Once moŕe onto the beach dear friends once more

 Once more onto the beach dear friends once more. June 26th

This is my first walk since the great Yorkshire Wolds expedition. because Britain and Europe are suffering a heat wave with temperatures in the 30s even we have chosen to walk along the coast, there is always a sea breeze to cool you. 

The walk, a popular one, is from Warkworth to the mouth of the Aln and back. A map is not needed but the one to use if you want is OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble. 

Follow the Northumberland Coast route to Warkworth, turn in, keep the church on your left and there is ample park by the river side . Free too.

However, on the way to Warkworth we decided to change the plan and have a walk from Lesbury, a village further up the road from Warkworth. And I had written the intro. Same map though.

Parking on the street outside the church, not a contender.

                        

St Mary the Virgin church Lesbuery. !2 century Norman church probably on top of a Saxon one.

The name Lesbury is from Old English Laece Burg, "the town of the physician"

Opposite the church is a small car park with a polite notice saying it is for the use of short time parkers only and in the corner of the self same park is a footpath that leads down to the River Aln. The field at the moment is full of long grass and in spite of the recent dry spell it is very wet. Leaving the river side we climbed  a slight slope to a road, crossed it and head down to Foxton Hall, the club house for Alnmouth Golf Club.

                    Foxton Hall, open to non members.

                               Looking down on the River Aln.

From the clubhouse we followed the King Charles III /England Coastal Path well above the beach until we reached the small but pretty town of Alnmouth where we stopped in Nanas Pantry for tea and scones.

Fed and watered we moved on through the town to a footpath that crosses a playing field before continuing near the river to the road bridge.

                          River Aln from the bridge. Once, many years ago Alnmouth was a busy port

                                              Geese

Once over the river we walked a footpath to the entrance to Alnmouth Croquet Club, crossed the road  and headed south on a tarmacced path popular with walkers and cyclists.

Turning left shortly after the four mile marker we walked  down to join St.Oswald's Way/Charles III Path /England Coast Path. A familiar path, one followed frequently on our popular walk from Warkworth.

                           The ruined 19th century lying in chapel where we Herbie on Warkworth walk

The ruined guano shed used for storing imported guano before the great storm of 1806 cut it off from the town.

As we reached the caravan site we went down to the beach. Using WW2 concrete blocks for shelter or seats we Herbied. Apple pies, Sweet and Savoury from Mrs A.

North Sea from Herbie spot.

Returning we walked on the soft sandy beach for almost a mile before taking a path cutting through the dunes and back on to the C3/English Coast and retraced steps back to the Alnmouth Croquet Club. We crosed a soccer pitch, admired the cricket pitch, crossed a footbridge over the Aln and were back at the car. It had been a hot and humid day so to follow government advice we rehydrated in the Coach Inni Lesbury. This pub had been closed for many years, reopened a few years ago and is a proper pub. Sells TTL too.

                           Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2026

The walk is ab out 9.5 miles, easy going has fields and a beach.