This was the morning that I had set aside to do some family research, so we where up at Woodhorn archive research centre at 10:00 opening, I sent Linda off to have a look around the QEII park, while I tried to unravel a bit more of the family history. (It is such good fun and we haven’t found any skeletons yet). We had arranged that I would quit at 12:30 and then we would head off for a bit of lunch and a trip along the coast.
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| A couple of typical North East Cobles, said to be built in the style of the viking long boats, alas very few are now being used to go out fishing these days |
The weather was once again a little inclement (truth to tell it was a lot inclement). But never mind, the car is pretty water tight. We hit the coast at Cresswell, this is a nice little holiday spot at the start of Druridge bay, as children our parents took us here for our Summer Holidays, it was fantastic, No electrics, just gas lamps, a chemical toilet and the farm shop, but boy did we have a great time there, I still have happy memories and some black and white photos. Duridge bay is is a curving expance od dunes and unspoiled beach, it is now under the control of The National Trust and is a really beautiful unspoiled piece of coast line (but then most of the Northumberland coast is.
We next went to Warkworth with its mighty castle passing Alnmouth and RAF Boulmer before hitting Craster the true home of the Kipper, the smoke house was in full swing and the Fisherman was being Jolly (name of the pub). Here again sadly time has caught up and very few kippers are smoked from herring caught in Crasters own cobles, the herring now come from the Baltic or Holland.
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| The little fishing village of Craster |
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| The original, do not take any copies |
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| And still smoking after all of these years |
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| Because of the low tide this crab boat had to discharge at the harbour entrance |
On the way back to the car park in the old quarry (rocks used to build the harbour) there are a couple of holiday chalets, one one some kind person had a bird feeder, the chirping and whistling was immence. I couldn't resist taking a few pics
We then headed along the coast road leaving Dunstanburgh Castle perched high on the cliffs in the same state that the maurauding danes left it when last they visited it.
We stopped at Seahouses for lunch (fish and chips at the Neptune), I was thinking of getting a boat out to the Farnes to take some photographs but a hailstones and driving winds soon put a stop to that silly idea (another time, as June is the main breeding season for the Puffins, Gillimots and Artic Terns). But a few Black Headed Gulls did stand in a row for us.
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| The inner Farne one time hermatige of St Cuthbert, the Eider ducks are called Cuddy Ducks after him |
We passed Bamburgh with its much added to castle ( various owners have mucked about with it).
We stopped the car at Budle bay, this is a salt marsh and stopping of and breading place for all manner of wadders, geese, ducks etc. As a boy we would come wild fowling here in Novemeber, it was always bracing, well actually it was always freezing, we would camp out at Warren Mill and in the early morning and evening shoot duck and geese.
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| Budle Bay salt marshes |
Next we went across the causeway to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, this also has fond memories of my youth as on the salt marshes at low tide we would pick winkles, welks, mussels, clams and razors, that was in between shooting. Rabbits also abound in this area and always make a pleasant change of diet.
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| The causway to Lindisfarne is only passable at low tide many have been caught out as the tide comes in both ways. |
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| The base of an Anglo-saxon column that had been found |
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| The Church |
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| The Castle |
A couple of pretty cottages on the Island, the houses are all well kept and the owners pride themselves on the flower displays
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| A swallow having just fed her noisy young , popping out to do a bit more hunting |
From here it was another dash down to Sis as she would have our tea ready and we didn't wish to miss that did we? We also didn't dare!!!
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