The last gadgie walk of 2024

 The last gadgie walk of 2024. December 20th.

For the last walk of the year, and on almost the shortest day of the year, we are off for a beach and dune walk from Warkworth to the river Aln, opposite the village of Alnmouth. A popular walk, always a pleasure and a good stroll to end the year. Unfortunately, for various reasons, there are only three of us out.

There is parking by the River Coquet in Warkworth, down the main street, turn left at the square full of cars, pass the church and leave your car next to the river. Free.

A map is not essential but the walk is covered by OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble.

                   Parking by the Coquet.

Booted and wrapped against the cold we set off past the village church of St Lawrence and headed for Bernard's cafe for breakfast.

              St Lawrence Church, Warkworth. Almost perfect Norman church

              Warkworth Castle at the top of the street. dates back to 1139

Having eaten we headed off across the new road bridge and turned right up to the car parks near the beach. There is a fairly new footpath in the field next to the road, away from the traffic.

When we reached the dunes we turned right  and walked along the inlet towards the Amble harbour north pier.

                                  Amble harbour.

Turning north we walked on the beach, not surprisingly very quiet today, few dog walkers braving the cold.

Approaching Birling Carrs I took the footpath up to the dunes and followed the path through the caravan site while the others stayed on the beach. Meeting up again we walked the soft sand to the mouth of the River Aln and settled down on a sandy bank opposite the town for a Herbie. ( Stollen, ginger biscuits  iced with Christmas decorations by Jesmond cake company and sweet and savoury from Mrs A.)

                 Uprooted by ereosion

                       Alnmouth from the Herbie Spot

Lunch over we resumed the walk. On previous occasions we have climbed the small hill to the cross that marks the site of the original village church, washed away in the great storm of 1806 and then continued to the Victorian "lying in chapel" but today we took a short cut behind the hill and and joined the St Oswald's Way/ English Coast Path/Northumberland Coast Path.

             Site of the original village church.

We followed the path going through the caravan site, cutting down to a track near the beach and avoiding the path that goes across the golf course but eventually wanders round the edge of it. Reaching the path down from the village we turned right and returned to the cars using the old bridge over the Coquet.

                    The old bridge, 14th century.

On the way home we visited the Ridley Arms in Stannington to sample the Wylam Gold. Highly recommended too.

                   Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2024

The walk is about 9 easy going miles. 

That's the last gadgie walk of the year. Next episode on January 3rd, the annual opener from Blyth to North Shields.

Happy Christmas and a great New Year.

                          The gate on old Warkworth bridge

                    The Alnmout guano shed, abandoned after the 1806 storm

                    Alnmouth Bay

                                      WW2 defences