Day 2 Seaham to Hartlepool

Hello from Hartlepool. If you are hoping to see more photo's of my trip, I am very sorry but there are none tonight, except for these three of my soaking wet belongings draped around my room. Boy oh boy, what a day I've had today. The camera didn't come out of it's pouch which was buried deep under my clothing. Pity I didn't think to put my phone in a safe place, it now doesn't work. 

I was intending to leave the Harbour View pub at Seaham at 8am and get myself a breakfast, but I had some food in my room, and it was pouring with rain, so I thought I would make a start walking, and eat later. I didn't get away at 8am however, as I sat talking to the new owner of the pub for an hour. She had some good stories to tell, been in the Territorial Army for some years, ex night club bouncer, took part time jobs so she could go to university, and then worked in drug rehabilitation. A very varied career. Now she has this pub and is planning to completely refurbish it. It would be interesting to go back in a year and see how she is getting on.

I decided to modify my route a bit. The rain was lashing down and it would have been foolish to try and walk along the coast road. I would have got blown away. So, it was tarmac bashing today, at least I could keep up a good pace, despite hanging onto an umbrella which kept blowing inside out. Sadly I had to ditch it half way between Peterlee and Hartlepool.

 I stopped for food when I got to Peterlee. Luckily I came across an Asda, I thought, that will do, into the cafe for something hot. I dripped my way up the escalator to the upper floor and ordered a jacket potato with baked beans. When I got up to leave there were pools of water all around me.

There's not a lot you can do when the weather is determined to give you a thorough drenching, just get on with it. I walked as fast as I could, every step meant a step closer to home. It's about focus, I might have had a crap day today, but that's only part of the overall trip. You have to take the rough with the smooth. I will not give up like I did on my long walk a year ago, because I am not going to come back and do this at a later date.

Tomorrow is forecast not to be so bad. It is supposed to be showery, let's hope that is right. So, tonight I am in the Travel Lodge at Hartlepool. I've checked the mileage for yesterday and today, and surprisingly they are both about the same. 15.5 miles each day. I would have liked to do a bit more, but I have to stop where I think I might get a room. I am close to the Harbour here, and it looks an interesting place from the bits I have seen. I will try and get some pics before I leave, though I think I ought to buy a new phone first. Someone is wanting to meet up with me tomorrow and I have no way of communicating with him. Also Brenda wants to speak to me. Why didn't I check my phone was safe, I thought the pocket was waterproof. Nowhere stays dry with that amount of rain, even inside the bottom of my rucksack had a pool of water in it.

I'll get off now, need to move the wet clothes nearer the heater.
Toodle pip.