Walk 72 Amble to Craster (Northumberland)

Walk 72          Amble to Craster (Northumberland)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 81

Distance: about 19 km or 12 miles
Difficulty:  Moderate
Terrain: footpaths, pavement, sand, cliff paths
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Buses from Newcastle/Alnwick to Amble. Bus 401 runs every couple of hours or so from Craster to Alnwick Bus Station – check with Traveline.

Amble is at the mouth of the River Coquet. This area has seen many invasions first by the Anglo-Saxons then the Danes. The accent of the local people is said to have originated from the settling immigrants. The town grew in later years as collieries opened; it was an ideal point to export coal and build and repair ships. There is now a modern, attractive harbour and it is an important base for touring the area.

The coastal path works its way past Amble harbour towards Warkworth. There is a stunning view of Warkworth Castle and its reflection in the estuary of the river. I was lucky as it was a sunny day, unfortunately the photo beneath does not do justice to the view. It was at this castle that Henry Percy and his son Harry Hotspur plotted to overthrow King Henry 1V. The castle features in the play by Shakespeare.

Warkworth is an attractive town to walk through. On the way out to the north is one of the few remaining fortified bridges in the country. It was built in the 14^th century at an idyllic spot that spans the river. Take care to look for the path on the right after this point – I nearly missed it.

The walk continues across the dunes, with access points to the beach should you fancy a paddle. Birling Carrs (a cluster of rocks in the white sand) and a caravan site are two of the features along this stretch. Some of the caravans had strong straps holding them to the ground – presumably the winds can be very strong here! Along the path I saw hundreds of toads and was lucky not to have trodden on one. They seemed to be in twos – was this some sort of mating ritual?

The path cuts inland before Alnmouth and follows the road before cutting over to a bridge over the River Aln. (there is a shorter way across the estuary which is marked on the map but a bit chancy as it is only passable for 90 minutes a day). Follow the road into Alnmouth.

John Wesley the preacher once describe Alnmouth as a small seaport famous for all kinds of wickedness. This is partly borne out by an event in 1895; riots were caused  when a bunch of fishermen from Amble on a pub crawl clashed with locals. A local constable was beaten up and peace was eventually restored when reinforcements from Alnwick arrived and made several arrests. It looks a peaceful enough place now with an attractive main street and good views.

Alnmouth was a shipbuilding centre in the 13^th century but suffered from Scottish raiders and later the Black Death. The town took several centuries to recover and was prosperous again by the 17^th century. Today it is a popular holiday resort.

Follow the beach from Alnmouth then cut through to the golf course and the main coastal path. The golf course is the second oldest links course in England.

The walk to Craster has some very attractive views e.g. at Boulmer Haven. Unfortunately, the peace is regularly shattered by fast, low flying, air force planes.

Near to Howick look out for a fenced off structure on the cliff top. Excavations took place along here during 2000/2002 to reveal a stone-age settlement. A stone-age hut has been reconstructed on the site to show what the huts would have looked like in approximate 8000 BC.

Craster is a quiet place with a tiny harbour built early in the twentieth century. A dark rock was extracted here in 'heughs' or quarries (the road where the bus stops is called The Heugh) and used in the building of roads. However, it is the herring that made the place famous. A hundred years ago fish were brought here to be gutted, washed and smoked then exported to Billingsgate in London and to as far away as Russia. The smoke houses are still active with fish sent down from Scotland. One near the sea front boasts a shop, coffee lounge and restaurant. The smell from the smokehouse which was in operation when I visited was quite distinctive.   

Pictures show: Warkworth and castle; the old bridge at Warkworth; a caravan strapped down; view of Alnmouth and estuary; sculpture near South Sands; Anglo Saxon hut cliffs near Howick; herring smokehouse at Craster.

Walk 71          Newbiggin by the Sea to Amble (Northumberland)

 (First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 81

Distance: about 20 km or 13 miles
Difficulty:  Fairly easy
Terrain: footpaths, pavement and sand
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Buses from Ashington to New Biggin and Amble. Connections to Newcastle from Ashington.

Start the walk near Spital Point to the south of New Biggin by the Sea. Shipping and fishing can be traced back to the 14^th century here. Coal mining was responsible for its expansion in recent times and before that it was a major port for grain.  

