Fenwick to Lindisfarne

We crossed the A1 and turned up a minor road past Fenwick Granary (complete with dovecot). Then we took a path to the left around an abandonned quarry, with good views to Lindisfarne and Bamburgh. As we walked up this path we were passed, first of all by a group of elderly walkers, and then by a single man. We just about caught up with them while they were waiting to cross the railway (the East Coast Main Line) - they had to wait for a couple of trains, but when we rang the signalman, we were given permission cross straight away.

We came down to the foreshore of Beal Sands, between two lines of concrete blocks, part of the World War II coastal defences. We could see cars going across the causeway to the tidal island of Lindisfarne (otherwise known as Holy Island or 'The Holy Island of Lindisfarne'), although it was still well before the start of the official safe crossing period at 10.30am. We followed the causeway to the point at which the ancient Pilgrim's Way heads off across the sands, marked by poles. Then we waited for a while, taking off our walking boots, unzipping the bottom part of our walking trousers, doing battle with the sun cream and eating cereal bars for sustenance.

The literature talks about only using the Pilgrim's Way in the middle of the safe crossing period and also about allowing 2 hours for the crossing. Both of these things are complete rubbish; we set off about 11am, just 30 minutes into the safe crossing period, and it was fine, and the crossing only took us about an hour and a quarter. However, if you are thinking of using this route, I would strongly encourage you to do as we did and ensure that you cross on a falling tide, so that if there is too much water at any point you just have to wait a while. There are a couple of refuges provided, but you are unlikely to need these if you cross on a falling tide and within the safe crossing period for the causeway (there is no safe crossing period published for the Pilgrim's Way).

We were also pleased to have had only a short walk before the crossing, rather than coming all the way from Wooler (so that you get to the crossing at the end of a long day of walking) as some people do. But the important thing is to do it! i.e. to walk across the Pilgrim's Way to Lindisfarne rather than using the causeway (the official route of St Cuthbert's Way) ; walking across the sands provides a really special end to the walk. The first part of the crossing was the most difficult, with a squelchy bit, then a deep bit with a strong tide running, then a very slippery bit. In general terms it was easier walking through shallow water than over slippery sand.

The Pilgrim's Way brought us to the beach at Chare Ends and we sat here to dry our feet off. Then we walked into the village of Holy Island, now bustling with people. We had a lovely lunch sitting in the garden of the Pilgrims Coffee House. Then we went for a look around the village, visiting St Mary's Church, which is within the grounds of Lindisfarne Priory and is reputed to stand on the site the original monastery, founded by (Saint) Aidan in 635 AD. Inside St Mary's Church we were surprised by Fenwick Lawson's amazing life-sized carving ("The Journey") of monks carrying St Cuthbert's relics on their circuitous journey from Lindisfarne to Durham; apparently there is a bronze copy of the carving in Durham, St Cuthbert's final resting place. At the Lindisfarne Heritage Centre we watched a fascinating film about the viking raids which led the monks to flee the island. There was also an exhibition about the Lindisfarne Gospels, with videos about their method of production and a computerised 'turn the page' version of the finished product.

We registered at the Manor House Hotel then headed to Lindisfarne Castle, cleverly arriving just as most people were leaving (to get off the island before the end of the safe crossing period), so it was lovely and quiet. The Castle was built in the 16th Century, on an outcrop of the Whin Sill and using stone from Lindisfarne Priory (which had been rebuilt by Bendictine monks from Durham in the 12th Century but then dissolved by Henry VIII). Sir Edwin Lutyens later converted it from a fort to a private house (actually a holiday home!) for his friend Edward Hudson, founder of Country Life magazine. I enjoyed the visit much more than when we were last here, when the place was horribly busy. We also visited the Gertrude Jekyll Garden, which has been restored since we last visited.

We pottered back to the village, now much quieter than previously, and bought local Doddington ice-cream back at the Pilgrims Coffee House. Then we explored the harbour area and climbed up onto 'The Heugh' (also an outcrop of the Whin Sill) before returning to the hotel. The hotel had a slightly run-down feel to it and for some reason the Olly Burton cartoons (in much evidence around the hotel e.g. as pictures in our bedroom and on placemats in the dining room) made me think of Fawlty Towers. However the location, right next to the Priory and with superb views of the hardbour, was unbeatable, and they provided us with an excellent evening meal. Then we walked down to Chare Ends from where we could see that the posts marking the Pilgrim's Route were well and truly under water. Lindisfarne is a lovely peaceful place at high tide!