I always associate River Drive with my Uncle Larry. I remember walking it with him years ago and looking down on the river, him pointing out what I should know about it. He thought it was dead 30 years ago, I wonder what he would make of the housing, the call centres, the shopping. Maybe he'd be pleased, older people tend to be less sentimental than we give them credit for, after all a job is a job, and his generation certainly knew what unemployment meant. So I wandered happily passed Dolly Peel and on down to Littlehaven. It was gorgeously sunny and the Weebles (sorry, Conversation Piece) was as intriuging as ever. It really is like walking into a party and seeing who is who.
On a day like today there really is no better place than South Shields. At Littlehaven the waves lapped the shore and the estuary was blue, and on into Sandhaven where I could have had a beautiful stretch of golden sand all to myself, if only I was organised enough to sort out deckchairs, windbreaks etc etc. I strolled along watching parents enjoy making sandcastles for their kids, kids splashing in the sea, women of a certain age plodging. It doesn't get better than this, my spirits really soared. And so I wafted home through Westoe village on a cloud of happiness.
Now for the confession: I should have been walking the next bit of Hadrian's Wall - Walltown to Housesteads. My last experience of wall walking has left me wondering if I can possibily complete this project. But I won't be beaten, and the weather forecast for next week looks good...
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