Day #74 Bangor to Caernarfon

           Emerged from the 'Harbour Inn' a little later than is my habit (8.00am) to find a very light drizzle. Today's walking section will be shorter than usual and perhaps even more visually satisfying than most. Leaving Bangor along the main road to the west, I passed the university just as students were arriving. Could not help notice the high proportion of Chinese and other overseas students in the crowds.
         My route today took me along a course that followed the Menai Straights that separates mainland Wales from Anglesey. At Menai, I halted to observe and admire the famous suspension bridge constructed in 1826 by Thomas Telford, being one of the world's first suspension bridges. Still used as a major crossing point it, road traffic functions on the tidal flow principal, ie: south bound in the morning, north in the evening.
         Gradually the drizzle ceased, turning into a pleasant day, albeit with falling temperatures, not unwelcome for a road walker. Climbing and at last falling, the A487 road entered that gem called Caernarfon. The castle, right in the centre of town, is the site for crowning the Princes of Wales for 700 years. Caernarfon is a walled town, dominated by the massive castle, built by the English king Edward 1 in about 1250AD; as such, it has in the past been seen by some Welsh people, as a symbol of English domination.

         Noticeable in this part of wales is the use of the Welsh language in everyday life--not just the old, but by many, including children that I overheard in the town on the way home from school. There is an active program to protect Welsh--all street signage and government information are presented in both languages, Welsh first, plus Welsh language TV and radio stations. Certainly not an easy language for the untrained ear to comprehend.

17.3 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1750.6
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 4.5
Type of accommodation:  Tourist guest house.
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 40.00 excl. breakfast.
Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

4 million steps in support of the all our young and old who rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org  

Day #72 Llandudno to Bangor.

Menai Suspension bridge looking towards Angelsey.

        

       A frustrating start to the day. Left the B & B promptly at my usual early starting time. My efforts to make miles early were thwarted however by the difficult lay-out of Llandudno town which is located on a peninsula and any travel back to the mainland requires one to locate a specific road, which on this day was chosen for closing and major construction work to be undertaken. Bottom line—I walked the empty, early morning streets of Llandudno for over an hour before finding my escape route. Trust that Her Majesty had better luck with the traffic yesterday!

        Picked up the road to Menai, famous for its impressive suspension bridge, being the only land link with the island of Anglesey. As mentioned in my log yesterday, this coastal section of North Wales is challenging for the long distance road walker as it is wedged between mountains and sea and in places the two meet. The road builder’s solution on today’s route was to construct tunnels under the coastal cliffs large enough to accommodate heavy traffic (main route to the ferries for the trucks from all over that go to Ireland). These long tunnels are pedestrian restricted ie: progress blocked. Action plan ‘B’, return to the previous village, seek advice, take local bus for about 5 miles to my target town, the attractive university city of Bangor. In fact, I am told, there is a way to Bangor avoiding said tunnels, but it would have necessitated a 35 mile hike over the mountains. Not an option for these aging legs!

        Located the most attractive water-front Harbour Inn. The view from my room was more impressive than the service. Kept waiting a full 3 hours for the room to be cleaned & released to me. TV did not work, and internet connectivity had inexplicable problems.

 16.0 kms. walked today per pedometer.                       Cumulative Kms. covered: 1733.3

Hours of walking today including rest stops:  4.50

Type of accommodation: Harbour View Pub.

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 30.00, excl. breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

4 million steps in support of the all our young and old who rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org  

Day # 71 Rhyl to Llandudno

I stayed in this Rhyl hotel in 1950!

           Departed my Rhyl B & B at 7.15am after having consumed a ‘fortifying’ full English breakfast at the insistence of the proprietor (no charge). Weather, perfect, sunny and mild. Spring is truly showing itself in this Northern Welsh neck of the woods. Followed the main road westward along the coast, sea to my right and the magnificent peaks of Snowdonia to my left. Traces of snow are still showing on some of the higher elevations.

           Historically the roads of Wales have been twisty and slow, taking hours to get between points, especially in the summer when the population is multiplied several times in this tourist Mecca. Instead of widening the major roads for more and faster traffic, the authorities have constructed parallel freeway quality roads, leaving the original roads that connect the small towns & villages, only lightly travelled—excellent walking routes.

         Passed through several very attractive towns like Abergele, Old Colwyn and Colwyn Bay that appear to have rejected the rush to install caravan parks, bingo halls and McDonalds on every square metre of available farmland, instead opting to create parks and pleasant recreational facilities for a discerning population that reside locally year-round.

        The tranquillity of my walk today was only marred by the effort to scale two significant hills en route, although I was rewarded with inspiring sea views on a day with almost perfect visibility.

         Llandudno appears to have lost none of its charm with the hundreds of seafront hotels appearing in fresh paint ready for the season. As I made my way across the town, along ‘The Promenade’ I was aware of a high level of police activity, flashing lights and closed roads. Apparently Queen Elizabeth was in town and making her rounds of Llandudno---our paths did not cross and I trust HM enjoyed her visit as much I did.   

