http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , United Kingdom , England , Northumberland en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:04:59 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:04:59 UTC Hi. The journey back to Nothumberland was fine if rather exhausting. Christchurch airport was great no long queue and friendly staff. I slept well between Sydney and Dubai. That flight was an hour late so I had no time to look around Dubai airport and spend money. They were announcing the departure of the Newcastle flight as I entered the terminal building. A slight panic but I should hav http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-347223.html Hello I'm now ready for my first long haul flight on Saturday 25th October. I don't do things by halves so I'm flying to the other side of the world ie New Zealand. Its the country I've wanted to visit since the age of 9 so I'm really excited. I fly to Auckland from Newcastle via Dubai and Melbourne. Once there I meet up with a tour that visits many of the places of interest in 21 days so I'll http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-335797.html Time in Scotland was too short. I have to get sorted for Poland as my flight is 610 a.m. Wednesday morning. Here are photos from the train leaving Scotland. http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-330749.html Just a quick entry to say bye to everyone that's reading this and also to suss the blog out you know what I'm like with technologyNext time I log into this I'll be in New Zealand so byebye and see you when I get homeLisaxxx http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-324399.html We've moved out of the flat travelled to the folks in Newcastle via a visit to Hannah and Andy in Nottingham ... it's all pretty exciting and a little bit surrealThis entry is more of a test run to get Mummy Jagpal familiar with the world of blogs 2 days and counting ... then there'll be some actual interesting travelling stuff to reportAdios till then xx http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-317709.html Staying in the historic city of Berwick Upon Tweed was a tactical decision because itrsquos within easy reach of Holy Island and because I found some really good books in the hostel lounge. It struck me as a curious place so I took a brisk walk around before leaving for Scotland.The quintessential border town Berwick pronounced Berrick was claimed by both Scotland and England and chang http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/Berwick-upon-Tweed/blog-314052.html Bamburgh CastleSince Raph had been neglecting me by doing horrible things such as working on her day off she decided to take me to a castle because I'm easily entertained. And off to Bamburgh we went. Bamburgh Castle's about an hour and a half north of where we're staying. Again it's completely different to the castles I've been to as it's a lot more modern then then the others. It's more of a 18 http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/Morpeth/blog-313818.html Super spontaneous weekend Yeah I went there... Seriously this past weekend was a true roller coaster. Friday we decided to just relax and hang out all night and just enjoy the atmosphere of Newcastle from our apartment. Granted Mark played xbox and Kaitlyn was in the tub soaking with a box of bubble bath relaxing salts her new friend.Saturday Mark got up and did some shopping for Kaitl http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-300630.html Well thats me starting to pack my things for my next trip to Berwick upon Tweed. Unfortunately I was ment to be going with my mum but due to medical reasons she is sadly unable to attend . So my father Uncle and Granda have stepped In to take me instead so we are going to me doing a little bit of my favourite hobby Fishing So Going to go in search of Bait shortly and im recieving a new rod fro http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/Berwick-upon-Tweed/blog-299361.html Having skipped Scotland we had to cut across the top of England and find somewhere to stay. Our resident lsquoRoman Historyrsquo buff wanted to see Hadrians wall. The Romanrsquos built it to separate the area they conquered from the lsquobarbaric Scottishrsquohellipyawn.hellipmiles and miles of nothinghellipyawnhellipstone walls though slightly wider just like all over England http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-296992.html We spent the afternoon at Alnwick Castle but should have allowed more time it was great. The Duke of Northumberland and his family still live there and it was the set for some of the Harry Potter films. It was so interesting the kids were knights and princesses for a day fighting their way through the lsquoDragonrsquos Questrsquo in the many towers and rooms around the fortified walls wer http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-296982.html Pronounced Anick how can they keep skipping letters of a word I keep having to check words for local pronunciations.We have a hostel in a quiet country lane all to ourselves with the added bonus of an open fire. Itrsquos still not getting above 1618. But we soldier on and go for some nice walks around the coast discovering a castle here and there and try to warm up on a sheltered beach and w http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-296970.html Date Saturday 28th JuneWhilst not officially part of my travels I felt this warranted a posting especially for all my close friends who enjoyed the night More for the Photos than anything elseThe last month of my time in England saw many Leaving Dos Parties etc. Thanks to everyone who was part of these nights.....they already hold many special memories. The only reason that I