Page 257 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

it was gouged out by a
long-extinct glacier dur-
ing the last Ice Age; if DETOUR:
you look closely, you can ST BEES HEAD
still see glacial marks on
the scree-strewn slopes Start: 7 Cockermouth
above Wastwater. Most Cumbria’s coastline might not have the white
people come for the sandy beaches of Wales or the epic grandeur of the
chance to reach the sum- Scottish coast, but it has a bleak beauty all of its
mit of Scafell Pike, Eng- own – not to mention a renowned seabird reserve at
land’s highest point; it’s a St Bees Head (RSPB; stbees.head@rspb.org.uk), where
tough six- to seven-hour you can spot species including fulmars, herring
slog, but the views from gulls, kittiwakes and razorbills. You can also look for
the top are quite literally England’s only nesting black guillemots at nearby
as good as they get (as- Fleswick Bay. Just try and forget the fact that one of
suming the weather plays the UK’s largest nuclear reactors, Sellafield, is round GREAT BRITAIN 18 CLASSIC LAKES
ball, of course). the corner.
Afterwards, reward The village of St Bees is 5 miles south of White-
yourself with a meal at haven, and the headland is signposted from there.
the Wasdale Head Inn
(%019467-26229; www.
wasdale.com; s £59, d coast. Now known as the
£118-130, tr £177; pW), a Ravenglass & Eskdale TRIP HIGHLIGHT
gloriously olde-worlde Railway (%01229-717171; a Hardknott Pass &
hostelry with lashings www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk;
of mountain heritage: it adult/child/family return Wrynose Pass
was here that the sport £13.50/6.75/38; c), its At the eastern end of
of rock climbing was pio- miniature choo-choos Eskdale lie England’s
neered in the mid-19th are a beloved Lakeland two steepest road passes,
century. attraction. They chuff Hardknott and Wrynose.
for 7 miles along the
The Drive » Retrace your valley from the station at Reaching 30% gradient
route to Gosforth, and take the Ravenglass to the final in some places, and with
coast road (A595) south to terminus at Dalegarth. precious few passing
Ravenglass and follow signs to Nearby, the Boot Inn places on the narrow,
Eskdale (22 miles). Alternatively, single-file road, they’re
there’s a shortcut into Eskdale (%019467-23224; www. absolutely not for the
via Nether Wasdale and Santon thebooteskdale.co.uk; Boot; faint-hearted or for
Bridge, but it’s easy to get lost, mains £10-18; p) makes a nervous drivers – but the
especially if you’re relying on pleasant stop for lunch. views are amazing, and
sat-nav; a good road map is
really handy here. The Drive » Since you’re they’re doable if you take
driving, the most sensible idea is things slow (although it’s
to park near Dalegarth Station, probably best to leave the
ride the train to Ravenglass
9 Eskdale and back, and then set off for caravan or motor home
The valley of Eskdale was Hardknott Pass. There’s only in the garage). Make sure
your car has plenty of
once a centre for mineral- one road east. Take it and get
mining, and a miniature ready for a hair-raising, white- oil and water, as you’ll
knuckle drive. It’s 6 (very steep!) do much of the road in
steam train was built
to carry ore down from miles from Eskdale to Hardknott 1st gear, and the strain
on the engine can be
Pass.
the hillsides to the
taxing. Take it slow, and
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