Distance - 5 Miles
Gecocaches - 3
Pub - The Ship Inn, Allendale Brewery Pennine Pale Ale
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, Nov 2010, Walk 24
A trip to this part of the world was never going to be complete with a visit to Holy Island.
Tide Times checked and we have from 10:30am till 4:30 to complete a quick circuit.
Nice to leave the day tripping tourists behind at the car park. They make their way to the priory and castle, we make our way North along a farm track. Knowing when to stop is not as easy as you would think - the OS Map marks sand dunes almost identically to beaches.
Heading North through the Dunes
Its some reward when we do get there, as we have a Emmanuel Head Bay almost to ourselves. Guide Dog in Training Joy behaves herself impeccably with a Black Lab she makes friends with.
To have this bay almost to ourselves
Guide Dog Joys Playmate
The good behaviour disappears when we walk down the easy coast of the Island. Multiple disgraces involving dead birds. We accepted it when she came back with a cormorant in her mouth but back on the lead she went, after scaling a cliff to get at an as yet unidentified cadaver.
If it was a bird, it was a bloody big one.
Lindisfarne castle and priory are the honeypot highlights - the daytrippers were right - and we have saved this but of the walk for last.
Lindisfarne Castle
Plenty of photos before we have to make a decision on which pub for lunch.
Unlike pubs called Railway Arms, Ship Inns never fail and this was no exception. After a week of unseasonably cold May temperatures, it was a delight to be in their sun trap beer garden with a superb Allendale Pennine Pale Ale - waiting for fishfinger sandwiches.
Another great Ship Inn
Guide Dog in Training Joy is not having my Pale Ale
A fitting end to a week of walking in a special part of the country.
Distance - 7 Miles
Pubs - Ye Olde Ship, Seahouses and Craster Arms, Beadnell
Geocaches - 1
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, Jan 2018, Walk 20
Is there anything better than a coastal pub walk that starts from your own front door? Maybe one with two great pubs, equidistantly placed.
The footpath behind our holiday rental takes us inland across farmers fields, where the output appears to be long grass. Guide Dog in Training Joy rather enjoyed gallivanting through it. A welcoming committee greets us at Beadnell.
An agricultural start to the walk
The Beadnell Welcoming Comittee
Beadnell is simply stunning. There's a huge golden bay, where the sand stretches out for miles and when you are bored with that, a rather handily located pub at the mid point of the walk.
Through the dunes and onto Beadnell Bay
For these views
Which Guide Dog in Training Joy loved
The Craster Arms has a handsome exterior and is dog friendly. Inside, it's tailored for hungry tourists. Three real ales on and it was my first introduction to Hadrian Border Brewery and their Farne Island Bitter.
Crasyer Arms from earlier in the week, where I first found Farne Island Bitter
This traditional bitter has been the beer of the holiday and a real find. I'll see if I can get some bottles for export back to the West Midlands.
Refreshment had, its a case of walking back along the coast to Seahouses. How you do it is probably tide dependent - low tide, you can pick your way across the rocky fingers of Lady's and Nacker's Holes until you reach the sand. High tide, there is a path along the dunes running parallel with the road.
I've plenty of photos of sandy beaches and the Farne Islands to bore you with but will just load the one onto the blog.
Farne Island - The place, not the beer
Into the four pub metropolis of Seahouses. Last year on the Inn Way to the North Yorkshire Moors, I got talking to a fella about my adventure. We got talking about the Inn Way to Northumberland when he got all misty eyed about Ye Olde Ship at Seahouses. Not sure if its was the beer or the crab sandwiches which he extolled the virtues of the most.
A Must Visit, said the man in North Yorkshire.
I'm not one to turn down a recommendation.
On first impressions, I was underwhelmed. It's the only pub in Northumberland that we have found to be dog unfriendly. In fact there are rather too many signs. The one outside promising Bass is a good thing. The plenty of others banning all manner of potential crimes are not.
This is a bit of a pet hate of mine. I mean, is it really necessary to have laminates telling you to take off your backpacks before entry?
They Promised the Red Triangle - They Lied
No Dogs. No Rucksacks. Toilets for Patrons
Pub Ticker waiting for the Bass to come on
A chat with the exceptionally friendly bar staff - one of whom had 35 years of service - revealed the reason. The gorgeous bar is too small for dogs and you wouldn't get in carrying a large rucksack. I take it back..... the signs were necessary for fear of dislodging nick nacks.
Gorgeous Bar and the Rucksack Rule makes sense
We were directed to a little dog friendly summerhouse in the beer garden - offering shelter and views to Farne Island. It makes sense to look at what you are drinking.
Farne Island - The Beer - At the Wheel in the Summer House
And the drinking was exceptional. Well worthy of its place in the Good Beer Guide 2019.
Walk over, we head back through town for supplies. The independent deli has what I need to remember the week by.
Distance - 5 Miles
Geocaches - 0
Walk Inspiration - Jarrold Northumberland and Borders Walks, Walk 7
We head south from Seahouses to Craster. I am armed with three potential walks - a lengthy 8 miler that can be cut in half if needed and the one that was chosen.
Once the elegant ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle were seen, there was really no choice. It had to be investigated.
Craster is a delight - a harboured fishing village where their wares are sold to the village pub.
This will come in handy later.
Mrs M also had Craster Kippers for Lunch
The castle is the obvious prize - walking on sheep filled paths, where the grass grows right down to the sea. Guide Dog in Training Joy is kept on the lead, which is a shame but we are hoping her patience for a free run will be rewarded later.
