Sandlings

Looking back northwards I could see the white lighthouse on Coquet Island. From this angle it looked like the lighthouse was on the mainland. The island is less than a mile off the mainland and is managed as a bird reserve by the RSPB. I saw plenty of birdlife around on the walk. Often I'd see flocks of birds making their way across the bay like aircraft on manoeuvres. Skeins of geese would fly overhead in all directions. Throughout the walk, Sandlings kept me company. These have to be one of my favourite birds. They are always scuttling near to the water's edge, niftily avoiding getting their feet too wet. Their walk is so fast it's almost comical. When they take flight they have a streamlined appearance with a wonderful dark and light pattern on their wings and back.

Cresswell

There are a number of streams that flow into the sea, over the beach. All except one can be easily crossed with reasonably dry feet. The exception can be easily avoided by using a bridge nestled between the dunes. Eventually I reached the village of Cresswell. After walking on sand for so long, it felt odd to encounter rocks, and the end of the bay. Instead of ascending the steps into Cresswell, I turned around to walk back along the bay. The sun was behind me now, although I now had the disadvantage of walking into the wind. I noticed that the tide had come in a long way. There is no chance of being cut off on this walk though, since it is always possible to escape into the dunes. The last time I did this walk, a large wooden post had been sunk into the beach near Cresswell. There was no evidence of it now.

Return

Further up the beach I saw a horse and its rider, trot out from the dunes. The water seemed to spook the horse and the rider fought to get the beast under control. He then trotted towards me and I managed to get a photo just as he was in line with  a rainbow out at sea. I saw a number of people walking along the beach, picking things up and putting them in shopping bags. I remember seeing the same thing, the last time I was here. I'm not sure whether they are picking up plastic, shells or stones. There are some incredibly smooth black pebbles on the beech and I wondered if they were collecting these. I've got one of these Druridge Bay black pebbles, on my desk at home. I picked up another one today, so that I can add it to my collection. Near Hadston Links, a couple were trying to surf, but the rollers were just not big enough and they gave up, in the end. They dragged their surfboards back towards the carpark. I just managed to get back to the other end of the bay before the tide was fully in. Perfect timing.

It had been a really enjoyable, relaxing walk. Beach walking doesn't get much better than Druridge Bay