Ponteland to Newcastle upon Tyne, 20 km. Temperature 49 to 67 F. Wind 2 to 10 mph, with gusts to 20 mph, from the southwest and west. Mostly sunny all day.
Ponteland to Newcastle upon Tyne, 20 km.
As we headed to the road, ready to leave the inn, we were met by Dot. She was very interested in traveling the world. During her younger days, she loved to travel and truly missed the adventure at 95 years old. Impressed by our bicycle, she asked to have a picture with Saphira
Dot, another world traveler.
Mostly riding on bicycle trails, we ended up walking up and over busy roads.
Other obstacles were the barriers preventing vehicles from using the trails. There were at least three barriers at which we needed to remove our pannier to move Saphira through.
Arriving at our inn a few hours before check-in, we decided to head to lunch. On the way we noticed a low front tire. This time, we were near a pub, so the repair came with a drink.
This was our third flat of the trip. After removing the front tire, we found a slash in the tube near the previous puncture. Okay, time to throw away the damaged tire and install the spare we carried.
Repairing flats, but this time at a pub.
Flat repaired and lunch eaten, it was back to the inn and a rest in bed. Our new inn had a four-poster bed.
Preston camping to Ponteland, 82 km. Temperatures 46 to 68 F. Wind 2 to 8 mph, with gusts to 14 mph, shifting from the east to the northwest in the afternoon, then back to the east. Cloudy in the morning, but clearing by noon. No rain.
Preston camping to Ponteland, 82 km.
Rising with the sun, we were off early, and there were two scheduled British Cycle Quest (BCQ) locations to visit today. The first was a short distance down the road in the town of Whittingham. After crossing the River Aln, we found a monument of a man with a dog in the middle of the first intersection. This is BCQ 423 and asks, “Who does this commemorate?”
BCQ 423: Who does the monument commemorate?
A short way down the road was the town of Rothbury, and the clock had just struck 10:00. We stopped at The Vale Cafe, which was just opening its doors, and ordered breakfast. Within minutes, the cafe turned into a motorcycle hangout. It seemed a little strange to have all these bikers stop and just buy a cup of tea.
The Vale Cafe biker tea stop.
Leaving town, we found a 14% grade sign.
Slow going ahead.
And yes, it was a 14% grade. Grades over 8% are pretty much too steep to ride. With full bellies after breakfast, we walked.
The 14% push.
In the village of Cambo was the final BCQ of the day. BCQ 421 is located on the wall of the village hall on the other side of this post. The plaque commemorates a famous landscape gardener. BCQ 421 asks, “Who is this gardener?”
BCQ 421 on the other side of this post.
Riding into Ponteland, we found our inn. After checking in, we found a seat in the pub. Newcastle United, the local football team, was playing Liverpool on television to a very raucous crowd.
Berwick-upon-Tweed to camping near Preston, 73 km. Temperatures 54 to 60 F. Wind 3 to 12 mph, with gusts to 16 mph, from the north and northeast. Cloudy morning, but the sun came out. No rain.
Berwick-upon-Tweed to camping near Preston, 73 km.
Berwick-upon-Tweed began as an Anglo-Saxon settlement in Northumbria. For over 400 years, the area was central to border wars between England and Scotland, and possession of Berwick changed hands several times. It is no wonder that Berwick has significant town defenses, including its city wall, which was built on a line laid down by Edward I in 1296. Other parts of the defenses were completely remodeled in the 16th century.
Leaving Berwick-upon-Tweed through one of the town’s wall gates.
On the riverside of the wall are many little access points. Inside the one labeled ‘Sally Port’ was the ferry master’s house.
The town wall along the River Tweed.
Taking National Cycle Route 1 out of town, we started on roads, then moved onto gravel and finally a sandy path.
There were several gates to pass through along the path, and sometimes the route was not clear. Fortunately this sign directed traffic down a trail without a clearly defined route at the moment. We were glad it was not raining today because the ride would have been a lot slower.
Holy Island is only accessible on this causeway which is usually flooded during high tides. Today the road was to be closed between 0930 and 1200. When we arrived the water was not close to the causeway so we were able to enjoy our ride to the island on a dry road with a very small group of tourists, until 1200 when the tide again allowed people to cross the causeway.
Causeway to Holy Island just before the tide closed access.
Lindisfarne Castle stands apart from Lindisfarne Priory, which was closed in 1537 during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. A fort was constructed on part of the island as a naval store in 1549. After the Jacobite wars it was used as a coastguard lookout, and finally in the early 20th century a castle.
In 1901 Lindisfarne Castle became the property of Edward Hudson, a publishing magnate. He had refurbished it as a lavish retreat. It has been in the care of the National Trust since 1944. Extensive restoration work took place from 2016 to 2018.
The dining room of Lindisfarne Castle.
In 2017 we visited Lindisfarne Castle which was closed due to the renovation. Legs spread some ashes on the property at that time and, upon our return today, was able to pay his respects.
Lindisfarne Castle and location where Legs spread some ashes.
Holy Island’s monastic history began in the 6th century AD. Saints Aidan, Cuthbert, Eadfrith, and Eadberht helped make it an important center of Celtic Christianity. Viking raids eventually drove the monks away, but a priory was reestablished after the Norman Conquest of England.
Irish monk Aidan founded the monastery in AD 635.
The Lindisfarne Monistary was originally a wooden structure with a thatched roof. One of the original founders, St. Cuthbert was buried at Lindisfarne monastery. When the monks left the monastery in 875, they took his remains with them. His remains eventually reached Durham Cathedral.
Under Norman rule, the priory church was built in stone by about 1150. Lindisfarne Priory remained in use until Henry VIII ordered its closure in 1537. Here it sits today a ruin of what it once was.
