Join us as we discover the Celtic Saints. We started in Northumbria, where our church's patron saint, St. Aidan, lived and taught as the first Bishop at Lindisfarne. Weeks 1 to 13 charted a journey up the coast and into the interior of Northumbria as we learned about the world St. Aidan inhabited. We are in the process of posting more information about each of the Celtic saints, and how they are connected to St. Aidan.

Week 7: Alnwick to Farne Islands Hermitage

 We now take a quick detour from St. Oswald’s Way, heading 6 km inland along River Aln (below) from Alnmouth to Alnwick.

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/alnmouth.html, no changes


Alnwick (pronounced ‘Annick’ and meaning ‘place on the Aln’) is an old settlement built at a crossing point of River Aln and is still in use today. Alnwick Castle (below), built in 1096 and the 2nd largest lived-in castle today (Windsor Castle is the 1st), it guards the crossing of River Aln. Before that was an agricultural settlement in 600, likely built near the ruins of a Roman fort. The castle grounds include outstanding gardens, click here to see photos: https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/alnwick-2.html

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/alnwick-2.html, no changes

There are two ruined Abbeys in Alnwick, Alnwick Abbey from 1147 and Hulne Priory (below) from 1240. The village church is built where there was an earlier church from 730. 

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/hulne-park.html#gallery/2456dd03ecd2edce2cd97101ce52ba4c/48498, no changes


Continuing on St. Oswald’s Way, we leave Alnwick, head back to Alnmouth and then head up along the coast to Seahouses. 

Image: Contours Walking Holidays, https://www.contours.co.uk/st-oswalds-way, no changes

At Marden Rocks on the beach, we see the edge of the Whin Sill, the large sheet of hardened lava that covers the land in this area. You can see the hexagonal shapes below, made as the lava hardened. Click here to see more photos: https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/alnmouth.html

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/alnmouth.html, no changes

We pass Howick Hall where Earl Grey Tea was first blended, for Earl Grey and his family. Then Howick Hill Fort from the Bronze Age, and then one of the oldest roundhouses from the Middle Stone Age at 7000 yrs old (below is a reconstruction). 

Image: Andrew Curtis, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13804187


Coming up to the village of Craster (below left), we see Dunstanburgh Castle. Built in 1313 on the clifftop of Craster Heugh (hill) it was built on the site of both an Iron Age Hill Fort and a Roman outpost, called Crawe Ceastre (Crow's Castle) in the 7th century.

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/craster.html, no changes


Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/beadnell.html, no changes


Next, we pass through Beadnell, where St. Ebba had a church in the 7th century at Ebb's Nook, a spit of land extending into the sea.

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/beadnell.html, no changes


And then we are in Seahouses, where we can take a boat out to the Farne Islands. There are 28 islands, more than half of which disappear at high tide. Inner Farne is the largest of the Islands, and this is where St. Aidan built a Celtic cell, a little round house of stone, and guest accommodations. St. Cuthbert retired here after being the Prior of Lindisfarne and died here in 687. The island attracted a steady stream of pilgrims which is how the islands got their name - it became known as 'the Isle of Pilgrims' (Farena Ealande in Norse).

Image: Stephen McKay, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1899768, no changes


[wikipedia, parishmouse.co.uk, andrewswalks.co.uk, Walking St. Oswald's Way and St. Cuthbert's Way by Rudolf Abraham, crastervillage.org.uk, nationaltrust.org.uk]