Monday, 11 November 2013

Coastwalk

Warkworth → Alnmouth

towards-alnmouth.png Distance: 6.06 miles
Ascent: 118 metres
Duration: 2 hours 18 minutes

Autumn, at last
« Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | Craster »

A little over six months ago we had a weekend in Edinburgh. A problem with the overhead lines meant that our train crawled through Northumberland before eventually coming to a standstill. Across the fields I could see a river running down to the sea and a small town where the flowing and tidal waters met. On returning home I worked out that this place was Alnmouth, and right then decided that it would be an ideal place to finish this year's coast walking.

I'm overjoyed that today we met that goal. I'm slightly less happy about the drizzly autumnal weather we endured to get there, a far cry from April's beautiful blue skies.

warkworth-bridge.pngIt's a short walk from Warkworth to Alnmouth so there was plenty of time to explore. Warkworth stands on a tight loop in the river Coquet, and at the end of the loop is a beautiful old fortified bridge across the river.

em-bracken.pngOnce over the river we headed directly out to the coast. Here the glowing bracken cast an autumnal hue onto the dunes that lined the golf course. Out at sea a pod of dolphins occasionally popped up between the iron-grey waves.

alnmouth-church-hill.pngOn reaching the River Aln we headed inland once more to walk across on dry land, although reportedly it's possible to ford across here at low tide. In fact, Old Church Hill - now on the south bank of the river - was separated from the rest of the town when a particularly stormy night caused the river to change its course.

We paused at eleven o'clock and in the distance heard a single canon fire to mark the hour.

alnmouth-harbour.pngAfter crossing a stone bridge over the river we continued on Lover's Walk, a footpath skirting the edge of the town which gives good views onto the river. Alnmouth is a small, compact town squeezed into the higher land between the curve of the river and the coast, and its former affluence was evident in its fine stone buildings.

We'll be back early next year to continue on from Alnmouth. The border is tantalisingly close now; the second chapter of this three-country walk is nearly complete.

Posted by pab at 14:48 | Comments will be back one day. Please email me instead!