Solstitial

[shewhomust]

The tradition is that at midsummer we drive up to Lindisfarne and onto the island, and around four in the morning we walk out beyond the castle and gaze at the sea, and the Farne Islands, and the fine belt of cloud low on the horizon, and we check our watches, and any pinkness we can detect in the sky, and eventually the sun clears the cloud, or we say, "Well, that's it, it must be up by now." Of course, sometimes the cloud cover is solid, and sometimes, but not often, it rains. But sometimes - not more than once a decade - sometimes the sun rises clear and bright from the horizon.

durham_rambler, helenraven and I drove onto the island about three, just before the tide closed the causeway; valydiarosada and D drove down to the castle, but we stopped by the harbour, and watched the almost full moon trace a path across the water and the bobbing pairs of lights - worn by runners in some bizarre race. (There remaining member of the party was back on the mainland, having missed the tide). In due course we watched the sun rise into an almost clear sky, with just enough cloud to give it something to shine on; and as we continued along the coast to the pyramid (followed offshore by a seal), the sky cleared completely to a brilliant deep blue.

By breakfast time (in Berwick) the day had clouded over, and the sky was grey; and by lunch time it was just beginning to rain. We took possession of our house at Herring Houses and settled in to read and doze while the rain lashed the windows, feeling doubly smug that that day had put on its most beautiful aspect just for us.

It's been a gently enjoyable few days: much reading, and short walks, and enjoying the sea and the light and the views, and Doctor Who (enjoyable as an event rather than in itself), and good wine and company and conversation, and Bamburgh for the Grace Darling museum (which is a post in itself, but not one I'm likely to write, I fear), and crab sandwiches at the Copper Kettle, and a circuit of the castle through the dunes. valydiarosada and helenraven were conveyed to Berwick at varying degrees of breakneck speed to catch their various trains, and so missed the chance to visit Berrydin Books, a secondhand bookshop so well-stocked, well-arranged and reasonably priced that I refuse to notice any potential ambiguity in its name...

And more wandering around Holy Island, including - for the first time - the short walk at low tide across to Saint Cuthbert's island (where he retreated to find peace among the sea birds when the bustle of Lindisfarne and the pressures of office became too much for him). And in the evening down to Newcastle (well, yes, via Barter Books, where I have spent the credit which was burning a hole in my pocket) for Summer Phantoms, to be told three fine ghost stories by desperance and others. And to meet time_freak and emeraldus_neo (who are cat-sitting for desperance while he disports himself elsewhere_ - for truly, the tentacles of LJ reach everywhere.

Comments

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

So beautiful.

The closest I've gotten to Lindisfarne was the Bede's World museum in 2005. Next trip.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Whereas I've never made it to Bede's World! Time I went back to Jarrow...

Do you have a next trip planned?

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

Yes, my next big trip is to Cambodia and Thailand in Jan 2009! To the British Isles - alas, no.

I did like Bede's World, but I was predisposed to like it, being a Bede fan from way back.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

My father was a Sunderland man, and went to the Bede school; he was quite surprised when I talked about Bede as an important figure in medieval Europe. He said "I thought they only made a big fuss about him because he was local..."

[cellio]

That sounds (and looks) beautiful!

[artistatlarge.livejournal.com]

Wow.
*awestruck*

[helenraven.livejournal.com]

Wonderful to see the picture! And it was a lovely weekend - thank you so much.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Such a beautiful part of the world. I don't know it at all well but we've discussed taking a holiday up there. One day, we will.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Oh, do! We'd love to show you around. (And desperance can probably be persuaded to cook...)

[karinmollberg.livejournal.com]

Have never been to Lindisfarne, but your post made me remember my midsummers in Stockholm, one of the loveliest places to experience it, unless one can go to Lindisfarne of course!

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Oh, the further north the better, as a general rule!