26.2

 

Are you ready for another walk? It's a figure of eight route today and I've got a map for you this time so you know where we're going.

Starting near the bottom at Druridge Bay we're heading south to Cresswell.

 

Here is a fantastic ice cream shop, and ice cream coloured houses. It's cold and blustery though, so it's not really ice cream weather.

  

 

At Cresswell turn round and breathe a sigh of relief that the wind is now longer blowing in your face, and walk back along the beach. Past where we started from there's a much better view of Coquet Island than last time I was on this beach, apparently the puffins have started nesting, must get boat trip booked soon.

I Love puffins.

 

Approaching Warkworth now, and there's a cricket match on the green.

No time to stop though, keep going, for every mile walked you can have a jelly baby.

 

 

Past Warkworth Castle, ignoring the grey skies, we have a bubble of protection you see.

It will not rain.

 

Now we walk along the river for a while and then we're back to the beach, and then it's time to turn round and head back to the start, although first L needed a little feet up time....

 

At 22 miles there's a shop, time for another drink. Note to self - after a day of eating jelly babies (and a cereal bar, a peanut butter sandwich, a banana, handfuls of almonds and dried apricots....) whilst a lucozade sport drink might seem like a very good idea, they should come with a health and safety warning. Firstly you will get covered in bright pink frothy bubbles as you try and decant it into your sports bottle, and 20 minutes later the sugar high you experience will leave you laughing uncontrollably until you can't walk and your sides hurt....  The energy provided will get you back to the car however, even if you aren't allowed the last miles jelly baby as apparently you've had quite enough sugar.............

 

 

Oh boy, that water is icy cold, but it is the perfect solution for hot tired feet.

 

Want to see how far we went?

26.2 miles.

Why you might ask? Very good question. Well it's to prove we can.

In four weeks time I'll be doing it again, in Edinburgh at midnight, when you are all tucked up fast asleep.

 

ok, remember to stretch really well after your walk, and you probably deserve a nice cup of tea and a hot bath.

so that's what I did this weekend, what did you get up to?

 

fancy a stroll?

Fancy coming for another stroll? You'll need to pack some snacks, we're going for a long one.

Not on the coast path this time, no we're making three circular walks that pivot from a central point, which has comfort facilities and tea.

So uphill first we go, stop to look back and down and take a deep breath.

Loop back and sit out a hail storm.  6.5 miles so far.

Sulk for a while when you realize the camera battery has died.......

Walk round the river path, past the graffiti and back to the central point again. 12 miles.

Resolve the camera issue and set off again, the longest loop is ahead of us, and there's new territory to explore.

Enter Hulne Park, part of Northumberland Estates, with a series of footpaths to follow, we're on the blue path today,  up the hill we go.

Through woodland, and with views of the Cheviots, 

across pastures and riverbanks,

then back through the woods where we are being watched.

They blend in so beautifully but it's worth trying to spot them. 

beep. L's phone app tells us we've walked the required distance. Shame I made a slight route planning error and we're still two miles from home. Time to call upon  some positive mental attitude, striding up the last hill we are chanting "we're doing it, we're getting up the hill" when we're spotted by a friend. 

She thinks we're mad.

She could be right.

22 miles.

do your feet hurt? 

I've worn out my trainers, time for a new pair......

happiness is

happiness is

 

the joy of a spontaneous day out.

for no reason other than that the sun is shining.

 children squealing with happiness at the totally deserted playground.

 

happiness is watching them hang upside down, and run and swing and play

 

and they are so happy that they don't mind that I have the camera out.

 

this week happiness is also

 

good friendships

a new nephew

spring sunshine

laughing whilst hiding from a hail storm

a long hot bath after a longer than planned walk

(need to work on my route planning skills........ ooops)

a trip out today to a gluten free food fair.

 

hope you have lots of happy things to fill your weekend. xxx

 

16 more miles of coast and castles

This blog is fast becoming an advert for the Northumberland coastal route.

From Newton by the Sea head north till you reach Football cove.

Keep going and going and eventually you will pass Seahouses and you can admire the little dot in the distance that is Bamburgh Castle as it comes into view. Pause here to wonder where the better photo I uploaded has disappeared to, whilst I retie my shoe laces. Again.

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Do a happy dance when the route app on L's phone beeps for the 8 mile mark and turn about.

Stopping to admire the sun shining on the Farne Islands and tie my shoe laces.

The tide has gone out and the enormous expanse of Beadnell Bay is calling out to be walked across with your eyes closed. No chance of bumping into anything.....

And even though the water is Incredibly Cold, sometimes you just have to go for a paddle!

Coming up soon - something other than walking photos! (followed by more walking photos.......)

14 miles

Starting at Druridge Bay we head north.

Until we reach Warkworth. 

Turning back we rest awhile, and watch the boats,

and wish we had one of these to speed up the return journey.

Flying must be so much less tiring than walking!

Friday random

a few random thoughts of the week.

it's all very well trying to clean your microwave in an eco friendly manner, but if you put half a lemon in a bowl of water in the microwave and turn it on for a few minutes you are probably meant to clean wipe it out straight away. if you leave it for 3 days you open the door to a rather nasty mouldy mess.  and get the bleach out after all.........

when things say "do not wash" sometimes they really mean it. I have always subscribed to the theory that a gentle hand wash is always going to be fine, and if something is dry clean only I just won't have it in the house. So I washed the covers on the bean bags I ordered from the Olympic stadium from Remains of the games. I have to say whilst it was exciting to think we'd bought something that was part of the Olympics in reality it was a complete nightmare. You had to pay for the product with no idea what the delivery costs might be, and then wait forever for a delivery quote. The products said they would be used but in good condition, but the covers on our beanbags were filthy. I think it was warehouse dirt from the packing, and we may just have been unlucky as my brother bought one for my niece and it was fine. Anyway.  It said do not wash and I ignored it. I decanted all of the beans and washed off all the warehouse grime. I failed to account for the fact that the fire retardant coating on the inside of the bags would disintegrate and then stick to the outside like glue. There was a LOT of rinsing. And some heated tempers. But finally they were clean, and very much loved they are too.

a 3 egg cake mixture will rise and swell over the edge of my sponge tin and all over the bottom of the oven when you are trying to bake for the spring show, even though it never has before.

if you spend 30 minutes carefully stirring bubbling caramel to make fudge, then a last minute decision to add some white chocolate is a Very Bad Idea.  Crumbled mess anyone? However if you add a large dollop of golden syrup and some oats to the pan and then bake it makes quite awesome chocolate fudge flapjack..............

I have entered daffodils in the spring show that are still in bud. I am hoping a warm sport hall will cause them to open overnight.

14 mile training walk planned for tomorrow. I might take some flapjack with me................

seen when walking 2

a different route this time for walking, less sheep.

but I did catch sight of enormous blades for a wind turbine travelling northbound on the A1

and in the underpass there is poetry.

always look ahead of you whilst walking says the training guide, not down at your feet. 

good advice here I'd say....

here too, there's a fantastic view to be seen.

sometimes though you have to look back, to get the best photo of the lion and his crazy tail!