My ride today was an out and back along the coast of Northumberland.
Pressure on land around here is not as intense as elsewhere, so the car park at my start point in Ashington is large and free.
This may be the picturesque Northumberland coast, but it's also a former coalfield and some of the related industry still survives.
There are a few contenders for a 'bike in front of a monstrosity' pic, including Lynemouth power station.
Or whatever this is:
Progress on the road towards Cresswell was interrupted by a few stray horses.
They were a fair size, so I let them canter away beside the caravan park.
After the road through Cresswell, and a stop for a coffee at a cafe just outside, it's back to gravel track.
If only all cycle paths were as wide as this one.
Next stop Amble, where I intend to turn around.
It's been very run down in the past, but most of the shops are now occupied and there's a bit of development around the harbour.
I suppose it would be asking too much for there to be a barber so I can get that haircut I've been meaning to have for a few weeks.
Yes there is a barber, and there's no queue.
The hairdresser wasn't too keen on me parking the bike in her shop, nothing personal, it later emerged she'd only been working there a few weeks and didn't want to upset her new boss.
Hair suitably cut, I nipped around to the harbour.
First time I've been asked to dismount for boat lifting.
Here's a pic of the boat lifter and the small boat being lifted.
Next to it is the Tynemouth offshore lifeboat which was having some minor fettling before a major refit in Poole on the south coast.
Time to make my way back.
This pic of the beach illustrates the area's mining past.
Clearly visible in the sand is black coal dust, there because the mined coal used to be washed in seawater.
Environmentalists reckoned it would take 100 years for the dust to disappear after the pits closed.
Happily, the beaches seem to be recovering much quicker than that.
Final pic is of the Woodhorn Mining Museum, which occupies a large site outside Ashington.
My thoughts have turned to a cuppa, but it appears the cafe is the other side of the seven quid entry fee, so I make do with a slurp from my water bottle sitting on a bench on the free side of the fence.
From here it's a short run through a country park back to my car.
About 30 miles, no significant climbing and very little motor traffic, only negative was it was surprisingly chilly.
- my old commute was rather nice = though not necessarily at 5.30 am on a winter's morning......
) and the Spa Touring was finished. It's only taken a week!
