Lindisfarne and Alnwick Gardens

Today, May 28, Dad, Anna and I set out from Anna’s home and headed north to the holy island of Lindisfarne, where the remains of an Anglo Saxon priory can still be visited, along with Lindisfarne Castle—a National Trust home. 

Lindisfarne is a causeway island, meaning that when the tide is in, it is completely inaccessible from the mainland.  We checked the tide charts twice, to be sure we would have time to visit and get off the island (Anna’s father said about one vehicle a year gets stuck on the causeway at high tide, and Wikipedia says  one per month!), then made our way across the causeway at about 10:30.  Although this was thirty minutes into the safe crossing time, the road was still badly flooded, and we had to proceed with some care.  Anna’s little Ford KA (which she adorably calls Ka), made the crossing without any problems, despite my Dad joking repeatedly that we were going to break down and have to follow the old pilgrim’s walk.  We parked in visitor parking and made our way to the priory. 

Lindisfarne Priory

Lindisfarne priory is (according to English Heritage) best known as the home of St. Cuthbert, the patron saint of Northumbria.  It was founded in the sixth century by St. Aiden of Iona, but the place is (to a student of history, at least) best known as the home of The Venerable Bede.  St. Bede was a monk at the priory in the eighth century, who wrote The Ecclesiastical History of Britain.

The Lindisfarne Gospels—an illuminated manuscript containing the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—were created at the priory, and were on exhibit at a nearby museum, but the time limit imposed by the incoming tide prevented us from seeing them. 

We wandered the remains of the priory for some time, reading the various plaques and scrambling (where permitted) among the tumbled rock.  We found the large, now illegible tombstones of several monks, and a modern bronze statue of St. Cuthbert—labelled in braille at its base.  St. Cuthbert, it seems, chose Lindisfarne for its remoteness, but would, on occasion, journey to another nearby island to meditate in total solitude. 

Lindisfarne Castle

When we had finished at the priory, we made our way to the headland of the island, where the National Trust maintains Lindisfarne Castle.  This was originally constructed as a Tudor fort, and later converted to a private home.  The path up to the castle is very steep, with steps occasionally cut into it to make the ascent easier.  I was especially grateful for the rope handrail, since the stone path was very slippery.

Edward Hudson, the owner of Country Life magazine, bought the castle in the early twentieth century, and had it refurbished.  The steepness of the path made transporting furniture difficult, so when the National Trust took the castle over, they left it exactly as it was when the Hudson family lived there.  There are photos in many of the rooms of a young girl playing, with the rooms looking exactly as they do today. 

The most interesting feature, I thought, was the exposed mechanism in the scullery that is used to raise and lower the portcullis.  The portcullis is still in working order, and is raised and lowered once a year to make sure it is safe for the many visitors to pass under it.  One of the house stewards told us to look for the wood wedges driven into the stone grooves under the iron gate, put there just in case the mechanism fails!

Alnwick Gardens

Our time on the island was running short, so after a quick visit to the castle battery, with a spectacular view across to Bamburgh castle on the mainland, we headed back to the parking lot (with a quick detour to the gift shop so Anna could pick up some Lindisfarne mead; Holy Island is famous for this drink, and for good reason—it’s delicious!).  We paused on our way across the causeway and stepped out of the car so I could get a sense of how barren the space was.  Streamers of seaweed and large tracks of sand and mud were strewn across the tarmac road, and a number of platforms have been built at various points along the causeway for stranded visitors to retreat to if they aren’t smart enough to turn back at the “Do not proceed when water reaches causeway” signs. ;)

 

Alnwick (pronounced “annick”) Gardens are on the way from Lindisfarne to Newcastle, and are a gorgeous series of landscaped gardens, including a stepped fountain (don’t linger on the bridge that crosses it unless you want to get soaked by occasional jets of water), a tulip garden, “roots and shoots” area, rose garden, and bamboo maze.  Due to the early season, only the early flowers were in bloom, but we had a lovely time wandering and chatting. 

We stopped for supper on the way home at a roadside pub, and were about halfway back to Newcastle when a small light began flashing on the dashboard.  Following Dad’s directions, Anna pulled over into another pub parking lot, and we all got out.  Opening the hood let out a great belch of steam; Ka was overheating.  While a group of curious pub-goers watched, Dad (who is a recently retired auto teacher), got a jug of water from the pub and tended to the car.  We drove the rest of the way back to Anna’s house without a problem, but Ka has been consigned to the mechanic’s shop for the rest of our stay. 

Hadrian’s Wall tomorrow!

In and Around Morpeth

Today, May 27, Dad and I said farewell to Jacquie (who very kindly let us see her horse, Hobbit, before we left), and headed south, out of Scotland, to Northumbria.  My friend, Anna, whom I met while studying in Aberdeen several years ago, lives just outside Newcastle, and we’ll be staying with her for the last few days of our trip. 

I met Anna while studying at the University of Aberdeen, when I attended the Storytelling Society.  She is a practicing storyteller with a special love for folk stories and talks with princesses.  You can visit her website at www.uponmyword.co.uk. 

