Day 30. Mon 6th Feb. Newbiggin to Hauxley.

To end the week yesterday with a beautiful sunset, I woke in my tent after a peaceful night to the sound of seagulls, everywhere !!! It sounded like there were thousands of them, making a right din... It was -3C in the tent so I didn't hang around getting dressed and climbed out to an equally beautiful sunrise. Had the screeching gulls not woken me I would have slept on and missed the sun slowly climbing out of the sea.

I set off walking feeling good, a new week, the sun was shining and slowly warming the day, it was good to be alive, to feel alive.

Newbiggin Bay was only a couple of miles away and the map showed at least four cafes, one of them would be open. The bay was stunning in the morning sun, a couple of cold water nutters were having a morning swim in the bay and one of the cafes was open so I enjoyed a sausage & mushroom butty and a couple of mugs of coffee with my back on the radiator.

I found the lodge which was in a house looking over the bay, no signs or clues that it was the lodge, I had to ask in the cafe so I could find it.

Newbiggin-by-the-sea, it's full title. Just incase you turn up for your holiday and you didn't notice, that it's by the sea !!! I've checked google, incase you're interested, there isn't another Newbiggin, that's not by the Sea... which reminded me, it seemed like a long time since I left Skegness-by-the-sea... 🫣

Despite the need to explain to us where it's located, it is a very interesting place. The large sculpture, couple, which is mounted out on the breakwater divides opinion. The bay has the oldest working lifeboat station, established in 1851 and also has one of the oldest surviving Rocket houses built in 1866.

I risked my life walking along side the golf course, I've never seen so many choppers and hackers !!! Golf balls flying everywhere !! 🫣🤕

After a box around an industrial site through the village of Lynemouth, once part of the largest coal mining community in England, I was back on a very long beach.

Despite the coal mines having been closed for nearly 20 years, there was still coal being washed up on the beach which is collected and sold by someone recognising there is still money to be made.

The mining in these parts was on a massive scale, open cast and deep shafts & tunnels, some up to 8 miles out under the sea !! The remaining open cast pits are now filled with water and are nature & wildlife sanctuaries, stretching for miles along the coast. So far in fact that I ended up walking over 16 miles as I couldn't find anywhere to pitch up for the night.

I'd reached Hauxley, the light was fading and I was chatting to a couple about the lack of decent places you can camp these days. I walked on and chap called David said he'd heard my predicament, as someone who had done a lot of backpacking and camping around the world, he understood. He kindly showed me down to private garden/allotment and very kindly allowed me to pitch up for the night.

It was like heaven... cheers David, you are a diamond. 😉👍