Lindisfarne

Lindisfarne (or the landward Farne) is more often known by its other name, Holy Island. I worked out the tides to get us the longest day on the island; the causeway is covered twice a day by treacherous currents which isolate the island for hours. We called in to see friends but they were in absentia; the village was full of tourists so we headed past the upturned keels of fishing boats (used ages ago for scenes in a television series of a Dickens book- was it David Copperfield?Now used for storing fishermens' tackle?)

past the Castle,

past Gertrude Jekyll's garden and with a backward glance over our shoulders to see if the world was following us

we headed to the birdhide overlooking the Lough;

in the solace of silence afforded by the hide D3 and I sat for moments until we realised that on the branches immediately outside, fledglings were surveying us as we were searching for them!

After a chat with friends found in the dunes- isn't it a small world?!- we continued north and east up the Island. The eastern coast is kissed by the North Sea and only a few find the quiet beaches across the  protected Nature Reserve. D2 and M found this beach as rumour hath it this is where their marriage proposal was made!!

Sometimes I  'just sits and thinks... and sometimes I just sits' (Mark Twain?) so I did.

 Even then there were signs of the approach of autumn...green nuts on the hazel...flaming berries on the rowan.... where can we go next before summer ends and the nights start drawing in?

and no! this is not a reminder of Christmas dinners to come- just companions on the speedy walk back to get over the causeway before the tide came in.