          Located adequate B & B accommodation without difficulty, after which I treated myself to a most satisfying 3course meal and a stroll along the main shopping streets.

  

26.6 kms. walked today per pedometer.                             Cumulative Kms. covered: 1717.3

Hours of walking today including rest stops: 6.25

Type of accommodation: Astonwood Guest House

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 22.00 excl. breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

4 million steps in support of over one million+ patients that rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate Now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org  

Day #70 Flint to Rhyl, Denbighshire.

       Woke up 6.00am to the distinct feeling that I was the only inmate of the Ship Inn. Satisfied myself with my usual light breakfast and proceeded to exit....not so easy! All doors locked and I am on the inside. At least I could  have drowned my sorrows at the open bar! Eventually located a key and was able to make my escape just after 7.00am. The walking today was good for the navigationally challenged, comme-moi. A straight line up along the Welsh side of the River Dee turning west-wards along the Irish Sea  coast.

Duke of Lancaster.

Mid-morning rounded a bend in the road at Mostyn and came face to face with a rather dilapidated & beached cruise liner---the "Duke of Lancaster". Apparently, it has rested high and dry at Mostyn since 1975 with plans for an after-life as a 'pleasure centre', that never came to fruition.
      The caravan parks reappeared with a vengeance along this stretch of coast and read recently that caravan parks are the preferred holiday destination of 17% of the UK population ie: 10 million people! Which might explained the run down state of hotels & guest houses in many of the resorts that I have visited. Certainly Holiday Inn, Marriot, Hilton, Sheraton etc., don't see much opportunity.
      Arrived in my target destination of Rhyl at about 1.00pm---like to start early and finish early, finding ample vacancies at the B & B's from which to choose and to rest a pair of weary legs. Last visited Rhyl circa 1954 on family holiday and was able vaguely to remember the approximate hotel where we stayed on the sea-front. The environs of Rhyl appear to be quite affluent, populated by the retired and as one would expect, well maintained. The town core is another story & seems, like many other British resort towns, to be devoid of long-term development/growth plans and appears content to be on a race to the bottom.
         Quick note on walking distances and time. I find after 70 days 'on the road' that I can estimate almost to the minute the time that I will arrive a certain point on the day's walk. My walking cadence on flat land is a regular 6000 steps per hour, 100 per minute, 75 cms. per step. The long distance walker has many hours to consider such important calculations!

 28.5 kms. walked today per pedometer.             Cumulative Kms. covered: 1690.7
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 6.75
Type of accommodation: Arnside Guest House.
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 20.00 incl. breakfast.
 Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

I’m ‘Giving 110%’ to Trillium through my “4 Million Step Walk” because I can. Donate Now:  www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day # 69 Chester, England to Flint, Wales

Remains of Flint Castle.

Departed the Ormond Guest House with a complimentary breakfast and a detailed set of routing instructions to navigate Chester’s rather complicated circular road arrangement. With several helpful re-confirmations picked up en route, I successfully picked up the most walker friendly road to Queen’s Ferry avoiding the dangerous dual carriage major roads. A couple of miles outside of Chester, I crossed the national border and entered Wales. Nothing too formal, just a simple sign at the road-side saying bilingually “welcome”.

          The heavy rain shower of early this morning had completely abated by the time I was on the road at 7.30am and the strong sunshine made it feel quite warm, forcing me to peel layers as I strode forth. Perhaps it was a lazy spring Sunday morning, but I decided to limit my walking distance today to just 20kms/12 miles and enjoy the charms of the industrial town of Flint/Fflint that lies along the banks of the Welsh side of the River Dee. Located an economical room, with self- catering included, for the night, in a local pub on the main street.

        Visited the ruins of Flint castle, built in the 13^th century as part of the defensive chain constructed by the English King Edward, to isolate and contain the Welsh threat---that threat still exists, of course---big time. On the rugby field of course!

20.0 kms. walked today per pedometer.                Cumulative kms. covered: 1662.2

Hours of walking today including rest stops: 5.0

Type of accommodation: Ship Inn Pub

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 20.00, self-catering kitchen.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Trillium Health Centre has always been there for me, and my family, I want to do my part and be there to support them. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you?  www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day # 68 Crosby, Lancs. to Chester.

Top ad. One of a series. Very memorable.

 Pic: Election silly season in the UK. Conservative party ad.         

       Breakfasted well courtesy of my Augustine nun hostesses, I left the Park Guest House, Crosby and turned left (south) at the end of the block heading towards Liverpool. Passed through the deserted Saturday morning streets of Bootle and a collection of other gritty, small towns fronting onto the River Mersey. The banks of the river are interspersed with abandoned warehouses and Costco/Toys R Us superstores –an interesting comment on how the texture of the lives of the local habitants have changed from when this was a might sea-port.

