Coast and Castles – Day 3
Departed: Ambleton
Destination: Holy Island
Distance: 50km
Weather: Warm light rain/patches of sun
Mood: Under pressure then relaxed
Highlight: Lindesfarne Castle
The race was on! We were on a mission! We must reach Holy Island before the incoming tide covers the road and cuts access to the Island until much later in the day. We had until 1:30pm and 50km to cover. So let’s start with a leisurely 8am breakfast!
Finally away at 9. A light rain was falling enough to require a raincoat and stow the camera out of harms way. The countryside is so lush and green, the route today was mainly on country lanes only wide enough for one car, but very little traffic. Mechanical donkeys performed their duties with only a few steep hills where one of the donkeys needed to be walked.
The hours ticked and the kms clicked as we enjoyed the countryside as much as one could with a looming deadline in our sights and finally the road was in view along with a convoy of cars evacuating the Island! With a tail wind and a flat smooth road surface as close to sea level you can get, we cruised the final couple of kms that would soon be submerged and arrived on the island victorious!
A leisurely lunch was had to celebrate our success only to read a sign on the way out that the Castle opening hours were until 3pm and last admission was at 2:30pm and it was now 2:25!
No rest for the wicked as we got our skates on and arrived at the castle 15min later to find the ticket box locked up and the sign out the front telling us that the castle was now closed! Disheartened, we were about to leave when a couple leaving told us that we could still probably get in and that the Castle was still open. So we bounded the stairs and pleaded with the Castle keeper who obliged if we were quick. Our efforts weren’t wasted!
After a pleasant stroll and a visit to the Lindesfarne Priory as well as back down the road to see it swallowed up and a few stranded cars now having to wait out the 6hrs before the tide turns, we finally got time to simply chill. The first time in over 4 weeks!
Of course that will be short lived!
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Jenny and Stephen's Travel Adventure 
One Response to “Coast and Castles – Day 3”
Gee the riding experience sounds just like your Sunday ride with the MAMILS…. you walking the bike up some insubstantial hill ……. I wouldnt have gone so far as to call you a Donkey though ….. just a little bit mulish at times!!