Easy Route Finding
Up close at Dunstanborough Castle
And indeed it is - a short walk across a golf course and we are at Embletonburn Bay - a gorgeous sandy bay that really could fool you into thinking you are somewhere far more exotic than 60 miles north of Sunderland.
Absolutely stunning and we have the place nearly to ourselves.
Go Free Joy!
The walk back is inland, along metaled farm tracks that are also doubling as a cycle way.
The road back home
A perfect little walk.
Let's see what the Jolly Fisherman has to offer. The signage is beyond excellent - Timothy Taylors in a Cask Marque pub?
This better not be false advertising.
Looks promising
There was no need for me to google the phone number of the Advertising Standards Authority.
Bliss
There's been a lot of Timothy Taylor Landlord in my life, but I can't recall a more stunning location.
Distance - 4.5 Miles
Geocaches - 1
Walk Inspiration - 100 Walks in Northumberland, Walk 31
A nice little varied walk for a Bank Holiday Monday, where the weather was traditionally bracing.
Start at the Beach Car Park, where all the dogs in the North East are out for exercise.
Guide dog in training Joy had a whale of a time. The golden beach looked Caribbean but felt Baltic. A case of keep moving to keep warm.
Family Mapp and Guide Dog Joy. We haven't gone on holiday by mistake
When the golden sands turn to rock, we head inland through the golf course.
When the sand runs out, head inland
At the end of the golf course's drive, we are presented with a view of the River Aln as it meanders it was down to the sea. The notice boards promise such exotic wildlife as otters. I am too busy taking snaps of new born sheep that I almost fail to catch the heron.
Looking down on the Aln
Heron. Honest,
Nice final section of walking along the Coastal Path from Alnmouth Bridge, looking at the estuary moored boats and then refreshment can be found in the village.
Picking up the Northumberland Coastal Path at the Bridge
There looks like a few choices for the Mappiman dollar, but we were never going to miss out on a 2019 Camra Good Beer Guide Tick.
A Northumberland Pub Tick
The Red Lion is a classic looking coaching inn, where dogs are welcome as long as they are dry. To meet this requirement, towels are available in the porch. This is something I have never seen before.
As its a bank holiday, we failed to get inside seating but this meant that we could explore their wonderful beer garden, offering further views over the estuary.
Fine Beer Garden View
The English on Holidays. Others were in the garden.
Beer wise, it was a Red Ale - Allendale Brewery's Curlew's return.
Perfect condition, with a deep colouring and continued lacing right till the end of the glass.
Enjoyed right up until the point it started raining.
Distance – 8 Miles
Walk from - Printed from the web
Geocaches – 6
Onward Journey – 116 Miles
Listening to….
…. American Recordings VI (Thats the set, in order. Johnny is dead now, so no more)
…. Radio 6 (Mark Radcliffe in fine form – Tuneage)
Last Night
A night of lows and highs. Low – another shared bathroom experience…. High – I have it all to myself, as I am the only punter. Yeah. The tap and stile is a fine real ale pub and I could thing of worse places to call home. Slightly suspicious of the parking the arrangements – I am advised to leave it in a Loading bay, with the proviso that “we dont have traffic wardens in Hexham”. This may be true, as the geomotor was unticketed in the morning.
Hexham is an impressive medieval walled town, so I have a look around. Which basically means going to pubs. I do 3 – Wetherspoons (Converted Cinema) for a cheap tea and a couple of exceptionally good pints. I may not slag them off again. Then move on to the Globe, which is a locals pub for locals. Don’t stay long. Head back to the Tap, where I can have delicious Doom Bar and Brains SA, whilst using the Wifi in the bar area to maintain contact with humanity.
Today was a visit to Hadrian’s Wall. I had researched and one of the best sections is at Housesteads. This is a 16 mile drive out of Hexham along our long straight rollercoaster of a road.
Incredible driving.
Weather is ropey today, so raincoat on and out into the wilds. The place is a wilderness, with far reaching views. I couldn’t quite tell whether i was meant to pay to enter or not. There was a sign with pricing on, but as I am on public footpaths, I don’t feel I should be paying. I only have £5 of the required £6 on me. So I avoid anyone that looks in charge.
A short climb through the sheep fields and then we are at the Wall. This does exactly what it says on the Tin, but I doubt that it can be spotted from Space.
Over the Wall
I am heading west, either on the south, north or at points on, the Wall. Three easy caches along the way. One of them looked suspiciously like the container that was last find on Friday in the Lakes. I bet its the same owner.
Walking highlight is Crag Lough. Its a crag. With a body of water at the bottom and some trees.
Best View of the Day
At Peel Crags, there is a party of American School kids climbing up from the opposite direction.
The teachers think I am the most courteous hill walker they have met. In reality, I am looking for a cache, which takes me an awful long time.
Drop down here and its lane walking south, then eastbound, to take in the Roman fort of Vindolanda. You can see it over a (not the) wall and I would have taken a photo, but there is a team of archaeologists who are all mad at work with their tiny trowels. No doubt trying to tell an entire civilisation from the remains of an old sandal.
Last cache on the inside of an old limekiln and then back to the car.
The Journey
My week of splendid isolation comes an end, as Sonia has successfully navigated British Rail’s complex fare system to find a way to get to Skipton. This means a nice drive to Carlisle, down the
M6 and then through North Yorkshire, driving through Ingleton amongst other places. Can see the hills that I may be climbing tomorrow.
Get a text from Sonia giving me the postcode of a cake shop.
And blog fans, you may chastise me for blogging when I should be talking to my wife. Don’t worry, she’s sleeping off her cake.
