" Beadnell - 2 - Ebbs Nook and some music "

Date & Time: Tuesday 22nd September 2015.

Locations :  The north east coast of England ... Northumberland.  ( NU 237 286)

Places visited : Little Rock (Abbs Nook), Annstead Beach and the Craster Arms.

Accommodation : The Beach Court B&B, Beadnell, Northumberland, Uk.

Distance : A 4 mile local walk to stretch our legs.

With : Ann and myself and our dogs, Harry and Dylan.

Weather : Overcast and breezy with a light shower, clearing by the time we got back.

Despite the good forecast for the country in general we still had a slight breeze and with it came a few grey looking clouds. 

Fortunately they were fast moving and a brief rain shower was light and of no great consequence.

Today, after a leisurely start and a lovely breakfast we chose a local walk, out to the headland and north on the local beach.

	Overcast skies above the tower at breakfast time. The white doves have been fed . . .     . . . our two think it is time for their breakfast too.

Carole and Russ's front garden has a fine display of flowers . . . on a suitably nautical theme.

The local headland of Beadnell Village has the remains of an old settlement and a church dedicated to the Anglo Saxon princess, St Ebba. 

Todays the remains of this old settlement are few and almost lost in the sandunes and grass but the headland is still worth a visit.

I risk life and limb and defy the health and safety notice

to bring you a photo Beach Court from the ramp that climbs up the back of the lime kilns.

From this elevated position you can look down on the harbour as they would have done centuries ago.

The harbour was built to export the agricultural lime, coal and later herring.

Now it is home to a few local lobster fishing boats, the leisure craft taking to the moorings on the beach itself.

Looking south from the lime kilns all the way round to Dunstanburgh Head.

Beadnell beach with its lovely golden sands seems to spread almost all the way too.

The headland is formed by a sloping strata of hard rock that juts out into the sea, in a similar way to the Whin Sill further south.

After walking through the almost hidden remains of the old chapel and enclosure, we continue out onto the rocks.

A steep drop on one side, a gentle slope on the other.

At the end the waves break over the rocks and send plumes of spray into the air.

From here there's a great view north east, out into the North Sea.

The view includes North Sunderland point and the many Farne Islands that extend out to the Longstone Light.

Click here or on the photo above for a larger Loweswatercam annotated panorama.

To the south is Dunstanburgh, its ruined towers standing out in the clear visibility.

Sometimes it is just nice to take your time, sit and enjoy the views,

complemented by the gentle sounds of the waves breaking on the rocks below us.

Chance to get the bigger lens out and capture a view of the Castle on the distant headland.

	With the tide low we thought we would walk back around the headland and north to Annstead beach.     However it was a choice between rough stones on the beach or someone's nice grass. We chose to return into the village and walk around the road for Harry's sake.

I see there's a bit of erosion by the path to the beach.

The final post has no base and the kissing gate swing out into mid-air.  There's a two foot drop to the path !

Annstead Beach looking north.

There are rocks out to sea here but nice wide sands around the corner.

Rocks mean a variety of wildlife and food.

Here a pair of oyster catchers wade through the shallows.

Two young herring gulls continually dip into the water and fly up again.

The other gulls, possibly older and wiser, just sit and watch them.

A smaller Redshank patrols the beach, keeping a safe distance from the bigger bird alongside.

Ann heads out along the beach . . . but the weather is turning . . . when it started to spot with rain, we turned too.

A flock of birds on the rocks ahead . . .

They turn out to be a flock of starlings

A noise or sudden movement causes them to fly.

We enjoyed a sort of brief "murmeration" of starlings . . . more like just a whisper really.

Back at the Beach Court.

Fortunately the rain has come to nought and here the paving isn't even wet.

- - - o o o - - -

Later in the day the sun did it again . . .

It shone from below a bank of cloud, just like a golden orb, colouring the beach with colour.

People slowly make their way back across the beach as the light starts to fade.

As the sun finally sets the clouds are lit from below and the whole sky bursts into colour.

- - - o o o - - -

It is the end of the day once again and thoughts turn to food and evening entertainment.   Carole mentioned that there may be music on at the Craster Arms so we get ourselves over to the pub.   On the menu . . . posh fish and chips in newspaper !   Once suppers are over and the staff have cleared the tables some musical instruments appear and the couple sitting over at the far table move across to our corner.   It appears we are sitting on the table next to the music . . .

A couple, Richard and Helen, who play under their performance name of The Grey Catz

who played a variety of mandolin, banjo, guitar folk and good old rock tunes.

It is an open-night and another musician has joined them.

Peter added a second guitar and performed many of his own tunes and songs too.

There was even a guest appearance from " some guy who's here on holiday and says he used to play at one time"

It's like riding a bicycle . . . once you've learnt the technique it is easier to do it again

. . . but keep it simple fellas, I can only remember six chords !

Click to start the three minute video . . . and then sit back and hopefully enjoy the experience.

( Click on the YouTube full-screen icon to see a larger version of the video )

Thanks to the Crastor Arms for a classic fish and chip supper.

Thanks to Richard and Helen for the use of their spare guitar . . . and letting me join in.

Thanks to Peter for giving me a clue as to which of the six chords to play.

. . . and so to bed.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon Sureshot SX220 or my Canon 1100D Digital SLR Camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . . a little light refreshment close at hand.

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1.Beadnell

2. Ebb's Nook

3. Dunstanburgh

4. Farne Islands

5. Beadnell & South

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Previous walk - 21st September 2015 - Beadnell - Our First Evening

A previous time here - 15th September 2006 Beadnell Bay with Gary

Next walk -  22nd September 2015 - Dunstanburg from Craster