THE FOOTNOTES
Every print from Marking The Wild comes with its own trail story, this is yours.
Here you’ll find sketches, route details, reflections from the walk, and a few extra notes I couldn’t quite fit on paper.
Think of it as a companion to the artwork; a small way to step into the moment with me, and maybe take the journey for yourself.
Arnside: Wonder As You Wander
There is a kind of quiet that belongs only to Arnside. A soft slowness that brushes over you as the light touches the widening estuary; hinting at a change approaching. This walk invites you to slip into a gentle lilt and wonder as you wander.
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My great grandma Jesse lived here along with great aunt Elizabeth, so it holds fond memories of visits accompanied by tea & cake. One year, on great grandma’s birthday, it was my job to carry the cake into the party but my little legs couldn’t quite keep up with my excitement which led to a disastrous but hilarious celebration involving scooping cake crumbs from the carpet. Thankfully this moment was caught on video camera which meant it could be relived on each subsequent visit. After this excitement would always follow, the sandy stroll.
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For me this is a transitional walk, both because it’s my go-to pitstop when visiting the Lake District, signifying a shift from holiday to home; but more than that, it’s in the very nature of this place. It feels held between elements and moments in time. Always on the cusp of change and almost imperceptible in its changing.
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I feel held between land and sea, the past and the future.
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You walk between woodland shore, sea and sand, shifting between the three with curlew calls as your soundtrack.
There are long, open views across the River Kent Estuary toward the lakeland fells and the more well-known town of Grange-over-Sand. Meanwhile the woodland moments gather you into their quieter world with filtered light, mossy trunks and the occasional flicker of a wren.
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Nothing in this walk asks for effort. Instead, it asks for perception. Perfect for a mindful hour where the sea and the self settle into ease.
Waypoints Through The Wild
Start:
Begin on the Arnside promenade near the shoreline, following the paved, slightly elevated pathway with the estuary on your right. If it’s low tide you can divert along the sand, but be cautious of the tides and quicksands.
Continue along the curve of the shore, either on the path or sand - sticking within easy reach of the rocky embankments which may require some negotiating, particularly if the tide comes in quickly.
Continue veering inland along the coastline where you reach a fork between woodlands and take the left sandy path. Follow the track, entering a shaded section of trees on your left known as Grubbins Wood Nature Reserve.
Walk steadily uphill on the well-defined woodland path with an approx. 28m incline and enjoy the shift in soundscape as the trees engulf you with wind through leaves, birdsong, soft footfall.
Continue through the trees, keeping roughly parallel to the shoreline but a little higher. When the path begins to descend, snake through it toward the lower track.Rejoin the coastal edge, returning to the promenade.
Finish:
Arrive back at your starting point by the sea and head for some tea & cake either at Arnside Beach Hut near the Coastguard Station or at a small selection of independent cafes on the main promenade. Alternatively pop into the Albion pub for a pint and some chips.
Sense The Scene
See: shifting light on the water, the distant shapes of the Lake Fells.
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Hear: curlew calls, breeze in the trees, water on sand and stone.
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Smell: sea salt, pine resin, green grass or damp leaf-litter.
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Feel: damp sand, cool limestone, rough bark.
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Taste: salt in the air, ice cream on the promenade, pint in the pub.
Practical Parts
Parking: Available in Arnside village all along the promenade.
Facilities: Cafés, toilets and small shops nearby.
Hazards: Tidal estuary - DANGER of fast rising tides, quicksand and hidden channels do not venture onto the sands without caution and knowledge.
Have you been here? What's Your Story
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