Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Friday, June 17, 2016

We awoke to another cold, rainy day.  But this one was by far the coldest day of our trip.  I believe the high temperature only got up to 45 degrees.  The wind driven rain certainly made us feel every bit of that temperature, too!

And yet, in spite of the cold and rain to come,
we were gifted with this view with our morning coffee.
Hard to beat!

We were determined to (successfully) make our way down into northeastern England to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.  This time we used the printed off directions (had enough adventure yesterday!) and were able to make the drive without any trouble at all.    

I was intrigued by the campers and RV's that we saw
throughout Scotland.  Here is a bumper hitch.  :)

At a layby en route to Holy Island -
our first glimpse of the North Sea

Holy Island is a truly fascinating place.  At high tide the island is completely cut off from the mainland as the water covers the causeway.  They have detailed tidal charts at both ends of the causeway warning of safe (and unsafe) crossing times.  The island itself is small; only 1,350 acres (1 mile by 1.5 miles) and has a permanent population of about 180 people.  

Along the causeway

photos taken from the road/car

Driving on the left side of the road/right side of the car.  :D

The first settlement on the island was the mission of Saint Aiden in 635.  Lindisfarne is known for illustrated manuscript, particularly the Lindisfarne Gospels, that were a product of the monastery there.  

pretty place

Julie pointing out various flowers

such a picturesque island

love this photo Jennifer took...

... and this one, too!

Lindisfarne Priory was the home of Benedictine monks beginning in 1093.  The priory was considered to be one of the most important centers of early Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England.  

Lindisfarne Priory ruins

The castle on Holy Island was constructed beginning in 1550 as a fortification.  In 1903 a man named Edward Hudson visited the ruin of the castle and decided to enlist the help of Sir Edwin Lutyens, a famous architect, to have the castle restored as a home to live in.  

Cairns by the sea

Love these photos Jennifer took

Lindisfarne is also known for its mead.  Jennifer did, in fact, purchase a bottle of mead, along with a small bottle of elderberry wine.  We drank the wine but forgot to open the mead.  Hopefully Jennifer will tell us all about it!!  :D  

We ate lunch at The Ship Inn, a pub that has been located on the island for several hundred years.  We all ordered fish and chips and it was yummy.  The peas were so fresh tasting we would swear they were picked that morning.  Best peas we ate on the trip (and we were served a lot of peas!).  :D  

The Ship Inn and pub

Mama and Julie

Jennifer and Laura

Geologically, this was a fascinating place!  Parts of the area looked almost like I imagine tundra to look.  We remarked later that although the weather was supremely uncomfortable, it really was totally appropriate to the island.  It sort of 'went with' the place.  I do believe it made our visit there more powerful.  

sand and mud flats/boggy area

eerily beautiful

Unfortunately, this was the day that my cough went deep into my chest.  After lunch the rain and wind really geared up and I got soaked to the skin.  Eventually I had to go back to the car to get dry and warm ahead of the others.

I took this photo through the rainy windshield while I sat in the car.

Not a great sales day for the ice cream man.  :)

We drove back to Edinburgh, stopping at Sainsburys to pick up some groceries for the duration of the trip as well as for our dinner that night.  We then enjoyed a relaxing evening at the apartment.  

Entering back into Scotland

dinner from the grocery store

Links of Interest - 

Flickr photo album of this day - there is a bit more commentary with the photos -
https://www.flickr.com/photos/williscreekranch/albums/72157670354934205

Holy Island of Lindisfarne - 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindisfarne

https://www.lindisfarne.org.uk

http://www.englandsnortheast.co.uk/Lindisfarne.html

The Ship Inn -
https://shipinnholyisland.co.uk/

Lindisfarne Gospels - 

https://www.lindisfarne.org.uk/gospels/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindisfarne_Gospels

Natural history of Lindisfarne -
https://www.lindisfarne.org.uk/general/naturalhistory.htm

Sainsburys -
https://stores.sainsburys.co.uk/2032/meadowbank

Complete listing of all Scotland blog posts -

Grace over Scotland -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/06/grace-over-scotland.html

Traveling to Scotland -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/06/traveling-to-scotland.html

Stirling, or bust -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/06/stirling-or-bust.html

Holy Island of Lindisfarne -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/06/holy-island-of-lindisfarne.html

Our day in Edinburgh, Part 1 -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/06/our-day-in-edinburgh-part-1.html

Our day in Edinburgh, Part 2 -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/06/our-day-in-edinburgh-part-2.html

Sunday in Portobello -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/06/sunday-in-portobello.html

Part 1 of Family History Day -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/06/part-1-of-family-history-day.html

Part 2 of Family History Day -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/06/part-2-of-family-history-day.html

Camus House to Inverlochy -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/07/camus-house-to-inverlochy.html

Highland Folk Museum to apartment -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/07/highland-folk-museum-to-home.html

The 'not what we had planned' day -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-not-what-we-had-planned-day.html

Our final day -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/07/our-final-day.html

The road home -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-road-home.html

Scotland Accommodations -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/07/scotland-accommodations.html

The many faces of Arthurs Seat -
http://lifeatwilliscreekranch.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-many-faces-of-arthurs-seat.html