Menoffagainorrhoea; Road Trip - Northumbrian Nooks

Considering it was only a two-day trip, you'll be grasping the understanding there was HEAPS packed into it! Still only on the first afternoon with Aitch... Having looked back to Warkworth, we stopped a wee while in Amble; there was a chill wind and spits of rain, but we were determined to grasp every minute. Aitch was very patient with my photographic need!

We walked the wharf and out towards the board-walk which encompasses the small harbour. It was a little too far for our late arvo comfort, but we did walk back via town.

Loved seeing the male eider ducks with their distinctive plumage - the greenish hue at the back of the neck. The females are also attractive, with many shades of brown shimmering in their feathers. Just off the N'umbrian coast are the Farne islands and the eider breeding colony there is distinguished by being the very first critters covered by a protection order... passed in 676AD by St Cuthbert!

A Shag air-dries

We piled back into Little Ren and set of again along the narrow coast road... making an almost emergency stop when we spotted a cemetery. We are a strange couple that way; it's the love of history and the making connections thing. Nothing morbid. What caught our eye was a combination of two things - a stunning stone tower and a commonwealth wargraves sign. There was actually only one wargrave there; Pvt Sydney Crackett. The tower is all that remains of the original chapel. It is a walled cemetery and at the far end, I couldn't resist scrabbling jumping over to climb the dunes for a view of the Cocquet light house.

... all we had to do then was make our escape.

As the gate wouldn't oblige (it had been difficult enough to open for entering, now it wouldn't open at all!), both of us tackled jumped the wall.

All of two feet high, it still presented a challenge. Little Ren was giggling. I'm sure of it.

...are we done yet? Of course not!