We left home on Monday and arrived at 4.15pm. A long journey of nearly six hours with a big delay avoiding the roadworks on the M1.
TUESDAY
The weather promised to be sunny so we headed for Craster where we parked the car and headed for the tiny harbour. As we looked along the coast, we could see our first port of call (and Alison's main target for the holiday) which was Dunstanburgh Castle.
We spent over an hour at this English Heritage site (free to NT members).
Note the blue sky in the following photo.
A view from half way up the tower.
Before we dropped down onto the beach for a walk along Embleton Bay, Alison climbed along a rocky promontory.
It was over two miles to Low Newton along the beach, always with views of the castle in the distance.
There was not much to see at Low Newton, but we found a bench for our lunch.
Back along the beach with the tide coming in and a wander around Craster where we found the Shoreline Cafe for a welcome cup of tea and cake when it finally arrived. We sat by the harbour in the late afternoon sunshine before heading back to our room. Dinner was at Di Sopra, a good Italian restaurant we found last time. And less than a ten minute walk into Alnwick.
WEDNESDAY
A cloudy day and as we were due a run, we walked through Alnwick to Hulne Park where I had found a map.
Hulne Park is owned by Northumberland Estates, which is the property company of The Duke of Northumberland and the Percy Family. From their website:
The Estate maintains a large residential portfolio and considerable farming and forestry interests throughout Northumberland and the Scottish Borders, amounting to some 100,000 acres (almost 40,500ha). Alnwick Castle and The Alnwick Garden remain amongst the more popular tourist attraction in the region.
Hulne Park is open to walkers (and runners) from 11am as there are residential properties within the park. It is also closed on certain occasions. Apart from a few vehicles on the roads, we hardly saw a soul. It felt as if we had the whole park to ourselves, apart from hundreds of pheasants. The three coloured routes are discreetly marked along the way, we headed up the main Farm Drive for the blue 6.2 miles.
This park is a gem for runners. Well made roads and tracks, beautiful scenery and deserted on a Wednesday morning. We found the remains of Hulne Abbey that is marked on the map, more of that in a separate post.
Back for a shower and back into Alnwick for early afternoon bacon and sausage rolls at Baileys cafe. We still had the rest of the afternoon, and Alison found advice from tourist information that Alnmouth was only a short distance by car. Just right for a untaxing walk by the estuary.
We picked up some salad stuff from Sainsburys on our way back, and had it in our room.
THURSDAY
Rain was forecast for later in the day, so we drove to Amble for a look round. However, as we arrived, it immediately started to rain. So we returned to Alnwick and went to Barter Books instead.
By lunchtime, the weather brightened. Alison wanted to go back to Hulne Abbey with a shorter run, and I took the opportunity to go to Alnwick Garden which I missed last time. It turned out to be a wonderful sunny afternoon and the garden was outstanding.
I took so many photos. I started with a guided tour of the Poison Garden Then to the eight water features which were absolutely amazing. The Torricelli:
Then the Waterglass, Reflection, Canyon, Starbirst, Menisus and my favourite the Dish Vortex:
My photos do not capture the spectacle of the rising water as it rises and falls. The work of William Pye is described on his website:
Here an air-core vortex is generated within a circular stainless steel dish. Water rises and falls within the dish in a programme of water activity. When the system is full and flowing over the perimeter and down the sides, the top surface is comparatively flat and smooth, only broken by the vortex in the middle. However, as the level drops, the body of water seems to take on a life of its own, increasingly rocking and swaying as its volume diminishes unaided by any outside force. From a point where the dish is almost but not entirely empty, water is suddenly pumped in and entirely different shapes and forms develop, now more turbulent and violent until lapping over the outer edges when the mass of swirling water returns to that curiously becalmed state.
I stayed for ages watching the complete cycle.
Then up past the Grand Cascade:
To the Ornamental Garden.
I was surprised how much was still flowering at this time of year.
I liked the hidden water features:
And the fountains down by the Grand Cascade were excellent:
By the time 5pm came around, there was hardly anyone left in the garden. And the sun had stayed out. Wonderful. And all for the discounted price of £8.45 on a Concession Day.
This great day was finished off with a terrific meal at the Thai Vibe restaurant. Just look at the reviews on tripadvisor.
FRIDAY
Friday dawned to a lovely sunny fresh morning, so we were off early to Lindisfarne. On their website:
We are a tidal island in that access is by a paved causeway which is covered by the North Sea twice in every 24 hour period. Study the tide tables carefully. Lindisfarne versus Holy Island: Locally the island is rarely referred to by its Anglo-Saxon name of 'Lindisfarne'. Following on from the murderous and bloodthirsty attack on the monastery by the Vikings in 793AD, it obtained its local name from the observations made by the Durham monks: 'Lindisfarne - baptised in the blood of so many good men - truly a 'Holy Island'. Its more appropriate title is 'The Holy Island of Lindisfarne'.
Driving across the causeway is always spectacular. But the highlight, as last time was Lindisfarne Priory.
And yes, that is blue sky again!
We spent a long time looking round. Although it was only four years ago that we were here, we just seemed to see so much more. There were a number of information boards that gave you a great idea of the original building.
It was just beginning to cloud over as we made our way to the lookout tower. There were great views of the whole island and I spotted a number of seals resting on a sandbank in the distance.
We headed for the castle, but only in passing as it was covered in scaffolding for a major restoration. Further along the path we came to Gertrude Jekyll's Garden.
A short walk around the coast then back to the car before the tide cuts off the island from the mainland. We stopped for tea and cake at the Barn at Beal. (barnatbeal.com). This is a great cafe, as we found last time.
We drove to Bamburgh, intending to walk along the beach, but as we parked the rain set in. So we headed back to Alnwick. Half way it stopped raining, and when we saw a sign for Seahouses, we took the side road. However, the back roads took us almost all the way back to Bamburgh. By late afternoon, Seahouses was pretty much deserted and we had a pleasant walk around the harbour and clifftop.
Dinner in the evening was once again at Di Sopra.
SATURDAY
The day started sunny with clear blue skies. We missed breakfast at Greycroft as we had to get to Drurudge Bay parkrun. It turned out to be a beautiful two laps of the lake, slightly undulating but we were both pleased with our times.
We had tea and cake in the Visitor Centre with some other runners before changing and taking the very short walk to the beach. This must be one of the biggest stretches of sand in the country (actually seven miles long), very quiet and great in the sunshine.
As it was still sunny, we headed for nearby Amble. The harbour and marina looked good in the sun.
We could see Walkworth Castle in the distance.
We walked down the pier and caught a glimpse of a seal.
On the way back it became cloudy as we found the newish retail pods.
Next door was The Old Boathouse which had been recommended by our friend Philip. It was well past lunchtime and we were able to get a table. The Old Boathouse Cod and Chips was a speciality. Alison had some of mine as well as the smoked salmon.
All the food looked excellent. My fish and chips were even better than Rick's at Padstow. The mushy peas and tartare sauce were memorable.
www.boathousefoodgroup.co.uk/theoldboathouse-amble.html
It was late afternoon by the time we left, so it was back to Alnwick, calling in at Sainsburys for an evening snack in the room with Leicester v Liverpool from BT Sport on the laptop.
We left at 9.30 the next morning for the drive home, four and three quarter hours, much better than the Monday drive up. We stayed an extra couple of days than four years ago and were very glad we did.
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