Yorkshire coast and clevand heritage coast has a dramatic coastline of cliffs, coves, beaches
and villages.
Runswick Bay was our first town and it has steeply raked hills with white cottages which over look a sandy bay.
Staithes
A harbour town, pedestrian only with a very steep walk down. It has the largest herring fleet in the UK.
Capt Cook lived here pre his training for navigation working in a general store .
Lunch at the cob and lobster pub, which was meant to be great but our Steak and ale pie was shit, dried out and the veg not cooked. I sent it back!
So the next pub we got fish and half of it was overcooked dry batter so John ate the good half and I ate the salad , not enough energy in me to send another meal back.
As we walked up the steep hill to the car it poured rain so we decided not to go to Saltburn – by – the-sea and straight to our pub accomodation near Durham. A very basic room in a pub. Not great but clean and a lovely helpful owner.
Next day
We drove out to see hadrians wall which is really only visible in bits and by walking but you could see bigger sections at Chester Fort. The wall is 73 miles long and was used for securing borders and collecting taxes
The wall was built for the emperor hadrian AD117 -138 and the museum, 1896, consisted of a collection by the discoverer of Chester Fort.
Chesters Fort 112 Ad was built for a cavalry regiment to live here. The garrison protected the bridge over the river Tyne and the barracks is 180 AD.
Back to the Coast ….
Then we followed the road along the Northumberland national park north to Bellingham. Then onto Otterburn in the national park..
We stopped here for lunch at a Inn and Crepeire WOW first really nice food since we got to England. They hold weddings here and the dining room and gardens and chapel were amazing.
Then across towards the coast to our accomodation at Morpeth. A lovely unit in a private back yard, kitchette washing machine etc and lovely hosts. We are staying two nights.
Northumbria coast
Today we visited Warkworth castle and village which has sat over the River Croquet for 8 centuries. The 4 th earl was murdered in 1489 and the castle never completed.
The great tower was commisioned by Henry Percy 1st earl of Northumberland 1341-1408
Amble , a fishing harbour town with cute fish shacks and lots of fish shops was our next stop, a
We dropped into lower Hauxley to view the North sea and Coquet island off the coast and if the weather was nice you could do a boat trip to the Puffins and seals from Amble but today is windy plus plus and rain starting so back to our unit.
The next day we drove out to Craster a tiny harbour town
and walked the coastal path to Dunsborough castle, what an amazing site sitting on a small hill partially on the beach .
The beach was covered in volcanic pipes steps and the sheep wandered all around you as you walked.
We werent paying to go into the ruins of the castle so took photos and walked back and drove through the village and onto
Beadnell
A nice town with a beach ,harbour and long foreshore, we just drove through
Seahouses
another harbour town.
Bamburg castle
Bamburg and the cragside estate is what you see of todays castle , rebuilt by the Armstrong family which bought the castle that was in need of repair in 1894.
The first castle was wooden and dates back to 800BC
The normans arrived 3000 years ago and the history has a history of knights, vikings and being a hospital and dispensary plus years of ruin
The oldest part of the castle present today is the keep 1164 keep.
The viking movie , The last kingdom with Uhtred of Bebbandurg, this was his castle in history and there were a few displays here from the movie,
Next we drove north to Lindifarne priopry and castle but didnt walk into the town and pay more pounds for parking and the fee in.
We just liked driving across the causeway which has to be done at low tide.
Accomodation is Purdy Lodge a great hotel and restaurant on the A1.
last day pre Scotland.
Berwick upon Tweed
A seaport which has changed hands 13 times (1296 -1482) between England and Scotland, The tudors built the medieval walls 4 kms and 19 towers. The walls go around the town which we walked some of them and saw the three bridges including the viaduct for trains. Built in 1206 by Edward the 2.
We viewed the harbour , walls from the outside and the lighthouse and pier.
Now to Scotland
