Northumberland

We have been up in Northumberland for few days. We stayed in Ford Common, at Friendly Hound Cottage , which was very nice, if a little chilly as we managed to time our visit on the first day the temperatures really dropped towards Autumnal.
We took a boat from Seahouses and visited the Farne Islands. (Hat in Colinette Point 5)


St Cuthbert lived in his later years and died, in 687, on Inner Farne. The small building here is Cuthbert's chapel.



My favourite reason for visiting the Farnes is always the seals. The Atlantic Grey Seals have their pups in Autumn and there are only two pups born so far to this colony. We first went out, as a family, to see the seals in November when j was four years old. The boat we took that visit was a small supply boat delivering supplies to the RSPB Wardens who live out on the islands; the sea was quite wild and I gripped the back of j's coat for the whole two hour trip. Knuckles whiter than on any rollercoaster. This year the weather was glorious, the seas calm and the seals abundant.



This is the Longstone Lighthouse, from which 22 year old Grace Darling rowed, with her father, in September 1838 to save nine people from the wreck of the Forfarshire, which had gone down in a storm. Grace is such a national figure that she even appears in the KS1 history curriculum.



We got across the causeway to Lindisfarne at dawn (which comes later these days). It was peaceful - deserted and the light was gorgeous.





The sandstone of Lindisfarne Priory has weathered to a gorgeous rose colour.





We came across these wonderful sheds made from upturned and felted boats. While J coveted this one:



j developed a whole back story for this one, which his story goes, is filled with fertiliser, electronic timers, detonating cord and a souvenir of childhood - Rupert, a battered old bear, his only friend. This is his 'God told me to do it...' pose:



Do you ever wonder where your children came from or is it just me...?

Lindisfarne Castle as the sun comes up: