(The links to all the parts of this series are given at the end of the post)
June 07, Friday
We left Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum around 3 p.m. We thought of having dinner at Zamorins at Whitley Bay.
But there was a lot of time left in the day. So, we decided to stop by at Boulmer Beach.
Boulmer (pronounced Boomer) is a traditional fishing village. But there is no harbour. Cobles (fishing boats in northeast England) are hauled directly onto the beach with tractors.
When we reached there around 3:30 p.m., we found just a couple of other people — no crowds. I was told that this is not a place where many people flock. There are quite a few houses alongside the coast.
ROCK FORMATIONS
The beach was tranquil. We walked along on the sand with a cold breeze blowing against us. We reached a point where quite a lot of seaweed had washed ashore, giving the place a shabby look.
Along the coast, we discovered captivating rock formations, each with its own story to tell. Most of them appear to be 'whin sill' (a type of dolerite rock) and limestone, adding a geological twist to our adventure.
Henry has a keen interest in geology, and some of the small pieces of rocks caught his attention.
The village of Boulmer was infamous for its smuggling activities in the 18th and 19th centuries. Apparently, smugglers and pirates from across the coast and Scotland used to converge here, dealing in illicit goods such as spirits, salt, and tobacco.
Boulmer is now also known for the Royal Air Force base, which was established during the Second World War.
DUCKS ON THE COAST
One of the most surprising moments was seeing ducks and ducklings along the sea coast. It was a unique experience that I had never encountered before!
I did some quick web searches and learned that these could be sea ducks. A few species are commonly found on the Northumberland coast.
We also spent some time sitting on a bench and enjoying the view of the vast expanse of the sea.
A 1 min 20 sec video of the ducks and ducklings, the vast expanse of the North Sea, the rock formations, and the panoramic view of the coastal area can be viewed here.
ZAMORINS
We left for Zamorins restaurant in Whitley Bay around 4:45 p.m. On the way, we saw some beautiful landscapes.
It took us a little over an hour to get there. Zamorins is a South Indian restaurant run by three friends from the state of Kerala in South India.
It's very unusual to find an Indian restaurant run by Indians, especially one from my home state! Most of the 'Indian restaurants' in the UK are run by people from Bangladesh.
Zamorin is the Anglicised version of the Malayalam Samoothiri, the title of the erstwhile monarch of the kingdom of Kozhikode (Calicut), which is now a city and district in the state of Kerala in south India. They ruled from 1124 CE to 1806 CE.
The restaurant, which opened in November 2018, is the realisation of the dream of three friends who were inspired by the Zamorins' rich contribution to South India's art, culture, and cuisine.
I am not a foodie, so I can't make any detailed comments on their menu except that they have a wide variety of dishes, and what we had was exceptionally tasty.
It was no wonder that the place was nearly full. This is easily a popular restaurant in the town!
The sumptuous meal rounded off a long and delightful first full day of our tour, which started at Cresswell.
(To be continued)
Links to all the posts in the series
01 - Departure (June 05, Wednesday)
02 - Dockwray Square, Tynemouth (June 06, Thursday)
03 - Cresswell Pele Tower (June 07, Friday)
04 - Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum (June 07, Friday)
05 - Boulmer Beach, Zamorins (June 07, Friday)
06 - Beamish Museum (June 08, Saturday)
07 - The Holy Island of Lindisfarne (June 09, Sunday)
08 - Linhope Spout Waterfall (June 10, Monday)
09 - London, Wanstead (June 11, Tuesday)
10 - London City (June 12, Tuesday)
11 - BBC (June 12, Tuesday)
It's nice to get off the touristy traps and find a beach only the locals know about. It looks like you had a nice day.
ReplyDeleteI prefer less crowded beaches.
DeleteBaby boomers at Boulmer Beach.
ReplyDeleteDead seaweed comes and goes with the tides but it does look unsightly, and can stink.