When we walked through the door of Anna’s home, it was to find ourselves enveloped in the smells of fresh bread and new-baked cookies.  Poor Anna had a cold, but was adamant that it wasn’t going to stop her from joining us, so immediately after lunch, we set out to visit Morpeth, a nearby historic town. 

We visited the tourist centre first, and picked up a map marked with a “points of interest walk,” supposed to take an hour, then proceeded to a little shop called Curiously Wicked before starting our walk.  Curiously Wicked is a chocolate shop where you can sit and have a cup of tea or coffee served by waiters and waitresses dressed up like Edwardian servants.  I think Dad’s comment ran something like, “It’s like Downton Abby up here!”   I had the best cup of Earl Gray tea I’ve ever had, and a delicious apple cupcake.  Then, we were off again, down to the Wansbeck river where, for four pounds, Anna and I rented a boat for 30 minutes and went rowing.  Anna did most of the work, but I took a turn with the oars and only hit the banks twice!

The boat safely back at the dock, we walked down to the famous Morpeth stepping stones.  It’s said that you haven’t visited Morpeth until you’ve fallen off the stepping stones into the Wansbeck;  Dad and I only went to the third or fourth stone, and didn’t fall in—thankfully; it was a little chilly ;)

Following our map, we wandered through a beautiful park, caught a glimpse of the ruins of Morpeth Castle (open only one day a year), and visited the public aviary.  We past the home of Admiral Collingwood, famous for taking command after Admiral Nelson’s death and, in Morpeth, for planting oak trees to replenish the forests that were destroyed to furnish the English Navy.   We also visited the Church of St. James the Great, though we could only view the outside, the church having closed for the day. 

Finally, on our way home, we past over a footbridge that provides a view back toward a beautiful arched vehicular bridge.  In recent years, the Wansbeck flooded so badly that the water touched the top of the 20-foot arches. 

Tomorrow, we’re off to Lindisfarne to see the priory where The Venerable Bead penned the Ecclesiastical History of Britain in the eighth century.  Can’t wait!

Stuart Residences

Today, May 26, Dad and I set out from Falkirk to visit Stirling Castle. 

Geographical Importance:

Stirling Castle has been called “a great brooch clasping the lowlands and the highlands together.”  Located on a volcanic craig high above the Firth valley, overlooking the Stirling Bridge (until recently the most northerly point at which the Forth river could be crossed), and with stunning views toward the lowland hills and the highland craigs, Stirling is commanding, to say the least.

The castle and its surrounding area have been strategically important since at least  the late thirteenth century.  In 1297, William Wallace helped defeat an army of King Edward I at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, just below Abby Craig—visible from the ramparts. 

The 15^th-Century Hall

Visitors to Stirling approach the castle through the gatehouse, which was added in the 1700s in response to the Jacobite threat.  Inside, there are two main living structures.  The first, the great hall, was built by King James IV in the 1400s, and boasted a minstrel’s gallery, standing candelabra, and two great, throne-like chairs where James and his wife would receive guests. 

The 16^th-Century Palace

More impressive, though, is the palace, added later by James IV’s son, James V.  The outside of this building was coated in a honey-coloured lime wash known as king’s gold, and features more than 250 carvings.  On the outside, facing the inner courtyard, are five statues: James V, looking like an Old-Testament prophet; Ganymede; Venus Armata, having defeated mars and featured using his weapons as playthings; Saturn; and Abundance. 

Inside the palace, visitors can see the king’s suite—including his outer chamber, privy chamber, and formal bedchamber.  All of these rooms are virtually empty, since James V died before the palace was completed.  However, in the king’s first hall, visitors can see replicas of the Stirling heads—carved and painted figures mounted on the ceiling.  James is in the second row and fourth from the left.  His wives flank him, and King Henry VII of England (depicted with a lion across his shoulders) and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, are also in this row.  These carvings were meant to show that James V was on a political level with the European and English Kings.  The original heads were scattered when the ceiling collapsed.  Most of them have been recovered and are now on display in the gallery on the floor above the king’s chamber.

The queen’s chambers connect to the king’s, and are a mirror image of his.  Unlike James V, his second wife, Mary of Guise, lived in the castle for more than 30 years after James’ death, and her bedchamber has been made to look as it might have during the 1530s. 

From the Queen’s chamber, you can step outside to the Prince’s walk, where some of Stirling’s strangest statues can be viewed on a nearby wall.  The audio guide explained that the figures might be meant to represent both physical protection of the people within Stirling’s walls, and moral protection—since the androgynous devil figure is the central position. 

Exterior of Stirling Castle with its wash of king's gold.

 In the Queen’s receiving room, there are now replicas of the famous Unicorn Tapestry.  While the originals—made in Belgium, and now on display in New York—were not owned by James and Mary, it is known that they had at least one unicorn tapestry of this sort.  The tapestries on display here were made by craftspeople working at Stirling and in southern England.

