Friday, 24 June 2022

Day 5 (24th June 2022)

Busy day today! Beautiful start, if a little hazy, and hot once again. Just as I was about to leave the campsite, I had a call from Guy. He has decided to come up to meet me in Scotland in his gorgeous Mazda MX5 rather than the ever reliable and sensible Honda Civic. Very much looking forward to seeing him and Morgan. They will be joining in for the east coast of Scotland, the Orkney & Shetland Islands and fingers crossed, over to the north west corner as well.

My first stop wasn't very far away this morning, so no chance of being distracted by another church or ruin. So, stop #12

TYNEMOUTH 

I'd hoped to get closer to the ruin behind me, which is Tynemouth Priory and Castle. The Priory was built in the 7th Century and has 3 Northhumbrian Kings buried there. Unfortunately, it wasn't even 9am and access can't be gained until 10. I was tempted to hang around, but I wasn't sure I fit the rest of my places in so I didn't. 

Once again, I really didn't need any help finding the next place as it is just along the coast. But what I wasn't expecting was the skyline to be dominated by a large spire attached to an equally large mid Victorian church as I drove over the hill. Of course, I had to have a nose. The sign on the door said "push hard" so I did and nearly broke my wrists. It was definitely locked. Humph. Wandered round the side to get another picture of the steeple and when I came back, the door was open. In I went, and discovered the most overtly patriotic church in England!



The church is, rather obviously, St.George's in the village that is stop #13

CULLERCOATS


Yes folks, Sea Power are playing at the Crescent Club in Cullercoats on the 6th August with support from two great bands - Lanterns on the Lake and Hector Gannet. I will be at the other end of the country so enjoy yourselves if you managed to bag a ticket (I believe it has sold out -it does look quite small!)

Cullercoats is lovely. It started life as a fishing village, becoming more of salt and coal port before fading away a bit until gaining popularity with Victorian artists. The beach is protected by a pair of break waters and provides an almost swimming pool like atmosphere. In I went. It was cold though, and I couldn't stay in too long. As I was coming out, files of primary school children were walking down the hill. I did kind of feel sorry for them!

Exactly like the previous place on the Germinal CCXXIV tour, my next destination was the very next town up the coast. So, if you are familiar with the lay of the land up here, you'll know where stop #14 is

WHITLEY BAY 


Another sweeping pale sandy beach attached to a lovely little town. I'm particularly interested in Whitley Bay as my sister and brother-in-law have been making subtle hints that they might end up moving here on their retirement. I hope they do, on the grounds that I'd much rather come here to visit them than where they live at the moment, which as it happens IS on the Germinal CCXXIV Road Trip. 

The next place on the mug/T is IN Whitley Bay. Or rather was. I owe my knowledge of this to Roy Wilkinson because prior to a Facebook post about my trip, I assumed that the place I would be visiting was in Blackpool. Stop #15

TUNNEL OF LOVE


The thought of buying a ticket (possibly £40+) to get into the pleasure beach at Blackpool, then queue up for a ride in the tunnel of love by myself and try to do a selfie was definitely looking like the low point of the entire undertaking! When he told me about Spanish City in Whitley Bay and that the connection was here not Blackpool I almost wept with relief.

Just after I took my picture, I realised that a couple in their 70s possibly were trying to take a picture of the building as well, and that I was in their way. We got taking and it turns out they were also on a musical pilgrimage of sorts, visiting places connected to the music their late son used to listen to (the connection if you don't know is the Dire Straits single "Tunnel of Love" from 1980). We had quite a chat about music and travel. They loved my T-shiŕt and pointed out lots of places they had visited during their long marriage. I called up Guy straight away and shared the story with him, and while I was talking I came up in a massive rush of goosebumps.

My final stop of the day was a little further up the coast and is to a place not on Germinal CCXXIV mug/T but on the back of one of my (twelve) copies of the 7" version of Carrion. I stopped a little way from the town because I wanted to walk into stop #16

SEATON SLUICE 


Another quirky little village, Seaton Sluice is divided by the Seaton Burn, although in the 1600s quite a lot of major work was down widening the channel and deepening the port. It was a major bottle manufacturering village and boats used to come up from London, dump their ballast (which has become a large hill on one side of the river) and load up with bottles to fill up with gin and whatnot. Apparently there is nothing left of the bottle making buildings, but the village has kept a certain  charm (well, either side of the river anyway). I had a late lunch of fish, chips and proper mushy peas before sorting out my really rather embarrassing screw up over the camping gas cylinder from the other day.

It took 3 phone calls and a visit to Gateshead to get it sorted, but I got back £53 so it was more than worth the effort. Going to Gateshead meant driving through Newcastle and Newcastle being an old city meant it more than likely had a cathedral...




Once again, I got chatting to one of the volunteers about misericords and this led to me telling her about my quest around the British Isles. We had what felt like a real good old gossip about fusty old clergy ( I'm looking at you rev. no fun Norwich) and taking opportunities. She was definitely a good fun granny.

Got back to campsite in torrential rain after Gateshead. I thought I'd been really clever in dumping a lot of my excess baggage in the outer layer of my tent, only to find that practically everything was soaked. Rain is definitely going to be one of my main enemies on this trip, but hey, it could be worse I suppose. I could be at Glastonbury. Very exciting place to visit tomorrow so I really hope rain doesn't stop play.


Allons-y 

Douglas Germinal CCXXIV Brain over and out 

2 comments:

  1. Love the tunnel of love story and the blog in general - Julia x

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  2. I feel very nostalgic reading this, I was born in the North East and lived there until I was 19, had relatives in Cullercoats, and spent a great deal of time in Newcastle at gigs. Am loving the blog Douglas

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