          Within two hours I was in central Liverpool seeking the ferry ‘cross the Mersey to be informed that it sadly does not operate at the weekend. Where were you Gerry and the Pacemakers when I needed you? Alternative transport on offer was the 5 minute ride on the electric train under the river to Birkenhead. My wife, who hails from Shanghai, had provided strict instructions to photograph in detail, the famous river front Royal Liver buildings et al, as these majestic Liverpudlian edifice provided the architectural inspiration for the British companies that set-up in business on Shanghai’s famous ‘Bund’ in the 1840’s.

        Using my navigational skills to the extreme, I walked the mean streets of Birkenhead, and westwards across the peninsula known as ‘The Wirral’, towards my days objective of Heswall, on the banks of the River Dee. Heswall, a very affluent town of quiet roads, graceful houses and beautiful gardens was unfortunately Heswall was not welcoming to me, as it was impossible to locate accommodation and thus necessary to action plan ‘B’ ie: execute a tactical retreat via bus to the city of Chester. Chester, an historic Roman fortress city famous for its magnificent black & white gabled buildings had plenty of guest-house availabilities and I was comfortably sheltered by 4.30pm. Tomorrow, I execute a sharp right turn that will take me across the border and into North Wales.  

26.1 kms. walked today per pedometer.                           Cumulative Kms. covered: 1642.2

Hours of walking today including rest stops:  9.00

Type of accommodation: The Ormond Guest house. 

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 25.00 incl. breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

4 million steps in support of the all our young and old who rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day #67 Southport to Crosby, Lancs.

Attractive shops in Southport.

       After a friendly 20 minute doorstep chat with the landlord at 'Le Maitre' B & B I too stepped forth  at 7.30am into the deserted streets of Southport, to make an uncomplicated exit on the A565 southwards out of the town. The affluent southern suburbs of Southport are populated with a lots of large houses and private schools secured behind high railings. Likely the well-off, who labour in Liverpool live in Southport. Along the road, I passed the Royal Birkdale golf course, sometime site of the British Open. Found humour in the warning statement on the decorative lawn in front of the entrance, that warned that ball games, including golf, are forbidden. Houses gradually receded and I passed for a couple of miles what appeared to be an RAF airfield that appeared to be totally devoid of human occupation.

        Looming on the horizon, I could already see the dock cranes of the Port of Liverpool on the banks of the Mersey. Rather than enter this major city today, I opted, after 14 miles walking, to find accommodation in Crosby, making my entry into Liverpool tomorrow, when I plan to pass onto the Wirral via the famous 'Ferry 'cross the Mersey'.

        Seeking nearby B & B, I sought advice from a frequent source of local knowledge ---- the local newsagents shop, and was directed to the rather large Convent, off down a side street where the nuns operate a guest house, in a building that was converted some years ago from their maternity hospital. The large back garden, includes a fishing pond leased by the Liverpool police union. Upon arrival, the convent /B & B  seemed to be swarming with police and it was explained to me that the locals continually climb over the wall to caste their hooks for the super-size carp reputed to be in the pond. Explains the police enthusiasm to solve the case of the missing carp!

        As would be expected in a convent, my room is very clean & comfortable, and I only have one minor complaint--the strong smell of disinfectant that fills my room!

        At this point on the walk, I have walked a distance that equals that other popular long walk known as LEJOG---Lands End to John o' Groats, at the northern tip of Scotland. I am feeling somewhat proud of myself that I have completed the same distance in a respectable 67 days.

    
22.2 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1616.1
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 5.25
Type of accommodation: Convent B & B
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 33.00
 Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

4 million steps in support of the all our young and old who rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org 

Day #66 Preston to Southport, Lancs.

    

           Hit the road at 7.00am and once again into a very cold crisp temperature….certainly scarf and gloves for the first couple of hours. The day started with frustration in that my desired route south bound, out of the city appeared on the map to be straight-forward. I have learned now that the major road signage is for the benefit of motorists, people actually walking between towns are rare commodities and going the way of the dinosaurs. A routing across town designed for automobiles, can be highly circuitous through one way systems etc., whereas a quick pedestrian short-cut through a park, or a housing development can save miles. Trick of course, is to know about these short cuts as a visitor to a city. Preston was no exception and I seemed to be walking for a couple of hours before I could drag myself clear of the city and make real forward progress back to the coast at Southport.

        My route today was through a series of closely linked small towns and villages. This proximity seems to me to make progress feel faster, as I can frequently ‘tick- off’ another point of progress.

       Arrived in Southport about 2.30pm to find a sea-side resort that actually looks prosperous. The main drag, Lord Street, was constructed a block back and parallel to the sea front, effectively protecting it from cold sea winds. As a result, the pavement restaurants were full of people sitting enjoying the sunshine. Notable is the fact that the shops on the main street all have attractive Victorian style glass verandas to protect pedestrians, a nice touch that adds ambience to the street scene.

       Located without difficulty an adequate bed & breakfast in the central district. Will see what the other half of Southport looks like early tomorrow morning as I head at least part way to Liverpool.

