Jo’s Monday walk : sea glass at Seaham

The outlook at Seaham Beach

The outlook on Seaham Beach

This week I’m taking you back to the north east coast of England, with a bit of a purpose.  I’ll explain more later but I need you to keep your eye open for sea glass.  The beach at Seaham is one of the best locations I know for finding it.

Between 1853 and 1921 Seaham was home to Europe’s largest glass bottle works, supplying millions of hand blown bottles.  Enormous amounts of waste glass were left at the end of each day, and this was generally thrown over the cliffs and into the sea.  More than a hundred years later, scrubbed smooth by the power of the water, we have sea glass in many shapes and colours.  Are you ready to hunt?

We’ll start on the cliff top and work our way down
It’s not very steep
And soon we’re at the beach
With more pebbles than you could ever want

With more pebbles than you could ever want

And among those pebbles, the precious bits of sea glass.  You can follow the beach round to the small harbour and the lighthouse, if you like, but I’m going in the opposite direction- north towards distant Sunderland.

There's a lot of beach to examine!

There’s rather a lot of beach to examine!

Rusted groynes litter the shore

Rusted groynes litter the shore

Filling up with pebbles too

Filling up with pebbles

Incongruously, some have been mended

Rather incongruously, some have been mended

Overhead, the cliffs menace!

While overhead, the cliffs menace!

Let’s get up close and personal with a few stones.  You never know what you might find.

We're looking for a hint of glitter

We’re looking for a hint of glitter

Unconcerned, a man walks his dog

Unconcerned, a man walks his dogs

What's this? Look at the shimmer!

What’s this? Look at the shimmer!

I simply love the textures

I simply love the textures

You might remember we did something similar just south of here on Crimdon beach, a while ago, and ventured into some caves beneath the cliffs.  I’m drawn on along the endless beach, intrigued by my surroundings.  Dog walkers pass me by, with a nod and a smile, and occasionally children ferret on the beach.

Mindful of the dangers these crumbling cliffs can pose, still it’s hard not to be lured closer.

The cliff formations fascinate

The cliff formations fascinate

Torn and twisted as they are

Torn and twisted as they are

And here a table, nicely laid

And here a table, nicely laid

You know that I’m not going to be able to resist some close ups, but I treat the cliffs with due caution and the respect they deserve.  So should you!

I know that some of you are claustrophobic so I won’t linger.  The fascination of the shapes and vistas can keep me endlessly there on the shore, forgetting my purpose.  That morning a lady was standing, her dog patiently at heel, gazing out to sea.  After the briefest of smiles, I carried on my exploration.  As I turned to retrace my steps, she spoke to me.  “Did you see the dolphins?”

Crestfallen hardly describes it!  I would have loved to see them and wished she had spoken sooner.  We stood a while, hoping for a return, but they had gone.  And so I climbed, regretfully, back up the steps.

Depending on the tide, this walk can be as long or as short as you want to make it.  If you are free the next few Sunday lunch times, you will assuredly have company on the beach.  My husband, who designs gardens, does most of his work with CAD (computer aided design).  He was more than pleased to be contacted recently by Stuart Langley, a local artist, in connection with a light installation to appear at this year’s Lumiere, in Durham.  It’s an imaginative and exciting event, and Stuart has been a previous contributor with his Stained Glass Cars.  The project he is working on requires a substantial quantity of sea glass, and so he’s hoping for some help in gathering it.

If you can help in any way the Lumiere site gives details.  The event itself takes place from 12-15th November, and if you can be there I can promise you a delightful evening.  It takes place on alternate years, and this was my post for 2013.  It was a magical occasion.

walking logo

No putting the kettle on today!  I will still be in Bristol for the Hot Air Balloon festival when you’re reading this, and not back till very late in the day.  As usual, I will catch up with you all as soon as I can, and apologies to all those who are sitting unattended in my Inbox.  There’s plenty to keep you busy till then because once again I have some wonderful walks to share.  Many thanks to all of you who have joined me and, if you would like to do so next week, details are on my Jo’s Monday walk page.  Just hit the logo above.

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Gardens with rhodies have always been irresistible to me.  Bogs, not so much!  Thanks, Anabel!

Geilston Garden and Tom na h’Airidh

Hitting the heights with Drake!  Don’t we always?

Mountain high

A revelation for me about Toronto! Totally changed my thinking…  thanks, Jackie!

Monday walk

More city madness with Pauline!  The inevitability of change :

Gold Coast Icons

If you’ve come to expect beauty from Amy, you won’t be disappointed here either!

Monday Walk : Banff Rocky Mountains

One of the best things about blogging is sharing magical posts such as this.  Many thanks, Suzanne!

Killarney x 2

Too good at speaking my mind, sometimes!  Hugs, please, for Jude :

The Levant Mine

A little bit of fairy dust, anybody?  Sure to find some with Violet Sky!

