I have lived in Millom for many years now and although I am an offcomer I have been coming to the area since childhood. I was raised in Kendal but spent every holiday, as a child, at Silecroft which is a few miles from Millom. It was during this time living under the shadow of Black Combe that I fell in love with the place making friends with lots of local people. As a result I don't feel alien to the area but part of it.
I trained as a teacher and secured my first position in Barrow. Through a colleague I met Josefina de Vasconcellos, an internationally acclaimed sculptor, who wanted to further her work helping disadvantaged young people. Her idea was to bring a wooden built Fleetwood trawler to Millom to be part of a holiday venue. She needed a warden and I needed a place to live with my newly wed wife and the rest is history.
The Harriet trawler was landed at Borwick Rails on the old Millom pier. The pier looks out over the Duddon estuary and is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful views in the world. The expanse of the estuary with the southern Lakeland fells in the distance is a place of outstanding natural beauty. I felt very blessed to be able to walk out of my front door and have that beauty available at any time.
The whole area around the site of the Harriet trust is part of Millom's history. It is a great pity the history was nearly wiped out by a very thorough destruction of the heritage but with a keen eye many parts can still be viewed. I hope my few photographs can help those who venture down to the pier. Anyone who takes the time will be rewarded by " The Best View In Britain ", if not the world!
Millom pier at the entrance of the Duddon channel between Borwick Rails and Askam
Old pier ladder. Ladder used originally because the pier edge had a long drop into the tidal estuary
Moorings on the pier. Inner Duddon estuary in the background
One of the main Duddon channels with lower Duddon Fells in the background
Old pier stanchions with Scafell and Coniston Old Man in the background
(Portrait) Corals from White Rocks Hodbarrow Point. These formed in Lower Carboniferous limestone some 200 million years ago
Original harbour entrance of Borwick Rails. Harbour now filled in to accommodate full run of the pier
Remnants of the pier looking towards Kirby Fells and Askam
Teasels and Blackberry on the pier showing the natural reclamation of the area. Old slag tipped into the estuary forming a peninsular in the background
Old Harbour entrance and the end of the pier as it enters the Duddon channel. Kirby Fells in the background