Steps to Corbridge

A very long set of steps from a walk I did a few weeks ago.

Muppets opinion piece

Just seen this wonderfully cut-off Tweet from my hometown's local paper.

Gang back to save theatre: The colourful ensemble of puppets, better known as The Muppets, return in a new film dire... bit.ly/zrJe5f
— Newark Advertiser (@advertisergroup) February 10, 2012

Dire indeed.

Marsden Bay

Cleadon Windmill and Water Tower

First walk of the year from a few weeks ago, a five and a half mile circular around Marsden Bay.

Parking in Whitburn we walked southwards above the beach for a while then turned into the village itself.   The route took in a few faceless sidestreets before reaching the open country through a farm.  It was a relief that Whitburn is so narrow.

A long and well signposted path gradually climbed to meet Cleadon Windmill.  From the top there are views of Sunderland to the south and the Tyne Valley to the west.  We descended the hill, past an old water tower, and crossed a small golf course. Back at the coast we stopped off at Marsden Grotto and explored Marsden Rock.

Finally, we walked along the clifftops, past Lizard Point and Souter Lighthouse, and back to the carpark.

Image © Copyright David Elsy and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Start here

Today I'm kicking off a brand new blog for 2012.  This is the third blog I've started (at least) and I know it wont be the last - one of my targets for this year is to launch a new personal website for starters.

Tumblr wasn't really working out for me - the format doesn't sit with me and it seems more like it should be for kids.  I did find some good blogs while I was there and I'll still follow them but it's time to shut that one down.

So to kick things off, a list of what I want to achieve in 2012:

• Launch a personal website for my blog and writing
• Launch a business website for my web work
• Self-publish my first non-fiction book
• Get my novel published 
• Make an accessible WordPress theme
• Launch a world cup website
• Write a second novel
• Revamp Bullet Reviews with a full schema, new CMS and better archive
• Review all of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s blu-rays on LOVEFiLM
• Do loads of walks in the countryside of Northumberland and North Yorkshire
• Get totally ripped like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Last Action Hero
• Complete the Great North Bikeride 

Also a few things I am already lined up to do this year:

• Get married!
• Have a sweet stag do (probably before the above)
• Honeymoon somewhere awesome

I'm sure there's more but I'm going to go make my tea, I was just setting this up to waste time while the Mrs was on the blower (again, lol, #ladsbanter).

What are your goals for the year and are you going to keep track of them?