St. Bees

We woke to the smell of the sea and the sound of seagulls outside our open window this morning. It is 53 deg and cloudy with a forecast of 62.

Tomorrow is the big day when our walk will officially begin. We decided we needed this day at the beginning of the walk to recover from all the travel the past couple of days, and this will be our only chance to see what St. Bees is like because we will not come this way again. Our plan is to leave early in the morning on the walk, so this is the day for exploring.

We walked up the street to see what we could see. The only shop in town is the post office with a few groceries and snacks. 

Hydrangea

Pyracantha (firethorn)

More hydrangea

Cistus 

Bright orange begonias 

Cosmos

Zinnia

Native white clover

Wild blackberries

Rose hips 

The painted cottages in the village. 

Part of Fairladies Farm

Looking through a drive to the sea beyond. 

More of the old buildings of Fairladies Farm (17th Century)

Fresh picked apples waiting to be made into cider. Oh they smelled so good!

Closeup of the red sandstone. 

Walking to the priory

The priory

Sleeping child’s garden

Sculpture created by well-known artist Josefina de Vasconcellos

in memory of children lost before or after birth. She also created several other sculptures in the priory and has sculptures in Tulsa Ok as well as Dallas and all over the world. 

Saint Bees (always abbreviated to St. Bees) is an ancient community with deep-rooted ecclesiastical roots. On our little walk this morning we stopped by the St. Bees Priory church and the boarding school. The structures were made of the reddish brown sandstone that I mentioned yesterday that is so common in the north of England. The church dates back to the 7th century when it was a nunnery established by St. Bega, succeeded on the site by a Benedictine Priory in the 12th century. It fell into ruins after the dissolution of all monasteries by Henry VIII, because the church forbade him to marry in adultery. Later it was restored as the parish church and is still functional today under the name of the Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega. 

The greatest glory of this place is the west doorway, a deeply recessed, richly columned and decorative portal dating from about 1160, and a splendid example of late Norman work. The Normans came from northern France, and invaded England in 1066 after King Edward the Confessor died without leaving an heir to the throne. They eventually defeated the Anglo-Saxons at the Battle of Hastings, when King Harold II was killed. The Normans ruled England for about 300 years. 

Incredible stained glass

This is what you call a pipe organ. 

Amazing stone work 

The church contains a number of late Norman coffin slabs, and the sanctuary contains some old, creepy relics, like the hair of an ancient saint.

In the transept is a beautifully incised effigy of Lady Johanna Lucy, who died in 1369. 

Walkway into cemetery

Outside the church is an ancient cemetery with crucifix headstones that date back a thousand years. In the churchyard, rest two mutilated 13th-century knights, one bearing a shield with the arms of Ireby on it.

Cathie, here’s a pic for you. 

More recently, there is a touching monument of a child of four on a tomb under a recess, a heartbreaking little figure as she lies asleep, a spray of lilies-of-the-valley in her hand. 

These steps have seen some feet. Just think of the nuns and monks who’ve traversed here. 

Moss covered rock wall

Gate into the old cemetery

St. Bees day and boarding school. Also the next four pics. 

This was originally Walkers scone flour factory. They also produced St Bees sauce in the pickle factory and Early Riser baking powder.

A new use for an old phone booth 

We walked down to the beach, which is about a 15 minute walk from The Manor. 

We decided to have lunch at Hartley’s cafe overlooking the sea. It’s been a family run ice cream maker since 1931. 

We both had prawns and chips

Jo Anne had mint choc chip

I had rum raisin. 

The Isle of Man in the distance

I can see the north cliffs to my right where we will begin walking tomorrow, and the vast blue Irish Sea in front of me. There is nothing quite like the sea to bring about a sense of the power of God and the peace He provides.

Gulls are crying overhead, children are playing on the playground and people are walking their dogs on the beach. It is a great day to be alive!

As the wind blows the waves onto the rocky beach, my hair is swirling around my head in the same way anticipation is billowing in my spirit.

When the waves wash up on the shore, it makes a very unique clicking sound because when the water suddenly rushes through the stones they all slightly lift and come back down again, making a thousand clicks when they bump each other in the process. It's really quite an interesting phenomenon and one I don't think I've ever experienced before. I really hope you can hear it in the video. 

There are so many stones of various sizes and colors – so many layers you can’t see the earth below them. The calico rock shore is speckled with beautiful colors:  white, black, blue, pink, tan, and reddish brown. It makes me think of a bunch of Easter eggs. 

We were trying to show the steepness and scale of the cliff but you just can’t capture it in a photo. We’ll be looking down from the top tomorrow morning. 

Just sitting on a bench enjoying the sounds, smells and peace of the sea. 

There were two backpackers that had just gotten off the train at St. Bees and were heading up the mountain to begin their walk at 3:30 this afternoon. Jo Anne asked if they wanted her to take their picture and he handed her his camera to video them. He was quite a hoot. You can see them about midway up the trail in the photo. No grass was growing under their feet. 

Highland cow 

We came back to the room for me to work on the blog and Jo Anne to journal and decided that dinner tonight will just be tea and dessert here at the Manor. 

I had amazing sticky toffee pudding. 

Jo Anne had summer berries eaton mess. 

We had an excellent treat in a charming place and it was a great way to end the day in St. Bees. 

Maybe it was because I was so excited about beginning the walk tomorrow and my brain was consumed with endorphins, but that was some of the best dessert I ever tasted! Jo Anne and I made a toast to the “best hike ever” starting tomorrow. Cheers! 

Taking one more walk down to the sea for a sunset picture. 

When we first got to the beach this evening 

And the final glimpse of the sun

Now it’s time to pack up our bags and get our daypacks ready for the big day!

17,831 steps

8 miles

14 floors

We are off to bed early in anticipation of an early start. 

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling." Psalm 46:1-3

It is His strength we rely upon as we embark on this memorial journey. We invite you to come along...