Gadgie Walks: This could be the last time.................

This could be the last time.................for now.

Coastal walk from Amble in Northumberland.

On Monday I'm off for a new knee and will be out of gadgie action for some time. Brian has devised this easy going coast and country stroll with an ascent of at least 100 feet as a temporary farewell.

A bigger crowd than the last few weeks. Me, Brian, Margaret, Dave, John H., John C., Harry.

The walk starts in the small port town of Amble, found by taking the Northumberland Coastal Road, most of which is numbered A187. There is parking at the East Cemetery, close to the harbour. Parking is next to the north wall of the cemetery.

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble and OS Explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth. Take a bus pass.

Car parking at Amble East Cemetery

Having donned boots, but not gaiters as we considered it to be a dry walk we set off along the side of the cemetery towards the sea and headed south on the England Coastal Path.

The path goes through the dunes and is a bit uppy and downy so to speak so we descended to the beach and walked on the sand which fortunately was quite firm. Soft sand is worse than soft snow, but warmer.

Coquet Island, off the coast at the mouth of the River Coquet. Considered to have been a monastic site since the 7th century but the remains are a monastic cell built in the 14/15th century. The lighthouse is 19th century.

Approaching Low Hauxley, passing Silver Carrs, Bondi Carrs and Elm Bush, all rocky outceops with wonderful names, we rejoined the Coastal Path and headed inland to the Low Hauxley Nature Reserve.

Morris Minor in Low Hauxley. The first car I drove was one of these. This must be at least 50 years old and looks to be in good condition. Easy to drive with no distractions like CD players, hands free phones etc.

Although we had covered a mere two miles we called a Herbie and made use of one of the tables in the visitor centre for our picnic. We had finished sharing apple pies, flapjacks, savoury and sweet cakes from Mrs A when we politely informed by a warden that the tables were reserved for users of the cafe and we should have gone down a path to more public tables.

One of the ponds at Low Hauxley. A large variety of birds occupy the water and surrounding area. Well worth a visit, but be careful where you picnic.

Returning to the Coastal Path we followed the track, battling cars and a combine harvester until we reached Ladyburn Lake, part of the Druridge Bay country park. And although we had only covered a little over four miles it seemed sensible to make use of the picnic tables by the visitor centre for another Herbie.

Ladyburn Lake at Druridge Country Park. Very popular with families, canoes and paddle boards. There are a number of these lakes in the area, caused by subsidence from the days of coal mining.

Back to the track and down on to the beach again, walking along the sands of Druridge Bay. At Dunbar Burn we left the beach and followed the coastal path again for a short distance before spotting the finger post that sent us on a narrow footpath between more ponds (mile 7) and across fields to the remains of the chapel at Low Chibburn.

Chapel Ruins at Low Chibburn. Dating back to 1313 when it was the Preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers ((St John of Jerusalem branch). In the 1550s it became a dower house, a home for the widows of the nobility.

We crossed a few more fields, with stiles, walked up a track which was a junk yard for old farm machinery at came to the pub, the Widdrington Arms.

Not been drinkers today, John and I caught a bus back to Amble, sadly both of us had left passes elsewhere and had to pay.