After sharing our breakfast with the birds, we head down to the causeway – it is low tide so we walk out past a few of the long guidance poles just to get an idea of what it feels like – damp.

Dread to think what has happened here,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

From the sands we join the road for a short while and then follow the path through an area of dunes marked as The Links on the map. At one point we have an interested observer.

Following the clearly marked path round the island, we then head for the castle, which stands on Beblowe Crag approximately 100 feet (30 metres) above sea level. Built in the 16th century and heavily fortified, it was an excellent defence against attacks from both the Vikings and the unruly Scots.

However, when James 1st came to power, ruling over both Scotland and England, there was no more need for a fortress on the island and the castle fell into disrepair. In later years it was used as a coastguard lookout. In 1901 the castle was bought by Edward Hudson, the then owner of the magazine “Country Life” who employed Sir Edwin Lutyens as his architect. Together they made extensive renovations to the castle with the aim of creating a holiday home suitable for visitors. Some of those who braved the wet uncomfortable journey in rusting taxis across the sands, (the causeway road was built in 1954) were members of the Bloomsbury Group, one of whom was the writer Lytton Strachey, who found Lindisfarne Castle to be uncomfortable and “very dark, with nowhere to sit, and nothing but stone under, over and round you.”

Despite this the owner Edward Hudson developed a reputation for throwing lavish parties at the castle with music, dancing and who knows what else……………….until the booze ran out.

For some reason I seem to have no photos of the interior of the castle so here’s a couple of “borrowed” ones.

And now we need to catch the low tide and drive back to the mainland. For two days we have been given a taste of this magical place, but we are Muggles at heart and it’s time to leave.

Distance: 4 miles