Log No 12. Wed 10th Apr 2013 - Blyth to Alnmouth, 27 miles (204 miles walked)

I am on my own now, Rosie drove me back to Blyth and I set off at 8.55. There was very little wind and it was very overcast but it looked like it would stay dry.

I took the cycleway alongside the A189 going over the river then it went on the minor road to East Sleekburn, to the coast and to Cambois. It took an hour to get here.

I had another river to cross which meant another detour but as the tide was out I thought I would see if I could wade across it.

I walked along the beach to where it looked the most shallow and thought it would be okay. Just in case it was quite deep I took off my trousers.

As it was it only went up to my knees but occasionally I could feel my feet sinking in the sand.

That saved me a good 2 miles.

From Newbiggin-By-The-Sea I took the footpath by the side of the boundary fence up to the power station then the minor road in and out of Lynemouth and on to Cresswell.

At Cresswell it was 12.25 so I stopped for lunch on a bench, then I got back onto the beach and walked on the sands of Druridge Bay for nearly 5 miles until the incoming tide pushed me up onto shingle.

At this point I went back onto the road, getting onto the path through the dunes just before coming into Amble.

I thought I might be quite late getting to Amble and was planning to get a bus to Alnmouth where I was to be met by James, one of Andy's running friends, who was putting me up for the night. But it was only 15.45 so I decided to have a break and carry on walking.

I stopped in a cafe for a pot of tea and a piece of cake (the money I'd have saved by not taking the bus) before following the side of the river into Warkworth to get to the bridge.

Just over the bridge I turned right on the road to the picnic site to get back to the coast.

There was no beach with tide was being in so I stayed on the Nortumberland Coast Path which was along the edge of the golf course.

Past the golf course it went through the dunes until it took another detour to get across the River Aln.

I got into Alnmouth at 18.30, about the same time as the bus would have done, then found the Red Lion Inn and phoned James.

The weather had improved but the sun never managed to come out. My longer than planned day (27 miles) means a shorter one tomorrow.