Northumberland Coast, The Art of Erosion By Robin Hudson

The Northumberland coast is one of my favourite locations for landscape photography. I have visited on numerous occasions for workshops, solo photography trips and family holidays. When lockdown restrictions were lifted in the middle of April this year, I hastily arranged a three-day visit with the aim of building up my portfolio of abstract rock images.

Whilst Holy Island, Bamburgh Castle and Dunstanburgh Castle are iconic landscape locations and popular for obvious reasons, there are plenty of other opportunities to explore the coastline for the more intimate landscapes, which I love.

Spittal

Perhaps the best-known of these amongst the landscape photography community are the sandstone outcrops on the beach at Spittal just South of Berwick-on-Tweed.

If you drive into Spittal, there is small free car park at the farthest point of the road (which is a dead-end). The rocks are situated at the South end of the beach but are only accessible when the tide is out.

The outcrops look insignificant from a distance but on close inspection (in the right conditions), they offer a wealth of opportunities to explore the texture, form and colours of the sedimentary sandstone bedrock. I stress in “the right conditions” because being at the mercy of the tides and weather, they can be virtually covered by sand. If they are exposed, they can’t fail to impress.

The following images are from a trip I made in 2017.

If you continue walking beyond the outcrops to where the promenade gives way to a cliff face, there is small stream which exits the base of the cliff via a cave or mineshaft of some kind. The water is clearly iron rich, and on its’ journey down to the beach stains the rocks a vivid rusty orange colour providing further photographic opportunities.

Cocklawburn Beach

Cocklawburn beach is alittle further down the coastfrom Spittal.

April was my first visit to thisparticular location, and I wasn’t disappointed.

At the North end of the beach the sand gives way to rocky outcrops and low cliffs with a great variety of textured boulders and colourful eroded bedrock. I have had it mind for some time to put together a set of abstracts for a hand-made book and spent most of the day exploring this area.

I didn’t have enough time to fully explore the South end of the beach where this a nature reserve, but once again there are very interesting sections of eroded bedrock and even some fossilised coral and worm-like creatures.

Cullernose Point and Rumbling Kern

Cullernose point and Rumbling Kern are South of Craster near Howick. They’re close enough together to explore in one visit.

The beach just South of Cullernose Point is accessed via a short path across National Trust land from the coast road. There’s a small number of parking spaces at the roadside near the start of the path.

The beach here is strewn with boulders at low tide and can be quite treacherous but there are also some interesting rock formations and tidal pools.

This image, again from 2012 was taken on raised platform of slate.

[07 - Cullernose Point 1. Copyright Robin Hudson 2012]

Rumbling Kern is another mile or so down the road and is well-known for the Victorian Bath House which is right next to the sea. Access is via a short footpath near the entrance to a farm where there are a few parking spaces.

When I revisited in April, I was on my way home and the weather looked ominous, so I only had time for a quick wander down with my lightweight kit – a Sony A6500. I know Rumbling Kern quite well so wasn’t really expecting to find anything new but thankfully it took me by surprise.

Of course, there are many other locations I have yet to explore so I’ll be planning another trip as soon as is practical.

All Images © Robin Hudson