The more height we gained on the slopes of Mount Barnard, the more the panorama of Morecambe Bay was revealed to us. At first it was in small tantalising glimpses, then as we breached the summit the bay opened out in all its glory.
The colour of the landscape is harsher than we had grown used to on the shore, primary colours rather than the soft pastels of the bay shoreline. The rough pasture veers between the emerald green of the common grasses to the reds, pinks and browns of the fading shrubs, bushes and ferns. The trees provide a deeper green background against the sky which, today at least, is a deep, almost cloudless blue. It is a day to sing and swing your knapsack, revelling in the space of the high pastures and freedom from the clutches of time.
The early part of this section is close to the river, weaving in and out on a sometimes muddy and wet path. We found there were lots of Red Admiral Butterflies sunbathing on the trees. Once you come away from the river and on to the hard tramac path it becomes a little bit boring, albeit there are views over to the Cumbrian Fells. The second failure of our day occurred at the end of this section, after crossing the Greenod Bridge. We had hoped to follow a disused railway line from Greenod into Ulverston via Moss Nook. However, we were advised by fishermen on the bank that it ran through a builder's yard that would be closed as it was the weekend.
While it was a disappointment not to be able to take our choosen route through Hoker Hall Estate, the views from above the estuary made it more than worthwhile. That it was another day of beautiful weather also helped to make what turned in to a long day very enjoyable.