Day 71 - Overton to Carnforth

Yet again, Ben and Gary catch the early train from Euston and John joins at New Street. Breakfast sandwiches purchased on board, and we arrive on schedule at Lancaster. Our Colin from the station lives in Overton, but even he is at a loss to explain why the Globe wasn't open on our last visit - although he confesses to having been a patron of the Ship prior to its closure. We leave him to decide whether to pop home and have a cup of coffee before returning to Lancaster, and concentrate on the more important issue of identifying the route towards Sunderland Point. It's a warm and bright morning, which is just as well because the walk around the point isn't the most interesting of the stretches we've covered to date. The approach to Heysham is heralded by the sight firstly of the ferry coming over from the Isle of Man, and secondly of the nuclear power station. Based on our earlier experience of Hinkley Point, we assume that we won't be able to walk along the seaward side of the plant but, in fact, there is a walkway and no signs saying that we can't use it. No problem as we go north alongside the western boundary of the power station. Turning inland at the entrance to the harbour we see a few more fences, but there is access to narrow paths between them. We're almost beyond the power station and feeling more and more optimistic when, at the end of a path which appears to lead from the edge of the power station to the edge of the ferry terminal, there is a locked gate. No way around it; no way over it; and no alternative but to retrace our steps. The walk out and back takes about 45 minutes - an extra couple of miles. Surely a sign at the entrance to the walkway saying something like "no access to the ferry terminal" wouldn't have been too much to expect? Irritating. However, we eventually arrive in Heysham via a park and some roads.....and leave almost immediately via a grassy path running a few feet above the sea. This eventually brings us to Morecambe which is attractive and surprisingly extensive - it takes us a good hour after entering the town to reach the lighthouse and the "iconic" Midland Hotel where, shock horror, there is a very light and short rain shower. We pass Morecambe Golf Course and, from Hest Bank to Carnforth, we're walking very close to the main North-West rail line which Helen (who is joining us for the evening and tomorrow's walk) is having some difficulty in reaching due to problems with the train from Birmingham to Lancaster. Our walk today ends at a bridge over the River Keer just outside Carnforth, and we arrive in the town itself shortly after 5:30, which was Helen's scheduled arrival time. However, her most recent update reports a delay of about an hour which gives us more than enough time to check in at the Royal Station Hotel and have a couple of ciders, and for John then to pop back to the station to greet Helen - no doubt re-enacting the scene filmed there in Brief Encounter. The hotel is a pub with rooms, and it is not immediately apparent why it merits its regal prefix. Cheap and cheerful is perhaps the best description, but the showers work and sufficient quantities of wine/stickies are available with supper. So no major complaints.