UK Tour 07 - The Holy Island of Lindisfarne

June 09, Sunday

As usual, we started the day around 8.30 am. Today, we went to the Holy Island, about 55 miles / 90 km north of Newcastle.

The Holy Island, also called Lindisfarne, is a tidal island located in a remote part of Northumberland. We reached there around 10 am.

It's called a tidal island because it's a raised piece of land above a waterbody connected to the mainland with a man-made causeway. Every day, tides of the North Sea wash over the causeway, making the island inaccessible.

The causeway leading to the Holy Island.

When I first read about this, during the preparation for the trip, I was a bit worried - what if we get stranded there?! Soon, I came to know that the timings of the tide are predictable.

The timings when the causeway is not submerged and it's safe to cross to the island.

Around 200 people are residents of this island. However, about 650,000 people visit it every year.

An absolutely enchanting place, it's steeped in history, natural beauty, tranquillity and spiritual significance.

SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY

St. Aidan of Lindisfarne

The story of the place starts in 635 AD with the setting up of the first monastery by Saint Aidan, which played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity in northern England. 

St. Cuthbert is another name that is associated with the island, where he was a bishop in 684 AD. There are many miracles associated with his name.

Another historical event was in 793 when the Vikings invaded, marking the beginning of the Viking age in Europe. Their attack on the monastery sent shockwaves through the Christian world.

LINDISFARNE PRIORY

After visiting the museum, where one gets a good idea of the history and pivotal moments associated with the place, we went to see the Lindisfarne Priory. 

The ruins of the medieval monastery offer a glimpse into the island's religious past and the lives of the monks who once resided there.

The atmosphere is serene, and the architecture is stunning. A perfect place for reflection and photography!

The view on the right side while walking from the priory to the castle

LINDISFARNE CASTLE

This is an imposing 16th-century structure perched on a rocky hill. It offers panoramic views and a glimpse into its tumultuous past.

The Lindisfarne Castle

The castle actually came up as a fort built using the stones from the priory by Henry VIII to defend against Scottish invasion. 

Lindisfarne Priory was abandoned around 1537 as part of the dissolution of the monasteries.

(The dissolution of the monasteries, or the suppression of the monasteries, was a process set in motion between 1536 and 1541 by Henry VIII wherein he disbanded Catholic monasteries, priories, convents, and friaries in England, Wales, and Ireland; seized their wealth and disposed of their assets.)

After James I took over power in England in 1603 and combined the thrones of Scotland and England, the use of the castle declined. Soon it became a place of tourist attraction.

In 1901, famous architect Edwin Lutyens refurbished the property. (He is the same person who built a number of buildings in India's capital of Delhi during British rule.)

WALLED GARDEN

From there, we went to the small walled garden to the north of the castle. It was set up between 1906 and 1912 by Edwin Lutyens' friend Gertrude Jekyll.

She was a celebrated British horticulturist, garden designer, craftswoman, photographer, writer and artist who has been credited with creating over 400 gardens in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States.

NATURE RESERVE 

We then walked to the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve. We walked up to the Lindisfarne Cone, the white structure that can be seen at the far end of the photo above.

The Nature Reserve is a beautiful stretch of lush greenery, sand dunes, mudflats, and salt marshes which is also home to a wide variety of bird species. 

However, we were not lucky enough to spot any rare and migratory birds during our walk. 

EMMANUEL HEAD 

This is also called Lindisfarne Beacon or Lindisfarne Cone.

It is a 35-foot (10-metre) tall white conical structure on top of the 10-foot (3-metre) high cliff built between 1801 and 1810 by Trinity House, the official authority of lighthouses in England.

This structure served as a navigational aid for shipping and is likely the earliest such daymark on the English coast. My friend Henry went down the cliff to pick up some rocks (some not too small) that he found quite interesting.

After spending some time there, we began our walk back. We had to leave the island before 3.30 pm when tides would start coming over the causeway.

We are on our way back. The white Lindisfarne Beacon can be seen as a small speck. 

The lush green meadows.

BAMBURGH BEACH

We left around the Holy Island around 3 pm. On our way back, we stopped by Bamburgh Beach, about 15 miles (25 km) from the Holy Island.

The Bamburgh Beach

It's one of the most pristine beaches I have ever seen giving me a breathtaking view of the North Sea. 

What struck me was the lack of any buildings or trees along the vast stretch of coast. The shoreline was clean and expansive, and the waters were clean.

Most of the people had come there for a picnic or to fly kites, play games, walk their dogs, or play with them.

The Bamburgh Castle

Perched majestically on a rocky hill overlooking the beach is the  Bamburgh Castle, one of the most iconic and historically significant fortresses in England. We just saw it from the beach. 

It has a history that spans over 1,400 years, having been built by the Normans on the site of a former Celtic fort.

