St Bees knees up - 9ml/14.5km - 4hrs 15mins - 16th July Evening.

Dipped a toe in the Irish sea at about 12noon and packed a stone to throw into the North sea at the end, and we were off on the great trek.

We've just come back from the pub. Hot showers, and couple of pints and a big banger, yorkshire pud and mash for most of us. Lots of carbs to offset the rigours of the day. Wet early but became sunny later in the day. Wind blew at half gale force all day, very scary at a couple of points where the (muddy and slippery) path is about 1 foot from the edge of a long drop to the rocks and waves - but its quieter now - people sitting out in the Beer Garden at the Pub. Finally tasted English beer, a real ale called Smooth Bitter by Jennings. Wasn't too bad.

Visited the Priory in St Bees as we left town, 600 year old church and grounds with tombs of 14 century knights. Across the road was the St Bees senior school, established in 1583 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, which is the old school of the famous "Mr Bean" Rowan Atkinson.

Apparently tomorrow is going to be wet, wet, wet and if this morning was anything to go by pretty tough. Came back to St Bees using a "short cut" recommended by the staff at Stonehouse Farm where we're staying - supposed to be only a mile (boy it was a long mile) which saved us some time - probably get a taxi back to the start point for tomorrow just to spare our legs.

We all met at the Manor House Hotel in St Bees yesterday. Al got in earlier from Whitehaven and was busy yarning to the locals most of whom work at Sellafield the nearby nuclear plant. Got George (one of the locals) to take a photograph of all of us outside the Coast to Coast Bar. Dinner at the pub was interesting - choice of 2 Australian reds bottled in England for 16 pounds each - wouldn't pay any more than 5 dollars for an equivalent cleanskin at home.

Stonehouse Farm is a converted farmhouse parts of which appear to have been constructed in the 1600s. The staff are very friendly and the breakfasts are up to the standards we've come to expect. Not sure we'll lose any weight if we keep doing the full english breakfasts.