Horden to Seaham
14th August 2023 | Miles 6.6 | Elevation gain 521ft
A 6.6 mile walk, along the cliff tops and around, and sometimes through, various denes, some of which were wet and impassable - between Blackhills Gill and Warren House Gill, we were obliged to divert onto the beach and walk below the cliffs. At around the three mile mark, it began to rain heavily, and then we had a stretch beside a railway, through a field of long grass crops which left us extremely wet. With a shivering dog and squelching feet, we called it a day in Seaham - the last train stop before Sunderland - our original intended target for the day.
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Getting there and back
We caught the train to Horden, joined the path via the circuitous road route. The station at Seaham is about 0.9 miles inland from the path, and we caught the train from here back to Hartlepool.
Weather conditions
Wet and soggy - mercifully no wind, but the heavy rain came from the three miles mark onwards and it made it tough going.
Walking difficulty
Moderate - not very long or elevated but hard on the day we did it as some of the path was impassable and not very well marked
The story of our day in photos
.jpg "A bit of wet start, but we're full of optimism about completing the walk to Sunderland")
A bit of wet start, but we're full of optimism about completing the walk to Sunderland
.jpg "That's the coast path, but it's completely underwater. Plan B required - head for the beach")
That's the coast path, but it's completely underwater. Plan B required - head for the beach
.jpg "This isn't the England Coast Path, but the beach was a lot more passable than the actual path. Just need to make sure we don't get caught under those cliffs without a way up")
This isn't the England Coast Path, but the beach was a lot more passable than the actual path. Just need to make sure we don't get caught under those cliffs without a way up
.jpg "Well, we found a way up. But it wasn't great - deep and claggy mud")
Well, we found a way up. But it wasn't great - deep and claggy mud
.jpg "That's where we were yesterday - looking back towards Horden Beach")
That's where we were yesterday - looking back towards Horden Beach
.jpg "Raining properly now")
Raining properly now
.jpg "And more rain")
And more rain
.jpg "Raining cats and dogs, ⛈️⛈️ we'd been wringing out our socks and Ani The Dog was shivering, so we called it a day at Seaham and headed for the train station and back to Hartlepool.")
Raining cats and dogs, ⛈️⛈️ we'd been wringing out our socks and Ani The Dog was shivering, so we called it a day at Seaham and headed for the train station and back to Hartlepool.
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