Oh we do like to be beside the seaside. Oct 10th
In an effort to stave off dementia I have returned to lectures at the Joseph Cowen organisation in Newcastle. (www.weareexplore.org.uk) Monday morning is Philosophy and as it was the first session we had to say hello to the person on our right and on our left, then we went round the group giving names and a few details. I explained that I wrote a blog on local walks. At the end of the session a lady asked me if my walks were easy.
"It all depends on what you mean by easy I replied." See philosophy lectures pay off.
In an effort to stave off dementia I have returned to lectures at the Joseph Cowen organisation in Newcastle. (www.weareexplore.org.uk) Monday morning is Philosophy and as it was the first session we had to say hello to the person on our right and on our left, then we went round the group giving names and a few details. I explained that I wrote a blog on local walks. At the end of the session a lady asked me if my walks were easy.
"It all depends on what you mean by easy I replied." See philosophy lectures pay off.
Today's walk is a popular one, blogged several times but being repeated because one of our number has a sprained ankle (See Russell's Cairn Sept 26th) and we need to have access to bus stops in case he is in too much discomfort. So we are walking the coast from Craster to Seahouses, from kippers to fish and chips, or beer in the Olde Ship.
To get to Craster (the camp where crows live) head north on the A1 to just beyond Alnwick and turn off going east and following signs. There is a car park as you enter the village, next to the information centre and toilets. (Useful as you get a bit older)
There are seven of us out today, Ben, John C, John H, Brian, Ben, Dave and me, joined by Brian's brother in law Geordie Bob who lives in Essex but has escaped.
There are seven of us out today, Ben, John C, John H, Brian, Ben, Dave and me, joined by Brian's brother in law Geordie Bob who lives in Essex but has escaped.
There is also a nice friendly cafe for tea and bacon sandwiches. I resisted the temptation and had tea, this morning having weighed in at 12 stone 12 lb (180lb US)
You can easily do this walk without a map, provided you keep the sea on your right if you are walking north, but should you want a map the walk is covered by two; OS OL332 Alnwick and OS OL 340, Berwick and Holy Island.
No carpark this week. Shame as it was a fine one in
the old Craster Quarry from where whinstone was sent to
the harbour by a sort of cable way and loaded on to boats.
Slightly out of focus cafe.
The harbour. The structure on the right of the mouth was the end of the cable way.
The walk;
We left the cafe and walked back towards the harbour and past the row of cottages above the water, through the gate and across the fields to Dunstanburgh Castle. Once the home of the Duke of Lancaster it remained in the ownership of the sovereign until the time of Queen Elizabeth I. The title Duke of Lancaster is always held by the sovereign, regardless of their sex, so yes, the Queen is the Duke of Lancaster.
Magnificent ruin, Dunstanburgh Castle, National Trust property.
If you have the map look at the interesting names given to features of the coast between Craster and the castle; Little Carr (a carr is a rock), Liverpool Hole, Oxberrylaw Holes, Nova Scotia, Cushat Stiel and Queen Margarets Cove. Queen Margaret, a Scottish lady, stayed here before sailing off to Denmark.
We walked round the west side of the castle, looking up at the Lilburn Tower.
The Lilburn Tower which has nothing to do with John Lilburn. (Look him up)
Just beyond the castle is the fine example of an anticline that always gets a mention on this walk, so here it is:
Geology lesson of the day.
The Northumberland Coastal Path follows the dunes around Embleton Bay but we opted for a walk across the sands past jenny Bells Carr, Scadpallet and Fish Carr.
At the north end of the bay is the tiny fishing hamlet of Low Newton by the sea, a pretty square of cottages and a pub, The Ship, which has had a mention in The Times as a pub to eat and drink in.
Embleton Bay
Low Newton by the Sea
Information board
Looking back at the castle.
Resisting the temptation to visit the pub we had a short rest before pushing on along the Northumberland Coastal Path which at this point is also St. Oswald's Way. We called a Herbie stop, having a feeding frenzy on Ben's ginger biscuits, chunky flapjacks, chocolate hobnobs, Mrs A's iced cakes and some chocolate from Aldi. (185lb) Instead of walking the sands of Beadnell Bay we followed the path across the dunes, crossing the Brunton Burn by the footbridge and reaching Beadnell by way of the caravan park. Not the prettiest way into the village, and we missed the Lime Kilns on the harbour.
