Scotland!!

From Alnwick I traveled to the coast and was stuned to see Bambourgh castle towering above the landscape

Once there and after a quick tour

I had lunch at the clock tower cafe

And very nice it was too jacket potato with chilli thanx Gary. I enjoyed a walk along the beach antill I reached a large bay as the tide was in I was stopped from cutting accross as I had wanted. I walked back up to the road and started on the route round, but was quickly picked up by Ben on his way home from his last day of work before his holls. We chatted as he drove and I missed many of the places that I was meaning to see, but I will come back soon a visit them. After meeting some of his friends he dropped me in a lay-by off the A1 next to a cafe and paid for my breakfast the next day, what an amazing guy! The next day after a very large breakfast I started off again up the A1 aiming for Dumbar, and stone me! if he didn't drive passed and pick me up again!

So arriving very early with the sun shining I walked along the Cliff. It was so hot and so beautiful I was almost tempted to take a dip.

Again I found myself at a bay with lovely almost white sand and an odd bridge in the middle of nowhere, I later found out it was called the bridge to nowhere, I sat and chatted to some of the people, and later made camp right there looking at such an odd sight

I made many friends with the people in the shallys around where I camped. Later that night we even had a bonfire on the beach

I decided as I had made such good time because of the lifts that I would stay 1more night.

The next day and time to leave came all too soon and I had to say good by to my new friends here. I walked round the bay and was amazed to find a young German girl with a large bag sittin having breakfast, Birke. It turned out she was also walking to edinburgh we teamed up and set off round the coast together. What fun we had getting lost trying to follow the footpaths then I got got by an electric fence lol. By the afternoon it was raining very hard and so we camped on the beach

The next day and on again sticking to the coast as much as possible. But more failing as we got lost once more in a field when we were forced off the beach. We came through north berwick and Birke said we should climb the law, it damn near killed me getting up that hill! We don't have anything like that in norfolk! This makes me worry about the actual mountains I will encounter soon! Eventualy we set camp just off the beach in such a beautiful spot

and saw a few sand sculptures

The next day more walking on the beach first in sun so hot then rain then back to sun, love the scotish weather btw. We camped on a sand dune that later became an island. It rained all night.
Day 4 with Birke, again the sun shines in the morning, and yet more walking on the beach this coast walking is taking so much longer than the direct road routes I was used to, but we passed port seaton and finally the factory we had been going towards was behind us. Again the weather turns into heavy downpour and we camp by a lake for the night edinburgh in sight. Another wonderful start hot sun and mild wind perfect we packed up. .... rain! Rain! Rain! Lol but we made it to edinburgh in good time and the weather showed us mercy in the end we are camped up the big hill in the middle of the city I forget what it is called now but from up here the view is wonderful the hole city streches out in all directions.

I leave you as always with thanx to everyone along the way; Gary, Ben&co, Louisa, Amy, Keith, Angie, Angns, Nicki, Lorna, all the Dumbar girls, Sammy, Anna-mae, Jonathan, Morgan, Stephanie, Teri-Louise, Darryl, Mark, Julie, Scot, John, Ronnie, James, Lorraine, Robert and of cause Birke

Goodnight everyone much love

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The Map So Far!

This map is getting very full now for the north east especially

Thanks everyone who is part of it and I hope to do it all someday soon.

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Taking my time to Alnwick

It was so beautiful walking the coast from my camp on Tynemouth cliffs

To Blyth along the coast meeting all the dog walkers on their morning strolls so many wonderful views as always

I stopped for a rest on the patio of the Castaways tea shop to get the strength back in my shoulders, and even though they were not yet open the owners -John, and Leigh- came out with tea and toast. I took the chance to update my journal and enjoy the morning sun.

I arived in blyth around noon via the promenade and stopped to get some directions around to the joiners arms (next on the map) it wasn't far I was suprised to hear as the map had Morpeth marked for it. So off I go again

Finding that the joiners was still closed I ducked into the masons to wait for it to open. Here I met such an amazing young lass -Danielle- I will never forget her. Danielle offered me a sofa for the night almost as soon as we met, this is, I am learning, the greatest gift anyone can offer a traveler as it means so much to be in comfort for a night after a few on a floor. Eventually the joiners opened and I started accross to it stopping to speak to a lad opposite for a bit, Billy invited me into the social club I agreed but said I needed to folow the map first, as it turns out its the wrong joiners arms and I was looking for the one in Morpeth lol. So now to Blyth sports social club, here I was overwhelmed by their generosity and Keith just kept on finding little gadgets that he said I might need. By this time I'm starting to feel a bit tipsy and decide its time to stop for the night. Danielle was incredible and fed me very well, we talked long into the night, it felt like I had known her for years.
In the morning after a repack of my bag (it was greatly needed) I started for morpeth. After a few hours my shoulders were starting to give again and then as if fate was playing a marvellous game with me I spotted the travelers rest

This I took as the spot to heal for a little while and met several new friends and a few new map markers. Next was the Queens head this was starting to turn into a national pub crawl, again many very nice people and chats, but this could not be my destination of the night

I pressed on, now all day the weather had been allover the place there was scorching sun, torrential rain and even some hail and all day I had been lucky enough to avoid it. My luck had ran out now however and I was stuck in the open as it rained all hell down, but the sun hadn't given up an through the battle there was the most spectacular double rainbow

I was soaked from head to upper ancle (waterproof socks lol) by the time I reached the correct Joiners arms,

I had a wonderful night and fell asleep by the steppy stones to the sound of the stream. Morpeth was even more beautiful by day and I hurried round getting pics before I continued.

Google maps had my next part of the trip all planed out and on my phones tiny screen it looked easy enough, but after 3 or 4 hours I got acostomed to the scale, luckly I neednt have as I met a couple of truckers Colin and Eddie who were going that way and that as there was no paths it would be quite dangerous to walk, and so dropped me at the door of the Newcastle hotel in Rothbury where I had some fun painting, I do wish more people would put me to use. Rothbury was a lovely little place but I didn't stop long and after the Newcastle and a bit of the tennis I started up the road to Alnwick not getting far then sleeping in a field. This road to Alnwick was all hills and no corners it was exhausting to walk, but at last I'm here I arrived yesterday afternoon and charged my phone at the Alnwick Arms where I met yet more wonderful people and slept with a view of the castle

Today I will get to barter books then back to the cost.
Thanx to everyone I have met along the way in your way you make my journey easyer;
John, Leigh, Sarah, Rosy, Angela, Billy, Keith, Claire, Leanne, Debbie (happy birthday), Lyn, Derick, Bel, Paul, Robbie, Wayne, Jenna, sorry Graeme, Tanny, Kenny Kay, Gary, Collette, Alan, Frankie, Peter, Sarah, Colin, Eddie, Ayelish, Toni, Sarah, Chris, Elizabeth, Alison, Dave, Jade, and of cause Danielle. Thank you all so much and keep smiling. :-)

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