       Just a quick up-date on feet---mine. So far, after about a thousand miles of walking, I can state that I have not suffered yet from any type of blisters. I wear double (two pairs) wool walking socks and have thick gel pads inside my walking boots. This combination seems to be performing well. The shin splints I suffered from for a couple of weeks early in the walk, seem to have cured themselves. I do notice that the heel of my right boot is significantly more worn down than the left. This is maybe a result of a spinal disc degeneration problem from which I have suffered over the years, resulting in a slight posture misalignment.

  

4 million steps in support of over one million+ patients that rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate Now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

25.2 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1593.9
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 8.0
Type of accommodation: Bed & breakfast.
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 25.00, no breakfast.
 Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Day # 65 Garstang to Preston Lancs.

        Only somewhat rested from the effects of a rather noisy night at the pub B & B in Garstang. Unfortunately my room was directly above the karaoke lounge and now that drinking hours in the UK have been de-restricted, the noisy, off key howling sessions, can go on quite late. An easy days walk planned for today along a major road that carried less than its share of traffic due to the proximity of a parallel motorway. The hills to the east, as viewed from my  walking route, are gradually receding and the coastal plain widening out.

        Enjoy a pleasant lunch on a grassy bank in the warm sunshine, before I enter the built-up area that is the industrial city of Preston.Not being a tourist town, there appears to be, an absence of economical bed & breakfasts--plenty of 100 pound a night Ramadas. Arriving in the central city area, I am glad to utilize the services of the local 'Visitor Information' office to direct me to an over night (run by an Australian couple) in the western suburbs. Preston central seems to confirm the stereo type image I have of dark, stern Victorian architectural styled northern cities, surrounded by streets of small old terrace type houses. 

      Settled in early enough to complete some house keeping chores, food shopping and a visit to the local laundrymat 
22.5 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1568.7
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 4.75.
Type of accommodation: Tourist hotel.
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 25.00 no breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Trillium serves over one million+ residents annually…the future of healthcare is here!  I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Please donate to Trillium Health Centre www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day # 64 Morecambe to Garstang, Lancs.

      Out of my sea front B & B at 6.45am into a cold clear morning. Circled my way through a maze of minor streets inland to pick up the road to the neighbouring city of Lancaster arriving there about 9.30am. Lancaster ranks as the city passed through so far with the most dire traffic problems. For a couple hours, passing through the area, I walked past cars inching their way down a one-way system of narrow medieval streets.

         A couple of kilometres south of Lancaster, I crossed my old friend the Lancaster canal and decided to forsake the road and again to hike the tow- path towards my target destination. Great to hear just the ducks & birds, to observe perhaps a dozen large blue heron wading on the banks. The canal is totally recreational now, with many longboats and cabin cruisers moored along the banks. This canal, a triumph of Victorian engineering and part of a major network to join towns & cities across England, was obsolete almost as soon as it was constructed due to the advent of the railway system that effectively stole all business potential for the transportation of goods. The tow-path condition is generally good, although the effort to push my luggage carrier/buggy over the grassy areas and soft muddy sections, was significantly harder than on the regular hard road and as a result I feel more fatigued than usual this evening. Arrived at Garstang about 3.00pm and was fortunate to find accommodation in just about the only accommodation available in this small town.

29.7 kms walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered:

Hours of walking today including rest stops: 9.0

Type of accommodation: Tourist hotel

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 28.00 with breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

In 2008 Trillium had over 700,000 patient visits. Trillium’s doctors and nurses are ‘Giving 110%’ to patients….will you? Go to www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org and donate now!

Day # 63 Grange over Sands to Morecambe, Lancashire.

Beautiful but VERY dangerous.

          Woke this morning to strange wet stuff falling from the sky. …..they told me it was called rain! Have not witnessed this phenomenon for 11 days. Anyway back to the road and continued to follow the twisting route around the north end of Morecambe Bay and it’s sand flats, passing through the attractive resort town of Arnside, where I sheltered from the wet for half an hour in a small snack bar for the price of a cup of tea. In a cooperative gesture to this long distance walker, the sun emerged and so did I. Since my start in mid-February I have constantly noticed that the sun in England does not seem to actually warm the air. Cloud or sunshine, the temperature always seems to stay about the same.

          By 11.00am I had ‘turned the corner’ around this massive Morecambe Bay and came into Carnforth, another scenic tourist community. At this point, after having being sandwiched between hill and beach for several days I was certainly ready for a change of pace and the chance to escape cars constantly nipping at my heels on narrow twisty roads. Immediately out of Carnforth, I came on to the Lancaster Canal. Now used entirely for recreational purposes, it was a very pleasant southwards walk in sunshine for about 5 miles along the tow-path, to the outskirts of Morecambe. At least my tired legs were assured of a level surface, being alongside the canal.

          Morecambe is certainly another one of those dying British holiday resorts, complete with boarded up amusement arcades and derelict housing extending along the sea front. These towns certainly seem to be lacking a strategic plan, or any plan, to bring back the tourists.

           Despite the presence of many contractors in town working on another nuclear power station project, I was able to find reasonable B & B.

 26.5 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative kms. covered: 1516.5

Hours of walking today including rest stops: 8.00

Type of accommodation: Westleigh Guest House.