You might be forgiven for thinking there are two people standing on a platform looking out to sea. In fact this is a really striking sculpture called 'Couple on the Rocks' – there is a smaller version near the promenade. The sculpture was erected in 2007 and is the work of Sean Henry – it was the first permanent offshore UK sculpture.

Further along the promenade is The Cable House. In 1868 the first telegraph cable from Scandinavia came ashore at this point. The nearby lifeboat station owes its origin to a tragedy in 1851 when ten fishermen lost their lives. In the town look out for The Creswell Arms which proclaims that it is the last pub before Norway.

To the north of New Biggin and overlooking the sea is St Bartholomew’s Church. A church has been on this site since 1174. It was expanded in the 14^th century and there is a mix of architectural styles marking its development. In front of the church on the sea side is a rock structure which was placed at this spot in 2000. A plaque explains that mementos of 20^th century life are buried underneath including poems, pictures and writing created by local children. Look out for the decorative post near the church.

The path cuts across the golf course. Beware – the path is virtually unmarked and I had to ask several locals to show me the way, it included a dodgy walk across the fairway and several dead ends. Eventually I found a way but it didn’t bear much relation to the path on the map. I felt on much surer ground when reaching Lynemouth Power Station – a significant landmark from some distance away. This was opened in 1972 and was one of the last coal powered power stations to be built. It took coal from the Ellington and Lynemouth collieries which closed in 2005 due to a flood of imports. It may be converted to biomass as fuel in the future.

At Cresswell the path goes alongside wide sand beaches for a few miles. This area is popular with bird watchers. Many tales are associated with Cresswell including those connected with witchcraft – this is backed up by the fact that 23 witches were executed in the area. One tale tells of a tailor in 1752 who was tempted by the devil with the sin of pride and when a local vicar intervened the devil was said to vanish in a ball of fire.

The walk continues alongside Druridge Bay where over a million tons of sand has been removed for use in the building trade. This has contributed to the erosion of the coast. Nature reserves including Ladyburn Lake are on the land side of the walk.

Nearer Amble is a very good view of Croquet Island. This was once occupied by the Romans and until the 16^th century was a refuge for hermits and monks. The island is now owned by the Duke of Northumberland and managed by the RSPB as a bird reserve and seabird colony. 18000 pairs of puffins were found nesting here in 2002. The remaining structure of the medieval monastery has been incorporated into the 19th century (now automatic) lighthouse and cottages. Landing on the island is prohibited to the general public.

Low Hauxley is just to the south of Amble. There is evidence of people living here since 6500 BC. The current village was built in the second half of the 19^th century to house fishermen; they caught white fish in the winter and salmon in the summer alongside crabs and lobsters. The coastline here has treacherous rocks and as a result a much needed lifeboat station was built by the Duke of Northumberland in 1861. Unfortunately, there were still many losses, for example 5 boats were lost within 4 hours in 1872. A decline in fishing saw the lifeboat station close in 1939 and the last fishing coble (boat) left in the 1950s.

Pictures show: St Bartholomews Church, New Biggin; Couple on the Rocks sculpture and New Biggin Bay; Croquet Island.  

Walk 70 Whitley Bay to Blyth

Walk 70          Whitley Bay to Blyth (Northumberland)

 (First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland)

Map: L/R 88 and 81

Distance: about 13km or 8 miles
Difficulty:  Fairly easy
Terrain: footpaths and pavement
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Metro at Whitley Bay – buses from Blyth to surrounding towns and Newcastle.

Join the cycle path route at Whitley Bay.  

Whitley Bay is a holiday resort that is particularly popular with the Scottish. Its popularity was increased with the arrival of the loop railway which is now part of The Tyneside Metro. The town was known just as Whitley up to 1890 but was often confused with Whitby. This even caused a body to be taken to Whitby for a funeral by mistake. Whitley Bay is now a popular destination for stag and hen parties – the notices in some of the B&Bs/hotels make it clear that such groups are welcome. Bearing this in mind, the boisterous night life in the town is not surprising.

Along the front is an attractive building called The Spanish City Dome. This was part of a permanent fun fair established in 1909. When I was there it was being converted into a hotel and leisure centre. Famous residents of Whitley Bay include/have included the actor Robson Green and Ian Le Frenais the writer of The Likely Lads and other comedies.  

