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.