Grumpy granddad goes out with the gadgies again.
(Northumberland) August 11th.
I did not join the team for a walk last Friday as we were looking after our grandson. In spite of my efforts to learn new soccer skills, play cricket, take trips on buses, metros, ferries and trains, visit a museum and watch a football match at St. Jaime's Park in Newcastle I was named grumpy granddad for telling him (note, not asking) not to throw the sofa cushions around.
The lads had a walk on Rothbury Terraces, always a goodie, especially if you wander through the grounds of Cragside, and this time of year the heather on the moors is in bloom. (See "Rural Route Round Rothbury" 7/8/16)
The forecast for today, given by the jovial jock on local TV is for rain in the morning and possibly light showers later. We decided to do another familiar walk, from Belford to Seahouses, usually done the other way round. Only three of us today, holiday time again. We are Brian, Harry and me, grumpy.
If you follow this, starting from Belford, take the A1 north, well beyond Alnwick turn left into the village.
It is a linear walk so a car at both ends is useful, or check the buses between the start and the end, Arriva X18, but there are not a lot of them.
The complete walk is covered by OS Explorer 340, Holy Island and Bamburgh.
We waited, with tea, coffee and bacon in the Sunnyhills farm shop and café, on the left as you drive into Belford and, cheekily, left the car there all day. The shop is at NU113333. The rain stopped at 11.30 so we set off.
Sunnyhills, Belford, lovely people.
Lovely people too.
From the café we walked back along the road to the A1. It's a busy road, cross with care.
A1 near Belford. The main east coast road from London to Edinburgh. Had it been in the south it would have been duelled by now but it's in the north, we do get promises though.
Having crossed the road we walked north for a few hundred yards before spotting the sign post for the Northumberland Coastal Path. Well hidden by the hedge in winter, watch out for it.
The walk is well signed with this or the usual yellow public footpath sign.
The path, on the east side of the A1.
Once through the hedge the footpath crosses fields alongside the Coastal Granaries until it reaches the main East Coast Railway line.
Coastal Granaries
Some people are amazed to find that Northumberland is an agricultural county. "I thought it was all mining and ship building, living off fish and chips"
There is a footpath across the railway. Walkers are asked to ring the signal box for permission to cross. (There is a phone in a bright yellow box) You tell him how many there are in the party and he gives permission to go or to wait until an express has thundered past. On the far side you ring him back to tell him you made it.
Main, East Coast London to Edinburgh and beyond
Once over the line the footpath crosses an old single track that went to a nearby quarry and then crosses fields in the direction of Waren Mill. This old mill, now converted into flats is well worth a visit but we gave it a miss. Having crossed the fields with a large herd of curious cows we came to a minor road, turned right and followed it to the Ducket.
The Ducket. Built in the 18th century as a feed store and dovecot it is now a five floored holiday let which sleeps only two. The views from the top must be spectacular. (On the map it is marked as a windmill)
Following the road north east for a short time, we walked downhill to Spindleston Mill, like Waren, now converted into flats and holiday homes.
Spindlestone Mill.
Walking alongside the Spindlestone Heughs for a short time we turned off the road at a sign post pointing uphill through woodland, across a field to the caravan site at East Hill.
Keeping to the narrow road we followed the Coastal Path before crossing fields that took us to the coast road. We turned left and after a few hundred yards took the footpath into the Bamburgh Golf Course. A bench just inside the grounds looked like a suitable spot for a Herbie so we took one.
Being only the three of us, pickings were slim, Titan bars from ALDI and home made rhubarb flavoured little cakes from Mrs A.
The Herbie Spot. There is a bench, close to the flag. Passing golfers were very friendly, as was the group of German tourists who followed the footpath over the course.
Break over we followed the posts that mark the footpath across the golf course to the footpath above Budle Bay.
Budle Bay and the remains of a WW2 pillbox.
The footpath rounds the course and eventually comes to a track down to the beach at Blackrocks point where there is a lighthouse/ siren and the famous stag rock.
Lighthouse/klaxon and famous stag rock.
We walked along the beach towards Bamburgh Castle, one of the finest in England if not the UK.
Bamburgh Castle, still inhabited, still starring in films.
We left the beach just before the castle, indulged in a "99" ice cream (no monkey blood!) and continued our walk round the cricket field below the castle walls. It must be one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in England.
Hard to hit a six over that!
On the road beyond the castle we passed the car park and took the footpath on the right hand side of the road that crosses fields of wheat waiting for the combine until we eventually reached a road on the edge of Seahouses. We turned right and having passed a few small industrial sites turned left along the old railway line that is now a footpath and walked into Seahouses centre. A busy little seaside town, famous for fish and chips and boat trips out to the Farne Islands, home to several hundred thousand sea birds and seals. Surprisingly we visited the Olde Ship Inn and enjoyed a pint of Farne Island before heading home.
