Day 3

Dear Diary...

Up at 06.30, surprisingly lacking in aches and pains. Trev and I have a grand breakfast in the farmhouse style kitchen of The Old Vicarage which was built in 1690. Keith and Annette have made us very welcome.

We muster in the village square at 09.00 and set off east to the coast and nearby Banburgh Castle sitting majestically on the hill. It's a 'blue dome' day without a cloud in the sky.

The coastal track is well signposted down the coast to lunch at Warkworth. The 'extensive menu' at the Black Bull turns out to be jesting and they only have crisps and pickled eggs. Although being assured that the eggs are the finest in the northern hemisphere we move on to find more substantial sustenance. The Hermitage Inn looks inviting and we get our drinks and order food. After not too long we realise that there are lots of angry people demanding food that they ordered over an hour previously. We grab a refund and go next door for fresh crab sandwiches which we eat in the street.

The sky is now threatening and our blue dome is looking very grey. The going is flat but the wind is against us and it starts to rain. Cresswell makes a welcome ice cream stop. I don't know how long Ray is going to put up with me saying 'Dad, Dad can I have an ice-cream? ' every afternoon!! tee hee! The people in Cresswell were very welcoming on such a grey afternoon.

We arrive in Blythe and it's a really meandering route through the town. It's wet and it's the evening rush-hour so we have to keep our wits about us.

The rain thankfully stops and the sun even tries to make an appearance as we run down the coast to Whitley Bay. We're more full of energy this afternoon than we were yesterday . Ray unfortunately ran over a dogs paw, a combination of scatty dog and out of control owner. The dog limped off and the owner absolved Ray of any fault. He was pretty upset about it and I was grateful that it had chosen to run into our path after I'd passed.

Into the Hotel (Marlborough Hotel) at 18.10.

Rob and Terry are joining us tonight so it's the last day we need to carry our luggage. It will make the hills much easier but takes away the feeling of self-sufficiency. (As the temperature rises quite dramatically over the next couple of days we would be less anxious about self-sufficiency and pleased to have support).

Washed and changed we hit the town of Whitley Bay. Well what can I say? it's definitely a fun place and the strippers on the pavement advertising the evening show make it inevitable that a bunch of 'lads' attract attention! Whitley Bay looks like a popular place for a stag night!

The pubs are busy and so are the eating places. We eventually find a (not cheap) Italian eatery that is only an hours wait.

Replete from our food we walk back to the hotel deftly avoiding the direct route with the strippers!

The pretty square in Belford	.....and the church

Bamburgh Castle	Coffee break at Embleton
	now that's what I call an extension (behind)

	a very rare picture of Lance pushing!
...oooh er missus!	Derek fixes a puncture
	Lunch in Warkworth is far from straightforward (see Diary)
Dear Diary... Up at 06.30, surprisingly lacking in aches and pains. Trev and I have a grand breakfast in the farmhouse style kitchen of The Old Vicarage which was built in 1690. Keith and Annette have made us very welcome. We muster in the village square at 09.00 and set off east to the coast and nearby Banburgh Castle sitting majestically on the hill. It's a 'blue dome' day without a cloud in the sky. The coastal track is well signposted down the coast to lunch at Warkworth. The 'extensive menu' at the Black Bull turns out to be jesting and they only have crisps and pickled eggs. Although being assured that the eggs are the finest in the northern hemisphere we move on to find more substantial sustenance. The Hermitage Inn looks inviting and we get our drinks and order food. After not too long we realise that there are lots of angry people demanding food that they ordered over an hour previously. We grab a refund and go next door for fresh crab sandwiches which we eat in the street. The sky is now threatening and our blue dome is looking very grey. The going is flat but the wind is against us and it starts to rain. Cresswell makes a welcome ice cream stop. I don't know how long Ray is going to put up with me saying 'Dad, Dad can I have an ice-cream? ' every afternoon!! tee hee! The people in Cresswell were very welcoming on such a grey afternoon. We arrive in Blythe and it's a really meandering route through the town. It's wet and it's the evening rush-hour so we have to keep our wits about us. The rain thankfully stops and the sun even tries to make an appearance as we run down the coast to Whitley Bay. We're more full of energy this afternoon than we were yesterday . Ray unfortunately ran over a dogs paw, a combination of scatty dog and out of control owner. The dog limped off and the owner absolved Ray of any fault. He was pretty upset about it and I was grateful that it had chosen to run into our path after I'd passed. Into the Hotel (Marlborough Hotel) at 18.10. Rob and Terry are joining us tonight so it's the last day we need to carry our luggage. It will make the hills much easier but takes away the feeling of self-sufficiency. (As the temperature rises quite dramatically over the next couple of days we would be less anxious about self-sufficiency and pleased to have support). Washed and changed we hit the town of Whitley Bay. Well what can I say? it's definitely a fun place and the strippers on the pavement advertising the evening show make it inevitable that a bunch of 'lads' attract attention! Whitley Bay looks like a popular place for a stag night! The pubs are busy and so are the eating places. We eventually find a (not cheap) Italian eatery that is only an hours wait. Replete from our food we walk back to the hotel deftly avoiding the direct route with the strippers!