Low Newton & Holy Island - 16th Aug ‘24

Another perfect weather day - about 18 degrees and high cloud giving about 80% sun / 20% shade. 

Another lie in until 9.30. The plan was to go to Holy Island / Lindisfarne but by the time I checked the tide times on-line we were going to struggle to get to the causeway before it shut at 11.10. The teenager in the group was certainly not up for a rushed start to the day!

So, we had a leisurely start following the exact same routine as the previous 2 mornings. There is a lot to be said for routine/ process when you are sharing a small 3 berth caravan with 3 grandchildren!!

We had 3 or 4 hours to kill while we waited for the causeway to re-open at 3pm. We decided to leave the car at home and take a walk from the site over the fields to the Low Newton by the Sea and the pub on the beach.

Finn lead the way on the 2 mile hike down onto the coastal path and then along to the beautiful Ship Inn. We grabbed a snack and a drink as we played Room 101 - the Twinnies and Charlie have quite an eclectic selection of things they really don’t like and would like to banish to Room 101!!?

The sun was still shining so we walked the 25 yards to the beach. I got another swim in while the Twinnies played football. I stupidly thought the tide was going out so I left my tea shirt by the water line. It must have been coming in as, while I was in swimming, it got soaked! Meaning I had to walk back to Brunnehilda in a soaking wet tea shirt! The North Sea was still blimin’ cold but I’m sure it was a little warmer than Wednesday. It was very calm as well - like a mill pond!

As soon as we got back to the van (about a 40 minute walk) we jumped in the car and headed up the A1 to Holy Island - or as Harry kept calling it, Holly Island!

There was loads of space in the car park as loads of folks had been waiting for the causeway to reopen to get back to the mainland. We walked through the car free streets of the village and along the long path to the Castle. It would have been rude to have passed the ice cream van without purchasing one - so we didn’t!

Lindisfarne Castle did not dissapoint - wow! I’d been there so many times but always had the dog(s) so had never been inside. It’s a Tudor Castle remodelled in 1900 by Luychens into an impressive and totally unique family home and OMG, what a place. Such a wonderful atmosphere and the guides were all fantastic. A proper NT property- nearly as good as Canons Ashby!!

We tackled the long walk back to the car park after a brief rest up on the headland at the foot of the castle.

Charlie was desperate for some more fish and chips so we went home via Neptunes at Seahouses. And they were truly magnificent - again!

We took them back to Brunnehilda and ate them on the grass. The boys then played football before we played a few games whilst listening to the Man Utd commentary. They went to bed happy - their beloved Man U won 1-0! 

Early start for home in the morning. I would like to get on the road for 8! The Nintendo Switches and iPhones are all fully charged up and ready for the journey. How did we manage 6 hour journeys with kids before electronic devices??? That said, we won’t be leaving too early - Charlie is insisting on his shower first thing while the rest of his 3 travelling companions are now onto their 4th day without undertaking this particular activity!

The Twinnies and Charlie have been immaculately behaved from start to finish. No agro, no dissent and very little arguments. 

So ends another wonderful trip to one of my favourite places on Earth - the Northumberland coast - with my most favourite people on Earth. I’ve already booked the next one - in October, just a bit more than 2 months away.

Hopefully this will be a happy and important milestone for me - as I won’t be on my own! And I don’t mean grandsons or Tilly! As a lot of folks will already know … I’ve been “seeing” someone for the last 3 months and I’m really excited about sharing my love of this beautiful part of the world with her.