15th March 2012
A lovely spring day with clear blue skies and the promise of only a gentle breeze was an invitation to dig out the hiking boots, fill the flask with coffee and head down to Easington to complete our Durham Coastal walk. We set off from the car park with a little trepidation as our estimate distance today was 8 miles which was a couple of miles above my comfort zone for this time of year, as the hiking gear has been hibernating for the winter season. Still nothing ventured, nothing gained!
This section of coast line is unusual in that there are numerous denes and these convolutions not only add extra miles but provide a different landscape with a greater variety of vegetation and wild life. The first one, Foxhole Dene, is the steepest and deepest along this stretch of coast and to me seemed guarded by a sleeping lion, or it could just be my over active imagination. Then followed Warren House Gill, Whiteside Gill, Blackhills Gill, Denemouth and Blue House Gill, each of these providing plenty of cardio vascular workout and with interesting individual features.
One site has been designated an area of scientific interest due to Scandinavian rock deposited by ice sheets many years ago, there were large art instillation along the path, and the salt marsh at Denemouth provide a unique environment for the Durham Argus butterfly. The legacy of mining in this area was evident by the mole hills being composed of black coal dust as there is only a shallow depth of soil over the coal shale where trees and shrubs struggle to survive.
We made a stop for lunch at Blackhall reserve with its wonderful view of the magnesium limestone cliffs, caves and stacks which according to local legend was ideal for smugglers.
The surrounding grass is kept purposely short to encourage skylarks whose song seemed to constantly accompany us today. As part of the land management gorse and thick shrubs had been burnt to allow wildflowers such as red fescue, sea plantain, sea thrift and ?butterbur to re populate.
Our walk continued along the edge of the coast leading into Crimdon caravan park which is set above wide flat sandy beaches with Hartlepool marina in the distance, once a popular recreational destination for miners and their families in the 1920’s -30’s.
Crimdon Dene marked the end of route where we left the coast headed inland to find a bus to take us back to Easington.
The Durham Heritage Coast is a wonderful location with is beaches, rugged cliffs and imposing headlands well maintained by the National Trust in partnership with the local councils.
