Walking The Wash – where Lincolnshire meets Norfolk
“Oh my, what a blustery day” said Dee.
The tide was incredibly high as we left Sutton Bridge – we’ve never seen quite so much water in an estuary before, and fast moving too.
Great start to the path – 3 miles of tarmac, always a treat. A completely mixed bag of weather today, some sunshine, some rain but consistently windy … and unfortunately we battled the wind head on most of the way. After the tarmac we had easy embankment wall, lovely and flat with the usual estuary mud flats and farming views. We were entertained again with the F35 Lightning fighter jets carrying out their training, lots of neck craning. And an abundance of birdlife today – an absolute orchestra of bird sound at some points – we needed our friend Len with us to identify who was who.
Sir Peter Scott Lighthouse
A rather lovely house in a remote spot
13 miles down, 3 to go!!
Fair to say it was quite a slog today, even with regular refreshment stops. At 14 miles we resisted the temptation to take the ferry across the estuary, rather than walk the extra 2 miles (weren’t we good)! So at just short of 16 miles we reached our destination in the historic town of Kings Lynn. We felt we needed a pat on the back so headed to a pub for a celebratory drink (or two)!
Looking weary after 16 miles of walking – needed something to pick us up!
The remains of the city wall in Kings LynnKings Lynn quayside
That’s the Lincolnshire coastline completed for us and we just have a little bit more of the Norfolk coastline to do. We’re getting there … very much hoping that we’ll have the whole of England and Wales done within the next 12 months, health and house-sitting depending.
Thursday 8th May 2025 – 80th Anniversary of VE Day
We thought our house-sit was in Leigh-on-Sea but it turned out to be in nearby Thorpe Bay, an equally pleasant part of the Essex Coastline. The house we are staying in is pretty wonderful, we shall be languishing in 5* luxury for the next 9 days. And we have the delightful company of a ginger tom called ‘Bertie’ who is easygoing and low maintenance – his only requirements are to be fed plenty and to receive frequent tummy rubs. We’ve struck lucky.
Bertie – a little camera shy!
We arrived yesterday afternoon and, after a thorough introduction to the house, our very lovely hosts Mary and Doug took us out for a scrumptious meal in a nearby Turkish restaurant. It was a great opportunity for us all to feel comfortable with each other … after a couple of glasses of wine and whole deal of chatting, it was like saying goodbye to long lost friends as we waved them off on their holiday to Portugal.
Not to moan but I’ve been unwell for some weeks now – just a cold/cough but hugely lacking in energy – I’m beginning to wonder if it’s long covid because I just can’t seem to shake it. I had thought I’d leave Steve to do the walking on this trip, and I could just relax and enjoy the sea air. But waking up to a sunny day and knowing it was a flat walk, I thought I’d ease my body back into some exercise – it could be just the cure I needed.
Our accommodation is a short walk from the promenade at Thorpe Bay so that was our official start for the day. It’s strange to think that the water is the Thames – with the sand and the beach huts it looks just like any seaside. There were even some swimmers at various points, emerging from their daily constitutions, clad in the compulsory dry robes and crocs. I take my hat off to each and every one of them.
Starting off from Thorpe Bay
It was an easy promenade stroll where we could relish in envy at the stunning beachfront properties – there’s clearly some money in these parts. Continuing on we met the contrast of Southend-on-Sea with its garish amusements, funfairs and casinos – having said that it was still smart and interesting to walk through, certainly plenty of things to do. And then on to the pretty area of Leigh-on-Sea with its famous seafood restaurants – Steve’s excited for his cockles and whelks!
Don’t jump!!Colourful SouthendLeigh-on-Sea
This was 6 miles in and I was beginning to flag – I considered stopping off and letting Steve carry on without me. However, we took sustenance in the decking area of ‘The Galley’ – turned out a soothing mug of cappuccino and a bacon, avocado and tomato panini gave me the boost I needed to soldier on, and I’m so glad I did.
Just past here we took in the 3 mile walk around ‘Two Tree Island’ – a pretty nature reserve that also provides a setting for model plane enthusiasts. As we walked through the colourful and pungent flora we were accompanied by the whizzing noises overhead – interspersed with real aircraft flying low as they made their descents into Southend Airport. There were definitely more than two trees on the island – apparently the name comes from when the land was first reclaimed.
