Another ramble through Amble

 Another ramble through Amble. March 14th

Numbers reduced again for a variety of reasons four of us are out on what could be a cold, damp day in Northumberland.

Starting from Warkworth after breakfast at Bertram's, parking by the river, walking coast and country a splendid day is guaranteed for all. 

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble.

              Free parking by the River Coquet in Warkworth.

Leaving Bernard's we turned left and headed for the two bridges that span the river, used neither and walked along the bank, up a street and arrived at the main village road near the castle.

Warkworth Castle. 12th century and a Percy stronghold.

Not far beyond the castle we turned left on the road to Amble. The road is close to the river which is home to swans, cormorants, herons and the occasional egret. A few birders out today with their long lenses.

The coastal path leaves the road, fortunately, and wanders round the Amble Yacht club, crosses the harbour square to Pan Point and turns south past the cemetery.

                        The Amble lighthouse

                  In the Amble playground.

Beyond the cemetery we took to the path through the dunes, there is a proper road if you prefer.

 There's a good view of Coquet Island, a nature reserve but once the weekend home of St. Cuthbert.

                              Coquet Island

 At Low Hauxley we joined the road through the collection of beach houses until we reached the path into the Hauxley Nature Reserve.

 It's for birds to nest in. It's next to the path to the reserve.

There are several picnic benches close to the visitor centre at Hauxley so we called a Herbie: Cherry Bakewells, Bakewell slices and scones today.

Lunch over we walked up to High Hauxley, turned left and walked on the road to th next junction. (mile 6)

We crossed the road, went through a gate and joined a footpath.

     Not too obvious bu this marks the beginning of the footpath.

The footpath turns into a farm track, hedges on both sides, like a Green Lane but not stone walled. Passing Hope House, crossing the B6345 we continued on to New Hall, a very big farm with lots of potato crates stored away. Turning left we reached St Oswald's Way and headed north.

                           Follow St. Oswald's Way to Warkworth..

WE kept to the road until we reached a housing estate in Warkworth close to the castle. A footpath goes round the back of the castle and then down a steep path to the river.

                                      Castle and Coquet

And in no time we were back at the car. On the way home we stopped at the Widdrington Arms. The TTL was in such good form we had several, but not the driver.

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#The walk is just over 10 miles, easy going, coast and country.

                               St. Lawrence's Church Warkworth. Norman .

                               Amble art

                                  Amble Yacht Club

Lesbury, Longhoughton and Boulmer

Lesbury, Longhoughton and Boulmer. March 7th

(Oh brother, where art thou?)

Numbers reduced again, six of us are off for a coast and country stroll in Northumberland.

Starting from the village of Lesbury, easily found by following the Northumberland Coast Route, the walk starts crossing country before a few miles on the coast.

The map to use is OS Explorer  332 Alnwick and Amble.

The temperature has risen slightly,  spring is officialy here. But we are promised a shower or two.

Lesbury is a pretty little village. The name comes from Laece Burg, "The leeche's (physician's) town".

The church, St Mary's, gets a mention in 1147, the tower is Norman, the building was restored in 1846.

St Mary's, Lesbury.

Parking is limited so we left cars on the side of the road near the church, booted up and set off on the walk.

                    Definitely not a calendar contender.

Leaving the village, heading west we turned right at the roundabout and walked on the road and under the railway bridge that carries the main East Coast line  and turned right on a road parallel to the track.

A short distance beyond the old station, now a private house, we turned left through a gate and followed a footpath across a field.

                    Turn off here, and keep to the path.

The footpath eventually joins a farm track and at mile 2 a track on the right heads towards Longhoughton. After a few hundred yards we took a footpath on the left, a little muddy, which leads to a railway bridge. We met several frogs, or maybe toads too.

 Without my uncle rat's consent, I would not marry the president, she sang. 

The path passes a ruined building before reaching the railway. Once through the bridge we turned left and reached Longhoughton at mile 3. Turned left, then crossed the road at the junction to reach the village.

