New Year, Old Walk. January 3rd 2025
Happy New Year to all, let's hope it's a good one.
The first walk of the year is, as usual, the coastal stroll from Blyth to North Shields. The walk is covered by OS Explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth and OS Explorer 316 Newcastle upon Tyne but as long as you keep the sea on your left they are not needed.
We met at Ciccarelli's cafe/restaurant/fish and chip shop for breakfast, all twelve of us, probably a record turnout, enough for a cricket team and two umpires when we were joined by another gadgie at Whitley Bay.
Great place (and plaice). Bacon sandwich was excellent.
Once fed off we went, heading south. Some walked on the beach, some walked on the Eve Black cycle/walkers track through the dunes, but we all passed the Blyth Battery, left from WW2 when the port was a submarine base.
Blyth Battery. It is open to visitors some days and also for groups on request.
We met up again at Seaton Sluice. The sluice itself, now gone, was designed to scour the harbour. In the 18th century a cut was excavated, complete with locks, to form a wet dock used for the export of coal, salt and glassware.
The cut at Seaton Sluice. The King's Arms pub is on the right, 18th century. The building on the left was a watch tower.We followed the footpath just to the right of the King's Arms, rounded what was called "Collywobble Bay" in our house and reached the causeway to St. Mary's island, admiring the refurbished lighthouse from the land.
St. Mary's. Gift shop and, on the far side, a small colony of seals.
We walked a short distance up the road before going down on to the beach, joining many others out for a stroll on a cold but clear day, with little wind too. Climbing back to the promenade we settled down for a Herbie near mile 5. Cookies, stollen, two varieties of ginger biscuits, cheese scones and cheese biscuits. I had taken two Greggs sausage rolls but could only manage one, not surprisingly.
Herbie time
Moving on, staying on the promenade, we reached the famous Spanish City.
before I came to the north east the Spanish City was an entertainment centre. Closed for some years it has now reopened as a restaurant.
The promenade follows the coast beyond Whitley bay to the old village of Cullercoats.
Marine research lab for Newcastle University.
Back down on to the Long Sands and back up again to the road. We passed the castle and priory and headed down to see Collingwood.
Tynemouth Castle, the priory is behind. The priory has 7th century origins but was sacked by the Danes in the 9th. The castle dates to 1095.
At the bottom of the hill a footpath took us up to the Collingwood Statue.
Admiral Lord Collingwood. He took over at Trafalgar when Nelson was shot. Local boy, went to Newcastle Royal Grammar School. From the statue we went down to the promenade and made our way to North Shields and the Low Light pub. Unfortunately the pub was so busy with people enjoying their famous pies and beer there was no room so we headed uphill to the Tynemouth Lodge which had room and a fine variety of hand pumped beers.
The Tynemouth Lodge, selling beer for centuries.
Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and data base right 2025
This walk is a little over 9 miles, easy going on hard surfaces or sand.
Bauxite silos in Blyth. The bauxite was taken to the Alcan Smelter, now gone Art on Blyth quayside First sighting of Antarctica land in 1819 Back lane lighthouse in Blyth Seaton Sluice gas light. Originally powered by gas from a nearby pit Charlie's Garden, Collywobble Bay.
