← Solway Marathon·1 night

Bowness-on-Solway: A Night Beside the Race Course

One night in the village the marathon runs through twice, with a pub that serves food daily and a nature reserve a short drive west.

Duration1 night
TransitPrebooked taxi or car, roughly 15 to 25 minutes from Anthorn
DepartsAnthorn

After the Solway Marathon: Bowness-on-Solway

The Route: Anthorn → Bowness-on-Solway → Carlisle → Newcastle Airport Logistics: A short road transfer, a night in the village, then a taxi to Carlisle and a train east. Each end of the stay depends on a booked lift. Marathon Month: June Duration: 1 night

Anthorn ──(15 to 25 mins by road)──> Bowness-on-Solway
                                           │
                                 (road to Carlisle)
                                           │
Newcastle Airport (NCL) ◄──(Metro)── Newcastle Central ◄──(Northern)── Carlisle

The Solway Marathon is two laps, and both of them go through Bowness-on-Solway. By the Monday you may have strong opinions about the village's wind. It is also the western end of the Hadrian's Wall Path, though not the surviving Wall itself, and it has a pub, two places to sleep and a reserve to walk in.

June at Bowness gives long daylight, with sunset close to 21:44 in early June. The estuary is open and the weather changes fast. Carry a waterproof.

Book a taxi or lift from Anthorn and allow 15 to 25 minutes as a planning figure. The village is on the racing circuit, so if you are leaving on race day itself, ask about road restrictions. On a Monday that is not a problem.

Night One: Bowness-on-Solway

The Kings Arms is a village pub with B&B rooms. It advertises food daily, with vegetarian, vegan and other dietary options, and homemade takeaway pizza. It asks diners to book. Wallsend Guest House & Glamping has five guest rooms and five heated en-suite pods, which suits couples and families. Both are small, so book early and ask about breakfast times.

For a recovery walk, RSPB Campfield Marsh is 1.5 miles west of the village, with trails and a boardwalk. The large shorebird flocks that make the reserve famous belong to autumn through spring, so June is a quieter visit. Keep it short and check the centre's hours before you go. A short stroll along the shore in the village is enough for the first evening.

Getting home

Bowness has no railway station. Take a taxi to Carlisle, then a Northern train to Newcastle Central in around an hour and a half, then the Metro to Newcastle Airport (NCL) in about 25 minutes. Book the taxi from the guesthouse the evening before, and check which train you can realistically make.