Grandma Goes Coastal: August 03+04 Warkworth

Beautiful, easy, cliff-top walking to start:

Then, to spoil the COASTAL path, instructions to turn onto asphalt path and later diversion around a town to avoid an estuary. "No," I said to myself, because there was no one else to whom to say it. "I am staying on the water." Then, while ambling along on the beach, I thought about a turn that was due, when I heard a click. Turned around and saw a runner leave the beach and go through a gate, the gate I was to go through. As I contemplated this, along came an elderly—as in at least as old as I am—couple with their dog. "Can one continue walking down the beach a good distance from here?" I asked. "Well, yes, but there are the rocks." "How bad are the rocks?" "It is a little rough." "Do you ever walk through them?" "Yes, we do." I am thinking, "People, this is someone who conquered the two boulder fields on Arran and has done the Southwest Coastal Path, not to mention the Southern Upland Way. Do you think I fear a few rocks?" But what I said, was, "Thank you very much. I will give it a try."

And here some of them are, not even a minor impediment:

Whom would you prefer to have as a friend? Her:

or him?

There are 1000 of these mile markers in the UK. This one announced that 4 1/2 miles lay between that very spot and Warkworth:

After the beach and the rocks, there came another diversion inland to avoid a river crossable only at lowest tide, which this was not. "Do you know this beach well?" I asked another dog walker. He assured me that he did and directed me around the estuary, which was a way more pleasant route than that the directions would have you follow:

Arrived in Warkworth 14+ miles later at about noon, got an early check-in to one of those where-shall-we-toss-the-old-lady rooms (very small) only this one is beautifully decorated and altogether pleasant except it has a door that you need to be a wrestler to open and it does not get wi-fi, so I have to sit on a chair in the hallway to get a connection. I think the hotel personnel do not like my sitting on a chair at the top of the staircase and would rather I sit in the bar. Well, I would rather they got a decent extender!

After first night in Warkworth, came the last stretch of the Northumberland Coastal Way. Similar situation as yesterday: Direction to walk on asphalt paths to avoid dunes and beach. These paths are fine for cyclists, but an absurdity for walkers. And so, again, I approached dog walkers on the beach to inquire as to passibility, and again got clearance, as I was in luck with the tide, which was just beginning to go out. So, I ended the coastal portion of this itinerary with a beautiful and in every way pleasant five mile walk on the beach. AND only had to wait fifteen minutes for the bus to get back to Warkworth, a grocery-less town!

Approaching Amble: