Northumberland Coast – Second Attempt

North Berwick was a complete washout. We moved on to Berwick-on-Tweed, England’s most northerly town, and further north than some parts of Scotland. It’s a very nice town…

Senior couple walking the ramparts at Berwick-upon-Tweed on a bright spring day, Northumberland, England, UK
Senior couple walking the ramparts at Berwick-upon-Tweed on a bright spring day, Northumberland, England, UK

They’ve put a nice walkway in on top of the old walls…

Gun emplacement on the town walls at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK
Gun emplacement on the town walls at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK

Being so close to Scotland, the walls were kept up for longer than more southerly towns…

The Elizabethan town wall at Berwick-upon-Tweed on a bright spring day, Northumberland, England, UK
The Elizabethan town wall at Berwick-upon-Tweed on a bright spring day, Northumberland, England, UK

Still no leaves on the trees!

Town Hall and Marygate, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK
Town Hall and Marygate, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK
The Town Walls and houses of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK
The Town Walls and houses of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK

Houses built “without” the walls, as opposed to within,  presumably when there was no longer a threat from Scotland.

The Railway Viaduct, known as the Royal Border Bridge, on the River Tweed at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK
The Railway Viaduct, known as the Royal Border Bridge, on the River Tweed at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK
The Royal Tweed Bridge, opened in 1928, and beyond it, Berwick Old Bridge, a grade 1 listed building, opened in 1624, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK
The Royal Tweed Bridge, opened in 1928, and beyond it, Berwick Old Bridge, a grade 1 listed building, opened in 1624, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK

Lovely old bridges…

Berwick Old Bridge, the River Tweed and the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK
Berwick Old Bridge, the River Tweed and the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, UK

In my opinion, these old towns and villages are just as lovely as the Cotswolds, less crowded, and with the added advantage of being close to the sea.

A group of Scottish Blackface sheep at Lindisfarne Castle, Holy Island, Northumberland, England, UK
A group of Scottish Blackface sheep at Lindisfarne Castle, Holy Island, Northumberland, England, UK

Lindisfarne – we love this island, so wild, so windswept, so much to see…and the sheep are more camera friendly than they are in NZ, where all I ever seem to get is those little black eyes on the back end:-)

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Something not quite right here…

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One of the famous upside down boats of the island. It’s used as a shed, there’s a door on the other side.

Dunstanburgh Castle on the Northumberland coast, North East England.
Dunstanburgh Castle on the Northumberland coast, North East England.

Dunstanburgh Castle…

Dunstaburgh Castle in Spring, with yellow gorse in flower, Northumberland, England, UK
Dunstaburgh Castle in Spring, with yellow gorse in flower, Northumberland, England, UK

Gorse doesn’t seem to be a problem here, it seems to stay in its place and look pretty, without overwhelming everything else.

Sunrise at Dunstanburgh Cstle on the Northumberland coast, North East England.
Sunrise at Dunstanburgh Cstle on the Northumberland coast, North East England.

A Colin special!

The Harbour and town at Seahouses, Northumberland, England, UK
The Harbour and town at Seahouses, Northumberland, England, UK

And at last, the sun put in an appearance! We were lucky to get such good weather on this coast.

Spring at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, England, UK
Spring at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, England, UK

This castle was used in the Harry Potter films as Hogwarts Castle.

Spring and daffodils at Warkworth Castle, Warkworth, Northumberland, England, UK
Spring and daffodils at Warkworth Castle, Warkworth, Northumberland, England, UK

There’s a castle every five minutes in this area!

The River Coquet and Warkworth Castle in spring, Warkworth, Northumberland, England, UK
The River Coquet and Warkworth Castle in spring, Warkworth, Northumberland, England, UK

Come on leaves, please!

Warkworth High Street, Northumberland, England, UK
Warkworth High Street, Northumberland, England, UK

Just like the Cotswolds, it’s beset with cars.

Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, England, UK
Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, England, UK

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Our caravan site at Whitley Bay, with St Mary’s Island in the background.

Lighthouse on St Mary's Island, near Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, England, UK.
Lighthouse on St Mary’s Island, near Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, England, UK.

There is a causeway, covered up when this was taken.

The Tyne Bridgefrom the Swing Bridge in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge and Sage music venue are visible behind.
The Tyne Bridge from the Swing Bridge in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK. The Gateshead  Millennium Bridge and Sage music venue are visible behind.

And yes, it’s another coat hanger bridge!

Cyclists riding along Newcastle Quays, with a view of the Tyne Bridges, including the Millennium Bridge, the Tyne Bridge, and also the Gateshead Sage, the theatre designed by Foster and Partners, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK
Cyclists riding along Newcastle Quays, with a view of the Tyne Bridges, including the Millennium Bridge, the Tyne Bridge, and also the Gateshead Sage, the theatre designed by Foster and Partners, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK

Cities with a river always seem to be more attractive and interesting than those without.

Millenium Bridge and Newcastle Quays from Gateshead Quays, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK
Millennium Bridge and Newcastle Quays from Gateshead Quays, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK
Railway Viaduct, known as the High Level Bridge, across the River Tyne, and a view through to the Swing Bridge, the Tyne Bridge and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, UK
Railway Viaduct, known as the High Level Bridge, across the River Tyne, and a view through to the Swing Bridge, the Tyne Bridge and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, UK
Tyne Bridge and Newcastle Skyline, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK
Tyne Bridge and Newcastle Skyline, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK

Handy that those Ikea coloured cars came over just then, look so much better than white vans!

A view over the roof tops to All Saints Church, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK
A view over the roof tops to All Saints Church, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK

I took this same photo last time we were here, but this time the sun was out.

Entrance to the old Fish Market, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK.
Entrance to the old Fish Market, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK.
Neptune sculpture on top of the old Fish Market, Newcastle Quays, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, UK
Neptune sculpture on top of the old Fish Market, Newcastle Quays, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, UK
The decoration on the Moss Bros shop in Northumberland Street, is known as Pargetting, and was added in 1953 to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK
The decoration on the Moss Bros shop in Northumberland Street, is known as Pargetting, and was added in 1953 to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK

So, that’s the coast. Some of it is, strictly speaking, Tyne and Wear, not Northumberland, but never mind. Today we are off to York for a couple of days. Will the trees be in leaf yet? Will we see the Flying Scotsman? Stay tuned for the next bit of excitement!

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