TYNEMOUTH LODGE HOTEL

From the beach, we headed back home around 5 pm. We stopped by at the Tynemouth Lodge Hotel. It is roughly 55 miles (90 km) south of Bamburgh Beach.

This is a very, very old pub, established in 1799. Pubs are so much a part of British social and cultural life, aren't they? A place for people to socialise, share news and views, and even do business! 

It's like any other pub. But this one serves only beer. No meals, no music, no TV, no games. The only sound one can hear is of people talking. I was told that it is a very popular place. Not surprisingly, it was quite crowded.

(To be continued)

Here are the links to all parts of the series:

01 - Departure

02 -Dockwray Square, Tynemouth

03 - Cresswell Pele Tower

04 - Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum

05 - Boulmer Beach, Zamorins

06 - Beamish Museum

07 - The Holy Island of Lindisfarne

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UK Tour 06 - Beamish Museum

(Links to the previous parts in the series are at the end of this post.) 

June 08, Saturday

I love museums because I learn a lot from the displays there. For this trip, I had a choice of a few. I picked Beamish because, from what I read, it is pretty exhaustive, covering a lot about the history of northeast England. One of the reviews even said one day is not enough to see the whole of it.

At the end of the day, I wasn't disappointed at all.

We boarded a metro from Northumberland Park station, got down at Hay Market, and took a bus to Beamish Museum.

After we alighted at Hay Market, we took a short walk around the place since the bus had yet to arrive.

WAR MEMORIAL

We went to Old Eldon Square, a public square completed in 1840 after about 15 years of work.

In 1923, a war memorial was unveiled at the square in memory of the city's residents who had lost their lives in World War I. According to the BBC, the Monument was "paid for by people living in the city, via an appeal for residents to contribute a shilling each."

At the top of the 32ft (almost 10m) high memorial is a bronze statue of St George on horseback slaying a dragon.

GREY'S MONUMENT

A little ahead is the Grey's Monument. Unveiled in August 1838, it was built to recognise the contributions of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834.

It is located at the heart of the city, at the intersection of Grainger Street and Grey Street, two of Newcastle's most historic thoroughfares. 

The 135-foot-tall Monument has a 13-foot statue of Earl Grey at the top. He is shown holding a scroll that symbolises the Reform Act, which was enacted during his time. 

The whole structure was built with local sandstone. It is said that the original plan was to make it 150 feet in height, but there wasn't enough money for it.

The Monument's base features inscriptions and bronze reliefs that celebrate Grey's achievements and the significance of the Reform Act.

There is quite a lot of space around the Monument for the public to gather for meetings and events.

After spending some time there, we got back to the bus terminus for the bus to the museum. 

RELIVING THE PAST

Beamish Museum is definitely a must-see for anyone interested in history and local traditions. 

Located in the picturesque county of Durham in northeast England, this is an open-air museum sprawled over 350 acres that brings history to life, showcasing the region's rich heritage from the early 19th century to the mid-20th century.

The map of the premises.

It was founded in 1970 by Frank Atkinson, who got the idea after visiting Scandinavian folk museums in the 1950s. 

On seeing that the traditional local industries like coal mining, shipbuilding and iron and steel manufacturing were disappearing, along with the communities that served them, Atkinson felt that the life of the past must be preserved in the way it existed then.

According to the museum website, Atkinson presented a report to Durham County Council recommending that items of everyday history be collected. An army camp of 22 huts rapidly filled up with objects ranging from steam engines to sewing machines! They were to eventually form part of the open-air museum.

A REPLICA OF EVERYTHING

The vast expanse is divided into many sections, and it is just impossible to write about everything we saw the whole day there.

We saw the life of a farmer and watched demonstrations of traditional skills like pottery-making.

We saw innovations in agriculture and the beginnings of industrialisation. The was a replica of an early railway, complete with a working steam locomotive.

The dental hospital. The interpreter explained how 
the system worked. That's the chair
on which the patient sat.

We saw a range of 1900s buildings, including shops, a school, a classroom, a hospital, and a bank, all meticulously reconstructed using traditional methods.  

There were costumed interpreters who brought the era to life, offering insights into daily life, trades, and social customs of the time. 

At the replica of a dental hospital, the interpreter elaborately explained the almost brutal way in which a tooth was extracted those days.

HOW MONEY USED TO BE SENT

What struck me at the bank was how money used to be sent from one place to another. Suppose a pound had to be sent to someone. 

The bank

The sender actually tears a real currency note of one pound into two and hands over one-half of it to the bank. That is sent to the destination and is presented to the receiver. He acknowledges its receipt. 

On receipt of the acknowledgement, the other half is sent. Both halves have a code; they are matched at the receiver's end, and an actual pound is presented to the receiver. 

Meanwhile, the torn halves are pasted together, and a new pound is printed against the torn one. 