Wishes and dreams 

While anyone seeking inspiration should surely make a visit to Lucile :

The Quest for Inspiration

And anyone wanting to recapture childhood only needs to visit Gilly!

I Wish I was Ten Again

Debbie’s back from exotic Singapore with some cracking good sights!

Arty Stroll along Orchard Road

And to finish, from Laia, what could be better than?

A beautiful, pleasant walk in Abel Tasman National Park

Fantastic, aren’t they?  Nothing more to say than ‘have a great week’.  Hope to see you on the beach at Seaham, or failing that, at Durham in November.

 

 

155 comments

  1. Thanks for the shoutout Jo. And for taking us for another beautiful walk. Fascinating story and place. I guess that years ago many people may have cut their feet. How crazy to simply throw it from the cliff.
    I am still very curious about the hot air balloons!
    Have a beautiful week, Jo.
    Cheers!
    Lucile

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  2. This looks like a fantastic place to linger Jo. I know my girls would love to search among those pebbles for sea glass – and they would bring home the pebbles too!

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  4. You’re really restless , Jo….!
    Sensational post and photography , not to mention the notes you added taking us through this incredible walk…
    Thank you so much!

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  5. Thanks, as always, for the mention. Another garden stroll for you this week – Dawyck. That’s the last of my stock-piled walks from before the holidays. I now need to get blogging about Orkney and Shetland, I just don’t know where to start!

    I enjoyed your post – I love reading about the NE – and will catch up with your other walkers through the day.

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  6. Pingback: Dawyck Botanic Garden – Anabel's Travel Blog

  7. Another lovely beach walk Jo, hunting for sea glass, though I didn’t see any? Did you find some? And I notice that I have a serious challenger in the geology department in you. I was mesmerised by the rocks and the pebbles, wanted to pick one up and touch it smooth surface. You are such a kind lady, I am sure no-one, not even me, felt claustrophobic in the caves as you ensured there was always some light shining through 😀

    Hope your Bristol trip has been fun – enjoy the last day though it sounds from an earlier comment you have the rain that has just hit us here 😦 Hopefully you will find an interesting coffee shop to take us to! See you later 🙂

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    2. I bet Sue Slaught gets more! 🙂 🙂 Not that I’m in competition- just trying hard to keep up (and looking forward to forgetting you all while I’m in the Algarve 🙂 )
      I was going to give you a nudge about the promised roses the other day on your flowers post for Nalini, so I’m very grateful you’ve kept them for a walk. So far today I’ve watched Rafa ( 😦 ), zumba’d, done a food shop for James for while we’re away, and am on to the 3rd wash. I think I’ve earned that cuppa. Be right over 🙂

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  8. Ohhhh it is a pity you missed the dolphins, but the cliffs and pebbles are great too! By the way I did not see the sea glass in the photos… did I miss them? How do they look like? I need to train my eye 🙂
    Happy week!

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  9. What a lovely walk today, Jo. I love the close ups of the patterned and textured rocks. I would also enjoy searching for smoothly weathered sea glass and wandering among those spectacular archways and windswept cliffs. Congratulations to Mick for getting to contribute to the installation in Durham. That sounds like a great opportunity! I’m glad you’ll have more opportunities to go back to that beach.

    The hot air balloon festival also sounds exciting! I can’t wait to see pictures from that. 🙂

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    2. Yes, I’m back and the washing’s on the line 🙂 I would have been quite happy to just sit next to it, Cathy, but the warm sunshine didn’t last long. My get up and go has got up and gone today! I’m sure you know the feeling 🙂 I’m just starting catch up visiting. On my way 🙂

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  14. Those cliffs are indeed tempting and fascinating. The pebbles and the views through openings delight this beach starved old woman. I love the way you’ve taken us on the hunt and then revealed the purpose. My particular favourite is the table and its background. My son has made a few mosaics of waves from sea glass he’s found. Good luck finding enough for Stuart! Thank you for catering for the claustrophobic too – I ally like the way you are so conscious of your readers as you write.

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  15. Beautiful walk. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the rock formations and cliffs at the very end. Stepping in between some of them, it looks as if you were wandering through a cave, dark shadows and all. Pity you missed the dolphins but I’m sure when you go back, they will be jumping up and down again 🙂

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  16. Ne’er mind Jo, we always miss the dolphins too. Splendid images and walk as ever but the stained glass cars are fantastic – how else to make a Reliant Robin desirable 🙂 I have been to Seaham but once – we stayed at Seaham Hall and never left the hotel.

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  20. It has been a while since I joined you on a walk and I enjoyed this one very much. I used to love sifting through the rocks and pebbles at our local swimming hole, such amazing shapes and colours, we even tried making paint out of the softer and more colourful ones. Thanks Jo!

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