The site is a significant pilgrimage from its beginning to the present attracting thousands annually. I guess you can say we are now pilgrims.
Remains of the Lindisfarne Priory.
St. Cuthbert died on 20 March 687 and was entombed in the original Lindisfarne monastery. His remains were eventually moved to Durham Cathedral, which is one of the most visited shrine in Northern England. From the early 12th century the site of the original tomb in Lindisfarne Monistary has been marked by a monument. The new monument, “Feather Star Mantle,” by sculptor Russ Coleman, marks the suspected original location of St. Cuthbert’s tomb.
Suspected original location of St. Cuthbert’s tomb.
Next to the Lindisfarne Priory ruins stands an active Church of England parish church, St. Mary the Virgin. The church was rebuilt and enlarged during the 12th and 13th centuries and remained in use after the Reformation. This church is known for its spectacular stained glass windows.
Stained glass behind the altar in St. Mary the Virgin Church.
Within St. Mary the Virgin is a wooden sculpture of monks carrying St. Cuthbert’s casket from Lindisfarne.
Sculpture of monks carrying St. Cuthbert’s casket.
Now the job of heading back along the causeway to the mainland. The crowds arriving on the island were crazy. Riding back along the road, we ran into bumper to bumper traffic.
Pedestrians coming to Lindisfarne.
Now the short ride south to Bamburgh and BCQ 424. Arriving in Bamburgh, we found St. Aidan’s Church and its connected graveyard. At the tower end of the churchyard is Grace Darling’s elaborate Victorian family tomb. Checkpoint BCQ 424 asks, “from the plaque, what is her middle name, and dates of birth and death.”
At about 0400 in the morning on 7th September 1838 during a violent storm, the steamship Forfarshire struck a rock and over 40 lives were lost. Grace saw the wreck, 1/2 mile, from the lighthouse where her dad worked. Grace and her father launched a small boat and rowed to the wreck, picking up five individuals and returning to the island. Her father and two of the rescued men then returned for the remaining four.
National heroine Grace Darling and BCQ 424.
Riding up to Bamburgh Castle, we learned it would soon close, so we took a quick photo and rode down the hill to a local restaurant. A quick search showed there were no reasonable motels in the area.
Bamburgh Castle.
Leaving Bamburgh, we rode about 20 km south and found a vacant field with few weeds. Pulling off the road, we set up the tent as the sun was setting.
Dunbar to Berwick-upon-Tweed 66 km. Temperature 52 to 58 F. Wind 6 to 17 mph, with gusts to 25 mph, from the northeast and north. Light sprinkles in the morning, with clouds clearing in the afternoon.
Dunbar to Berwick-upon-Tweed 66 km.
John Muir was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, environmentalist, philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologist, and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States. Legs had spent years hiking and exploring the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where John Muir had also spent many years.
John Muir’s birthplace is in Dunbar, and nine years ago we toured the house where he was born. Today, leaving two hours before John Muir’s Birthplace opened, we decided to take a few photos and head down the road.
John Muir’s birthplace.
So, sadly leaving Dunbar, we headed down the bicycle path flanked by blackberries. Oh, how can you resist? Well, we did not resist. Yum.
Blackberries growing along the bicycle path.
Yesterday we were riding through East Lothian, east of Edinburgh and south of the Firth of Forth. But today we crossed into the Scottish Borders, the council area between the Lothians and the border with England. This area bore the brunt of conflict during the Wars of Scottish Independence, fought from 1296 to 1328 and again from 1332 to 1357.
Crossing the border between East Lothian and the Scottish Borders.
Across the road from the border sign is a warehouse with an interesting warning sign. It states, “This building is booby trapped risk of serious injury.” There is no need for us to investigate further.
No Trespassing
From the border area, we started heading downhill into Pease Bay on the coast, followed by a steep climb back up the hill. The road was too steep for us to ride, so we hiked uphill.
Pease Bay.
Now we headed off our route to St Abbs, a little harbor town on the east coast and the location of our first of two British Cycle Quests of the day. The question for BCQ 526 was, “Who was the harbor master at St Abbs from 1966 to 1986?”
BCQ 526. Name that harbor master.
The village of St Abbs was chosen as the location for New Asgard, Thor’s fictional home in Avengers: Endgame. Cyrus House on the harborside was repainted to create the Cormorant & Tun pub.
Cyrus House, the Cormorant & Tun pub, in the center of the photo.
Monument to a tragedy at sea. The bronze figures are the wives and children of three men from the village who were lost in the great storm of 1881. A total of 189 fishermen from Scotland’s southeast coast perished on that fateful day.
Monument to those lost in the 1881 storm.
Pigs? We have eaten a lot of pork here in the UK and wondered where the farms were. Coming across this very large farm, we saw acres and acres of pigs with piglets. The fields were very clean, and the farm did not stink.
Pigs in the fields.
It was time for our second BCQ, located on the English side of the Union Chain Bridge. The Union Chain Bridge was the first chain suspension bridge in Europe to carry wheeled traffic. Originally designed for horse-drawn vehicles and now carrying cars, it is the oldest vehicle-carrying suspension bridge in the world. It still provides a unique link across the River Tweed and marks the border between England and Scotland.
BCQ 426 is on the English side of the Union Chain Bridge and asks, “When was the bridge strengthened?”
BCQ 426 at the English approach to the Union Chain Bridge.
We booked a room in Berwick-upon-Tweed. Our hotel required an entry code to access the building and our room. After calling the property manager, we entered our room and headed out for dinner.
Walking around the block, we found the clock tower of Berwick Town Hall on the way to dinner.
Legs and Feets 