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 25.00, no breakfast.

Help me every step of the way by supporting Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate Now:  www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day # 62 Barrow in Furness to Grange Over Sands, Cumbria.

Pic: Morecambe Bay. Massive and very dangerous sand flats. People are lured out far from the shore and tides flow back at a high rate of speed, trapping and drowning the unfortunate.        
       Awoke to another dry, sunny day (more than 10 in a row now). This region to the south of the hills of Cumbria is an area of exceptional natural beauty, with my route finding its way between the hills and the massive, flat sandy expanses of Morecambe Bay. The upper end tourist sector seems to be thriving in this severe economic recession with the many golf courses and luxury hotels having their car parks full to over-flowing. The route today has been very twisty with much care required to ensure visibilty to the on-coming traffic. Should not complain too much about all this natural beauty, as the next stage of the walk takes me through some of the most industrial and densely populated areas of Britain, through Preston and on into the Liverpol area.
            Once again, impressed with the popularity of walking as pastime in Britain, but also note the almost total absence of young people. Entered the small resort town of Grange Over Sands at just after 3.00pm, having covered near my maximum days walking range. Luckily, the search for a room was easy tonight and I have a room looking out onto the Bay. Most of the homes here are of the large Edwardian style, favoured by the wealthy merchants attracted by the mild climate and pleasant views.

31.0 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1489.9
Hours of walking today including rest stops:  9.25
Type of accommodation: Guest house
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds.  21.00

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.
Trillium Health Centre has always been there for me and my family, I want to do my part and be there to support them. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you?  www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day #61 Seascale to Barrow in Furnace.

            

Sea front in Seascale

 Another absolutely cloudless and beautiful morning (that's eight in a row now!) to greet this walker as he set off southwards. The sea was so calm it looked like the proverbial mirror. I had been assured by a couple of locals that in ideal conditions it is possible to see across to the Isle of Man. I was however unable to see Manx on this particular morning; maybe volcano debris is reducing sea level visibility. My route today involved skirting the Duddon Sands to follow the rather convoluted shoreline inland passing through through Millom, Askam and Dalton before reaching the stage goal today of  Barrow in Furnace. We are well into walking country here and the frequent road side beer gardens are full of outdoors types and wanna be's enjoying the spring sunshine.The hills of the Lake District loom high over the A59 and the A5087 with inspiring views of the  golden sands that stretch to the horizon across Morcambe Bay. By adding just 3 or 4 extra kilometers to the days load by opting for the 'low' road through Millom, I was able to avoid a couple of serious 20% hills.
           Barrow is an industrial town with a working dock yard that has recently constructed one of the new generation of British nuclear submarines. As recently as the 1890's barrow boasted the largest steel manufacturing facility in the world. with unemployment currently running at a high level the town appears tired and somewhat run down.
    
27.5 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1458.6
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 9.0
Type of accommodation: Cyrene guest house
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 20.00 no breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.
Trillium Health Centre has always been there for me and my family, I want to do my part and be there to support them. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you?  www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day # 60 Whitehaven to Seascale, Cumbria.

Pic:  ---and the prize for the most elegant bed & breakfast stair-case goes to ---'Tivoli' in Whitehaven!

          With all the early TV news information about the Iceland volcanic ash cloud grounding all air traffic in the UK, I sallied forth at 6.50am into a 100% clear and cloudless day, heading south to the first navigation point of the day’s walk---St Bees. The coast-line here is very hilly as the extensions of the major hill area descend to the sea.

Locals inform me that on a clear day, I should be able to see the Isle of Man on the horizon, but was unable to make it out, maybe because of the volcanic ash at high levels in the atmosphere.

          Was pulled over by a police patrol just north of Gosforth and duly interviewed by a couple of very personable young officers. This is maybe the 8^th. time this has happened so far on the walk. There is something about an older man pushing a baby pram that attracts their attention. Nice to know that the local population is so well protected.

            Decide to leave the main road and enjoy the sunny delights of the shoreline at Seascale, the small own adjacent to the nuclear reactor facility at Sellafield. Locals, likely mostly employed at the plant and as such the town does not bill itself as a tourist destination. Aware that tomorrow’s walk includes three 20% gradients, and after today’s hills I decide to take an overnight break here.

4 million steps in support of the all our young and old who rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

19.0 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1431.1
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 5 1/2
Type of accommodation: Bailey's Hotel
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds.  40.00 no breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Day # 59 Workington to Whitehaven

   An early start today for a short 'positioning' walk to prepare for a section tomorrow that will be a longer and more challenging stretch over high coastal headlands.
           Left Workington heading south on a B road paralleling the arterial route, at 7.00am into a very crisp and bright morning. Clear days are of course, the weather exception in the UK, especially ones lasting several days. Thus the irony of the fact that ALL air traffic over much of Europe is 100% grounded due to the Icelandic volcano eruption is not lost on the population. Without problem, arrived at Whitehaven 15 kms south along the Cumbria coat. Was rather surprised that the town does not appear to be more active in the tourist industry, given its proximity to the magnificent hill walking just a few miles away. This lack of tourists, reflected in an apparent paucity of tourist rooms. Given the fact that the retail area is evidently suffering the recession, they may be missing an opportunity. My room tonight was obtained by word of mouth questioning on the street, as the establishment does not even boast a sign hanging in the window. Pity the car bound out of town visitor driving the streets in search a place to stay.
          An afternoon spent in my room catching up on 'office work'. Looking forward to the first ever UK prime ministerial TV debate tonight.

