Spiritual Sanctuaries

For a real sense of spirit of place, it’s hard to beat the Holy Island of Lindisfarne . Even your arrival over the long tidal causeway is pure magic.

This is not a place to dash around. It’s a place with 1300 years of Celtic spirituality to savour. It’s the gaunt ruins of Lindisfarne Priory’s “rainbow arch” towering above your head. It’s Lindisfarne Castle’s precarious but oh-so-beautiful position high on its very own rock pedestal. It’s the sound of the curlew on the wing and the colour in a Gertrude Jekyll designed garden. And it is the story of one of the greatest works of art this nation has ever produced - the Lindisfarne Gospels.

Wondering what to do after exploring all these cultural sites?

Just buy a fresh crab sandwich from one of the tearooms in the pretty village. Wander down to the beach behind the Priory and find the seat which overlooks the sandy bay and tiny, rocky St Cuthbert’s Isle. Quite possibly this could be the most relaxing part of the holiday.