The walk continues out of Whitley Bay and alongside the road for a couple of miles to St Mary’s Lighthouse on St Mary’s Island - it can only be reached by a causeway at low tide. The lighthouse started working in 1897 and was decommissioned in 1984. It is on the site of an old monastery where a sanctuary light would have guided ships.  It is now run by the Friends of St Mary’s Island and can be visited most weekends and during school holidays.

Close to St Mary’s Island is Curry’s Point. On the 4^th September 1739 Michael Curry was executed for the murder of the landlord at the Three Horseshoes Inn, Hartley (a nearby village). His body was hung in chains from a gibbet at this point within sight of the scene of his crime; ever since this gruesome event the headland has been known as Curry’s Point.

The coastline is rugged from here to Seaton Sluice.

Seaton Sluice was once a thriving industrial area which saw the production of coal, glass, ship building, bricks and salt. Coal mining began as early in the thirteenth century and continued until a disaster at Hartley Hew Pit in 1862 killed 200 men.

There was an artificially constructed harbour built at Seaton to service the old industries. As can be seen, this has now silted up and is now only suitable for small sea boats. The decline of its industries, the coal disaster and the development of ports in the 19^th century at Blyth and Tyneside all combined to diminish the importance of the town. In the early 20^th century an attempt was made to turn Seaton Sluice into a tourist area but this failed with the outbreak of the First World War.

I walked to Blyth on the beach – a pleasant walk on a calm, cold winter day. As you arrive to the south of Blyth there is a curved brick wall. Guns were housed on here during both World Wars when it was known as the Southern Gun Emplacement and Blyth Battery. After the war they were adapted as shelters with seats.

A wind farm is clearly seen to the north as the walk continues along Blyth promenade. Blyth dates from the 12^th century as a port but major expansion didn’t happen until the early 1800s. The main early industries were coal, ship building salt and fishing. Nowadays the port is importing paper and pulp from Scandinavia and aluminium. Two white buildings sit on the dunes; these were searchlight emplacements used during World War 1 – sliding steel shutters exposed the light when needed.

Continue the walk on to Blyth quayside. This has been regenerated with the old power station being removed and the decline in industry. The large brown silos are used to store aluminium unloaded from ships. The ‘pointy’ sculpture called Spirit of the Staithes was unveiled by Princess Anne in 2003 to mark the regeneration of the harbour.  

Back behind the shore near to some houses is the oldest building in Blyth. It is the High Light Lighthouse the first part of which was built in 1788

Pictures show: Spanish City Dome, Whitley Bay; St Mary's Lighhouse; Curry's Point.

Walk 69 North Shields to Whitley Bay

Walk 69          North Shields to Whitley Bay (Tyneside)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 88

Distance: about 4.5 miles or 7km
Difficulty:  Easy to moderate
Terrain: footpaths and pavement
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Metro at North Shields and Whitley Bay

The walk starts on the cycle route which follows the road to the south of North Shields. The town’s name derives from ‘schele’ which is Middle English for sheds or huts used by fishermen. There is still evidence of these as you approach the quayside. An old dry dock near here is known as The Haddock Shop as it specialised in the building and repair of steam trawlers. Along the quayside you get a good view of The Tyne estuary and South Shields can be seen on the opposite bank.

Continue following the road which cuts a little inland. You should come across an interesting pub called The Prince of Wales Tavern. Outside is a larger than life wooden doll. In 1814 a female figurehead of a collier ship was placed at the entrance to Custom House Quay until it was vandalised in 1850. A second wooden doll replaced it but several pieces were cut from it by seafarers and used as good luck charms on voyages. There were several more dolls until this one was placed here in 1992.

Further along is the Fish Quay with its distinctive ‘low light’ white tower. The area around here is known as Peggy’s Hole – named after a naval ship moored on an area on the outermost part of the quay known as The Gut. During the French wars of the 18^th century North and South Shields were regular victims of press gang raids. The many skilled seamen in the area were forced on to ships and some fought in the Battle of Trafalgar. During the 1800s North Shields sent whaling fleets to Greenland – a 3 year voyage. Later, Scottish girls used to work on the quayside gutting the herring catches before stocks were depleted.

Look out for the shops near the quay which boast fresh food of all sorts. Stan Laurel lived in the town for a few years before he became famous.

