Life's a beach on the Northumberland coast

The Northumberland Coast AONB season of Geodiversity walks for this year start this coming Saturday, May 25.
Ceramic ternsCeramic terns
Ceramic terns

These walks will once again be led by local geologist Dr Ian Kille and will give an opportunity to explore the fascinating stories that the rocks exposed on the coastline tell of our deep past as well as how they have shaped the area’s history.

The first geodiversity walk will be from Beadnell and will explore the way the wind, waves and the tides shape the modern coastline and influence the creatures that live by the sea as a way of finding out more about how rocks on the coast have formed.

Rivulet in sand at Beadnell.Rivulet in sand at Beadnell.
Rivulet in sand at Beadnell.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The walk will start by exploring the ancient rocks which ring the coastline to the north and east of the harbour and then go on to look at the action of wind and water on the sands of Beadnell Bay. The walk will finish with a visit to the tern colony at Long Nanny to see how the little terns are getting on.

As Ian notes: “These determined little creatures chose to nest in a small scrape of a nest on the sandy shoreline where they are very vulnerable to the very processes (the wind and the waves and the tide) which move the sand around.

"I have a great fondness for these creatures having created the ceramic models which are used at the reserve to encourage more of the birds to nest in positions which are less vulnerable to the elements. In consequence this geodiversity walk in particular is one which makes me smile.”

The walk starts at 2pm at the beach exit to the main car park in Beadnell. The walk will be about 6km long and will involve some scrambling along the foreshore, so good footwear

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

appropriate clothing and a basic level of fitness is required.

Details of the walk can be found on the Northumbrian Earth website www.northumbrianearth.co.uk along with all of the other geo-walks being run by Northumbrian Earth in conjunction with the Northumberland Coast AONB.