A wobbly Coast to Coast path - Rambling Pete's Way 2010
Day Zero: 16th June
Weather: dry on train, then sunshine later
Route: Manchester to Bamburgh.
Day Zero
- Manchester to Bamburgh
I remembered a last minute addition to my kit – my cow/mad
dog prod, it’s the season for them you know, and it may also
come in useful for my knees. I’ve abandoned the idea of
carrying the brolly for the moment after I felt the weight
of my pack, that and the fact that the weather looks set
fair for at least the first four or five days of the walk. I
studied the train timetables up to Alnmouth, Northumberland
and picked the one that would tie in with the bus times up
to my final destination of Bamburgh. My journey started at
the tram and railway station – for relaxed travel I like to
give myself plenty of time. Today it was 5minutes or an hour
depending on how the trains run. The first leg at 12:57
leaves at 12:57, a good start, and the sun is shining – I
think it’s shining everywhere today, even the old satanic
mills in Lancashire looked ok as I crossed over the
Pennines. I travelled up from Manchester, changing at York –
I had a 10 minute window to switch platforms and trains,
which got reduced to 5 minutes because the driver was
admiring the views. But to my delight I stepped off one
train and on to the other on the next platform. Then it was
onwards and up to Alnmouth where the train arrived 5 minutes
before the bus leaves for Bamburgh, So I rush off the
train….but there’s a blind man struggling with his case….I
have 3 minutes to get to the bus stop….so back down the steps
to help out….”cheers mate, can you carry it to the bus stop
for me?”….5 minutes later and late for the bus…an hour wait?
No, karma lends a hand and I make it with 8 minutes to
spare..ha ha. The bus takes an hour up to Bamburgh as it
dawdled it’s way along the Northumberland coast, through
picturesque fishing villages, on tight roads.
I threw a lucky seven
At Bamburgh I arrived in good time and have a look at the
castle before having some nosh. As reward for my earlier
efforts there is an Italian restaurant – meatballs and penne
pasta – food for walking! I suppose this is the start and I
dipped the old boots in the sea, and made my way around the
shoreline, the evening sun casting a wonderful light.
Slightly out to sea to the east of the castle lie the Farne
Islands, glinting white in the late evening sunshine, white
horses riding the waves coming into the shore. A little way
along the sand dunes I dropped down onto the coast and
walked along a rocky foreshore. I passed by a dead seal
lying in the sand, and it must have been recent as the gulls
haven’t set about it yet. There were several large concrete
blocks placed along the beach with a couple of them painted
to resemble dice. Happily it was a lucky seven that showed
up against the background of Bamburgh Castle – a good omen
for my long walk. At Blackrocks Point near a lighthouse
there was a white stag painted on the rocks and beyond that
across the bay stood Lindisfarne – no one knows why the white
stag is there, but there are a few tales around.
time to dip the toes
Beyond the lighthouse I left the beach and walked along a
road to the golf club, where the path wanders across the
fairways. I got to the fourth hole named the Cheviot and
looked up from the tee to see The Cheviot. It was pleasantly
warm and a nice start to my walk and I could gaze across
Buddle Bay to
Lindisfarne, an area I am familiar with from my walk on
St.Cuthberts Way last year. As I reached Heather Cottages I
followed the footpath around and along a lane that took me
to the main road and across to the B&B. My destination this
evening is at Buddle Hall B&B, a glorious shabby chic place
– huge rooms and to top it all off I was served up a beer or
two in the garden while I typed up my blog - a
peaceful start and
long may it continue – even the birds were quiet. What a
great day zero – good transport, a good deed, good food,
good walk and a good rest. I had the last laugh as well – I
sat next to a ‘haha’ in the garden.
the White Stag rock