We picked up a path just off the island which became a generously proportioned sea defence wall with pretty views either side, absolutely gorgeous. We enjoyed this 3 mile walk into Benfleet where our station awaited us. We passed the bridge which will tomorrow take us onto our ramble around Canvey Island. And so back to Thorpe Bay where we relaxed in the very lovely garden and soaked up some afternoon sunshine.
Steve in his happy place!
Not sure if it’s cured me but it was a great day and we have 12 more miles ticked off.
We’ve just arrived home in Deanshanger after almost three weeks in the stunning county of Yorkshire … and we have definitely left a piece of our hearts there. This is the final blog for now to catch up on our last few days there.
The formidable Yorkshire Moors
Saturday
It was Dalby Forest Parkrun for us this week and without doubt it was the most scenic one to date – wished I’d stopped running to take photos – it was like Switzerland. Lots of forest, rivers and sheep on the sloping hillside – but great paths and not too hilly a run at all. We were joined by Lynda and Rebecca – great to have their company. Coffee after naturally then back to Lynda’s for a magnificent full English.
With Lynda and Rebecca
In the afternoon we drove out to Hutton-le-Hole for a picture perfect walk in a typical Yorkshire village. Apparently these villages are packed in the summer months but we managed to get a table in the tea shop – picked a good time of year to visit. So so pretty.
Sunday
Lynda and Paul very kindly drove us to Bridlington today so we could coastal ramble our way to Bempton Cliffs where they would pick us up. So good of them to ferry us around like this but they said they were enjoying some time off from their house renovation and also getting to see parts of the Yorkshire coastline they’d not yet visited.
So, we started off with a stretch of funfair filled promenade walk in Bridlington which led us on to some clifftop walking. We covered 6 miles in the morning sunshine and despite some pretty testing ascents and descents we loved it – coastal walking at its best – scenery beyond your wildest imagination. I was glad I had my trusty walking pole with me though, a little slippy in places and a lot of deep steps to climb down.
The path was so populated today – it was Sunday of course, and the sun was out … plus at Flamborough Head there was a huge colony of grey and common seals, basking on the rocks and in the water, so lots of families out enjoying the spectacle.
Colony of seals at Flamborough Head
Talk about 5* service – we were met half way by Lynda and Paul with the most delicious of picnics – this was certainly a more stylish ramble today. We tucked into gammon, cheese, mayo and pickle sandwiches, tomatoes, cucumber, crisps, a selection of fruit, carrot cake and lemon drizzle cake – it was like a full on banquet. As soon as I’d taken my last mouthful I was whisked off by Steve to complete the next half of today’s walk. No chance of letting the food settle!
The next 6 miles was equally as stunning in terms of the views and terrain but unfortunately the weather took a turn – the wind picked up and we were walking into it with gloomy skies overhead. This can so alter your mood and whereas I’d loved the first half, my spirits dropped in the second half … everything seemed to hurt. Fortunately Lynda, Paul and Sneeze the dog walked out a mile to meet us – it made a huge difference having their fresh and encouraging company to get that last mile done.
Paul and Lynda to the rescue
The most incredible feature of this section though was the nesting birds on the cliffs – our destination at Bempton Cliffs is an RSPB reserve – the most spectacular of sights and a cacophony of sound. We were just a few weeks early for puffins sadly but it was amazing to watch and listen to the thousands of gannets – it is known as ‘Seabird City.’
12 more miles achieved today … exquisite section of coastline but I think I’ll be taking a rest for a bit.
Monday
Steve walked 18 miles (see previous blog “Reporting from the Yorkshire Moors”)
Lynda and I drove Steve to his start point in Scarborough and after waving him off we embarked on an 8 mile look around this wonderful seaside town … and Sneeze came too. Another sunny blue sky day for us to enjoy strolling along the beach, watching the magnificent waves, seeing the town’s wonderful old buildings and pretty harbourside, climbing up to the castle and back down for more beach. Fitted in a mid-morning coffee and – it just had to be – chips with salt and vinegar on the sands. And back to Bempton Cliffs to rescue our weary coastal walker!
Pretty Scarborough BeachI made a new friend!Scrumptious fish and chips
Tuesday
Absolutely no coastal walking but still two walks. Farndale Daffodil Walk in the morning – an incredible experience to both walk and drive through these mind blowing Yorkshire Moors, it’s like another world. Sadly there was not the carpet of daffodils we were expecting, possibly we were a little early – a gorgeous walk all the same. Then in the afternoon we drove to the market town of Helmsley – again, chocolate box prettiness – a dream place to live I imagine, wonderful shops.