The Matrix MMXVII ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
steps miles
Original NAK 29632 9.35
iPhone 23652 10.75
New wrist NAK 23401 11.4
OUTDOOR GPS 10.5
Contains OS data. Copyright. Crown copyright and databaseright2017
(Northumberland) August 11th.
I did not join the team for a walk last Friday as we were looking after our grandson. In spite of my efforts to learn new soccer skills, play cricket, take trips on buses, metros, ferries and trains, visit a museum and watch a football match at St. Jaime's Park in Newcastle I was named grumpy granddad for telling him (note, not asking) not to throw the sofa cushions around.
The lads had a walk on Rothbury Terraces, always a goodie, especially if you wander through the grounds of Cragside, and this time of year the heather on the moors is in bloom. (See "Rural Route Round Rothbury" 7/8/16)
The forecast for today, given by the jovial jock on local TV is for rain in the morning and possibly light showers later. We decided to do another familiar walk, from Belford to Seahouses, usually done the other way round. Only three of us today, holiday time again. We are Brian, Harry and me, grumpy.
If you follow this, starting from Belford, take the A1 north, well beyond Alnwick turn left into the village.
It is a linear walk so a car at both ends is useful, or check the buses between the start and the end, Arriva X18, but there are not a lot of them.
The complete walk is covered by OS Explorer 340, Holy Island and Bamburgh.
We waited, with tea, coffee and bacon in the Sunnyhills farm shop and café, on the left as you drive into Belford and, cheekily, left the car there all day. The shop is at NU113333. The rain stopped at 11.30 so we set off.
From the café we walked back along the road to the A1. It's a busy road, cross with care.
Having crossed the road we walked north for a few hundred yards before spotting the sign post for the Northumberland Coastal Path. Well hidden by the hedge in winter, watch out for it.
Once through the hedge the footpath crosses fields alongside the Coastal Granaries until it reaches the main East Coast Railway line.
There is a footpath across the railway. Walkers are asked to ring the signal box for permission to cross. (There is a phone in a bright yellow box) You tell him how many there are in the party and he gives permission to go or to wait until an express has thundered past. On the far side you ring him back to tell him you made it.
Once over the line the footpath crosses an old single track that went to a nearby quarry and then crosses fields in the direction of Waren Mill. This old mill, now converted into flats is well worth a visit but we gave it a miss. Having crossed the fields with a large herd of curious cows we came to a minor road, turned right and followed it to the Ducket.
Following the road north east for a short time, we walked downhill to Spindleston Mill, like Waren, now converted into flats and holiday homes.
Walking alongside the Spindlestone Heughs for a short time we turned off the road at a sign post pointing uphill through woodland, across a field to the caravan site at East Hill.
Keeping to the narrow road we followed the Coastal Path before crossing fields that took us to the coast road. We turned left and after a few hundred yards took the footpath into the Bamburgh Golf Course. A bench just inside the grounds looked like a suitable spot for a Herbie so we took one.
Being only the three of us, pickings were slim, Titan bars from ALDI and home made rhubarb flavoured little cakes from Mrs A.
Break over we followed the posts that mark the footpath across the golf course to the footpath above Budle Bay.
Budle Bay and the remains of a WW2 pillbox.
The footpath rounds the course and eventually comes to a track down to the beach at Blackrocks point where there is a lighthouse/ siren and the famous stag rock.
We walked along the beach towards Bamburgh Castle, one of the finest in England if not the UK.
Bamburgh Castle, still inhabited, still starring in films.
We left the beach just before the castle, indulged in a "99" ice cream (no monkey blood!) and continued our walk round the cricket field below the castle walls. It must be one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in England.
On the road beyond the castle we passed the car park and took the footpath on the right hand side of the road that crosses fields of wheat waiting for the combine until we eventually reached a road on the edge of Seahouses. We turned right and having passed a few small industrial sites turned left along the old railway line that is now a footpath and walked into Seahouses centre. A busy little seaside town, famous for fish and chips and boat trips out to the Farne Islands, home to several hundred thousand sea birds and seals. Surprisingly we visited the Olde Ship Inn and enjoyed a pint of Farne Island before heading home.
The Matrix MMXVII ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
steps miles
Original NAK 29632 9.35
iPhone 23652 10.75
New wrist NAK 23401 11.4
OUTDOOR GPS 10.5
Contains OS data. Copyright. Crown copyright and databaseright2017
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