15.0 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1412.1
Hours of walking today including rest stops:  3.5
Type of accommodation: Tivoli Guest House
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 30.00 no breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

4 million steps in support of the all our young and old who rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day #58 Berwick on Tweed, Northumberland to Workington, Cumbria.

Main street, Berwick upon Tweed.

          Well that was a different sort of day, that was!! Vacated Miranda’s Guest House, Berwick at a leisurely 8.30am in time to commence a day riding the buses. At Berwick, up against the Scottish border, my eastern English coastline ran out. Time to scoot over to the west coast and commence the south bound leg of this coastal walk. The transition was accomplished easily and very economically……basically a whole day riding for 19 pounds (($33.00 Cdn). Buses were modern, comfortable and exactly on schedule, as I accomplished transfers at Newcastle, Carlisle, Cockermouth and lastly into Workington. I was struck by the friendliness of the passengers and the banter that seemed to involve all on board. Almost every passenger thanked the drivers on leaving the vehicle. A nice touch of civility in a busy world. All  English citizens over 60 are entitled to free bus travel throughout England—there does seem to be a general feeling that this entitlement may be at least partially withdrawn once the new government gets down to tackling the massive budgetary deficit.

            Crossing the Pennine hill chain to the western shores, it was immediately evident that spring is at least a couple of weeks ahead of the east coast. Blossoms are out and the fields rapidly greening in the bright sunny weather that we have enjoyed for the past 4/5 days.

           I had not planned to end the day in Workington, but was reminded by fellow bus passengers that Cockermouth was victim of a 20ft. river flood last November that half destroyed the town. As a result the town is seething with contractors who have monopolized every available tourist room---hence an executive decision to add the last 8 mile  bus stage to Worthinton, a rather gritty mid-sized town near the coast. At my 5^th./6 th. attempt I was able at last to locate a rather nice room at the Red Dragon Inn, albeit at a rather inflated room rate…..  pay the b----- or sleep in a ditch!

4 million steps in support of over one million+ patients that rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate Now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

  0 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1397.1
Hours of walking today including rest stops:  0
Type of accommodation: Red Dragon Inn
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 49.00

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Day #57 Seahouses to Berwick upon Tweed.

 Pic: Yours truly, at coffee break....

Well here it is at last. Today I reached the Scottish border at Berwick upon Tweed, right in the top right hand corner of England. I left Seahouses early--about 6.30am knowing that it would be a long walk into Berwick. And my expectations were correct, with the last few painful miles being completed on a narrow footpath along-side the A1. Earlier, I had been well rewarded with the most magnificent coastal scenery since the start of this walk. Passed a majestic castle...Bamburgh, high sand dunes, wide sandy  and totally deserted beaches, crashing ocean rollers onto craggy rocks, medieval villages, (Belford) and proximity to the Pennine chain that still carry streaks of snow and off shore islands (Lindisfarne). To top this off, the setting of Berwick at the mouth of the River Tweed is itself as magnificent as its history. The town is protected by a high wall that bears witness to the fact that it was at the very heart of the savage Anglo-Scottish wars for more than 200 years. Apparently Berwick has moved from England to Scotland 10 times, and been a divided city 4 times in its history and only became an official part of England by Act of Parliament in 1927.
            Never having visited Northumberland I can state that it is at the top of my list of regions to revisit. The only down side being the rather brutal cold wind that seems to blow in continuously from the North Sea.
29.3 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1397.1
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 8.0
Type of accommodation: Miranda's Guest House
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 30.00, no breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Trillium serves over one million+ residents annually…the future of healthcare is here!  I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Please donate to Trillium Health Centre www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day #56 Alnwick to Seahouses, Northumberland.

 Pic: Alnwick Castle, featured as 'Hogwarts' in the Harry Potter movies.       

Alnwick Castle is the second largest inhabited castle in England, and has been the home of the Percys, Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309, making this year the 700 year anniversary.

         Strode forth into a perfect bright, sunny, crackling morning. Lawns were covered in frost and were a beautiful sight caught in the rising sunshine. My route climbed the hill on the east side of Alnwick to admire the picture-book splendour of the castle and River Aln as it cascaded over the weir. Perhaps the most perfect morning weather since the walk commenced. Roads were almost empty and fields full of sheep and lambs. I entered into several heated debates with my woolly friends in several fields as my passing seemed to stir them to a high level of verbosity. Felt particularly embarrassed when an unnoticed cyclist passed me and probably thought that I was half mad!!