The gorgeous ‘Sneeze’ xPretty market town of Helmsley
We have managed to tick off a further 170 miles of coastal path on this trip – we’re getting there!
These 5 days in Kirkbymoorside with Lynda and Paul have been fabulous – they are just the best hosts ever. We have eaten like Kings (Lynda is an amazing cook), we have laughed, chatted, played games, explored the area and consumed a fair amount of vino … not to mention the cheese and port. They have a beautiful home in this perfect town on the edge of the Moors …. I’m not at all envious!!!!! They are lovely friends and we will be back.
Another absolute corker of a day. Intermittent showers but largely sunshine. Another easygoing path and …. after 8 days of walking we have finally completed both sides of the Humber Estuary!!
We parked the car up in the village of Welwick and walked a mile down a country road to reach the official Coastal Path. Lo and behold there was actual signage, beautiful new wooden ‘King Charles III Coastal Path’ signs – looked like we were going to be spoilt today. The path was wide and easy underfoot, we even had occasional stretches of newly laid tarmac in the areas where they had erected new bird hides – they must love those twitchers. Or maybe Charles and Camilla had been to visit – it was like red carpet in comparison to the usual terrain! There’d clearly been some titivation going on along these parts, all very smart.
Sparkling new bird hides with newly laid tarmac!
All ran smoothly until we reached the dreaded ‘no entry gate’ at Skeffling. We were obviously being diverted off but there was no hints as to which way we should go. We sort of guessed our way round and could see some construction going on. Spotting a ‘pedestrians’ sign we followed the roped off path and then saw a muddy hill taking us back up to the sea defence wall. There were lots of bright yellow diggers and men in high viz … we tried to slip by inconspicuously. We heard some shouting and beeping of horns and presumed they were just noisy builders communicating with each other. Before we reached the top, one high viz and helmeted man came running towards us saying “you can’t go that way.” Well, poor chap received the full brunt of our frustration at the lack of coastal path diversion signs – he was lovely though and listened to our woes and even showed interest in our walking project – we had such a friendly chat as he escorted us off site and directed us to where we could pick up the path. He even agreed to a selfie!
We stopped for our picnic lunch just past Kilnsea and re-energised ourselves for the rest of the walk.
At Spurn we decided to stick to the country path rather than risk the soft sands but a mile or so later we opted for beach walking (1) because the other option was to go quite some way inland and (2) we were so excited to see the sea and hear the waves. The two miles of beach walking was actually OK, not too soft and it was just amazing to be back at the real coast as opposed to the estuary mud flats. Back to my happy place.
Our lunch stop on Harry’s bench
And from there it was an easy wander into the village of Easington – another pretty East Riding village with a spectacular church. The size of churches in these Yorkshire villages is just mind blowing! This was our destination for today after 9.25 miles of walking. On discovering we had 50 minutes to wait for the bus we took the opportunity to have a rewarding drink in the ‘Marquis of Granby’ … and why not!
And for the rest of our time here now we’ll be at the seaside – lets get the buckets and spades out!
It took two buses to get us to our start point today but the connections went like clockwork. We picked up the sea defence wall where Steve left off yesterday, near the village of Paull. The terrain immediately seemed to be improvement from the previous day so that was a bonus. In fact the whole day was relatively comfortable underfoot.
There was something for everyone – some road walking, sea defence walls, farmland paths, a stroll through the pretty village of Paull, more sea defence walls, industrial backdrops and a housing estate, before an easy pavement brought us back to the main road to catch the bus back into the city. There was just about a mile of a narrow, muddy and slippery path towards the end – but with a slow pace and full concentration I managed to stay fairly upright – regretted not having my walking pole once again!
I’m so in awe of Steve and how he manages to plan these routes – I just always feel I’m in the middle of nowhere and then suddenly it all seems to piece together. It all worked like a dream today, even the buses.
Our pretty bus stop
Being a shorter walk, we decided to stop off in the city for a while. I deposited Steve in a Quayside Bar and went for a little cultural stroll around the Old Town and Marina. You can really see the effort they put in to earn their “City of Culture” status in recent years. As well as grabbing the opportunity to enjoy the marvellous architecture, I paid a visit to Ferens Art Gallery – not huge but some wonderful art. And of course I then joined Steve to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine to round off the afternoon.
