Ron

Whitburn Bents Car Park - Whitburn Church – Wellands Farm - Cleadon Hills – Marsden Bay- Lizard Point – Souter Lighthouse – Souter Point – Whitburn Bents

Damp, drizzly then wet. Cleared up a bit in the afternoon with occasional sunshine. Visibility poor.

Ron, Sandy, Ken, Diane, Richard, George.

Michelle and Michael - getting ready to go to Costa Rica

Bernie - family commitments

Ashley - cold

Comments

We saw an interesting red brick cottage in Whitburn village. It was originally owned by a brick manufacturer and built to show off his products.

We had lunch sitting on metal wheatear sculptures – these were useful as tables as well. We passed the remains of a stone windmill without any sails on Cleadon Hill as well as a nineteenth century water tower built in a Venetian style.

We crossed a busy golf course, where a golf ball narrowly missed Ron. Gorse bushes were beginning to flower. We could just see Tynemouth Priory in the mist as well as a large tanker lying off the Tyne.

We came to the coast at Marsden Bay, and passed the site of Marsden Village. The display boards were very informative. There was an interesting description of the village and the railway (the Marsden Rattler). Souter Lighthouse looked freshly repainted.

There were lots of people on the Coastal Path including one group enjoying a glass of prosecco. The coastline was significantly eroded with several rockslips visible.

We finished with hot drinks at the Toney Minchella café on our return to the car park.

Wildlife: A group of curlews, pied wagtails in the car park, herring and black back gulls, fulmars, cormorants, pigeons and a starling. An unhappy looking pony in a steading. Exmoor ponies on Cleadon Hill.

Rialtos, Ponteland. The usual good quality and service.

Dolphin Sculpture

Sail-less Windmill

Information plaque

Horse

Water Tower

Damp Stop

Walkers en route

Memento Wall

Nineteenth Century Lime Kilns

Information about The Leas

Further Information

View along the Coast

Souter Lighthouse Information

Along the Cliff Tops

Horses in Coats

Colourful Signpost

Time for a Cuppa