ECP - High Newton by the Sea to Craster - Northumberland 31 Dec 2014.

English Coastal Path
High Newton by the Sea to Craster and return
Northumberland
Distance 17km
Wednesday 31 December 2014

It had been a number of years since I last did this walk. I parked the car in the car park at the north end of Newton by the Sea, walked to the beach and turned south, along the English Coastal Path (ECP).

It was very cold and I was glad of my Happy New Christmas walking coat.  At the end of the beach I followed up the dunes and continued south.

There were lots of people about, I walked across the edge of the path and reached another beach.  We used the bring the children here when they were little and spent many happy hours just sitting, playing on the sand.  We called it Football Bay. Today there was a dead seal just lying there.  This reminded me of a walk Anne and I had taken in Scotland in November.  Where we saw what I thought was a dead seal, on our return however it was swimming in the sea, it must have been having a rest. I don't think this seal was resting.

At the end of the beach again I walked from the sand back onto the grass path and followed it around the coast.

Along here the path turns a little west as the coast turns towards a small group of houses and holiday homes, Newton by the Sea.

I walked along the path that turns from the road to the back of the Ship Inn down towards the set of two bird hides.  I did not go into the hides today I just walked passed.  I walked round the edge of the bird sanctuary area and took the gentle climb up to the rise to the golf course.

I followed the path by the golf course that twisted and turned by the course, rising and falling along the sand dunes.  Passed various sized summer chalets, on previous walks along here, when the weather was a lot warmer than today, I have only see a few people staying here.  Yet all the chalets were well looked after and maintained.

The path comes to a small rise that looks over part of the golf course, sea, a small deep stream and beach.  Climbing down the path to the stream, I followed this for a few hundred meters and crossed the second foot bridge.  This took me onto the sand.

Instead of following along the sand, I turned right and up a narrow climb onto the tops of the dunes. The path twists and turns again as well as going up and down.

After crossing a couple of streams the path joins the path that comes up from the beach and continues along the coast towards the castle.  I could not resist taking this photo, it shows two bunkers.  It also shows two forms of coastal defence. The old castle and more recent pill box.

The path widens a little due to the numbers of people who walk up here from Craster.  There is a small dip next to a golf tee, that rises to the hole.  This is an area where I used to take the kids treasure hunting, we would always find a golf ball or two.  This is next to a larva bridge, an interesting area if you were into geology.  Through a gate I walked around the track to a small slippery path that took me to the front of Dunstanburgh Castle.

After a quick lunch I continued down the coast to Craster along a wide sweeping grass path.

Craster is a small fishing village, world famous for its smoked kippers.  The path through the village goes passed the smoke house.

I then turned and returned the way I had come.  Dunstanburgh Castle always looks good from the south.

The tide was out as I returned back towards Newton by the Sea.  There were still a few golfers and walkers about.

I crossed up and down back over the high dunes.

Back to the footbridge over the stream.

I then took the path back up the side of a short rise onto the side of the golf course.  Between the huts back to the bird hides.

I then passed the farm heading towards Newton-by-the Sea, and took this photo, I was trying to get a photo of the sun setting on the last day of 2014.

I passed behind the houses and Ship Inn, turning right down the lane.  I then headed back along the coast passed along and over Football Bay.

I could see the light flashing from the light house on Coquet Island, way along the coast.  I reached the long beach and walked by the side, climbing a dune that took me onto a path that took me back to the car park.

I had been out a good few hours and really enjoyed the fresh air.  It was good to walk in a place I had not been for so long.  Although no climb it was always a good place to walk.  I had walked approx 17km.

More to follow


Boz North

Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done on The English Coastal Path or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to walk that covers south of this walk Boulmer to Dunstanburgh.