The Millers Walk: Whitburn, Cleadon, Fulwell

This was a free guided walk organised by South Tyneside council and led by a (presumably) volunteer who works for Groundwork.  It had poured with rain overnight and I was in two minds about even going, but I did turn up at Whitburn Bents car park only slightly late and managed to catch up with the group as they headed back to Whitburn along the coast path.  Whitburn windmill looks fab and apparently it is open at certain times - I'll keep my eyes open for that.

We then made our way to the farm entrance and path that forms part of Bedes Way to Cleadon Hills.  It never ceases to amaze me how much things change in a few short weeks.  Now the oilseed rape is yellow in the fields, all the trees are greener, even heard a skylark singing.  It was all very wet underfoot but the whole group was suitably equipped with waterproofs and boots, gaiters making an appearance too along with walking poles.  I'd debated in Aldi yesterday whether to invest in gaiters and pole - jury still out though they seem very good value.

We stopped at Cleadon windmill for a break and it was lovely to look all around.  Then it was on to The Britannia at Cleadon for another break with toilets.  Shame we had to have two breaks so close together but that's the way it goes.

The next part of the walk was all new territory to me.  We cut through a housing estate and then followed a field path under the metro and across the main road onto Carley Hill nature reserve.  This brought us back on the main road and Fulwell windmill which was closed until further notice.  The leaders weren't expecting this so despite lobbying for a visit to a nearby pub, we agreed to press on to Morrisons before the next toilet stop.  We walked back along the main road, and then turned down Seaburn Dene and Cut throat Dene (don't ask which is which).  There was an intriguing chapel and cemetery to our right - might be worth exploring one day. 

Whitburn mill

on Cleadon hills

Cleadon mill

path at Carley Hill

Fulwell mill

So, to Morrisons, then along the seafront back to the cars and home by 3pm and all without getting rained on, in fact I think we were all too warm at one point!  A good day!

Walk of the Week: Souter lighthouse

On a fairly blustery Easter Monday, but not as rainy as had been forecast, I met Hamster and Wombat for a walk.  They had suggested walking from Whitburn round the Leas at Souter and back to Whitburn for tea and cake, and who was I to refuse? 
It was slightly sad because they are moving out of the area, so it was almost but not quite goodbye.  We talked about the move as we walked along the pavement to Souter Lighthouse.  There we walked across the Leas, dodging the golf balls, to the cliffside path.  We do like near wonderful scenery.  We remarked on the colours in the cliffs, the variety of seabirds and then I was shown the very bench where Hamster proposed to Wombat, or was it the other way round?  Plenty of activity at Souter, including a bouncy castle, but we headed on towards the firing range and then turned inland and walked through the nature reserve. H&W noted that the paths had been improved here and a hide for birdwatching had been added.  It was all new territory to me.  Soon we were walking back along the roadside, and in no time at all enjoying tea and a rather scrumptious oat slice (Delia's recipe). 
Walking with friends is great, and I'll miss H&W but I do have an invite to visit them in their new home and no doubt more walks will follow there.

Lent Walk 5: Bede's Way Whitburn to Boldon

I feel as though I'm making heavy weather of Bede's Way, but with my current work pattern anything but a short walk is difficult, so this is the middle section of the walk.  I caught the bus to Whitburn, once again marvelling at how good the public transport system is in these parts (let no-one tell you otherwise) and then promptly retraced my path from Front Street back through a housing estate to the footpath over the Cleadon Hills.  It was here that the purpose of this walk became apparent:  confront your fears.  I was walking past a farmyard, would there be dogs?  Indeed a dog did bark from a yard but it must have been tethered as I didn't see it.  Relieved I passed on over the stile to the field path.  Then I looked back, a man is a red jacket was just passing through the yard and appeared to be heading for the path.  I felt anxious, should I continue?  I strode out along the field edge forcing myself to enjoy the scenery and put all thoughts of serial killers to the back of my mind.  At the next stile I paused, I couldn't see him and the day and the scenery were so nice that I thought a photograph would be good.  Then I spotted a glimpse of red through the hedge and I was off, up the path, thinking how far from civilisation I was.  At the crest of the hill he overtook me, nodded in a friendly way and continued along the path.  Not a serial killer then, just another walker (I think he was following the Linnet Way).
The views round here are fab, down to Sunderland, across to Penshaw, and what with the skylarks singing and the trees in bud, it was a truly lovely day for a walk.  There was a bit of a geography lesson going on at the windmill, and from there the path wound down past the water tower to Occupation Road.  More fears to confront, someone was murdered here within the last few years.  A young man dead, two others convicted, at least three lives shattered.  Did they go intending to kill?  Are we just filled with information about violence which makes us think that it is not real, just a game, press reset and nothing will have changed?

They put the red(ish) carpet out for me!

Cleadon water tower

The path to West Harton mineral line

Signpost  West Harton mineral line

I followed the path past the allotments, and Tilesheds nature reserve, and along the West Harton mineral line to the level crossing.  Then I walked along New Road towards the school and the bus stop to wait for the bus back to Shields.

Pier to Pier walk (South Shields to Sunderland) 8 miles

For my third walk, I decided to join a guided walk organised by South Tyneside Council.  It was free to join and all I had to do was ring up to book a place.  The brochure said that the walk lasted from 10am to 5pm.  Which route were we taking?  Did I need a torch to find my way after sunset?  In the event we had finished by 2pm.

Thirty one of us set off on a very cold and frosty morning from the Conversation Piece at Littlehaven.  Steam was rising from the sea, that's how cold it was, but once we got into our stride we soon warmed up.  I was wearing a massive amount of layers and although I maybe wasn't wearing the right gear for the keen ramblers, we were a mixed bag and so my trainers and lack of walking pole weren't particularly noticeable.



Looking over Marsden beach



People were friendly too, and I fell into step and conversation with a lady as we walked over the Leas to Marsden Grotto.  We stopped here for the toilet.  It proved a long stop as we all had to queue for the disabled toilet.  Marsden Rock is looking smaller and more vulnerable than ever but the view over the beach is still fab.

What's left of Marsden Rock



 Next up was Souter lighthouse where we made use of the outdoor classroom to eat our lunch.

lunchtime at Souter



  Then we followed the clifftop path through Whitburn.  By now I was in conversation with another lady who was telling me about the local walking group she belongs to.  She made it sound so good that even I was tempted by the thought, although I've never really fancied the idea of joining such a thing.

We continued along the prom at Seaburn and did the final stretch from Dog and Cat steps to the pier along the sands which was a great way to end the walk.

By accident or design, we didn't have long to wait for the E1 bus back to Sea Road and our starting point.  I really enjoyed this walk and I'm looking forward to doing the Millers Trail with South Tyneside later in the year.