Tuesday May 4th North East Coast

On our last day in the north east we drove north along the coast road enjoying the sight of the sea and , for me memories of many bike rides to small places along the coast. This part of Britain was once a major coal mining area with colliery towns dotted along the coast between Blackhall and Sunderland. Now the collieries are all closed and what was once the heavy industrialized north is now returning to pleasant coastal towns with pride in their past. We walked along the seafront for quite a way watching men sea fishing and just enjoying the sight of the sea breaking against the snow.

The town of Seaham, like Hartlepool, has been made attractive as a tourist resort with a Marina and promenade.  Lord Byron was married to his first wife in a house in Seaham. We have seen the house before, but this time didn’t see it, so it could have been demolished. It  was not a happy marriage for Byron or his wife and I don’t believe it lasted long. However a new shopping centre is named Byron Place. I suspect it is on the site of the house where his marriage took place.

Another famous person from Seaham with his statue in front of city hall is the Earl of Londonderry who was responsible for enlarging the harbour.

And so I said good bye to my home town. The next day we headed to the west.