A Duck's Holiday
Croutons takes Rosalie, Contours' tour operations administrator, for a walk along the beautiful Northumberland Coast Path.
A Duck's Holiday
https://www.contours.co.uk/a-ducks-holiday
by Rosalie Smith
This spring, Croutons and I travelled to the gorgeous Northumberland coast for some walking and plenty of fish and chips.
I’ve always found all the cares of the world seem to melt away beside the sea, and the coast from Beadnell to Bamburgh truly lives up to expectations, especially as I was walking on a slightly chilly day in early April with very few other people around.
I was lucky enough to be walking at low tide, giving stunning views of what seemed like endless coastline, the wind occasionally picking up sand and carrying it scuttling over the beach. As the beach spread out before us, a sense of calm settled, with the sounds of the waves and seabirds allowing me to enjoy the simplicity of nature.
Croutons, meanwhile, took his duty to inspect the signs for the newly completed England Coast Path very seriously, testing them for readability and whether they fit the bill.
A favourite moment of mine along the Northumbrian coast has to be when Bamburgh Castle appears above the sand dunes. Built on top of a rocky headland, the castle oversees the coast. The former stronghold of Northumberland makes a charming picture, the kind you’d expect on a biscuit tin. The sight even inspired the creation of a sandcastle on the beach.
Bamburgh Green is also a great place to stop for a pick-me-up. We sat back with an ice cream and watched holiday makers playing croquet in the sun. Croutons gave our ice creams his quack of approval.
To give our legs a break, I took a couple of days’ rest to visit some local attractions, starting with a trip to Alnwick. The town itself had a beautiful relaxed feel to it, with another castle to please all history lovers — and film fanatics, as it’s been used as a set on many occasions.
I stopped in at Alnwick Garden, where the many water features kept me entertained for hours. The vortex pool in particular was fascinating, seeing the water moving in a whirlpool. Croutons was awestruck by their giant inflatable duck, left from the annual duck race.
After a quick stop in the town’s famous book shop, Barter Books, it was time to head to my accommodation for a cup of tea and to read my purchases.
I also took the time to go and see some of Crouton’s distant relatives at the Farne Islands: puffins!
A boat trip around the islands is not to be missed during the spring and summer months. The seals basked in the sun or bobbed up and down in the water, while oyster catchers, the bottle green European shags and (of course) the arctic puffin, along with many others, made an appearance.
The tour guides were excellent, pointing out the seabirds and seals and providing a great deal of information about them and the islands.
As with most people walking or visiting the Northumbrian coast, I chose to visit Holy Island and Lindisfarne. Crossing the causeway at low tide was a wonderful experience. The sand stretching out to each side of me, coupled with the novelty of being on ground that for several hours a day is under the sea, was very unique.
The priory and castle added yet another sightseeing opportunity, and the priory ruins add to the coast’s rich history.
As my holiday came to an end, I was reluctant to get on the train and leave the beautiful Northumberland coastline behind. There are so many sights to see and some of the best beaches I’ve visited. I would highly recommend a trip.
Interested in walking the Northumberland Coast Path?
Contours Holidays offer full-length, short break and dog-friendly walking holidays along the Northumberland Coast Path. Find your holiday here:
Tour Operations Administrator
Steadily yarn-bombing the office with adorable crocheted creatures.
