Thursday10th October 2024
Miles16.79
Elevation Gain 1126 feet
Total days walking 70 (excluding the swcp)
Total mileage 1549.99 (including the swcp)
It's an early start as we are on a time critical day with the train booked for 15.54 from Hartlepool to London. It's about 07.45 damp and gloomy when we leave the apartment.
we are soon in our stride continuing along the promenade with a strong wind blowing us along but no rain although looking back we can see rainbows arching across the sky.
We pass more war memorials before rising up onto the cliff tops, the terrain has changed & is becoming more hilly, We look down to the sea watching the waves crash in on the cliffs below. The clouds have thinned allowing the sun to shine through as we drop down to a beautiful valley the sun lighting the autumnal leaves hanging on the trees with the river water rushing to the sea. Climbing up out of the valley into the sun looking back along the clifftops seeing the sea receding as the tide drops.
We are now into mining areas, the mines long gone now quiet empty tunnels beneath our feet stretching out under the north sea the heavy iron carvings the only memories of this once giant industry are all that remain.
Another steep valley comes into our path & we have to navigate down & through it, some very kind people have placed rocks to make a nice path but they are so slippery we are unable to use them & have to come down next to the path. At the bottom the valley is flooded there is a board walk some of it has collapsed making it interesting & some of it under water the water running off the hills from the rain we had encountered, we have to walk carefully through it hoping that it doesn't breach our boots! One last bit before the path rises up out of the valley is just water, diverted bypassing a blocked pipe drainage pipe thankfully we managed to make our way through it now rising up from the valley to higher ground.
At last Hartlepool is coming into view with some nice grass to walk along, Yes it's the cliff top statutory golf course! Last few steps as we pass through a new housing estate, the path becomes a bit sketchy as the houses are built over the mapped path.
Arriving at Hartlepool our trip is at an end another 62.59 Miles of the ECP completed.
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