The Shakespeare's Avon Way - Defford & Strensham (22)

 

The last two legs of The Shakespeare's Avon Way lie ahead of us. We are completing them on consecutive days. With a night of 'wild camping' under the stars in between the walks. 

The first walk is starting from the village of Defford in Worcestershire.To be more precise we outside of the Church of St James. The church is around 400 years old with Norman origins, and underwent a major restoration in the 19th century.  A man appears to wind up the church clock. Something of a mystery really. The clock face doesn't ever move, stuck on one time. However the clock chime is always accurate to within 5 seconds at any time. We are going to be walking in a clockwise direction today. Crossing Eckington Bridge once again, picking up 'The Shakespeare's Avon Way' from where we left it last time. We drop down on to the riverside footpath for what will be one of the longest river stretches of the entire walk so far. 

St James Church Defford

The conditions are very good for walking. A bit overcast but at least it is dry and fairly warm. We continue following the River Avon , always in the shadow of the Bredon Hills.  

We arrive at a Lock,  safely negotiating the climb over the water to rejoin the footpath.This takes us along to a weir which again we have to cross. The 'Strensham weir' footpath links the villages of Strensham and Eckington.There are a few Paddle Boarders and Canoeists on the water. There is also a lot of debris stacked on the banks of the river. A legacy of the recent flooding.  

Strensham Weir

We continue onwards moving inland away from the river. We are still on The Shakespeares Avon way though. Lots of fields of crops, in particular 'French Beans'. Vert tempting to pick a few to take home. I settle for just eating a couple raw, just to check the quality of course. Plenty of lovely ripe Blackberries too. Seems to have been an excellent year for them as well as other soft fruit. The path continues along the side of the M5 motorway. We eventually pass underneath the motorway and head towards Showborough House. A former old people’s home that has been turned into a one-and-a-half acres art and sculpture garden.  

'Leisure Poem'

The gardens are closed at the moment. A large white rabbit looks out over the fence. It reminds me of the film 'Donnie Darko'. An extract from the 1911 poem 'Leisure' is quoted on a board. “What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.". Written by the Welsh poet William Henry Davies. An observation that many of life's simple riches are overlooked due to the pace of modern life.

Close by is possibly the largest 'Bug Hotel' that I have ever seen! 'The King Charles Bug Hotel' .Open to residents all year round. We continue to wards Upper Strensham, crossing over the M50. We can see the Motorway service Station 'Strensham' in the distance. We then pass over the M5 bridge as we move towards 'Lower Strensham. I always find it a strange  and slightly uncomfortable looking down on the fast moving vehicles below. We move away from the noise of the motorway too the peace of the Church of St John the Baptist. In the churchyard is the Grade II listed base of a medieval cross. The door was locked , but a sign directed us to the Old Rectory, beside the church, where a key hung conveniently on a nail set in the wall. 

 

St John The Baptist Church Strensham

 Leaving the rear of the church proves something of a challenge. Firstly it is the field of cows. They showed some interest but generally were well behaved. The Sheep however were full of bravado. Thankfully they lacked the minerals for that final push to attack. We are well on the way now to our starting point at Defford. We are close to the small village of 'Woodmancote'. Only last week a man died when the small plane he was pilot of crashed nearby. We walk right past the Airfield at Defford Croft Farm where it would have taken off from.

No aircraft activity today though, or any sign of the crash. I would imagine there will have to be an inquiry and investigation. Very sad for all concerned, my condolences to the family of the man. The sight of the church comes into view as we walk uphill to Defford. One more walk to go and that will be tomorrow. Now we need to find somewhere to camp and pitch our tents.

 A total distance today of 12 miles exactly.

Lindisfarne (Holy Island) Visit

A visit to Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island needs a bit of of planning. The island of Lindisfarne is located along the northeast coast of England, close to the border with Scotland. The nearest point to the mainland is about 0.8 miles (1.3 kilometres). It is accessible at low tide by a causeway. Today, the 17th August the causeway is safe to cross between 03:35 until 12:05. Coming back the times are 16:35 until 00:15 (Sun). I was quite surprised at the difference from the day before (02:00 until 11:10 and 15:00 until 23:25). I suspect a complicated explanation so will leave that piece of investigation for another day. Plenty of other interesting things to write about to keep me busy. Safely on the island we follow the trail of cars to the 'pay and display' field. They aren't daft either when it comes to charging. You pay by the hour up to the first 4 hours.It then immediately reverts to an all day charge. What you might call a captive audience. Unless you fancy a swim of course!