have put thi http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-295635.html Wow it was a long day but I think I've got the hang of this 'driving on the left side' thing. Justin sits next to me and repeats the mantra left side...left side...left side about every 30 seconds or so. I do okay but every now and again when we go around a corner and I see a car coming my way in the right hand lane I instictively jerk the wheel. I'm in the proper land left but my http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-285591.html Friday 16 May After a relaxed morning we left Byrness at 11am to start our big trudge uphill through a conifer plantation and then had a short scramble up a rock ledge. Even though the day was a lot cooler than the previous day it did feel like we had done a Jane Fonda workout by the time we reached the top of Byrness Hill. Up on the open ridge were views of the magnificent Kielder Forest and http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-277920.html Thursday 15 May After starting breakfast at 8am we were still talking and laughing with the very friendly owner of the BB an hour later. We left the table to make way for the other guests who were due for their breakfast at 9am. During breakfast the owner had advised that she worked for a company that sold professional artist pastels Malcolm being a keen artist decided he would like to buy http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-277866.html Wednesday 14 May Timidly we showed our faces at breakfast after coming last in the quiz the previous evening. However we were not overly worried because we were so delighted to be celebrating our third wedding anniversary and in quite a novel way helping to raise money for charity. It was a very good breakfast and on seeing our Ectopic Pregnancy Trust 'Hiking 429km the Long Way Up' tshirts http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-277836.html Tuesday 13 May Waking up today we were filled with excitement at the prospect of seeing the famous and historic Hadrian's Wall especially because it was another glorious day. Following breakfast Malcolm's 'first' English breakfast which we were sure would be one of many along the Pennine Way we left Greenhead. The area is full of history and the first interesting site we approached on our http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-277801.html Last Weekend I went to the Borders with the International Society and got to see a lot of really beautiful places in both Scotland and England. The first stop was Rosslyn Chapel from The DaVinci Code for those of you who read it. The Chapel was absolutely gorgeous but unfortunately we weren't allowed to take pictures of the inside of it. I bought a lot of postcards for the inside pictures th http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-251370.html A tiny isolated island off Englandrsquos northeastern coast Holy Island was an attractive prospect to the early Christian monks. Its remoteness allowed them to cut themselves off from ordinary life in order to devote themselves more fully to prayer yet in this location they were still within reach of the towns and protective castles of the mainland.The religious community of Lindisfarne wa http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/Berwick-upon-Tweed/blog-235575.html On Sunday we were up bright and early for a drive out to Holy Island which can only be reached by a causeway on low tide. This island is out in the North Sea and is home to Lindisfarne Castle and Lindisfarne Priory. The castle was much more modern than Alnwick as part of the castle hadn't even been built until the early 1900s. It was also much smaller but had an excellent view of the North Sea http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/Farne-Islands/blog-203277.html Today we are visiting the Great Wall travelling up the east coast dotted with Castles crossing the boarder and ending up at Edinburgh. Our day started full of sunshine and after a quick breakfast we headed to the Great Wall. You could be forgiven for thinking I was talking about the Great Wall of China that is coming in a couple of months. I am talking about Hadrian's Wall. It is huge Spanni http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-186596.html The weather was inclement a 5am rising had helped to develop a distinctly foul taint to the moods of our heroes and the entire centre in the direct path of travel of the country was underwater. However valiantly they pressed on to the wilds of Northumberland to seek the fabled puffin bird... and they were not to be disappointedhelliphelliphelliphelliphellip. After suffering throug http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-176449.html NOT FOUND http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-158395.html This weekend I went to the The Farne Islands diving with my mum and a group of MCS divers. We were diving with Farne Divers and stayed in Beadnell near Seahouses in their accommodation. It was basic but good. Big cooked breakfasts supplied every morning.The weather was good and the diving was great. The sea was flat the viz was great. The dives were all scenic ones glad I had a wreck fi http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/Farne-Islands/blog-92518.html Thom We left York on Wednesday for Durham driving up through the Yorkshire Dales. During this drive we saw some really random stuff. In one village we drove past this huge cross on a hillside. Another random sight was a white horse on a hill in chalk. We also stopped at an abbey. This is turning into quite a religious and historical trip without it meaning to be. I forgot to say that we had visi http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/blog-78204.html