March

Michael

Route:  Mount Pleasant (River Wear) - Low Lambton – Penshaw – Herrington Country Park – Penshaw Monument – Woodhouse Farm – Cox Green – The James Steel Park – under Leamside Viaduct – Worm Hill – Mount Pleasant.

Pleasant, dry and windy at times

Michael, Michelle, George, Ron, Bernie

Sandy - recovering from a bad cold

Diane and Richard - had a hectic week

Ken - couldn't make it

Comments

The walk was delayed by a week and a half due to bad weather.

We skirted round Penshaw village, which has three pubs. A lot of the paths were very muddy although others were firm.

There were sculpted seats at Herrington Country Park, with various items on the sides, i.e flip flops, paper hat, woolly hat. We had lunch at Herrington Country Park – we walked past the lake and watched the speed boats from the model boat club.

We climbed up to Penshaw Monument – first time for all of us. It was built 1844-45 to commemorate John Lambton, first Earl of Durham (1792-1840) – the Governor-General of British North America. There were good views of Sunderland including the new Northern Spire bridge.

Then we descended to the River Wear and had coffee at The Plough. The café was located in a small horse box. We crossed the river and walked upstream under the Victorian railway viaduct at Leamside, and noticed how good its condition was.

Wildlife: Swans, Mallard ducks, Coots, Canada geese, male and female Goosanders, tufted ducks, moorhen, horses

Robin Hood Inn – under new management - nice meal and friendly staff.

March Walkers

Walkers at Herrington Country Park

Ruby poses

Boats at Herrington Country Park

Walkers en route

Towards the Monument

Swan

Starting to Climb to Penshaw

Penshaw Monument

Pillars

View from the Top

Open to the Sky

Leamside Railway Viaduct

River Wear