St Peter and St Paul, Longhoughton. 11th and 12th century with Victorian restoration.

Just beyond the church a signpost points the way to Low Stead farm and the coast. There is car parking at  Howdiement Sands, south of the well known Sugar Sands and Howick Burn.

We turned  right, heading south and walking the grassy footpath close to the sea with a short stretch on the soft sandy shore. 

The first short shower of the day had most of us donning waterproof tops and even, in some cases, overtrousers. 

The path joins a firm track near Boulmer, there is some art on the field wall.

                      The Boulmer falcon.

Boulmer is a small village, a hamlet really. There is a pub, a car park and a community hall. Outside the hall  a couple of picnic tables made a Herbie spot. Titans, ginger biscuits, chocolate biscuits and caramel/chocolate shortbread. 

However at this point we realised one of the team was missing and I realised my flask of tea was still on the kitchen bench. The missing one will not be named but to be fair, had he passed the picnic spot he would have been seen.

Lunch over we split into two search teams. The rain resumed, quite steadily. Three took to the beach, Ben and I followed the English Coast Path (Now the Charles III path) across dunes, through a small caravan site and across a golf course at Foxton Hall.

From the club house a good track leads to a road which we crossed and started the downhill path back to Lesbury. My phone rang. It was the missing gadgie, he was back at the car in Lesbury. How he missed us is a mystery, or is it?

              A misty view of the river Aln

                        Last bridge for Lesbury

It was still early in the day, we were all rather damp so we went home.

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The walk is about 9.5 miles, easy going.

And four from Harry who is a much better photographer

A Wansbeck wander

A Wansbeck wander March 2nd

 Nearly all the gadgies are otherwise engaged this week so no Friday walk. Instead I've joined the Greens again for a walk from Morpeth to Bothal and back. 

The map for the walk is OS Explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth.

We met in the large car park between LIDL, Home Bargains and the shopping centre. It's free but requires one of those discs that shows the time you arrived, maybe not on Sundays. But I parked at the back of the Tap and Spile where you can stay all day without a disc.

                 Top: main car park. Bottom: Behind the Tap and Spile, use the steps.

Once the eleven of us had met  we set off from the main car park, back to the road between park and LIDL, turned left and followed the road beyond Morrison's  for a while before taking the more pleasant path through the woods. Garlic growing, snowdrops still in bloom. Turning left we took the footpath past a filled in sink hole and circled the pond near Pegswood.

               Woodland walk, February Fair Maids and the pond.

Having crossed a roasd we were soon in Pegswood, once a mining community, the pit closed many years ago. Turning right at a junction we followed the path alongside the main East Coast line, went under it and walked across fields churned up by horses.

        Underneath the arches and a friendly horse

Having crossed another road we walked through more woodland to the village of Bothal. After four miles we decided the sunny churchyard, which had several benches, would make an excellent Herbie Spot. (Greens don't share yet)

Bothal is an Estate village. Not much more than a row of cottages. The church of St.Andrew dates to the 13th century. The castle is still used and dates to the 14th century.

Lunch over we climbed up  the road out of the village, took the left fork and crossed the River Wansbeck.

                                 Wansbeck

                               And a waterfall.

At about mile 5 we walked the edge of a ploughed field and then a woodland track high above the river. At Park House we went on the edge of a field of leeks before we reached a crossing point at the railway.

                       Leeks. Leek and potato soup, a favourite.

Once across the railway we followed the road/track down to the river, passing this delight;

At the river we turned left and made use of the footpath a few feet above the road, went under the road bridge and crossed into the town on the next footbridge, passing the clock tower .

Morpeth clock tower, 17th century and it doesn't lean .Admiral Lord Collingwood, the man who led the fleet into battle at Trafalgar and took command when Nelson fell had a house beyond the tower. It's still there.

Back at the cars we changed footwear and went to the Tap and Spile.TTL and zero Guinness.

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The walk is just over 8 miles, easy going with a couple of short climbs.