Friday 14 December 2012

Walking in a Winter Wonderland - Bamburgh

You will be aware of my passion for walking and this is not just confined to the summer months. Yesterday I took advantage of the cold but dry and calm conditions to accompany a group of friends on a ten mile walk from the Northumbrian village of Warenford to the historic village of Bamburgh.

The ground was frozen solid but this made walking easier and more pleasurable than some of the muddy conditions we have had in recent weeks. Three days earlier, one of our group had been walking in the region of Los Gigantes on the west coast of Tenerife and he commented that the scenery had been stunning, yet the scenery that we saw as we approached Budle Bay was in its own way, just as spectacular. The North Sea had the appearance of a lake as it stretched out before us, a glorious blue colour and as calm and flat as I can ever recall seeing it. From our viewpoint close to Bamburgh Castle Golf Course, we also saw seals basking on the nearby rocks.

Bamburgh Castle was first built during Norman times and still stands on an imposing rock overlooking the sea and the magnificent Northumbrian coastline towards The Farne Islands and Lindisfarne. As we approached, the late afternoon sun cast a beautiful orange glow an the castle walls. These were photo opportunities not to be missed.

The walk was enjoyed by all of us, as were the pints of Alnwick Amber Ale we enjoyed in the welcoming Castle Hotel afterwards. I'm now looking forward eagerly to my next walk.






 

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