Before a short break to Germany I had a rest day in Alnwick visiting the castle and gardens.
The castle is still lived in by the Duke of Northumberland (complete with flat screen TV and family photos everywhere) and is used for a lot of filming (Harry Potter, Blackadder, Transformers).
My favourite bit of the gardens is the Poison Garden - full of poisons, medicines and illegal drugs.
Setting off from Alnwick I cross the River Aln.
It's then road walking heading north west to the coast.
I arrive, through a large stone gateway, at the coast at the village of Craster.
From Craster I walk up the wide strip of grass running along the coast heading towards the imposing ruin of Dunstanburgh Castle, a favourite subject of Turner.
Moving past the castle onto a golf course.
Carrying on up the coast, winding my way around holiday cottages in the dunes.
I stop at Low Newton-by-the-Sea for a pint to celebrate my 31st birthday
More beautiful coast heading north on wide flat land behind the links.
I reach the village of Beadnell and have a rest before the final walk to Seahouses.
Into Seahouses for some fish and chips whilst watching the sun go down over the North Sea. It's been a beautiful day and a pretty perfect birthday.
