Monday 21st March
An overnight stay at a friendly and delightful B&B Well House in Belford provided us with a good traditional cooked breakfast fortifying us for the final stage Fenwick to Berwick upon Tweed 13 miles. We parked just of the main road and set off towards Fenwick Granary across the fields to the East Coast Main Line where we again had to ring for the signalman's permission to cross. “Yes, but be quick” he said, as if we would dawdle when frequently trains thundered past at 100 miles an hour!
Our path then crossed the fields onto Beal sands and the concrete remains of World War 2 coastal defences.
It was low tide with the Holy Island causeway visible and inviting but crossing the Pilgrims Way was not on the agenda today, we are saving that as part of our next walk!
The sand and dunes in this area are part of Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve a “Ramsar site”, wetlands of international significance, 3,500 hectares of tidal mudflats and salt marshes providing plants and food for migratory and resident birds. There was also evidence of many rabbits but none seen today. Sitting on bleached drift wood we had coffee watching the red shanks and grey plovers enjoying their lugworms and small snails while listening to the constant song of the sky larks which seemed to be accompanying us all day.
It became squelchy underfoot around Beal Point then we joined the golden sands of Cheswick beach which was heavy walking so we took the road to Goswick golf club (how many is that we’ve passed so far on this walk?) Cocklawnburn beach was our next well deserved stop for lunch this time appreciating the different colours, shapes and textures of the rock strata along the cliffs and waters edge. Pale grey lime stone blocks forming a natural pavement, tilted beds of lime stone on top of sandstones all broken up with golden sand.
Climbing up to the cliff top there were the final superb views of Bamburgh and Lindisfarne behind us and Berwick our destination in front. Walking along the cliff tops our spirits were lifted watching a group of gannets diving like arrows for fish their beauty, elegance and speed is wonderful to observe.
It was 2 mile from here to Spittal and then the urban stretch long and tiring into Berwick. Coastal walk completed!
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