Northumbrian Coastal Walk

January 26th 2011

Inclement weather, festive session coughs and colds have all contributed to this site being very quite for a while. After monitoring the weather closely for consecutive dry walking conditions we recognised a small window of opportunity arranged accommodation and polished up our hiking boots for our next adventure!
Our challenge the, Nothumberland coastal path, 64 miles of dramatic land and seascapes from Cresswell to Berwick upon Tweed that is teeming with wildlife and rich in history and culture.


Having already completed the first leg, Cresswell to Alnmouth our next section will be Alnmouth to Seahouses approximately 19 miles over two days which is quite a challenge as its been a while since we have walked and distance of significance.
The project manager as usual attended to the fine details, booking our accommodation, checking and double checking the bus timetables to ensure our timely and safe return to our car at our start point

Our walk began at one of my all time favourite places Alnmouth. It was a dry but very cold day with a strong northerly wind that we had to walk into. After leaving the shelter and feeling the full force of the wind the golf course the project manager asked it I wanted to change plans I was greatly tempted but having just completed a biography on George Mallory and his attempts on climbing Everest I called on that pioneering spirit and decided to continue.
The tide was at its height as we left Alnmouth but within 30 minutes it had receded and as we approached Seaton Point the exposed sand was attracting dozens of waders, curlews, oystercatchers, red shanks, ringed plovers and a couple I have yet to identify they were a delight to watch


Our faces were stinging with the needle like effect of the relentless northerly wind and finding a sheltered spot to stop for coffee was difficult but at least the clouds had blown away to provide us with a dry day.
We passed through Boulmer were there is less sand and more rock or more specifically dolerite boulders, further up the coast were great folds of grey limestone arched and twisted by geological pressures, yellow sandstone in the strata of the cliffs behind.
Should I now be carrying a geology book to accompany my two walking guide books, pocket book of birds, wild flowers of Britain and coastal habitat book? Perhaps not, there has to a limit!

Human activity has been evident in this area for 7000 years which we discovered when we came across a bronze age dwelling on the headland near Howick Haven.
I was reliably informed from some very good interpretation panels that it was not an original habitat but a reconstruction by students from Newcastle University’s archaeology department. It was warm and quiet inside but I did not shelter there as the roof timbers did not look stable.
We continued along the shore passing the isolated Victorian bathing house and eventually arriving at Craster. First stop the bus stop to check local timetable matches our own then into the one and only pub for a bowl of hot crab soup with cream and whiskey beside a roaring coal fire Ahh!