I was very glad that I decided to have a good day of rest in Alnmouth. The next morning, yesterday, I took the bus up to Craster and started my day by walking to the end of the harbour peir and taking a picture north to Dunstanburgh Castle, and then one looking towards the village. I found the Coast Path trail, behind the Jolly Fisherman Inn, and started walking south.
The seashore along Craster and for some distance south was rocky, and fun to walk on with lots of tide pools. I sat for awhile on the rocks, lucky to once again see gannets just off shore diving into the water with great speed and rising up again to circle and glide and then dive again. I could hear some of the splashes!
There were interesting rock formations, the sun was shining, and I really enjoyed walking beside the rocky shore along a grassy path. Before I knew it, I could see the Howick Bathing House in the distance across the bay.
The Howick Bathing House was built by the second Earl of Grey (of Earl Grey tea fame) as a place for the family (with 16 children!) to bathe in the sea. They carved out some pools in the rock, and a little past the bathing house there was a wonderful little curve of beach and some great rocks to climb on and play. The Bathing House can be rented out for a week at a time, but it’s very pricey! Nearby Howick Hall has a garden, open for public viewing, which includes an arboretum of 1,800 different kinds of trees from all over the word, 11,000 trees in all, spread over 65 acres.
Here’s a view across a beach, looking back at the Bathing House, and then the inviting path ahead, encouraging me to continue on.
After a while, I approached a very special place where an arched concrete bridge passed over a pretty stream that flowed across a small beach of golden sand. Everyone was there, and by that I mean six people, enjoying the very scenic spot. I stopped there for a while to air out my boots and feet, have a snack, and enjoy the view.
Two more beautiful beaches followed. Viewed from above, they are named Sugar Sands and Howdiemont Sands.
Amazingly, sometimes when I looked back, I could still see Dunstanburgh Castle, way off in the distance. Now, if anyone is planning on walking the Northumberland Coastal Path, or parts of it, I recommend walking from south to north for several reasons. First, that is the traditional way, and it is how the guidebooks are written – it is very annoying reading the directions backwards! Secondly, if you are walking from south to north, the sun is behind you which is better for photos. And finally, as you walk north you have those far distant, and then getting closer and closer views of Dunstanburgh and Bamburgh Castles.
After more easy, pleasurable walking, I arrived at the small fishing village of Boulmer. Fishermen here still go out in small open fishing boats (cobles) to catch salmon, crab and lobster, and they haul their heavy boats out of and into the sea using tractors! I was beginning to feel hungry and thought of stopping in at the Fishing Boat Inn for some fish and chips, and maybe a gin and tonic because I had read that in the 18th and 19th century smugglers operated out of this inn and most of their illicit trade was gin! But, I carried on. Instead of fish and chips and gin and tonic, I would have my bread and cheese and raw carrot and pepper sticks. Oh well!
Soon the trail entered an area of dunes, and then a lovely section of beach walking.
Then it climbed back up into the dunes, and along a caravan site, and then it climbed higher, up onto a ridge, with views over the Alnmouth golf course and towards the town and estuary. Almost there!
The trail descended into town and soon I was at my wonderful little Sun Studio, preparing a dinner of a hamburger smothered in fried onions and melted cheddar, with a side of salt and vinegar crisps and a half bottle of Apsalls cider. Yum! (I’m having the same dinner tonight, just as soon as I finish this blog!) It was a brilliant day of walking, with beautiful sunshine and superb coastal views. Thank you for joining me on this journey.
