Day 89 Newbiggin by the sea to Sea houses

 

 Date: Thursday 11^th August 2011   Distance: 38.13 Miles

 

Our bathroom was a negotiation through doors that could bang and along corridors and I regretted late drinks! It was quite cheap-£50 for both of us. It could be really nice and then they could charge more. If they charged more they could make it so much better. Catch 22! Most of their trade is from the power station apparently in the process of adapting for Biofuel. Several of them were having breakfast at the same time as us. One had asked for porridge which threw them completely and his mates had all eaten their breakfasts before the lady even got back from the shops to purchase some, in order to cook it. When our food eventually came it was quite nice however and rush over, we discovered our hosts wanted to be eco friendly with solar panels and log burners. They said their water bills were horrendous and they now have rainwater catchment tanks for toilet flushing.

 

We left around 9 am, again in the rain, passing by the Alcan Power station and Aluminium works and detecting a whiff of Sulphur. The route to Lynemouth was not too pretty. On the road to Cresswell we passed a disguised pill-box for the military, looking like a falling down house by the side of the road. We were tempted to shelter inside as rain was driving down.

 

 Along the route we saw many individual piebald horses tied to stakes for grazing. The tethering was too short we think! Part of the local tradition they are or were used to pull carts on land or the fringes of the sea, collecting sea- coal ( or coal dust) for burning and their owners are licensed by British Coal.

 

The national Trust owns the land in Druridge Bay. There is a long stretch of dunes, beach and wetland habitat and the cycle path goes through this country park. It is quite rough for cycling being surfaced with debris from an open cast mine that has become now a large lake. We were lucky enough to see a stoat. It crossed our path, then, at its hole it stood up and turned its head to look at us for some milli-seconds before diving down out of sight. It was obviously curious. There is a visitor centre towards the end of the park. It has a cafe and an interactive but simple display on the area. It also sells a few books and nicknacks. We stayed here while it rained.

We headed off again into more rain almost bypassing Amble, a little residential and resort town. We passed by boat yards beside the River Coquet. A mile off shore is small Coquet Island, an RSPB reserve and boats are not allowed to land.

 

Next we were on the road to Warkworth- sitting in a loop of the river with an imposing castle at the top of the street we thought it a charming place and wished it was time for lunch so we could linger. The castle had been present at least from 1139 and is tended by English Heritage. We sheltered under a little arch with some locals caught out in another shower. Tea shops, large pubs, shops and   a post office line the village with a lot of history to discover- old bridge, Hermitage (English Heritage, like the castle) all in a picturesque river setting.

 

It was a bumpy cycleway cum footpath beside the road to Alnmouth and it was nice to be free of car’s splashing. There was a little wooden bridge we had to lift bike onto just before Alnmouth as we road through fields. Then we had to take the road again into the town. Quiet and residential with a few pubs to choose from, we opted for the Sun Inn because we were fed up with the rain! I had to change all my clothes in the Ladies. We enjoyed our sandwiches and chips- mine were stuffed with crayfish.

 

We were soaked again by Craster, reached by cycleway. Bob ordered some smoked kippers to be sent home from the Smokery there. They arrived just after we got back and still to be enjoyed!( now deliciously devoured!) We found The Shoreline Cafe to drip in, and, over drinks and a slice of sponge we tried to contact some possibilities for B and B. No phone reception yet again! We must have looked a sorry sight and the cafe ladies said we should use their land line. Lucky first time and we had a bed for the night.

 

In a more relaxed state we rode the next 9 miles which would have been prettier on a less grey day. We went via North Sunderland to arrive at the right part of Seahouses without touching the town itself. The B and B was a modern house in a little cul de sac with only a sink- no shower included with our room. Another couple said we could use their jaccuzzi bath which we did. The bike went in their garage with the doors left open till sundown because of the swallows nesting in the rafters there.

 

The nearest pub was modern, soulless and empty. The meal was done almost grudgingly and was expensive but it tasted OK. The beer was awful. Bob told them they needed to watch how they kept it and they insisted on giving him his money back, to their credit, which was put in the Lifeboat box. We sat in the guest sitting room watching TV which was better than our room which, though very nice, was small.