The walk continues out towards Tynemouth following the cycle path and promenades. On the way out of North Shields I thought I would find the restored Clifford’s Fort one of the oldest coastal gun batteries in Britain – it was built in a hurry in the Anglo-Dutch war of 1872. Despite asking around, I could not find it – there was a lot of excavation/building work going on at the time so I have an excuse!

Further along the promenade towards Tynemouth you come across an area called The Black Midden. This is an area of exposed rock and was once a notorious shipping hazard, for example it claimed 5 ships in 3 days in 1864 with the loss of 34 lives. As a result of this the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade was formed and even now it provides a back up service to the coastguard. A museum about this organisation can be visited near the cliff top.

You won’t have missed the impressive statue of Admiral Lord Collingwood which stands on the cliff top. He was born in Newcastle and was a resident in the nearby town of Morpeth. He was second in command at The Battle of Trafalgar and the cannons on the huge base of the statue come from his ship The Royal Sovereign. The memorial was erected in 1845.

Further round is the North Pier which is the most easterly point of Tynemouth. It is 1000 metres long and took 40 years to build (started 1854). The light house on the pier was built in 1903 and is still functional.

On the hills of Tynemouth are the ruins of Tynemouth Priory which was destroyed by the Danes in 800. Nearby is Tynemouth Castle – three kings are buried within including the Scottish king Malcolm 111 (died 1093). Three crowns still appear on the North Tyneside Coat of Arms. The queens of Edward1 and 11 stayed in the priory and castle while their husbands were campaigning in Scotland. Both these buildings are open to visitors. On a lighter note the 1980s TV series Supergran was filmed in the area.  

It is worth taking a stroll up the main road into Tynemouth opposite the priory. Two of the buildings of note are the Martineau Guest House and The Turks Head Hotel. The guest house is named after Harriett Martineau who was England’s first woman journalist. She stayed in the building to regain her health between 1840 and 1845. The pub gets its name from a sailors’ knot, so called because of its resemblance to a Turkish headpiece (similar to a turban). In 1880 the pub was nicknamed The Stuffed Dog after Wandering Willie (a dog) famously survived after being thrown from a ferry and was mounted and displayed after its death.

Walking out of Tynemouth are Long Sands and St Edward’s Bay. The  former is a championship surfing venue and the whole area was a fashionable place to bathe in the 18^th century.

About a mile north of here is Cullercoats. I was stopped by Mormons when walking the Isle of Sheppey and was again stopped for a conversion attempt by, what looked like, the same two men. Is someone trying to tell me something? The salt and coal trade flourished in this area in the 17^th century. In the 1800s Cullercoats was described as the best fish market in the north. Many artists have lived and worked in the town with some contributing to the Royal Academy – it was recognised as an ‘artists colony’ from the early 1800s. Winslow Homer the famous American artist was one of those who stayed here to paint.

Walking through Cullercoats you will come across the Fisherman Lookout which is now used as a community centre. A lifeboat disaster in 1849 prompted the local landowner the Duke of Northumberland to set up an RNLI station and sponsor the design for the self-righting lifeboat. The Percy was built and delivered to Cullercoats in 1852. To the north side of Cullercoats is the site of a remarkable rescue which was re-enacted on the BBC programme Coast. In 1861 the local community, including many women, dragged a lifeboat 2 miles across difficult land to enable a rescue of sailors to take place. Sadly the only victim was a cabin boy.

The walk finishes at Whitley Bay.

Photos show: the wooden doll and pub; shop window at North Shields; Tynemouth abbey; Cullercoats lookout.

Walk 68 Newcastle to North Shields

Walk 68          Newcastle to North Shields (Tyne and Wear)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 88

Distance: about 9 miles
Difficulty:  Easy 
Terrain: footpaths and pavement
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Regular Metro connections from both ends

There is a cycle path that can be followed from where the last walk finished at South Shields but much of it is along road and away from river's edge. I decided that you get a good view of the southern part of the river from the northern bank so decided not to bother with the cycle path along the southern side.