The Harbour

Unsure of our bearings we follow the tourist trail into the centre of Lindisfarne. If in doubt get a map, which is what I did. I spent most of the day trying to fold it back to its original state at various intervals. A plan is hatched to follow thee 3 mile nature trail , taking in some of the key sites along the way. In the distance on a rocky plateau standing proudly is Lindisfarne Castle. From around 1570 onwards, garrisons of soldiers were placed here to man weapons and keep their eyes on the horizon for potential trouble. To our right is the harbour , Seals are bobbing up and down merrily. In the far distance you can see the remains of the priory. Somewhere we shall return to later.

Lime Kilns

The next point of interest are the old Lime Kilns at Castle Point. They were used to burn Limestone from the north of the island. Built in 1860 they were abandoned by 1900.  The lime was used for spreading on the fields or making Lime mortar. Much of which was exported to Scotland by boat  from jetties below the castle. 

 

View from the Rocky Shore

Looking out to sea across the Rocky Shore you can see both The Farne Islands and Bamburgh Castle in the distance. On the shoreline is the occasional wading bird, such as a Knot or Curlew. We cut back inland to have a look at the 'Gertrude Jekyll' Garden. As one of the top gardeners at that time she was invited to create a small walled garden just north of the castle in 1911. From here there is a nice vie of the castle which I have posted below. We return to the coastal path heading up towards 'The Lough' and the birdwatching hide. It is believed the small freshwater lake was dug out by Monks, for water and for fish.   

A Swallow flies over the Lough

We continue on the path until it meets the marker post for 'Straight Lonnen'. This will take us back to our starting point back in the village. There is a detour at this point if you turn right though. Tough the dunes and to the bay. Seals are regularly seen and a variety of seabirds. There are around 4,000 Gray Seals on the sands, rocky shores and mudflats of Lindisfarne.

We return the village for a welcome brew, Green Tea in my case and prepare for the rest of the trip.

Lindisfarne is a special place , there is no doubt. There has been life here since the Stone Age, some 10,000 years ago. It is a very important location for Christianity. Possibly the holiest site of Anglo-Saxon England, The famous Saints associated with the island are Aidan, A monk and Missionary from Iona. Cuthbert was a solitary leader and healer who struggled with the demands of the world and his calling.

Aidan was invited to the island by the King of Northumbria, Oswald in 633. The original monastery was rampaged and destroyed by The Vikings. The Rainbow Arch is an iconic image of the old Priory. Saint Cuthbert would later succeed Aidan in 684 as Bishop of Lindisfarne, starting as a Prior around 665. Cuthbert retired in 676, moved by the desire for a quieter life.St Cuthbert Island (also known as Hobthrush island) is located just off Holy Island. As the tide rises, it becomes completely separated from Holy Island. The legend is that St Cuthbert used to escape here when he wanted to retreat away from the monks in the abbey.  St Cuthbert died in 687, his body entombed in Durham Cathedral. 

Statue of St Aidan

St Cuthbert's Island

While the medieval Monks held their services inside the Priory, the Church of St Mary the Virgin was used by the parishioners. It is immediately to the west of the Priory church. 

The present church is built over and around an earlier Saxon Church. Likely to be the site f the first wooden church built by St Aidan. It is possible that St Mary's remained in use through the period between 875 when the monastery may have been abandoned and the founding of the Priory in the early 12th century. 

 

St Mary's Church

'The Heugh' (pronounced ‘Hee-uff’) is an elevated rocky ridge  created by magma 295 million years ago. It rises above the village and is known to geologists as the Holy Island Dyke. It is the site of a former Coastguard observation tower that is now open to the public. I climbed up the stairs to a stunning 360-degree view of the island. The Heugh is also home to the war memorial, designed by Lutyens, and which commemorates islanders who died in the two world wars.More distant views across the sea to The Farne Islands and Bamburgh castle are to the south. Closer to home there are great views of the priory (to the north) the harbour and the castle (to the east) and St Cuthbert's Island (to the west).  

It has been a fantastic visit , in the distance cars are starting to queue on the causeway as the tide retreats. Time for us to make our way back to Alnwick too I suspect!

