Lindisfarne - Holy Island

And here I am AGAIN!  Aren't you glad you don't have to LISTEN to me?  Yes, you are!!!  Believe me!

At any rate, I thank my friend Karen Smith, who lives in Northeast England, for providing the pictures that are in this blog.  She has introduced me to the fun of snapping digital pictures and has also provided all sorts of beautiful shots for this blog (shejust didn't know it until I asked her if I could post 'em!!!).  I shall also take pictures when I'm there this summer, as we are going to visit the Holy Island so I can visit Lindisfarne Priory's ruins.

The Lindisfarne Gospel is another magnificent, illuminated gospel, like its cousin, the better known Book of Kells.  It was created by monks at Lindisfarne Priory on Holy Island in the North Sea just off the coast of Northumbria in the early 8th century.  The story of the illuminated gospels is a different tale than this virtual trip, however.  Shall we get started?

Of course we shall!!!!! 

I hasten to add that Karen has a wonderful ability to include everything in her shots of an outing.  This ring necked pheasant was watching the car go by from a safe spot in a field.

This is the first view of the island that one experiences.  You are looking at Lindisfarne Castle which stands atop the island's highest point.

To reach the castle, one must cross a causeway, which is usable only at low tide.  Note that the water is out (but not dreadfully far).  It comes back in rather swiftly , as tides are wont to do, and, unfortunately, there are those who think they can beat the tide in their effort to return to the mainland.  Those drivers have relatives in the American Southwest, the ones who drive right into a flash flooded dip in a road.  At Lindisfarne, rescue is available.

Here is the watchtower at the midpoint of the causeway.  Karen says that people need to be rescued relatively often.  Cars are fast and heavy.  Tides are faster and far more determined.

Here is half of a placard telling a bit about the things to see on the island.  There is, of course, the castle and the priory.  And there is a Nature Preserve as well, and a small town within a mile of the castle.

Here's the second half of the placard, showing the castle and other points of interest. 

I believe that Karen said that cars are parked down below and a shuttle takes visitors to the base of the castle (rmember, it's on top of a hill).  Karen had a great opportunity to take some shots of the area as the shuttle climbed.

This is a pond:  the North Sea is on the horizon.  We're heading steadily upward.

I'm fond of the clouds and the view of the sea, myself.  This is an overlook - part of the outcropping is rock, especially in the middle, and the rest appears to be an old wall.

Oh drat!  I forgot about this picture!  The two tower things are actually markers showing boats the safe channel in which to travel.  I should have put it right at the beginning.  I'm sorry!

Remember I said that the shuttle takes visitors to the base of the castle?  Here we are at the base of the castle.  Do you see that railing off to the fair left?  Yup - stairs.  Very LOOOONG stairs!  Here's a closeup of them!

We're just looking up from the bottom fo the stairs.  Some kind soul decided that a rope might be a good idea to have in addition to the railing.  Thank heavens!  It's a steep climb, to say the least!

After the visitor has scaled the side of mount castle, there is a brief moment to rest before the next leg of the journey.  This flat section is that moment.  Inhale - exhale...

Just before the visitor turns to the right to enter a covered stair, this is the view from the portcullis.  The stairs that we have climbed are off to the left.  The two pointed shapes are the bottom of the portcullis.

Then off we go for a little more climbing. Part of the way is covered and has more helpful rope railing (believe me, I like ropes better than metal.  When I was at Blarney Castle and climbed the tower, that big rope hung down the stairwell was easierto grab than slippery metal!). 

From the top of the climb, the view out to sea is wonderful! 

Here is a shot of the small village that lies about a mile away from the castle. 

Being the nosy soul that I am, and having, unfortunately, a poor recollection of what Karen patiently told me about the castle, I had to turn to references to relearn the salient points.  The castle is quite small by castle standards.  It was built in 1550 originally and, over the years, served as a fort, a castle, and a Coastguard lookout.  In 1901 it was purchased by a publisher named E. Hudson and was renovated at his request by Sir E. Luytens.  The renovation was done in the Arts and Crafts Tradition and includes, outside the castle walls, a garden designed by Gertrude Jekyll , who was internationally famous for her garden designs.  The family lived in the castle until it was deeded to the National Trust in 1944.  I don't have pictures of the garden (Karen, guess what we're going to visit this summer!!!)

Here are some pictures of the interior of the castle.

This is a model of the castle - it's really very well done indeed!

This is the master bedroom, or what we'd call the master bedroom today.  The bed is smaller than one might expect, but, then, people weren't all that tall early on.  The woodwork is marvellous and done all by hand. 

This is an anteroom and is furnished with pikes, a crest of the family and a handcarved cabinet.

Another bed, this one is a double.

Of the many pieces of furniture, this cabinet caught my imagination immediately.  The woodwork is splendid and the detail is amazing!  I don't know if I can get it out of the castle unnoticed when we visit, but I'm going to give it a shot.  What the dickens do I do for a diversion?

Back in the bedroom with the double bed is this washstand with a porcelain backsplash and matching washbowl.  It's beautifully done.

This chest, also in the bedroom, is another piece I'd like to steal (I'm admitting it!  It's so beautiful!!!!).  But I don't know if I could get both pieces out without drawing attention, and it's probably too big to fit in my suitcase...the thought was nice, though!

A small bathtub!  I wonder if it was for children.

This is a shot of part of the kitchen.

Another shot of the kitchen, this time showing the chairs and the brasses over the arch.

The kitchen table with a setting of china.  The brickwork on the floors is beautiful!

I enhanced this picture a bit so it would be possible to see the model of the ship overhead as well as the extra lighting added to this living room. Without the lighting, the room would be so dark it would be impossible to read.

Karen had a wonderful outing going to visit the castle, which has such a long history and which is so well cared for.  We're going back again this summer when I visit, but I wanted you to see her great pictures!

I hope you've enjoyed this little virtual trip (because, laughs like Simon LeGree) I have more thanks to Karen! 

Until next time?  Thank you for reading!!!!