Although the walk starts on the northern river side near the bridges at Newcastle it is well worth a day looking around the city. The picturesque Grey Street with the monument to Earl Grey at the end (impressive shopping arcade off this street), St James’s Park (or whatever it is called now) home of Newcastle FC, the Chinese Quarter and the various museums/galleries are just some of the attractions. The statue of Earl Grey celebrates the Reform Act of 1832. He was the prime minister at the time and also MP for Northumberland and was responsible for ensuring that the industrial cities had representatives in the House of Common; he also got rid of the ‘rotten boroughs’ (places where very few voters were able to elect an MP). Even so only one in six men over 21 were eligible to vote in Newcastle at that time.

The city owes its name to a castle built in 1080 by Robert 11 of Normandy – brother of William the Conqueror or William the Bastard as he was known then. The main industries have been wool, coal mining and ship building but all these are in decline. The city is largely a business and cultural centre with a vibrant night life and is popular with tourists.

Six bridges cross the Tyne link the city to Gateshead on the south bank and all are impressive in their own way. Perhaps the most iconic is the Tyne Bridge which was completed in 1928 when it was the largest single span bridge in the world – it was also a model for the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia. Kittiwakes nest on the Tyne Bridge and are reckoned to be the most inland colony of these sea birds in the world. The lower red and white bridge is a swing bridge built in 1876 and uses hydraulic power to operate it and let shipping through.

A little further eastward is The Millennium Bridge for pedestrians and cycles. It cost 22 million pounds to build and was opened to the public in 2001. If you get a chance to see it open you will see something unique as it is the only tilting bridge in the world. It swings/tilts through 90 degrees to allow boats through and is known locally as the ‘blinking eye bridge’ (for reasons that become apparent when you see it).

On the opposite bank is an impressive large glass structure. This is The Sage in Gateshead which was opened in 2004 and is an international centre for musical discovery, performance and education. It was designed by Sir Norman Foster and reportedly has superb acoustics. A little further along the Gateshead side is an old flour mill which was owned by Hovis and closed in 1981. From 2002 this became the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.

The walk continues along the river side which has a number of interesting sculptures to see. A particularly striking work is called The Blacksmith’s Needle built in 1996 by The British Artist Blacksmith’s Association.

About a mile further along the Ouseburn River joins the Tyne. You will need to cross a bridge here which is on the site of an original one known as the Glasshouse Bridge (originally connected to a glass making works). Past this point and into the more rural part of the river is the St Anthony’s area. A large lead works stood here, it was built during the nineteenth century with its own rail connections. It closed in 1932 when a number of new processes failed to produce the profits that were expected.

Soon after St Anthony the walk moves inland to follow the Hadrian’s Wall Path (which stretches over to the west coast in Cumbria). After a couple of miles the path arrives near the Roman fort of Segedunum near the appropriately named town of Wallsend. If you have time this is worth a look around – an impressive lookout tower enables you to get a panoramic view of the site. The fort marks the eastern end of Hadrian’s Wall and the end section is still there; an inscription on the side gives the names of the Roman soldiers known to have taken part in the building of the wall. The building was occupied for 300 years starting in 200 AD. A Roman bath house and water storage tank have been reconstructed on the site.

From here part of the walk follows the Hadrian Cycleway and involves some pavement walking. A little diversion at Willington Quay brings you to the site of George Stephenson’s cottage. It was after his humble beginnings here as a brakes-man on a steam powered winding engine that he went on to success as a locomotive builder.  Soon after this the walk passes the entrance to the Tyne Tunnel for pedestrians and cyclists. Twenty thousand people a day once used this route to get to the shipyards and industries on both banks of the Tyne.

Following the cycle route around the roads you arrive at the Royal Quay – this was originally the Albert Edward Dock. A ferry service to Amsterdam operates from here and there is a well-equipped marina with 350 berths. From this point plot a route to the metro at North Shields. The next walk starts at North Shields.

Photos show: Shopping arcade off Grey Street in Newcastle, bridges across The Tyne at Newcastle, two of the sculptures along the bank of The Tyne; the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall; a view across the Roman fort at Wallsend. 

Walk 67 Sunderland to South Shields

Walk 67          Sunderland to South Shields (Tyne and Wear)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 88
Distance: about 9 miles
Difficulty: Quite easy 
Terrain: footpaths and pavement
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Regular Metro connections from both ends

Start on the north side of the River Wear near the bridge and walk past the university buildings towards the estuary. At the mouth of the river is Roker Lighthouse which was built in 1903. The pier going out to it is very popular with local anglers who seem to brave all conditions.  On occasions, coastguards have had to use the emergency tunnel which runs under the length of the pier.

