Back on track

Northumberland Coast Path - 100kms of broad beaches, dramatic skies, castles and fishing villages.

Miles and miles of firm sand walking. Yes, we did get rained on a few times but the showers were brief, moving on quickly, the temperatures were cool, perfect for walking.

We did get lost several times, in the dunes and when the track deviated inland. 

But we saw a surprising variety of interesting things.

Berwick-on-Tweed, the Northern end of the path, with its three old bridges. We walked over the closet one, built in the early 1600s and still used by cars today.

Vera on-location filming at Spittal Beach, less than an hour after starting the path, we stopped and waited over 2 hours for a glimpse.

Castles

Hogwarts  aka, Alnwick Castle. The lovely town of Alnwick was one of two places we stayed while walking, using the buses to get to and from our walk each day.

Lindisfarne 

Bamburgh

Bamburgh from the beach.

Dunstanburgh

Warkworth

Pretty villages 

Low Newton where the King of the Yetholm gypsies planned smuggling operations at the Ship Inn.

Warkworth overlooked by its castle. We enjoyed Raspberry roulade in a cafe for lunch, as well as vegie lasagne with salad and chips. 

Craster is famous for smoked kippers. No, I did not try them.

Old lime kilns at Beadnell Harbour, next to a wide crescent- shaped sandy beach.

Seahouses, where a cheeky starling tried to steal my sandwich. The seagulls weren't interested.

Fossils, rocks, dogs, people and other things. I took so many photos of things that interested me. These are just a few of them.

Fossils

Anti-tank blocks from WWII

Strange looking cows

Ringing for permission to cross the train line.

Seaweed in rock pool

Recognising the RNLI who rescue people from the sea.

Black headed gull (yes, it has a brown head)

Lots of conversations with other walkers and their dogs.

The best sand castle I have ever seen, with Dunstsanburgh on the horizon.

Seabirds nesting on a cliff.

Eider ducks

Grumpy seagulls - you would be grumpy if someone chopped your body off and stuck your head in concrete. Lol

More Eider ducks

Diving ducks

Cute puffin. I think the kids at the playground have been feeding him too much.

More anti-tank blocks. They must have made thousands of these.

The end. These steps at Cresswell mark the southern end of the Northumberland Coast Path.

The Northumberland Coast Path was wonderful. We were fortunate that low tides in the middle of the day and calm, glassy seas enabled hours of relaxing walking on the beaches, watching the dramatic ever-changing skies, local bird life, meeting dogs and their people.  

Struggling

Struggling to find the words to describe this place.

There is a lot of geology on display in the far north west of Scotland. The whole area is a UNESCO Geopark. Full of rocks, lochs, beaches, mountains, it really is the most incredible landscape. My photos and my words are inadequate.

I look to the mountains from where my help comes...again and again. 

Around every corner of the road, another WOW.

And another

And another - one I have climbed - Suilven - a few years back in 2018.

This one - Quinaig- tipped a giant bucket of rain over our car but gave me just enough time to see it coming so I could pull over safely.

The bridge at Kylesku. We sailed under it on a wildlife cruise.

And drove over it, and walked across too. 

And saw lots of seals from the boat.

Small ferry boat to Handa Island to walk on cliffs, watch seabirds, dolphins and seals.

Cliffs pn Handa Island. 

Another small ferry and then a mini bus Cape Wrath, the most north-westerly point of mainland Britain.

We drove to Stoer lighthouse.

Iron Age broch on Clachtoll Beach.

Scourie Beach, near where we stayed.

Oldshoremore Beach

Sheigra Beach

Smoo Cave

A waterfall falls through the roof of Smoo Cave.

Just a few more WOWs

Farewell to Scotland - a place that lifts my spirit and speaks to my soul.