The Durham Coast has recovered from its industrial past to
become one of the finest stretches of coastline in the country. The
Magnesian Limestone that underlies the area gives rise to
spectacular displays of rare wild-flowers in the summer while the
steep sided denes that cut through the cliff are sheltered havens
for all sorts of wildlife.
Hawthorn Towers was a Gothic-style 30 room mansion built around
1810 by Major George Anderson of Newcastle. It was bought by the
Pemberton family in the 1850s. In the 1930s it was rented by the
Boys' Brigade for weekend camps then during WW2 it was used by the
military and the Home Guard. The Pemberton family sold it in the
late 1940s and it had several owners before being demolished in
1969.
Today it is hard to believe there was ever a big mansion house
here. There are a few clues however, including the fruit trees and
bushes that grown in a patch of trees that used to be the orchard.
You can find this cache among them.