I've seen ducks and ducklings in our seawater a couple of times. It is unusual and I was surprised the first time I saw them paddling in salt water.
Mercifully, it wasn't stinking!
DeleteYour description and photos of Boulmer Beach reminds me of Muttom Beach.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about Muttom Beach and I just looked up the net. Apparently, besides rocks, there are caves too there! Interesting. I should visit someday.
DeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Eider ducks, Pradeep. Shows how cold the weather has been, for they're generally winter visitors and head north for summer. I love the "ussie". Finding decent and properly Indian food is a challenge in the UK, though as more folks travel there and experience things other than balti or vindaloo things are improving, slightly... YAM xx
Hi Yamini, Thank you so much. :-) I think Indian food is now more readily available across the globe than it was a few decades ago. Because of the internet, social media, OTT platforms, etc., there is now more cross-cultural awareness, and people are willing to try out new dishes. We had Indian food from three places, and they were pretty okay.
DeleteNice pics and what a cool place to take a tour
ReplyDeleteHi Pam - Thank you.
DeleteAnother engaging read about your trip Pradeep - it certainly gave you lots of material to write about and some great memories as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Leanne - Thank you. It was quite enjoyable.
DeleteI enjoyed reading this interesting post on your visit to Boulmer village with its small undeveloped beach, its golden sand, the presence of unusual sea ducks and an Indian restaurant Zamorins. Could you see the launching of boats with the help of tractors? I intend to read all the posts on your tour.
ReplyDeleteWould it be possible to send emails as and when you post?
Hi KP - No, we couldn't see the boats being hauled to the beach by tractors.
DeleteSure, I can send you an email when a new post is published.
Alternatively, you can subscribe by email to my new posts. They will then arrive in your inbox.
Earlier on my blog, on the right panel, there was a field where you could enter your email ID. But, somehow, it had vanished. Thanks for alerting me on this.
Now, I have restored it. Additionally, I am providing that field at the end of the posts, too. Do let me know if this works.
Even if it wasn't your idea, it's quite amusing that you went all the way to England to have food you could have gotten at home. And English is such a ridiculous language. Why is there an L in Boulmer when it isn't pronounced?
ReplyDeleteThat's precisely what Sreerekha told me! We are coming all the way to the UK to have Indian food!
DeleteAnd, yes, regarding pronunciation, not just English, but even French. From my limited knowledge of French, there is still some pattern in French that one can't find in English. Is this a peculiarity of languages that have a Latin connection?
I would love to have been there to go to that restaurant. I love Indian cuisine. I make it myself on occasion. The hard way so to speak, a grief, and make everything straight from scratch, I make my own Ghee. etc etc. Yum. Enjoyed this blog as I always have, very much. The photos were very nice.
ReplyDeleteHi Katie - Glad to know that you do make Indian cuisine. There are plenty of instructional videos on YouTube. If you haven't check them out, you should. Thank you for your kind words about my blog. I look forward to your comments.
DeleteYour travelogue is indeed very elaborate going into certain details like the origin of the term zamorin. The places are fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy 'traveling' vicariously through your photos and words. My husband is a huge food fan and will find the information about restaurants interesting, for sure. Here in our little suburb, most establishments serving any type of Asian inspired cuisine seem to have Chinese owners/chefs and otherwise Latino kitchen staff. Be well!
ReplyDeleteJolie plage tranquille, et ces canards !! Tiens, voilà un mot en français où le "d" ne se prononce pas... Vous êtes beaux tous les trois ! Mais il n'a pas l'air de faire très chaud ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Pradeep - I wonder if they collect the seaweed for their gardens - we used to do that in Cornwall. Gosh I'd love to visit Zamorins - and try many of their dishes ... great that it's one of Henry's favourite restaurants. Love the picture of the three of you ... fun to see - thanks, cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThank you, Hilary. I am not sure if they collect the seaweed for their gardens. Yes, Zamorins is a lovely place to have some good food. Lots of options they have.
Delete