Sunday. It’s the last day of school break week in the UK. We started the day with low clouds but the weather evolved into a beautiful afternoon. Elaine took her usual walk in the morning up to Dunstanburgh Castle, a National Trust property in Craster. Our house is actually on National Trust land. We have to open a gate to get onto NT land to park at the house. The gate is also the pedestrian trail entrance to Dunstanburgh Castle which is about a 1.25 mile walk from the gate. I’ll have to walk up later in the week.
Today’s activity was a short drive to Bamburgh to visit Bamburgh Castle. Remember Lord Armstrong from Cragside which we visited yesterday? He acquired Bamburgh Castle late in the 19th century and completed a restoration. His family still owns it. It is quite a magnificent structure. We arrived when they opened at 10:00 AM and beat the hoards that arrived later. The State Apartments didn’t open until 11:00, so after a walk around the grounds, we had hot chocolate and scones in the cafe. When we left the castle after viewing the State Apartments, the parking lots were jammed.
CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE IN NEW TAB OR WINDOW
We had lunch at the Castle Hotel Pub in Bamburgh, and we enjoyed it outside in their beer garden. I had two grilled kippers and some chips (fries). Kippers are big in the area, and Craster, our home town, is also the home of Robson and Sons which is most famous of the few kipper smokers still operating. Their store is open every day, and they have a restaurant that we will try later in the week. The kippers were delicious.
Bamburgh is the home of one Grace Darling who is quite a darling in British history. Grace was 22 years old when she risked her life in an open boat to help the survivors of the wrecked SS Forfarshire on 7 September 1838. With her father, she rowed for over a mile through raging seas to reach them. The courage that Grace and her family showed on that day is now legendary. Grace was the media celebrity of her day. She was celebrated internationally and was showered with honors, including the RNLI‘s Silver Medal for Gallantry. A museum was established in 1938 to commemorate her life.
We visited the RNLI Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh. RNLI stands for Royal National Lifeboat Association, the charity that saves lives at sea in the UK and Ireland. It was founded in 1824 and it’s saved 139,000 lives since then. Grace was the first woman to win an RNLI medal. The museum is small but interesting. While in town we also came across the cottage in which she was born and the one in which she died. Sadly, she died at 27 of tuberculosis just four years after her daring rescue effort.
We also stopped in at Bamburgh’s St. Aidan’s Church (Church of England, Anglican). In 635 AD St Aidan was called to Bamburgh from Iona (in the Scottish Hebrides) by King Oswald to establish Christianity in his newly united kingdom of Northumbria. He established his headquarters here in Bamburgh. Grace Darling is buried in the church graveyard.
Then we drove home for a quiet afternoon under glorious sunshine. I went to the Jolly Fisherman, the town’s local pub as well as the fine restaurant that we frequented last night. I had a pint (two, actually) with locals who retired here from Liverpool. I also took a few shots of Craster in the sunshine.
Elaine cooked dinner at home, and we had a quiet night at Craster Rocks. After dinner we had a walkabout town before bed.
Joe, sorry you had to travel that far to finally find the perfect throne for yourself. It looks like it suites you. I am envious of your view at Craster Rocks. Glad the weather is still holding. Getting warmer in CO, but not as hot as AZ. Take care you two, Cindy
The throne is fabulous, but how will you get it home???