiting boats. If in Garlieston it is well worth visiting the Harbour Gallery |  Garlieston photo - Philip Dunn  Rigg Bay photo - Philip Dunn |
| When we are not sailing we can turn
our attention to the hills of the Lake District. A short drive of thirty minutes or so and we can be at the foot of the Western fells. A favourite walk follows the beck up from Lanthwaite to Coledale Hause, then on to Hopegill Head. From here a wonderful ridge leads to Whiteside. (photo: John Dawson)
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Each area of the Lake District has its own distinctive
character.
For solitude and isolation it is difficult to beat the Northern
fells. Here you find wide valleys, reminiscent of Scottish glens,
overlooked by Skiddaw and Blencathra.
| If we are lucky enough to have
sufficient snow we travel to the Eastern fells where the
terrain is suitable for cross-country skiing. Sadly, the last couple of winters have only produced enough snow for the odd day out. (global warming?) Otherwise we might be better at it than this! |
Although having no great altitude (only three Cumbrian peaks top 3000 feet) a walker in this area can experience almost every type of weather condition (sometimes on the same day) and appropriate equipment and expertise are vital.
For a really good overview of Lake District walks, together with a fantastic selection of photos, journey planners, weather advice and much more try this link to John Dawson's site
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