GLW1706 : A Quiet Little Stroll Round Heysham

Sunday 16th July 2017

It was supposed to be a quiet little stroll. Park at Heysham and wander along the sea front, see St Patrick's Church and wander back through the old village to the car. And that is what we did. So did thousands of other folks. It was the Heysham Viking Festival and every Viking that ever there was, was there today for certain because today's the day that Heysham has its festival. Not quite what we expected.

The first thing that struck us as we walked from the car park at Half Moon Bay was how small the Nuclear Power Stations appeared.

Given that from any south facing hill in the Lake District they look massive in the far distance, this was quite a surprise. Strangely they did seem to grow as we walked away from them along the coastal path. However we were more interested in the panorama.

Soon we reached the ruins of the 8th century St Patrick's Chapel with its ancient grave stones.

Nearby was the equally old (but much more subsequently developed) St Peter's Church. It is an interesting building.

Apparently the floor level was raised one foot by the Victorians who then flagged and tiled it. However the guide said that the original floor was about two and a half feet lower but, if I understood him correctly, the ground level rose as people were buried within the walls.

Those buried outside would have one of the finest graveyard views in the UK if only they could enjoy it.

Emerging from the church we found the church hall which was a café for the day. Outside sat a Viking couple. I thought it humorously incongruous that they were drinking beer from cans. Perhaps I should have snapped them when they weren't looking but I thought I would do the decent thing and ask if they minded if I took their photo. They refused, presumably not wanting to be identified as having slipped out of character. I could have got my revenge later.

At the village institute food was being sold. The sausage rolls with ketchup and gherkins were every bit as tasty as the women serving them were dozy!

Walking back through the village was interesting. It is clearly very old but well maintained. Today it was decked out in Vikingalia, complete with effigies and with craft & nick-knack stalls.

However the Information Centre seemed prouder of its copy of Turner's painting of Heysham and the Cumberland Mountains.

At the far end, the village playing fields were the Viking tournament venue. It was complete with traditional Viking cheese stalls and amusement park rides.

However, at the far end of the park, was the proper Viking enclosure where there were about 50 tents with all kinds of authentic items being made and many authentic looking Viking folk, either making them, selling them or preparing for battle.

There, outside a tent, sat the lady who didn't want to be photographed drinking from a can of beer. I was tempted to Photoshop the photo to put a large can of larger in her hands but I have resisted!

We could have stayed for the battle but felt vikinged out and anyway we had to get back to Kendal so Margaret could visit granny. An interesting trip (to Heysham, not to Granny). One day we will return and make it into a proper walk, probably from Morecambe and without the Vikings so we can explore the village without fear of being raped and pillaged.

Don, Sunday 16th July 2017