The Farne Islands Boat Trip and Bamburgh Castle

A good breakfast has set us up nicely for a day by the sea.We have driven up the coast to the fishing village of 'Seahouses' The perfect place for a boat trip to the Farne Islands. From the harbour we can see the Farne Islands in the distance. To our left we can see the imposing sight of Bamburgh Castle. Unfortunately we are a bit late to see the famous 'Puffins' that breed on the islands in their thousands. In fact as many as 70,000. April until July is the best time to see them. There is a chance we might see the odd one on the water though. We should see plenty of other bird-life as well as Grey Seals. We have opted not to get off the boat (an extra £13 National Trust landing fee). Instead we shall take the 1.5 hour cruise around the islands. 

There are between 15 and 20 islands depending on the level of the tide. They lie 2-3 miles off the Northumberland coast. They are separated by 'Staple Sound' as an 'Inner' and 'Outer' Group.  Inner Farne is the largest and most historic island, gives its name to the whole group.     

The conditions are good and no signs of any sea sickness. Through the binoculars I've spotted, Razorbills, Shags, Guillemots and the spectacular diving Gannets. The island cliff faces have a white appearance from a covering of bird droppings.  

Longstone Lighthouse is an active 19th century lighthouse on Longstone Rock in the outer group. It gained fame in 1938 following the wreck of ' Paddle Steamer 'Forfarshire'. Grace Darling aged 22 and her Lighthouse Keeper father initiated a rescue of nine people in a strong gale and thick fog, the vessel having run aground on Harcar Rock. The story of the rescue made headline news and made Grace Darling a heroine who has gone down in British folklore.

We are starting to see a few Grey Seals, also known as Atlantic Grey Seals. basking on the rocks. In the Autumn around 3,000 pups are born. They were prized by the Monks in the 12th Century for their Oil and as a food. There is one huge Seal close to us with their tail in the air. My phone camera doesn't do it justice at all.. With the tide coming in his comfortable perch is going to be very short-lived.   

As well as all the wildlife, there is a strong link with Celtic Christianity and St Cuthbert who lived here in the 7th Century. The islands are first recorded in 651, when they became home to Saint Aiden. Remains still exist of the seventh-century anchorite cell used by Saint Aidan and Saint Cuthbert, as do the remains of a 14th-century chapel associated with the cell. Known as St Cuthbert's Chapel.

The islands have no permanent population, but National Trust Rangers live on the islands for nine months of the year, maintaining the site and monitoring wildlife. 

Hundreds of ships have been wrecked on the Farnes over the years, providing plenty for wreck divers to explore.

All too soon we are heading back towards the harbour. It has been a really enjoyable boat trip and good value at £20. Looking forward to a nice pint now in the Ship Inn Beer Garden overlooking the sea.  

Suitably refreshed we set off through the sand dunes towards Bamburgh. It is around a 3 mile walk and much better than moving the car.     

It's very pleasant walking conditions although quite a strong breeze. The tide is still high so we weave between the dunes and the beach. The last stretch towards Bamburgh we complete on the road. Plenty of cars filling the car parks opposite the castle. At least we don't have to worry about that. We get our first close up view of Bamburgh Castle, an impressive one it is too!

Standing guard above the spectacular Northumberland coastline for over 1,600 years. Spanning nine acres of land on its rocky plateau site was originally the location of a Celtic Brittonic fort known as Din Guarie. First built by the Normans it has been added to over the centuries.

 

 

Bamburgh was The first castle in England to fall to canon fire as the Wars of Roses drew to a close.Bought by the First Lord Armstrong in 1894 it is still owned by the Armstrong family who play an active part in its operation and maintenance.  We walk right up to the entrance but decide not to go inside today. The Vikings continually laid siege to the castle. In 993 AD it was finally ransacked. During the Second World War, pillboxes were established in the sand dunes to protect the castle and surrounding area from German invasion Bamburgh Castle is one of the largest inhabited castles in the country. Still in the ownership of the Armstrong family.  

Bamburgh Castle from the beach

 

We drop back down through the sand dunes to the beach. Totally unspoilt there are miles of lovely white sand and very few people. Just as we settle down for a bit of a rest the sun disappears and the wind gets up. We are getting well and truly sandblasted. We soon give up and continue a slow walk back to Seahouses. Now the tide has retreated there are plenty of rock pools to explore.It must rate as one of the best British beaches. It has been a great walk and we are really looking forward to Fish and Chips back at Seahouses!