Brunton Burn
Birdwatchers of Beadnell
North of the village we climbed down to the beach again and walked towards Seahouses. Approaching this haven for the lovers of fish and chips we had to walk up to the road and then turn into the golf course. We walked round the edge, followed a narrow path high above the rocky beach and a small pond before crossing the golf course again and following the markers into town.
Seahouses harbour....
You can easily do this walk without a map, provided you keep the sea on your right if you are walking north, but should you want a map the walk is covered by two; OS OL332 Alnwick and OS OL 340, Berwick and Holy Island.
the old Craster Quarry from where whinstone was sent to
the harbour by a sort of cable way and loaded on to boats.
The walk;
We left the cafe and walked back towards the harbour and past the row of cottages above the water, through the gate and across the fields to Dunstanburgh Castle. Once the home of the Duke of Lancaster it remained in the ownership of the sovereign until the time of Queen Elizabeth I. The title Duke of Lancaster is always held by the sovereign, regardless of their sex, so yes, the Queen is the Duke of Lancaster.
If you have the map look at the interesting names given to features of the coast between Craster and the castle; Little Carr (a carr is a rock), Liverpool Hole, Oxberrylaw Holes, Nova Scotia, Cushat Stiel and Queen Margarets Cove. Queen Margaret, a Scottish lady, stayed here before sailing off to Denmark.
We walked round the west side of the castle, looking up at the Lilburn Tower.
Just beyond the castle is the fine example of an anticline that always gets a mention on this walk, so here it is:
The Northumberland Coastal Path follows the dunes around Embleton Bay but we opted for a walk across the sands past jenny Bells Carr, Scadpallet and Fish Carr.
At the north end of the bay is the tiny fishing hamlet of Low Newton by the sea, a pretty square of cottages and a pub, The Ship, which has had a mention in The Times as a pub to eat and drink in.
Looking back at the castle.
Resisting the temptation to visit the pub we had a short rest before pushing on along the Northumberland Coastal Path which at this point is also St. Oswald's Way. We called a Herbie stop, having a feeding frenzy on Ben's ginger biscuits, chunky flapjacks, chocolate hobnobs, Mrs A's iced cakes and some chocolate from Aldi. (185lb) Instead of walking the sands of Beadnell Bay we followed the path across the dunes, crossing the Brunton Burn by the footbridge and reaching Beadnell by way of the caravan park. Not the prettiest way into the village, and we missed the Lime Kilns on the harbour.
North of the village we climbed down to the beach again and walked towards Seahouses. Approaching this haven for the lovers of fish and chips we had to walk up to the road and then turn into the golf course. We walked round the edge, followed a narrow path high above the rocky beach and a small pond before crossing the golf course again and following the markers into town.
WWII tank blockers
......and boats
Normally on this walk we rehydrate at the Olde Ship but today we were just in time to catch the bus back to Craster where we retired to the Jolly Fisherman, another Northumbrian pub that has rated a mention in The Times. Quite right too, it sold Timothy Taylor's Landlord, one of the nation's finest ales. It also had Black Sheep and a few others.
Refreshed we drove home aftyer another good day out.
The Matrix MMXIV S
steps miles
LIDL3D 22016 10.01
ASDA BLUE 23793 11.18
Little Pink 22211 10.45
OUTDOOR GPS 10.5
Dave's 3D 22111 10.61
USB 21782 9.96
Ben's bragometer (back from repair) 10.5
Bob's GPS 10.5
Gadgie distance 353
This is getting ridiculous.
Contains OS data Copyright. Crown copyright database right 2014.
Gloria Raven of New Zealand
I found a reference to Curlheugh in somebody's work on his family. It said it was a few miles north of Eglingham. I can't find it on the OS map so guess it was a farm or hamlet that no longer exists. There are, relatively close by on the map to Eglingham, old coal workings. Hope this answers your question. Could you let me know?
Good heavens! Look what I have found quite by accident. I don't know if I have answered this or not at some stage. Apologies if not. I have, also, found reference to Curlheugh being near to Eglingham. From memory I thinks it shows on a Wagonways map. My 3 x great grandfather was an occupier at Curlheugh when his children were born. Parish records show this. Curlheugh has a few different spellings over the years. My regards to you and yours. Gloria
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