         By noon I was back on the coast and before one, entered my destination town of Seahouses. Being Easter holidays till the end of the week for the kids, there were numerous families in town enjoying the beaches, trips out to the islands to view puffins and seals and partake of the myriad fish and chip parlours in the town.

         The UK is girding for a general election on May 6^th. thus the country is enjoying saturation TV coverage on the topic. Interestingly, there will be a leaders’ TV debate this week for the first time ever, although it appears that the pre-agreed format will be rather restricted. Current polls seem to indicate the 13 year rule of Labour is in some jeopardy. Undoubtedly, after the election, whoever wins, there is going to be a lot of unpleasant medicine handed down to right a serious economic situation.

Trillium serves over one million+ residents annually…the future of healthcare is here!  I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Please donate to Trillium Health Centre www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

 22.6 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1367.8
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 6.0
Type of accommodation: Railton Guest House
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 30.00, no breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Day #55 Amble to Alnwick, Northumberland.

  Pic:  Landing the fish at Amble harbour.

     

        Deferred my departure to 7.30am to give the hardworking and friendly landlord an extra ½ hour Sunday morning in bed. Weather clear, sunny and cold and as can be expected, streets of Amble, deserted. I have set myself an easy section today in consideration to the positions of the towns that I must walk to in the next couple of days. The walking conditions were superb and the scenery magnificent along today’s coastal section. 80% of the miles today were achieved on safe, segregated cyclist/pedestrian paths.

          The first visual treat was Warkworth Castle situated at the south end of the  picture postcard village of Warkworth. Unfortunately, at this point I do not have the historical facts on the site, a guide-book being one of the luxuries dispensed with, due to weight limitations. Further to the north and just short of my walking objective today, I passed by Alnmouth, flanked by magnificent beaches and situated on a promontory at the point where the Aln River pours into the North Sea. Extensive range of sea birds noted.

        Alnwick, formally walled and still guarded by a medieval castle and massive fortified gates, is the local centre and market town for the area. Attractive with very little visually indicating that it is in the 21^st. century, appearing instead to have been lifted bodily out of the middle ages, is awaiting for this years tourists to arrive. Next to my B & B and located in what appears to be an medieval hall, “Barter Books” which bills itself as the largest second hand book shop in the UK. Complete with roaring log fires, one can spend a whole day, eating  (they also serve meals) and reading. Many arrive with bags of books and trade them in on NEW second hand editions.

        My personal excitement is rising, as I am within a three days walk of reaching the Scottish border.

In 2008 Trillium had over 700,000 patient visits. Trillium’s doctors and nurses are ‘Giving 110%’ to patients….will you? Go to www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org and donate now!


 18.6 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1345.2
Hours of walking today including rest stops:  5.0
Type of accommodation: Castle Guest House
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 25.0

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Day # 54 Newbiggin to Amble on Sea, Northumberland.

     Pic:  Ever wonder where those stories about Nessie the Loch Ness monster came from?...Saw her myself in a small lake just outside Newbiggin   

      7.10 am checked out of the least pleasant B & B encountered so far, the Tall Ship Pub, reeking of the owner’s foul cigarette smoke. Recently purchased by this couple, the business, as operated on the current basis, has absolute zero chance of success.

       A beautiful clear day without a cloud in sight and as forecast by the BBC, likely to continue for another couple of days. Normally a rather desolate backwater very early on a Saturday morning, the only person encountered in Newbiggin to verify routing along country lanes, was the local bus driver commencing his route. Anxious to avoid possible heavier day-tripper traffic along the coast, I headed inland. My walking route on gently rolling hills, flowed through a string of small villages that have been left behind as the coal mining industry has become extinct. Miner’s welfare clubs and mining wagons filled with earth and planted with spring flowers dominate the spaces of the villages. Out in the middle of no-where, and just as well as the operation is noisy, a massive Alcan production facility, clearly providing much sought-after employment for local working men who no longer have the benefit of the mines or fishing, to support their families.

         Today for the first time note snow still on the distant Pennine Hills to the east.

        I arrived in Amble, a small fishing port with an attractive marina that is trying hard to transition into a tourist destination, at about 1.00pm. Not much competition for available rooms, as the tourists have not really arrived this far north just yet. Spent an interesting half hour chatting to the owner who for 10 years had sailed the Canadian Great Lakes, bringing British steel and taking away wheat.

        This Saturday at 4.15pm the streets emptied and the whole country was glued in front of TV sets to see the annual running of the Grand National horse race, from Aintree, a steeple chase over 30 jumps and 4.8 miles. Apparently over 200 million pounds was wagered and the winning jockey was successful at his 15^th attempt, coming in at 20-1.

        

I’m ‘Giving 110%’ to Trillium through my “4 Million Step Walk” because I can. Donate Now:  www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

22.0 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1326.6
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 5 3/4
Type of accommodation: Harbour Guest House.
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 27.00,  no breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Day #53 Whitley Bay to Newbiggin on Sea, Northumberland.

  Pic: Bedlington, destination of the world's first stamped letter.         

