Day 70 - Cockerham (Cocker Bridge) to Overton

Comfortable rooms and a good breakfast. The Stork will find its way onto the short list of best places to stay when we eventually get round to compiling it. Our bus journey this morning is on the 89H (in case you're wondering, because its route has taken it past Lancaster Hospital) which arrives a few minutes late, but helpfully drops us at Cocker Bridge itself. A windy day which would make it difficult for a crow to fly the two miles which John informs is the direct distance to Overton - and we have 16 or 17 miles to walk around the coast and the River Lune. The first stretch along an embankment above the River Cocker isn't too bad, but we're given an idea of what's to come when we turn into the wind  towards Bank End Farm. At least when we've rounded the farm and passed a couple of caravan sites to arrive by the coast, the wind is coming from over the shoulder, but...well..."buffeting" is the word which springs to mind. After skirting around the Chapter House of Cockersand Abbey overlooking the sea (and built in about 1230 apparently) we go through a farm and some fields where the second bovine encounter of this trip occurs. In one of the fields, the farmer appears on a quadbike "herding" (if that's a word that can be applied to a single animal) a cow beside a hedge towards us. He informs us that the cow is ill and suggests that we take care in case it falls over when passing us! Exactly what evasive action we could take is unclear. However, we manage to get by without being crushed and soon arrive at Glasson Dock which, until the late 19th century, was Lancaster's main port, and from where our route continues along the trackbed of the former railway from Lancaster to the port. After a mile or so, we cross an old railway bridge over the River Conder from where we can see, about 400 yards away and after over two hours of walking, the Stork Inn! The crow should be well ensconced in Overton by now. The old railway track goes through a picnic site, getting increasingly close to the Lune, but for the most part it is lined with trees so the wind is hardly noticeable - for now at least. When we leave the track close to a place called Aldcliffe, we're back on an exposed and narrow embankment along the edge of a saltmarsh between us and the river. The wind is blowing from the west (our left) and, at times, is so strong that it's necessary to concentrate on walking in a reasonably straight line. However, when the embankment turns right as the river narrows, we're walking downwind towards Lancaster, and Snatchem's Inn (reputedly something to do with pressgangs) on the opposite bank causes thoughts to turn to refreshment later in the day. A thought of more immediate relevance is where we'll be able to cross the Lune. We're hopeful that there will be a walkway alongside the railway bridge and, whilst our hopes are realised, it is undergoing repairs so we can't use it. Instead, we have to use the Millennium  pedestrian bridge just over a quarter of a mile further on. The walk along the north bank of the Lune is back into the wind, but it's not as bad as the earlier crosswind. The first couple of miles are pretty close to the river but, shortly after passing Snatchem's, we have to go inland and follow the roads into Overton. We've decided not to call in at Snatchem's because, according to the internet, there are two hostelries in Overton itself. However, the first one we pass (The Ship) is boarded up, and the second (The Globe), whilst ostensibly operational - i.e. some tables have cloths on them - is shut and completely deserted. A cab is accordingly summoned, and thankfully (it is now distinctly chilly) arrives reasonably quickly. The driver is a bit puzzled about the Marie Celestian nature of the Globe, having been there himself a few weeks ago. In any event, he gets us to Lancaster station - via what feels like a lengthy series of decreasing circles in the town - in sufficiently good time that we're able to wander to the nearby Merchants Bar (via the local Information Centre for postcards) and have a relaxed beer before catching our train.

Footnote/Legal Update:  John provides the information during the course of the two days that the case of Harkness Junior v Worcester College (see day 67) has not been pursued following a fulsome apology from a university accommodation officer. The latest dispute is the potential case of R v Person or Persons Unknown in re Winchcombe Wheelers Road Traffic Incident.