The beaches here are sandy and attractive. A little further along you will need to go slightly inland through a part of Roker Park and over a bridge. The park was originally a Victorian pleasure park and near to here was the old home of Sunderland FC also called Roker Park (used until 1997 when the club moved to The Stadium of Light). In between here and Whitburn Bay is the Bede Memorial Cross. Bede was born in the Sunderland area in 672 AD. At the age of 12 he moved to St Paul’s monastery at Jarrow where he lived as a monk. He wrote many books on history, nature and astrology and is a unique source of English history up to 729. In 1899 he was made a Doctor of the Church by the Pope; this entitled him to be officially known as ‘Venerable’. More can be found out about him at a museum in Jarrow.

Whitburn Bay looks to be a well cared for and attractive settlement. Near the sandy beaches and grassed frontage is a unique lighthouse. It was originally built in 1856 on Sunderland’s south pier. It was dismantled and re-erected here in 1983 to allow for harbour improvements.

On this walk you will notice two restaurants which feature train carriages. One is The Pulham Lodge Hotel and the other nearer to the end of the walk at South Shields is The Rattler. This was the name for the railway line that ran from South Shields to Whitburn Colliery. The carriages were gleaned from different railway companies and the line became known as ‘The Rattler’ because of the noise they made. The line was officially closed in 1953.

Just before Whitburn the path follows the cliff top around to Marsden Bay. There are firing ranges here so care needs to be taken to follow any instructions on display. On the walk around this point is a cove called The Wherry which had its shape defined by natural erosion, quarrying and mining. Part of the bay was known as The Lads and Lasses Wherries (a light rowing boat for carrying passengers) because of the fishing and picnics that were popular.

Near Lizard Point is Souter Lighthouse; the first one in Britain to power its light and foghorn using electric current. It was built in 1871 and the light was provided by carbon arcs rather than a giant bulb. A steam engine on site generated the power. The fog horns were powered by compressed air and the sound was so deafening that the lighthouse keepers were paid 2 old pennies extra and hour for the inconvenience (or to save for hearing aids?) The lighthouse is now owned by the National Trust.

There is a choice of footpaths across The Leas, I took the one nearest the coast. However, do not miss the odd looking buildings alongside the road; these were the old Marsden limekilns. Lime was used on farms and in the making of steel. A village was built around here in the 1870s. It had 135 houses, a church and other buildings to serve the lime-works and Marsden Colliery. The village was demolished in 1968 when the works closed.

On the coastal side look out for Marsden Rock; this is the remaining part of a much larger rock. There was once an arch of larger rock to the right but stormy seas brought it down in 1996. Victorian visitors flocked here to climb the stairs to the top – at one stage a choral service was held on top of the rock (picture on an information panel nearby shows this).

This part of the coast was a smugglers haven. John the Jibber, a local smuggler, betrayed his colleagues to a local custom man and was hung in a basket half way down the cliff and left to starve! Legend has it that following a family dispute in Saxon times the ghost of a mare of one of the protagonists wandered the cliffs hence it was called The Mares Den.

Also near here is Velvets Bed (because of the fine springy turf) and Camel Island (because of its shape). The path has been rerouted because of erosion; at Frenchman’s Bay part of the cliff face collapsed as recently as 2010. The bay was once popular with smugglers and gained its name from a French ship which ran aground here in the 17^th century.

To the south of South Shields is Trow Quarry where lime was extracted until the 1960s. It was then used for industrial landfill and, although now an open public space, a notice warns people not to dig on the land, eat or handle anything on the shore! At Trow Point there is a restored World War 2 gun. It is called a ‘disappearing gun’ as it popped up from its fortifications to fire – apparently the design was not a success.

Flat golden sands at South Shields include Little Haven beach. Look out for the odd bronze sculptures near the car park they are by Jean Munoz and are locally known as the ‘weebles’. Those of us around with children in the 1970s will know why!

Around the estuary of The Tyne is an impressive view of the structures on the opposite bank. The walk continues along here past many fishermen and then is mainly by road into South Shields. The design of the first lifeboat originated in the town. ‘The Original’ was commissioned in 1790 – the designer William Woodhouse refused the guinea he was offered for his trouble and died in poverty. More information is in the local museum.

