Jo’s Monday walk : Back on the beach

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Whenever we go walking on our north east England coastline, we keep an idle eye open for sea glass.  Usually it’s in milky soft hues, but bottle green and turquoise are not unknown . The little chap above had us well fooled.  He’d obviously swum out of a child’s bucket, to twinkle up at us from the beach.

I won’t be walking with you next week, so I’m determined to leave you with some sunny images.  Last week was a little glum, wasn’t it?

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The other half wanders through the shot, distracting me from getting a level horizon.  The one below is better. (and minus my shadow!)

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The tide was advancing rapidly that day, and I had to do my famous teetering on rocks act, camera stowed safely in my pocket.  Why is it that he has so much better a sense of balance?  He kindly came back to hold my hand, or we might never have got there.

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It’s a coastline with an industrial past, so the rocks are always interestingly speckled and battered.  And there’s the sea glass to enjoy.

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Not forgetting the occasional sea monster!  There’s one structure that always draws the eye.  Rotting timbers and frayed stumps simply add to the appeal of the magnificent remnants of Steetley Magnesite’s pier.

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I never tire of shooting it, from all angles.  The last shot is a good example of convergence, isn’t it?  Sonel pointed one out to me the other day.  If you’re looking for photographic skill combined with creativity, hers is a great place to visit.

At this point you have a choice.  So long as the tide cooperates you can carry on along the craggy coastline, towards Crimdon Dene.

Sometimes the wind whips up, swirling the sands around you.  Click on the last photo in the gallery above and you’ll be able to make out the pier, in the far distance.  We’ve walked quite a way.  You can continue through the Dene, catching a bus back down the coast road, or you can retrace your steps along the beach.

Eventually you come back to Hartlepool Headland, with it’s proudly standing town walls. It’s been a safe haven for me for many a long year.  Look beyond the harbour, and on the horizon you can just make out the industry along Seal Sands Road, where we went seal spotting last week.

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On the Headland, Mary Rowntree’s tearooms have a lovely view across the harbour.  But I feel I know you well enough to invite you back to mine.  I’ll just pop the kettle on.  See you soon!

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My posting will be haphazard, to say the least, for the next month.  I’m deserting this safe haven for my familiar Algarve one, where I usually switch off from the world and its worries.  I hope to have another walk for you on Monday, 25th April, but just a few days after that I will be accompanying Dad to Poland for 2 weeks.  Another family visit and lots of smiles.

If, in the meantime, you’d like to share a walk, please feel free to do so, but be aware that I might not be able to share it for a while. Many thanks for your continuing support.  As usual, the logo above will take you to my Jo’s Monday walk page.

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SO excited to kick off this week with a walk by Lucile!  If you don’t know her, you’re in for a treat (and if you do, you’ll expect the best, and not be disappointed).  AND she’s in Portugal!

Walking through Sights and colours of Lisbon

Introducing a blog called MyScribblez next.  All scribblers amongst you, please pop over and say ‘hi’ :

Quebec on Foot

Drake likes the ladies, especially in an artful pose :

Blooming nudity

The scenery around Greenock is a nice surprise.  Take a look with Anabel :

The Greenock Cut

You won’t be surprised to find that Jackie likes shopping :

St. Lawrence Market

Or that Ellen has a badly behaved dinghy?  Maybe it’s been reformed since this post :

Going for a Walk : Coromandel Town (or Coro pies are best)

Smidge has some nice romantic looking photos from the Scottish Borders :

Dryburgh Abbey & The River Tweed

And Susan… how about close encounters with a good-looking cow or two?

Sadie’s Walk

Denzil got up at the crack of dawn for this walk, so he deserves your appreciation :

GR571 Stage 4 : Trois-Ponts to Vielsam 

And getting me nicely in the mood for the Algarve- thanks a lot, Becky!   Your place or mine?