My obvious question was, why couldn't the actual currency note of one pound be sent? The answer was: because it could be stolen on the way!

COAL MINE

Making our way into the simulated coal mine.

At the Pit Village, we delved into the heart of a mining community. Saw the harsh realities of the miners' lives and explored the recreated miners' cottages.

For the miners everything was given free of cost, residence as well as food. But they led a perilous life, and the casualty rate was very high. 

Once a miner was dead, his wife was thrown out of the house within 72 hours. Therefore, it was common for widows to marry another miner within that period so that they could continue to live there. 

We also descended into a simulated mine shaft and saw the harsh realities of their job. Staying down there with just the light of a lantern for days together was unimaginable.

JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

There are tram rides, vintage vehicles, and charming countryside settings. Beamish Museum is not just a collection of artefacts; it's a vibrant, dynamic portal to the past as you literally step into another world with so many immersive and interactive experiences.

After such a unique and truly unforgettable journey through time, we got back home by around 7 pm.

Here are the links to all parts of the series:

01 - Departure

02 -Dockwray Square, Tynemouth

03 - Cresswell Pele Tower

04 - Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum

05 - Boulmer Beach, Zamorins

06 - Beamish Museum

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UK Tour 05 - Boulmer Beach, Zamorins

(The links to all the parts of this series are given at the end of the post)

June 07, Friday

We left Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum around 3 p.m. We thought of having dinner at Zamorins at Whitley Bay.

But there was a lot of time left in the day. So, we decided to stop by at Boulmer Beach.

Boulmer (pronounced Boomer) is a traditional fishing village. But there is no harbour. Cobles (fishing boats in northeast England) are hauled directly onto the beach with tractors.

When we reached there around 3:30 p.m., we found just a couple of other people — no crowds. I was told that this is not a place where many people flock. There are quite a few houses alongside the coast.

ROCK FORMATIONS

The beach was tranquil. We walked along on the sand with a cold breeze blowing against us. We reached a point where quite a lot of seaweed had washed ashore, giving the place a shabby look.

Along the coast, we discovered captivating rock formations, each with its own story to tell. Most of them appear to be 'whin sill' (a type of dolerite rock) and limestone, adding a geological twist to our adventure. 

Henry has a keen interest in geology, and some of the small pieces of rocks caught his attention.

The entire place was quiet and serene except for the gentle laps of the waves on the shore. While Henry and I went for a walk, Sreerekha found a rock to sit on and meditate!

The village of Boulmer was infamous for its smuggling activities in the 18th and 19th centuries. Apparently, smugglers and pirates from across the coast and Scotland used to converge here, dealing in illicit goods such as spirits, salt, and tobacco. 

Boulmer is now also known for the Royal Air Force base, which was established during the Second World War.

DUCKS ON THE COAST

One of the most surprising moments was seeing ducks and ducklings along the sea coast. It was a unique experience that I had never encountered before!

I did some quick web searches and learned that these could be sea ducks. A few species are commonly found on the Northumberland coast. 

One of these is the Common Eider (Somateria mollissima), which has striking black-and-white plumage. It looks like the ones we saw were these.

We also spent some time sitting on a bench and enjoying the view of the vast expanse of the sea.

A 1 min 20 sec video of the ducks and ducklings, the vast expanse of the North Sea, the rock formations, and the panoramic view of the coastal area can be viewed here.

ZAMORINS

We left for Zamorins restaurant in Whitley Bay around 4:45 p.m. On the way, we saw some beautiful landscapes.

It took us a little over an hour to get there. Zamorins is a South Indian restaurant run by three friends from the state of Kerala in South India. 

It's very unusual to find an Indian restaurant run by Indians, especially one from my home state! Most of the 'Indian restaurants' in the UK are run by people from Bangladesh.

Just to clarify, it wasn't my choice to go there for dinner! Zarmorins is a favourite of Henry, who relishes Indian food as much as native British dishes.

Zamorin is the Anglicised version of the Malayalam Samoothiri, the title of the erstwhile monarch of the kingdom of Kozhikode (Calicut), which is now a city and district in the state of Kerala in south India. They ruled from 1124 CE to 1806 CE.

The restaurant, which opened in November 2018, is the realisation of the dream of three friends who were inspired by the Zamorins' rich contribution to South India's art, culture, and cuisine.

I am not a foodie, so I can't make any detailed comments on their menu except that they have a wide variety of dishes, and what we had was exceptionally tasty.

It was no wonder that the place was nearly full. This is easily a popular restaurant in the town!

The sumptuous meal rounded off a long and delightful first full day of our tour, which started at Cresswell.

Here are the links to all parts of the series:

01 - Departure

02 -Dockwray Square, Tynemouth

03 - Cresswell Pele Tower

04 - Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum

05 - Boulmer Beach, Zamorins

06 - Beamish Museum

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