While in the town it is worth while finding your way through houses to Arbeia the local Roman fort. This guarded the Roman port at the mouth of the Tyne. In 208AD the emperor Septimus Severus came to Britain and turned the fort into a supply house for his troops fighting in Scotland and then used it to support the soldiers on Hadrian’s Wall 4 miles to the east. In the 4^th century a naval unit was sent from the River Tigris (now in Iraq) to garrison the fort. This was when it gained its name Arbeia – ‘the place of the Arabs’. You can visit the fort at certain times. Local roads tend to have names with a Roman connection.

Photos show: Marsden Rock, the'weebles' at South Shields and Frenchman's Bay.

Walk 66 Seaham to Sunderland

Walk 66          Seaham to Sunderland  (Tyne and Wear)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 88
Distance: about 8 miles
Difficulty:  Easy to moderate 
Terrain: footpaths and pavement
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Rail connections from Seaham to Sunderland

Start the walk to the south of Seaham. The shopping area is called Byron Place and reflects the connection that the poet Lord Byron had with the town; more about this underneath. Overlooking the seafront is The Londonderry Building with a statue of the Marquess of Londonderry outside. He was responsible for the creation of Seaham Harbour in the nineteenth century. It was built initially to facilitate the transport of goods from local industries and expanded in 1905 to deal with millions of tons of coal from local collieries. Prior to the building of the harbour Seaham was mainly an agricultural community. While I was walking there some extensive work was going on around the harbour.

A memorial can be found on the cliff top near the harbour asking readers to ‘remember the heroes’. In 1962 the town’s lifeboat capsized drowning 5 crew and 4 people rescued from a fishing boat (including a 9 year old boy). Further along the promenade is an interesting sculpture celebrating the local mining communities. Seaham Colliery was known as the ‘nicky-nack’ because this was the sound that the pulley wheel made when winding men back to the surface. In 1880 164 miners and 181 pit ponies were killed here in a mine explosion. The bodies of the men and boys were left sealed in the seams causing many local protests including strikes.

The walk on the cliff-top seafront ends at a car park on the headland to the north of the town. The original cliff path has been closed from this point for a mile or so due to erosion. A sculpture and stone circle in the car park includes information about the area, for example, the headland is now known to have been a sacred place for at least 4000 years with the discovery of ancient burial mounds.

Looking across the road Seaham Hall and St Mary the Virgin Church can be seen. The hall was the venue of Lord Byron’s marriage to a local landowner’s daughter in 1815 – their marriage was short lived. The church stems form the 7^th century and is regarded as one of the 20 oldest churches in England. Ramsay McDonald (first labour prime minister), who was MP for the area, and Paul Gascoine, who lived here when playing for Middlesbrough, are two well known past residents.

The walk, rather tediously, continues up the main road until after a mile or so  a railway bridge crosses the road. This is to the south of Ryhope and looks very dangerous for pedestrians to walk through. Just before the bridge is a path on the east side of the road which you can follow right down to the coast. From the shore you get a good view of Pincushion Rock. Retrace your steps back inland and you will see some steps which give access to the northern cliff path. (There is a chance that any of the cliff paths along here could be closed due to erosion). From this path Sunderland and the docks can be clearly seen. Eventually, the walk involves roads and I used the map to navigate a route to the Eastern Docks. From here the walk is a pleasant one along the River Wear into Sunderland.

The port at Sunderland originally took shape after the city sided with Cromwell in the Civil War and gained the coal trade. People from Sunderland are often known as Mackems (various spellings) – the origin seems to have been in the ship building industry. The impressive Wearmouth Bridge dominates the view along the river and is well worth walking across to get a view down towards the estuary. The first bridge here was built in 1796 and helped greatly in the growth of Sunderland. It was rebuilt in 1857 by Robert Stephenson and the current steel arch bridge was constructed in 1927.

There are a number of impressive buildings in the centre of Sunderland including terraces of late Georgian and Victorian houses. In the town’s museum a stuffed Walrus inspired Lewis Carroll to write The Walrus and the Carpenter – the carpenter was a local shipwright.

Top photo the mining sculpture at Seaham; Seaham Hall; late winter afternoon view along the River Wear at Sunderland.