The Chapel

The chapel is where Mary Queen of Scots was baptized and crowned. Her son, James VI of Scotland and I of England, was also baptized here in a golden, jewel-studded font (a gift from his godmother, Elizabeth I).  King Charles I also visited the chapel in 1633, and it was in honour of his coming that the frieze near the ceiling was painted (he only stayed for 2 days, and the people of Stirling were very disappointed!)

A Note on Accessibility

Stirling Castle had a wonderful audio guide, specifically designed for visually impaired guests.  It was wonderful to know what things looked like, as well as what they meant, and to have directions designed to help me navigate the castle.  It was still good to have a sighted guide to help me find some of the landmarks the guide sent me looking for, but it was helpful to have something telling me more than “There are statues on the wall,” which is about as much as I would have gotten from Dad! ;)

St. Michael’s Church in Linlithco

After Stirling Castle, we returned to Linlithco and visited St. Michael’s Church, which was where the Stewart monarchs worshipped when they were in residence at Linlithco palace. 

Edward I used the church as a storage space for his army in the 1300s, and Oliver Cromwell billeted soldiers and horses here when he attacked Scotland in the 1650s.  You can still see grooves in the corner stones where Cromwell’s men sharpened their swords!

Linlithco Palace

Linlithco Palace is next door to St. Michael’s church, and is well worth a visit if you have time.  The large fountain in the centre of the main courtyard was built by James IV for his Tudor wife, Margaret, though only the mermaid, drummer, and scroll-holder are original, the majority of the fountain having fallen into ruin over the centuries. 

The palace itself is in ruins, and the most interesting features are probably the massive fireplaces.  This one, located behind what would have been the king’s table in the great hall, had three chimneys, and was big enough for me to stand in (okay, granted, I’m only five ft tall, but still!) 

We finished off the day with fish and chips beside Linlithgow loch, so dad could watch people fishing. ;)  We’ve just come back to our B&B, and are packing things up to head south again tomorrow. 

A Note on the B&B:

For the past two days we’ve stayed at a lovely B&B just outside of Linlithgow called Lismore House.  I’d highly recommend it if you’re planning on exploring the south of Scotland and have your own transportation—and if you don’t mind sheep and highland cattle :P  Jacquie, the landlady, is cheerful and wonderfully welcoming; every time we returned to our rooms it was to find some new home-baked goodies waiting alongside a thermos of tea.  The fact that I couldn’t see didn’t put her off for an instant, and she was always happy to discuss the day’s plans and make recommendations over breakfast.  Thanks for such a wonderful visit, Jacquie!

 Northumberland tomorrow!

Bisecting Scotland: the Falkirk Wheel and the Antonine Wall at Kinneil

On Thursday, May 23, Dad and I spent the entire day driving from Llanberis, North Wales, to Edinburgh, Scotland.  It was a bit of a shock to find ourselves in a busy city after the relative quiet of the Welsh mountains, but we had fun meeting up with old friends and visiting Edinburgh Castle.  It was Dad’s first time in Edinburgh, though I’d visited the castle twice and the city three times over the course of the year I spent studying in Aberdeen.  It was a lot of fun to show Dad around.

Falkirk Wheel

Today, though (Saturday, May 25) we left Edinburgh and drove about 40 minutes north to Falkirk, where we stopped to see the Falkirk Wheel.  The Wheel is a rotating lift lock.  Trust Dad (who is an avid boater) to find something boat-related ;)  The Wheel is the only rotating lock in the world, and the canals it provides access to are built along the same stretch of ground the Romans used when they constructed the Antoninee wall, which we visited next. 

The Antoninee wall

The Antoninee wall was built in 142 AD as a more northern boundary than Hadrian’s Wall.  It stretches from the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Clyde, about 60 miles.  Featuring “fortlets” every mile and a proper fort every eight miles, the Antonine wall consisted of a 40-foot wide, 12-foot deep ditch, a 10-foot tall earthen wall or “counterscarp” and a series of Roman minefields—deep holes studded with sharpened stakes.  Until recently, I’m told, it was considered to be the most northern point the Romans settled in Britain, but apparently a new wall has been discovered near Aberdeen, and archaeological investigations are underway.  It will be interesting to see what they turn up!

We visited the stretch of the Antoninee Wall near Kinneil, just outside Falkirk, where the remains of a fortlet can still be seen, although the wall itself is difficult—and perhaps impossible—to find.  A Unesco World Heritage sign overlooks a shallow ditch in a field adjacent to the fortlet, so we assumed the ditch is all that’s left, but neither Dad nor I are archaeologists, so there’s no guarantee!

 

The fortlet would have been home to approximately 30 soldiers, who would have lived in two barracks structures sheltered by 10-foot high earthen walls.  Needless to say, with the fortlet being only about 50 paces square, this would have been close and dark living.  I don’t envy them!   

In the evening, we drove down to Linlithco, the little village near our B&B, and took a walk around the loch.  It was a beautiful evening, and Dad managed to find some more fishermen to talk to. ;) 

Stirling Castle tomorrow!