BB1506 : Bring Me Sunshine!

Wednesday 18th February 2015

"Bring Me Sunshine", I prayed as I was planning this week’s outing.  However the Rains Gods refused my request although they did kindly say that, as long as we kept away from the Lake District, we ought not get too wet.

So, south we went.  First to have a Brief Encounter with Carnforth Station, enjoying a coffee break in the waiting room amongst the photos of Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson. If you click on the photo, below RHS, you can watch the denouement.

Next we caught the train to Morecambe.  The idea was to walk back to Carnforth which we did but it took rather longer than expected albeit for good reasons.  The main one being that we had our tour guide with us, Terry, who was able to illuminate our outing with recollections of his youth when he lived there and to point out to us many places and objects of interest.  Tony was able to add to the commentary with stories of his exploits there, including a couple of instances where he and Terry had been at the same end of pier shows at the same time, albeit unknowingly.

It would be rather dreary for me to write a “we did this then we saw that" saga in detail and in any case my memory is not that good but here are bullet points of several of the things I can recall.

• Boris bikes
• Many sea birds, both real and artificial.

• No reasons to shop at MO RISONS.

• The Battery Hotel- now disused but Tony insisted on having his photo taken knocking on the door.  Can you see him?
• Alhambra Theatre where The Entertainer starring Laurence Olivier was filmed in 1960. 

• Tattoo Parlours reminiscent of the Electric Michelangelo by Sara Hall in which Cy Parks spends his childhood year as apprentice to alcoholic tattoo-artist Eliot Riley
• More gulls

• The now closed, except for special visits, internally magnificent Winter Gardens Theatre of which Tony is a "friend".  
  Click for a tour.
• The Stone Jetty with its former railway station now being converted into a restaurant.

• The art-deco Midland Hotel as featured in Poirot.

• The old Lifeboat Station.
• Colourful Mother and child stature

Note there is no mention of the splendid view of the Lakeland Hills.  On the right day they form a spectacular backdrop to Morecambe Bay but not when the Rain Gods decree otherwise.  

However, there is a model of its silhouette.  You can see the boys peering from behind their conquests!

Of course we stopped for our Comitibus picture at the statue of Eric where the words of Bring Me Sunshine are etched into the steps. Normally I refuse to allow strangers to take the photo- not because I am precious about my camera but as a matter of principle.

I have to say that a lot of effort has successfully gone into making Morecambe's five mile promenade attractive and interesting.  It's a pity the other side of the coastal road lets it down.

We made Tony wait until the very end of the prom before stopping for lunch which we had in the tiny Bay Crossing café at Hest Bank.  I can highly recommend their gammon, egg and chips and at a bargain price.  The others were similarly pleased with their choices.

The original plan had been to carry on along the coast (the Lancashire Coastal Path) but we decided instead to climb the massive 40 feet or so, passing a rather colourful LandRover, to the canal which we followed back to Carnforth. At the Marina was a small amphibian car-boat!

It had been a good day, a quite different sort of outing and the Rain Gods had kept their word; despite the grey skies there had been no rain.  But please, Rain Gods, next week- Bring Us Sunshine!

Don, Wednesday 18th February 2015

 Bring me Sunshine, in your smile,
Bring me Laughter, all the while,
In this world where we live, there should be more happiness,
So much joy you can give, to each brand new bright tomorrow,

Make me happy, through the years,
Never bring me, any tears,
Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above,
Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love.

Bring me Sunshine, in your eyes,
Bring me rainbows, from the skies,
Life's too short to be spent having anything but fun,
We can be so content, if we gather little sunbeams,

Be light-hearted, all day long,
Keep me singing, happy songs,
Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above,
Bring me Fun,
Bring me Sunshine,
Bring me Love.

BOOTboys routes are put online in gpx format which should work with most mapping software. You can follow our route in detail by downloading bb1506 .

To discover which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing - although it may not be that up to date - see: Which Wainwright When?

For the totals of the mileages and heights (ditto) see: BB Log.

Photos have been gleaned from many sources although mostly from me!
Likewise written comment.  
Unless stated otherwise, please feel free to download the material if you wish.
A reference back to this website would be appreciated.
I apologise if I have failed to acknowledge properly the source or infringed
copyright.  Please let me know and I will do my best to put things right.

Wainwrights

To see which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing see Which Wainwright When?
This may or may not be up to date!

For the latest totals of the mileages, heights and Lakeland Fells Books Wainwrights see: Wainwrights.
Ditto warning!

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BOOTboys 2015

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