Jo’s Monday walk : A sally round Seahouses

Recently I ventured further up the north east coast than usual, to the little harbourside village of Seahouses.  Over the border and into Northumberland, in fact.  Aside from the beaches stretching north and south, the main attraction of this village is the prospect of a trip to the Farne Islands, a well-known seabird sanctuary.  Boat trips run to the islands year round, weather permitting, and from April to October it is usually possible to land on one of the islands for a closer look at the wildlife.  Puffins are the stars of the show.

I strolled along the pier eyeing the queues, and smiled when I came to the ticket office for Billy Shiel’s.  The Shiel family have been running boat trips to the islands since 1918, just after the First World War.  They started the business to supplement their income from fishing, escorting a few keen ornithologists. Allegedly there are 28 islands out there, but many of them are submerged at high tide.

I was on a coach trip that day, and had opted to spend more time at Bamburgh, just around the bay, so no boat trip for me.  I carried on around the harbour, in the direction of the golf links. Something to eat, maybe?  Those views across to the islands are very tempting.

There was bunting up in the village, and I like a warm welcome, but I discovered there was to be a bike race the next day.  No matter!  I felt welcome enough as I strolled back through the village.  It’s typical seaside, with buckets and spades, crazy golf and a smattering of knick-knack shops.

Back at the seafront I survey the scene.  It’s a wide and wild vista.  The craggy shoreline and harbour, and off in the distance the mighty bastion that is Bamburgh, my next destination.  Will the weather hold out for me?  I do hope so!

There are lots more details on the National Trust pages about the Farne Islands, including how to get there.  I think they’re worth a trip.

I expect you’re disappointed not to have something to eat?  Fish and chips are a popular choice around here.  You might remember that a couple of Saturdays ago I posed you a question?  I totally forgot to give you the answer.  Did I have chocolate and almond brownie or creme brulé? I could very easily have eaten either, but let me tell you the brownie was delicious!  Many thanks for staying with me.  I do appreciate your company.  Time to put the kettle on now, and share a few walks.  If you’d like to join in, details are on my Jo’s Monday walk page.  You’re always very welcome!

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It’s a bit shivery, but undeniably beautiful where Amanda is this week :

Walking with Edmund at 760 metres

Bunkers on the beach!  Quite an unusual sight, from our man Drake :

Concrete nature

Come trainspotting in Hamburg with Lady Lee?

Holiday in Hamburg, part 2

You can always rely on Jackie for cake.  And the rest!

Wedding Cake

I love the diversity my walks attract.  How about some quilting with Violet?

263 times 120 feet

Things are looking a little brighter for Denzil this week :

La Foret du Pays de Chimay

I know nothing of Adelaide, but it looks like there’s plenty to know.  Please say hello to Anne-Marie :

Footsteps in Adelaide Walk Seven : Stepping Out along the Beach

And while we’re at the beach, look what Woolly’s found!

Jo’s-Monday-Walk-Wk34-Logans-Beach-Whale-Nursery

Not too many walks today!  It’s been the Summer hols for some of us.  Time to dig the boots out again. Have a great week!

 

120 comments

  4. Jo, I always love your seaside walks; your love of the sea always comes shining through. Too bad you couldn’t take the boat to the islands. It reminds me a bit of the Channel Islands off the coast of California (not the Jersey ones off the coast of England!). I love that puffin painting! It reminds me fondly of our trip to Iceland last summer. The little town looks quaint and welcoming. 🙂

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      1. Thanks, Jo. It’s almost over now; we’ll eat some dinner soon. Mike and I went for a long walk through Cleveland Park, a Washington neighborhood, and then had a nice lunch after. It was a nice walk though a little hot. I hadn’t explored much of that neighborhood before. Enjoy your week, Jo. 🙂

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  11. Great photos of Seahouses Jo, I went there a few years ago while on a camping trip further down the coast although I didn’t do the Farne Islands – boats and open water don’t mix for me 😦 I went back a couple of months later and took a friend, we went for a meal in a pub/restaurant but it was the strangest place – the restaurant didn’t feel like part of the pub, it was a bare room with bland walls, no pictures, and the tables weren’t set. It looked to me like the room was an ‘afterthought’ and although there was a family of four dining there it had a really weird atmosphere so we didn’t stay. I can’t remember the name of the place but checking on Google maps shows it’s no longer what it was – the pub part is now a beauty salon and another business and the ‘restaurant’ part is a licensed coffee bar. We stopped off at Warkworth further down the coast and had a lovely meal in a pub there instead 🙂

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      1. I’ve heard many people say that Northumberland’s beaches are fabulous Jo, but at the risk of getting slaughtered I’d have to disagree – with the exception of Alnmouth, which I thought was lovely, I wasn’t overly impressed with any of the ones I went to and I’ve seen nicer beaches elsewhere.

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      1. Yes, but not since I was a girl. I should revisit more often – after my parents retired back to Scotland in the early 90s I’ve only been down a handful of times.

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  15. This. Post brought back happy memories of our visits to the Farne Islands to see the puffins. We stayed at a hotel in Seahouses the first time and Bamburgh on the later visit but we’ve not been for about 20 years. My husband enjoys birdwatching so we’ll probably return at some point. Have a good week!

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    1. I wish I’d had time for the trip over to the islands because it was a good time of year for puffins. It’s a long while since I was there too, but it’s not all that far from me. Thanks- you too! 🙂 🙂

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    1. The Northumberland coast is stunning, Tanya. This is one of the least beautiful spots, to my eyes, but I’ll have the locals after me if I go around saying things like that. 🙂 🙂

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