And now to continue with the ‘easygoing’ theme of the day … it’s dinner, feet up and early to bed. We are so rock and roll.
In the 32 years we’ve been together, this is the first time that we’ve not exchanged Valentines Day cards, flowers, chocolates etc. We’re far too busy rambling! Actually, we were aware it was looming but it just caught us out in terms of acquiring said gifts. Nevertheless, what better than a stroll from Burnham-on-Sea to Weston-super-Mare … we’re just a pair of old romantics.
We drove the car to Weston-super-Mare as yesterday’s reliance on public transport had added an extra 4 hours to our day out. Unfortunately we just missed a bus and had to wait an hour for the next No. 20 to Burnham. On arrival we were pleasantly surprised that we could walk along the beach (as opposed to the sand dunes) the 6 mile route taking us to Brean. It was overcast but dry and there was lots of life on the beach – dog walkers and children playing – a beautiful start to the day. There were frequent signs about sinking mud further out, so we made sure we kept close to the back of the beach. We didn’t need any stress today.
We stopped in Brean for refreshment and could see a huge climb ahead – Brean Down. Steve did mention that we could skip this part altogether but we just couldn’t bring ourselves to cheat – what is wrong with us!!? So up the flight of steps we went – 97 metres of it – but at least we could stay upright and there was a handrail … luxury! And boy was it worth it, the views were tremendous – looking out over the Bristol Channel towards South Wales and over the Somerset levels. We both said that in all our years of walking it was one of the most magnificent views we had seen. You see, there is some logic and benefits to this crazy life we lead.
At the top is a site of a Roman temple and the path led us up and down to a National Trust property called Palmerston Fort – it is now a ruin but was built to defend the country against a possible Napoleonic invasion and later used in WWII. It was fairly muddy underfoot and slippery so we kept looking for shortcuts but they weren’t abundant. We were fairly close to the end of the headland when we spotted one – it meant a fairly steep descent so we took it steady – we had about a metre left to go when my feet went from underneath me and I took a slip slide down, caking myself in thick yellow mud. I wasn’t amused.
Palmerston Fort – National TrustThe cows have bellsSpotted a pheasant
Luckily the lower path was drier and flatter so I managed to compose myself as we walked back along the other side – we had magnificent views of Weston-super-Mare from here and it made it seem so much more doable. We found ourselves at a junction where a tarmac path would have taken us back to where we had lunched in Brean – but our OS app was indicating that the coastal path route was the other option – a muddy narrow path downhill through the woods. No prizes for guessing which path we chose. I don’t know why I did it because I grumbled and moaned the whole way down about it being ridiculous – I was extra nervous after my tumble. Once again, just shy of the end, I fell onto my side this time and collected an even more muddy look. My very words were “that’s it, I’m not taking any more risks.”
And to think we could have skipped the whole headland as we were pretty much back where we started an hour ago. But we would have missed the views!
It wasn’t even 5 minutes before we were forced to take said risk!! The coastal path sign indicated that the path was available between April and July. The trouble was that there didn’t seem to be any alternative and we had to get back to our car. Steve was getting concerned about getting back in daylight. The gates to the embankment path were open so on we went, and the next few gates were open too. It was wet, muddy and unpleasant but it least it was taking us back to where we needed to go. About halfway along the 3 mile stretch of embankment however, the gates were padlocked … but climb over we did in preference to going back. Our spirits were low but we trudged on and climbed over numerous gates. When we got to the turning point to take us to the other side of the estuary, we made the decision to abandon ship – we were facing another 3 or 4 miles of embankment walking and unknown territory in terms of locked gates etc.
A rerminder of the dreaded estuary and its embankment wall
We found a route to a bus stop a mile away and then had to wait an hour for a bus into Weston-super-Mare. We cheered ourselves up with an orange Club biscuit – simple pleasures. We hated having to give up but we needed to get back safely. It was a bath, food and an early night for us – completely exhausted. Happy Valentines Day. xx
Thursday 15th February 2024
We’re taking a day or two off walking. The travelling to our start points is getting too long and complicated. We’ll be finding something a little more leisurely to do for a few days until we move further down the coast at the weekend. Planning a belated Valentines meal out today.
Yesterday was a day to remember, perhaps a turning point in this retirement project of ours. We need to stay safe and we need to enjoy our times on the coast. So King Charles, if there’s no official coastal path we’re just not going to do it.
The rambling roses 