      After sampling my “full English” at 6.30—you don’t expect much, or get much, for 17 pounds in the world of B & B. I rolled out along the beer bottle strewn streets of Whitley Bay, turning east again out of the town, to re-join the coast for a few miles before navigational challenges re-asserted themselves. The Blythe River creates a natural barrier to northbound pedestrian traffic and a detour several miles inland as far as Bedlington was required to by-pass the problem and find a suitable bridge crossing point. Bedlington, famous  #1 for the breed of terrier dogs of the same name and #2 being the town where the first ‘penny black’ stamped mail was delivered in 1840.

         Weather has generally improved over the past couple of days with the forecast of dry conditions to continue through the weekend. Readers may consider that this writer is perhaps fixated by a couple of things—weather and accommodation. In this world of long –distance walking these are the two things that dominate the days events. The first he has little control over: continuous heavy rain makes life almost intolerable and certainly it is a temptation to grab a rest day, till the clouds blow over. The second concern is always finding accommodation. It is still too early and way too cold for the night on a park bench to be an appealing option. I arrived in Newbiggin on Sea and had conjured up in my mind images of a resort town waiting for the arrival of happy holiday-makers. In fact, Newbiggin, is a rather run-down fishing town in an era when all the fish have disappeared. With little to offer including tourist rooms, I was lucky to locate a run down room at a run down pub. Such was the management style of the land-lord, that I even had to negotiate an extra 2 pounds (that’s 16+ 2=18) rent, in order to have fresh sheets on the bed!

     

Trillium Health Centre has always been there for me and my family, I want to do my part and be there to support them. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you?  www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

29.2 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1304.6
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 8 1/2
Type of accommodation: Tall Ship Pub.
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 18.50

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Day # 52 Seaham to Whitley Bay, Northumbria.

  Pic:  Ferry across the Tyne from South Shields to Newcastle.          

        Finally escaped at 6.50 am from my Seaham hotel where I discovered in early morning half light that all the exits were still barred and locked……(what would the inmates have done in event of a fire?)  into a dry, yet cold morning, to commence a day that went surprisingly well. I had been rather dreading threading my way through the map book maze of Sunderland, South Shields Newcastle and Tynemouth. In fact, I was able to simply hang a left (north) out of the hotel and follow the coastal road right along to my evening’s destination. A first time visitor to the region, I had been expecting to find strong evidence of a wrecked post-industrial landscape. Au contraire, there has been extensive infra-structure renewal, ultra modern shopping centres, housing, parks and cultural centres, museums etc. There is a general air of prosperity reflected in pleasant public spaces and attractive architecture along the dramatic coast-line of rocks, beaches and cliffs. Interestingly, Newcastle boasts the highest proportion of public service employment in the UK and to accommodate it all, the biggest office building in Europe with room for 10,000 civil servants.

           Two major rivers crossed today, the first by bridge over the River Wear, out of Sunderland into Roker and the second, riding the pedestrian ferry across the Tyne from South Shields, crossing time about 10 minutes, fare 1 pound.

           98% of today’s walk was achieved on segregated foot-paths which is relaxing and obviates the need to have constant “heads up”.

           Arrived in Whitley Bay just before 3.00 pm after having availed myself of a large size pub lunch en route. I was able to find accommodation quite easily from among the myriad small boarding houses favoured by out of town contractors.

 4 million steps in support of the all our young and old who rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

28.6 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1275.4
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 7 3/4
Type of accommodation:  Guest house.
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 16.50

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Day # 51 Seaton Carew, North Riding, Yorkshire to Seaham, County Durham.

Pic: Home of football in Middlesborough.         

         7.00am emerged into a light rain and cloud almost to the ground over the sea and set off along the deserted sea front, to retrace my steps of last night back to Hartlepool. Navigated a series of secondary roads through out the day to avoid the heavy metal monsters pounding the main A17 route into Sunderland. My route climbed steadily out of the Tees river valley & the country-side again becoming rolling, with repetitively long hills to climb following each descent. I have found that descending hills can be almost as tiring as ascending, due to the fact that the legs hit the concrete with much greater impact.

        Although the north eastern region has the reputation of being one of the most economically blighted areas of the UK, I have been impressed by the fact that I have seen here more modern housing estates, and cutting edge shopping centres than in other area, through which I have passed so far.

         Stopped this morning by the eighth police car since I commenced wanting to check the possible status of a baby that I might be pushing in my stroller. Extremely polite, I think that these young officers are a credit to their police services in terms of their attentiveness to child welfare issues.

         Rather than pressing on into the large city of Sunderland, I settled to overnight in the quiet seaside town of Seaham. Judging by the prevalence of larger homes, it is clearly a bedroom community for management types employed in the heavy industry  concentrated just north of here and through which I must thread my way tomorrow.

4 million steps in support of over one million+ patients that rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate Now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org


 28.9 kms. walked today per pedometer. Cumulative Kms. covered: 1246.8
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 8.25
Type of accommodation: Tourist hotel.
Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 40.00

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.