And the first walk of 2023.

Northumberland and North Tyneside.

January 6th.

We are starting the year  with the walk that has become a tradition, interrupted only by the pandemic. Starting in Blyth the walk follows the coast to Tynemouth where it turns west and follows the river to North Shields, or more precisely the Low Lights pub just off the quayside. No map needed but Morpeth and Blyth OS Explorer 325 and Newcastle upon Tyne OS 316 explorer cover the walk.

Great turnout  for the first walk of the year, a team of ten: John x4, Brian, Margaret, Ian, Ben, Janis and me. A decagage or an octogadge with two gadgettes.

We met at the Coastline Restaurant, South Beach, Blyth. Some came by car, some by bus. The Coastline has a Fish and Chip Restaurant/Takeaway and a cafe serving bacon butties in a stottie*, five star awarded.

 Coastline Fish and chips, Cicarelli's cafe and a car park. (free!)

Once fed and wrapped against a cold breeze off the land we headed south into a low sun. The walk starts near Blyth Battery which dates back to WW1 and is now a small but excellent museum.

Top: searchlight housing, bottom gun.

Beyond the battery there is a choice; The Eve Black cycle path/footpath through the dunes or the sandy beach. We chose the sandy beach. Soft sand can be a problem but we trudged on, passing Gloucester Lodge farm, so called because the Gloucester Regiment were housed nearby during the Napoleonic wars.

When we reached Seaton Sluice we crossed the stream and headed towards the Kings Arms pub. The footpath goes round the back of the pub passing some interesting looking art work.

                                    Kings Arms Gallery

From there we followed footpaths round Collywell Bay to St. Mary's lighthouse.There are some seals on the island home to the light but we didn't see them.

                       St. Mary's Island and light.

Continuing south some stuck to the promenade, some walked the grassy edge of the pitch and put before descending to the prom and finding enough shelter for ten walkers to enjoy a Herbie.

Lots of sharing: apple pies, panetone, chocolate cake, Christmas cake, biscuits and more.

Overindulged we moved on to Whitley Bay.

      Spanish City at Whitley Bay. Closed for years it has been renovated and reopened               Following the footpath we came to Cullercoats, home to The Dove Marine Lab, part of Newcastle University. Further on we were above Tynemouth Long Sands. Just beyond the Gibraltar Rock pub, at the entrance to Tynemouth Castle and Priory  we headed downhill to the promenade on the bank of the Tyne.

                              Tynemouth castle.

A statue of Lord Collinwood stands high above the river.

                                Admiral Lord Collingwood. Newcastle Royal Grammar School and Nelson's second at Trafalgar.

The promenade curves round the bank to North Shields where we headed for the Low Light pub. Famous for its pies and also for beer. Some of us consumed Low Light beer, it went down well.

Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2023.

Note on the map. It is a very old one. Somethings on it no longer exist, like Newsham Golf Course. An old railway line is being upgraded to carry passengers and a new station is being built at Newsham.

We walked from North to South and not as shown on the map and we started at South Beach.

The walk is 9.5 miles, much on hard ground.

* A stottie is a round flat bread bun. North East dialect term apparently connected to "to stott" or bounce. The bun was tested by throwing it to the floor to see whether or not it would bounce Health and Safety would have a fit.