Lindisfarne

Northumberland - day 4
Today we travel a little further north to visit “The Holy Island of Lindisfarne”
Lying just a few miles off the Northumberland coast, the Island is cut off twice- daily from the rest of the world by fast- moving tides.
Walk with us as we roam the Island, passing the castle we take a peek over the wall into the (Gertrude Jekyll) gardens. We then drop down towards the harbour (where we had our picnic lunch) and then up to visit the Priory to take in the splendour of the ruins.
The Island was so quiet today with the absence of the tour coaches.
Experience the serenity of 12th century  Lindisfarne Priory, the epicentre of Christianity in Anglo Saxon times and once the home of St Oswald. This peaceful setting was the birthplace of the Lindisfarne Gospels, one of the world’s most precious books. Ransacked by marauding Viking raiders in the 8th century, the evocative ruins of Lindisfarne Priory includes the famous ‘rainbow bridge’ which spirals skywards with the ghost of a long-vanished tower.

Holy Island remains a place of pilgrimage today. The island is the final destination of long distance walking route and one of Scotland’s Great Trails, the St Cuthbert’s Way.

Rising from the sheer rock face at the tip of the island is Lindisfarne Castle. Built in 1550 as a fort to defend the harbour against attack from Scots and Norsemen. In 1901 Edward Hudson bought Lindisfarne Castle and commissioned celebrated architect Edward Lutyens to give the castle a luxurious makeover turning it into a comfortable but quirky holiday home. Today the National Trust look after Lindisfarne Castle so you can enjoy the fabulous architecture, stunning views and explore the restoration work that took place during 2017.
Aside its historical pedigree, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne has an exciting array of wildlife. Its island status protects tidal mudflats, saltmarshes and dunes which together form the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve.  Rare plants and an abundance of food supplies attract visiting birds from thousands of miles.

Hope you enjoyed our trip today.