EAST COAST TO WEST COAST

In the spring of 2011 we decided to complete our own version of the popular coast to coast route but rather than walking we would take the Discovery and drive as many green lanes as we could on the way.

A long drive from Bridlington in the east to Cumbria and the Lake District in the west. Lots of green lanes and lovely countryside.

OS LANDRANGER MAPS 101, 106, 100, 99, 92, 86, 89

Distance = 200 miles approximately

Start: Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire
End: Maryport, West Cumbria

RATING: A mixed drive but with no particularly difficult stretches.

PART 5

NENTHEAD TO THE WEST COAST

Armathwaite, 20 miles west of Nenthead, sits on the lovely River Eden. We drive a pleasant lane on the edge of the village.

We cross the A6 at High Hesket and follow the lane through the ford to cross the River Petteril and arrive at Petteril Hill. Here we drive underneath the M6 and from this point the Lake District stretches out in front of us. We are close to the end of our drive.

Picking our way on narrow lanes we drive westwards through the little village of Ireby to arrive 20 odd miles later at Bothel and another short byway before turning south and after passing through Cockermouth we approach Loweswater village at the eastern side of Loweswater Lake via the B5289.

This is a little known area of the lake district, often bypassed, so it is a remarkably peaceful area. The byway we take is on the northern side of the lake and it is quite a steep climb. The view of Loweswater lake below us is breathtaking. We continue on past the farms at Mosser before taking our final track to its end at Low Lawton.

A couple of miles north and we're back at Cockermouth and then on north west to Maryport on the west coast just 7 miles away.

Coast to coast completed. Nothing particularly difficult and a very enjoyable drive. We have driven farmland and moorland and enjoyed fabulous views. We've encountered wildlife from foxes to hares and watched birds of prey hunting and circling over us.

Where next?