Days 204-207 - Castles in the air..

The rest of our week in Northumbria

On Monday we attempted to walk to Hadrian's Wall - but we've obviously not quite mastered our OS software yet, and gave up after a few wrong turns and some tired children. We did get to see Vindolanda (an excavation/reconstruction project), but only from the outside, as it was closed for the month.  With a trip to the village playground in the afternoon, all in all the kids walked 6 miles that day - pretty good going really.


Tuesday night was campsite 2, and then Wednesday was our visit to Holy Island, followed by campsite 3. Unsurprisingly, on Thursday everyone had had enough, Myriam was biting the motorhome, and so we had a day of relaxing, swimming and eating cake!

Friday saw us in very rural Mitford, visiting Alyson, who left St Michaels this summer. We were all delighted to catch up with her, scramble up the castle ruins opposite the vicarage (the only pentagonal castle in the UK) and enjoy good company, comfortable sofas, jigsaws and cake! 






On Saturday we left campsite 3, and visited Bamburgh castle - home of the Kings of Northumbria, protectors of the Lindisfarne Abbey.  We shot cannonballs out to sea, climbed ramparts, wandered through state rooms with FAR too many fragile objects out on display, and took refuge in the café. Finally we said goodbye to England, and crossed the Scottish border...