Exploring the Grande Rota do Guadiana

That’s it folks!  Thanks again for all the shares and for the pleasure you give me.  Take care of yourselves.

 

 

 

202 comments

  2. I find it’s hard to walk on the beach because I’m constantly looking up at the waves and down at my feet for treasures! It can take me an hour to walk half a mile. The beach is certainly one of my favourtite places and I really enjoyed this walk today, Jo. Enjoy your break and switching off from the world and its worries it’s a fab idea 😀 xxxx

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    1. The hours seem to shrink in the last day or so before I go, Dianne, and I run faster and faster to cram everything in… and disappear! 🙂 Take care of yourself and thanks for your lovely company and support.

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  4. What wonderful blue skies we had for our walk on the beach with you. Loved the interesting rocks, some of them almost look manmade as they have such an interesting mix of colors.

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  5. A really beautiful walk, Jo. That sea monster is so adorable. I would have wanted to take him home with me. Love your pier shots to bits and pieces. Have a marvellous time in the Algarve and Poland. Don’t miss us too much. 😀 xx

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  8. It does look like a long walk, is there always an escape route, if the tide catches you out?
    So you’re off to Tavira on Wednesday, now I’ve been I’ll be even greener. It may be one of those rare places that I go back to. Have a lovely time, hope the weather is good. And then Poland, you’ll get to meet Meg, you lucky girl. x:-)x

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    1. You can usually get up to the cliff top or dunes, depending which part you’re at Gilly. 🙂 I seldom do all of it- more often there and back when I’ve had enough, or can tear myself away from the pier.
      Do you have any travel plans for the year yet, Gilly? I’m trying to get my head round where/when but there’s too much going on at the present. The weather didn’t look great when Mick looked at the forecast yesterday but then it had gone up a couple of degrees to 20C and the rain disappeared on today’s forecast, so we’ll just wait and see. Mostly warm and dry- fingers crossed- but it is what it is, and no less beautiful for that. As you know. 🙂 I do hope to meet up with Meg, but family commitments mean I’m not a free agent when I’m there. Will try though. 🙂

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      1. Nothing booked yet, but a vague plan to go back to Barcelona, in September. The problem is two little borfer terrorists that are getting on a bit.Dido has a health condition that needs careful managing, and neither of them like other dogs, so holidays are difficult to sort out! It would be lovely to see Meg, she’s one of my very favourites in our blogging gang. If she was in a city I could fly to from Bristol, I might have tried for a coule of days. But it’s a big country and hard to navigate without any Polish language!

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      2. Meg may yet come here! It wouldn’t surprise me altogether. We’ll see! I’m familiar with the dog issues. One of my best friends over here had the same problem for many years. She now has a youngster (dog- no children!) that she can hardly bear to leave so abroad hols are severely curtailed. 🙂

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      3. My neighbours across the road regularly go to a place they have in France, taking their three huge German shepherds in the car with them, ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff i think, crazy!

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  13. Have a wonderful time away Jo! I loved this walk very much. wonderful compositions of the photos and of course I love the color. As to balance mine is not great either. I blame a broken foot which seems to have taught my brain that I only have one leg and most fall over at any given moment. Ah well we just manage as we can right? Safe travels Xo

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    1. Thanks a lot, Sue! 🙂 I don’t have any such excuse- I’m just naturally very clumsy. This morning we managed to find quite a bit of mud on our country walk, and I’m just as bad in that. 🙂 I have SO little in common with goats!

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  18. you made the most of a gorgeous day Jo ! Balancing on those sea wedy rocks is really rather hazardous , I know from past experinces Lol .How fortunate to have a steadying hand nearby .I just LOVE that pier .. you really will have to set the alarm clock one of these days and show us it at daybreak 😉

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      1. Going to see the bluebonnets this week – 40 miles of nothing but gorgeous fields of flowers. Can’t wait, but the remainder of the week I’ll be painting (indoor painting, not art – darn!).

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