Travelog for: Topple

Hello Mum,
I have arrived...

in time to be opened with other presents. My host's son had presents to open - there was some K'Nex, and Scrabble Trickster (where you can cheat!).

Everyone was so welcoming.

We are going on a summer (OK, it isn't summer) holiday..
To get there, we are going through Scotland.

We stopped off in the Scottish town of Hawick. It wasn't the best weather and was raining. I was lucky to have my photo taken in a very brief lull from the showers.

We are staying in a caravan. After unpacking the car, we went for a spin. First off, towards Lindisfarne (Holy Island) but encountered a bit of difficulty. Lindisfarne is a tidal island and the tide had covered the causeway.

We'll just have to come back another day, when the road is not underwater,

and after checking the tide timetable.

Before going shopping for food, we went into Berwick Upon Tweed. You should be able to see 3 different bridges, The Royal Border Bridge, The Royal Tweed Bridge and The Old Bridge (or Berwick Bridge).

The nearest bridge is the oldest bridge of the three. This version of the bridge dates back to the early 17th century and is 355 metres long and 5 metres wide. It is made from sandstone locally sourced.

The middle bridge was built in the 1920s and once carried the A1 road.

The bridge in the distance is the Royal Border Bridge which carries the railway over the River Tweed. It was designed by the engineer, Robert Stephenson (son of George Stephenson).

Berwick is a walled town.

A look down the Tweed.

Here we all are relaxing on a bench.

Today, we have time only for a brief visit to Lindisfarne before going further south along the coast. This time, the causeway was relatively clear of water but the weather was a bit wet and windy.

This is Lindisfarne Castle.

After visiting Lindisfarne, we came to the little coastal village of Bamburgh. Atop a hill and overlooking the sea sits a mighty castle

We decided to go and visit inside this castle.

The castle has cannons. Can you see the Farne islands? My host visited there last year, maybe we can all go this year.


The castle is home to a museum about one of its former owners, the Victorian industrialist and engineer, William George Armstrong (Lord Armstrong).

The thing with switches is a "bomb aimers switch-box with release button" with a anti-tank shell at the back.

A lathe

Next, we went into the State Rooms where there is a portrait of Henry VIII - do I look like him?

A nice clock

Another nice clock, my host apologises for the fuzziness of the clock, flash photography is not allowed.

A coat of arms.

There are just so many nice things here, too many to have my photograph taken with.

After visiting the castle, we drove further down the coast to Seahouses. This was where my host caught a boat last year to take her out to the Farne Islands. This was not going to happen today!

Look at those waves

Wow, they are high.

I hope the lifeboat was not needed to go out in this weather. Grace Darling was a heroine of the 19th century - her father was a lighthouse keeper on one of the Farne Islands when disaster struck. She rowed out to rescue people from a sinking/wrecked boat in dreadful weather.

My host took me to another castle today.

It is the largest in Northumbria, built in the 14th century but was damaged in the War of the Roses.

It fell into decay and wasn't restored.

Today, we spent a little time in Alnwick. There is a big gardens here and castle. However, time was short and we wouldn't have had enough time to fully appreciate the gardens or castle.

We did walk around the outside of the castle.

This is the Lion Bridge.

Another entrance to the castle. There are statues all around the walls and there were gargoyles too.

We did have time to visit a small museum. How much do I weigh?

Ironing = housework.

Can I phone home on this?

Outside, there was a statue to Harry Hotspur. He was a fighter, and fought against the Scots and the French.

He led a rebellion against Henry IV and was forming an alliance with Owain Glyndwr but died on the battlefield in Shrewsbury.

Today, we have come to yet another castle, this time it is a ruined one.

They have cannons and a portcullis gate.

Inside another castle entrance is a museum about the Battle of Flodden Field which happened a few miles away in 1513.


The castle was captured by King James IV of Scotland shortly before the Battle of Flodden Field.

This is one of the castle towers with the gatehouse in the background.

We were on the other side of that portcullis earlier. The curtain wall linked all 4 towers of the castle, but only this section remains.

That's the tower with the portcullis.

We've come to Flodden Field itself.

Here's the memorial.

Today, we stayed in the caravan park. We were counting some of the money we had left! These are Scottish banknotes!

Today, my host and her mother have taken us to Berwick-upon-Tweed. We walked around the walls. It'll be our last day before we head home.
The painter Lowry visited Berwick-upon-Tweed a lot and painted many scenes here. There is a trail we could follow visiting sites he painted. There is a GeoCache near this information board.

It started to rain so we headed to a cafe for lunch.

We are going home. It is sad to leave the caravan but we must go home. However, we can go via Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The wall stretches across England.

This section we are visiting is called Heddon-on-the-Wall.