Saturday 23rd Nov (attempted 29 miles – succeeded 23 miles)

A slightly earlier start enabled by Saturday’s trains starting several hours earlier than Sunday – meaning we got on the train at 0737. But sadly the benefit of a prompt wake-up was soon melting away as our train sat waiting on Platform 4 of Oxford Road Station waiting for a driver!

Whilst waiting Platform-side, I was playing the game “is this person likely to be on my walk?” I’d glance sideways at their shoes and coar and try to determine if they looked liked a 20+ mile hiker. Most interestingly the perspective hikers were doing the same to me, but wrote me off becasue I:

1. had a dog
2. didn’t have proper walking boots (I felt quite offended by this)

I can understand point 1 as dog’s don’t normally walk that distance) but point 2 My boots of choice that day were not real hiking boots, but more what you’d call a mid shoe where the ankle support is halfway between that of a show and a boot.

Eventually, the new train driver arrived, and we were able to set off for Blackpool. Initially we thought that we wouldn’t be too affected by storm Bert , but the further towards the coast we got, the worse the downpour became. A small hiccup meant that I accidentally poured the majority of my coffee over myself and the table rather than down my throat. And it was about this time I checked for updates on the ferry schedule and reallised that there was no ferry that day due to storm Bert!

Anyway over the course of the journey and within a few minutes of arrival I managed to locate the other 5 who were joining us and break the bad news.

Due to train delays, impromptu detours, terrible weather and some stubborn cows, we only managed about 17 miles before taking the penultimate bus of the day back to Lancaster through Glasson Dock.

We did manage two of the promised three Bs I gave in the Rambler’s walk description, a beach and a beer in a brewery but sadly not a boat.
Two out of three ain’t bad!