Gadgie Walks: A good walk on a Friday

A good walk on a Friday. (Northumberland)

April 7th.

The weather girl on local TV said it would be cold with a breeze coming off the North Sea. She was right, it was cold, grey and breezy, so we went to the coast.

Today's walk starts and finishes in Boulmer, a tiny village on the coast a few miles north of Alnmouth.

To get there follow the Northumberland Coast Route to Longhoughton. As you reach the village turn right at the sign post which says "RAF Boulmer, Main Site." Drive past the RAF base, which has a Phantom jet parked at the entrance, and continue to Boulmer.

There are five of us: Harry, John, Brian, Margaret and me. Some called in at Bertrams cafe in Warkworth, some didn't.

A map is useful for the country section: OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble

.There is a small but free car park in Boulmer overlooking the sea and if full there is usually space on the road.

Boulmer. Hope this gets your approval Lucy. (Boulmer comes from Old English : boulan mere or bulls mere, possibly due to the shallow rock pools)

Booted and coated we set off south. The England Coast Route goes through the dunes but we opted to walk on the beach, the sand was firm and the rocky Marmouth Scars were easy walking. We stayed on the beach to Alnmouth Bay. The beach was busy with families building sand castles, flying kites and generally having fun, it was a bank holiday.

A newly installed ramp led us off the beach to the Alnmouth Golf Club House. (Mile 3)

On the beach.

We walked up the street to a roundabout and continued north uphill to a finger post opposite the cemetery. A footpath took us down to the fields on the banks of the River Aln but we did stop to admire the view.

The meandering Aln. Photo by Harry.

Soon we were in Lesbury and decided to make use of a picnic table close to the river for a Herbie (about 4.5 miles)

We were joined by a pair of ducks who ate well from our offerings. We shared Mini malt loaves, chocolate whip bars and cake and savoury from Mrs A.

Lunch over we walked into Lesbury. (Old English laece burg; the physician's (leech) manor)

Lesbury has a 13th century church, with later additions.

St Mary's church, Lesbury, mostly 13th but some possibly 12th century.

We walked along the village street to a roundabout. Close by is a modern bridge which looks completely out of place. We headed north on the road, which was quite busy, until we went under a railway line. Turning right almost immediately we followed the road past the old station. Close to "Lookout" on the map we took to the footpath on the left and walked uphill across fields until we reached a track(mile 6 ).

At this point Harry and I were deep in philosophical conversation and were well behind the others. Thanks to smart phones: Brian called advised us to turn round and take the path on the left that we had missed. (Path on the right for them of course but as we had walked on it was on the left.)

This path took us around a tumble down building and down to a railway bridge. Through the bridge we went, turned left and walked some distance alongside the line (Main East Coast Line) before crossing a field to a gate just outside Longhoughton.

St Peter and St Paul in Longhoughton (Homestead on the heugh in Old English)

In the village we stopped at the Running Fox cafe for coffee and cake. (mile 8)Then we set off on the final stretch along the road through the farm and cottages at Low Steads to the beach at Howdiemont Sands. Back on the Coast Path we headed south back to Boulmer, passing on our way several pieces of art work on the farm walls.