Lindisfarne, Bamburgh and Coldstream

Whilst on our break in Berwick-upon-Tweed we had two days out and about. Usually we'd do more travelling to see the area we're in but the purpose of this break was to have a rest in new surroundings. Added to which many places were closed due to the restrictions so even a pub lunch was out of the question (or was it?)

Watching the weather we picked a day with reasonably good visability to visit Lindisfarne (Holy Island). It was an early start as Holy Island is accessible via a causeway that can only be crossed at low tide. The crossing time for our trip north was early morning until just after lunch. It was quite surreal to drive over a wet road that you knew had been under water just a few hours earlier.

The island is National Trust and English Heritage but only the outside spaces were open and free to all to wander. We first strolled through the village to Lindisfarne Priory, now a ruin. There is much religious history on Hily Island, the first monastery dating back to 634. It would have be good to learn more so I'm sure we'll return one day when the visitor centre is again open. 

The views from the island were amazing, it's easy to see how you could be caught by the incoming tides. At low tide you can see masses of sand which are flooded at high tide; the tall obelisks given guidance to the safe channels.

After the Proiry we walked to the other side of the island to Lindisfarne Castle, again currently closed. It sits high on an outcrop of stone and can be seen for miles around. It was built in the mid 1500s and used stone from the then not used Priory.

It was quite a steep walk up but amazing views from the top. As well as the Castle there is a Lime Kiln built onto the rock. With the wind blowing in off the se if felt quite a remote place, hard to imagine living there in ancient times. 

The other side of the estuary is Bamburgh with it's castle sitting high on another outcrop of rock; it too can be seen from afar. It loomed ahead as we drove up to it, quite an impressive building. 

The castle belongs to the Armstrong Family, and has been since Victorian times although there has been a fort here since 420. The house is currently closed but the grounds were open and the one way route to the gift shop gave a glimpse of a few rooms. The Normans built the first castle which is still evident today with its typical square structure.

From Bamburgh Castle we could see Lindisfarne and the Farne Islands. This group of islands is a Nature Reserve for sea birds, visible using the camera's zoom, they made the rocks look white.

The Monday of our holiday was a significant day for Scotland; their indoor hospitality restrictions were lifted although no alcohol could be served indoors. Coldstream sits just across the River Tweed and therefore in Scotland. It's a place I wanted to visit as my grandfather served in the Coldstream Guards. Unfortunately the museum was still closed but we did make the most of our trip across the border and had our first pub lunch in over a year (I was shielding last summer when restrictions eased for a while). 

On our way to Coldstream we spotted an interesting bridge and decided to stop to find out more. It was Twizel Bridge that played a significant part in the Battle of Flodden. I still don't quite understand which side (English or Scottish) came from where, I need to do a bit more reading. 

We also discovered Twizel Castle, now a ruin in a field reached by a steep footpath .... and a stile! 

The final part of our trip upstream was a brief stop at the site of Flodden's battle. It is said to be the most preserved battlefield but that's all it is ... a field. Our visit was brief as dark clouds loomed; a quick short uphill walk to the memorial and a dash back to the car, just before the downpour.

Our two days out were as always full of discoveries but there was far more to see. I'm sure Hubby and I will return to Berwick-upon-Tweed to discover more about the history of this northern part of England.