After trips to New York and then to San Francisco already, we decided to stay in the UK this summer and spend our holiday in Northumberland.
We stayed near Beal, which is just on the road to Holy Island. After reading advice from Janis and others, we enjoyed our stay.
As we were travelling from South Wales, we took an overnight stop on the way in Yorkshire. This meant that we could meander our way up North the next day. We stopped to have a look at Hadrian's Wall and visited a roman encampment.
On our first full day, we took a boat ride from Seahouses around the Farne islands and on to Holy Island (Lindifarne) where we disembarked whist the island was "cut off". It was amazing to see the sea birds (especially the Gannets) diving into the sea. We also saw the Grey Seals, just off the islands.
Holy Island was a quiet paradise whist it was traffic free, although we were just a few minutes late to visit the Priory (and the lady was as "unmovable" as an EasyJet check in assistant!). The boat trip cost £14 for adults and £7 for children, with Billy Shiel.
The next morning was spent in Berwick-upon-Tweed walkng the ramparts and visiting the barracks. Afterwards we moved into the Scottish Borders, and visited Kelso, Melrose and St Boswells for the border abbeys. We would leave Jedburgh until later in the week.
I really enjoyed Melrose but Dryburgh was my favourite. It was odd to see Sir Walter Scott and General Haig buried there.
Later in the week we made the 60 mile trip to Edinburgh. We drove to Newcraighall where we parked for 50p and took the train in to Waverley station. The rail cost was £6.50 for 2 adults and a child. In Edinburgh, we took in the castle and wandered around the Royal Mile. There was a lot of street performers there as it was during the Fringe festival.
After Edinburgh we crossed the Forth road bridge and stopped at Dunfermline Abbey where Robert I (the Bruce) is buried. We have relatives near by and called in.
Other visits were to Alnwick castle (expensive), Warkworth Castle and Amble (nothing whatsoever there!). We also looked in at Chillingham Castle, which is the home of Sir Humphrey Wakefield, a true English eccentric. It is supposed to be one of Britain's most haunted places and was fun to visit (especially the ghoulish exhibition of torture instruments).
The last day was spent visiting Jedburgh abbey and back into England for Etal castle via Flodden battle field.
All in all, a great week. We are already members of Cadw (Welsh Heritage) which gave us free admission to all sites in the care of English Heritage and Historic Scotland. We calculated that we saved just over £100 in entrance fees (Edinburgh castle alone would have been £25 for two adults and a child). Overseas visitors would be able to buy a heritage pass, but not for both countries I don't think.
I have to say that I found a noticable increase in the friendlyness of the people once we ventured into Scotland. That's just our opinion.

Your report brings back so many wonderful memories! I really loved the Borders


Thanks

AR, interesting to read about stuff to do closer to home ! Glad you had a good time and you put me to shame. Hope you were lucky with the weather - I know it's warmer in South Wales but it hasn't been too bad here this year.

Where in South Wales do you live ? My husband's family are from South Wales. Not looking forward to driving to Pembroke via Swansea tomorrow, & the same in reverse on Sunday

Great report AR. Sounds like you had a lovely holiday. Dryburgh is also my favorite of the border abbeys. Going out to Lindesfarne by boat when the causeway was closed was a great idea. So many day trippers go out and back on the same tide so when the road is closed the island is much quieter.

Good tip about parking at Newcraighall and taking the train in.

Just a note of clarification for overseas readers -- the Great British Heritage Pass is good in all four countries (Scotland, Wales, England and N.I.)

Thanks Janis. It's good that the pass is valid for all countries.
Caroline - we were exceptionally lucky with the weather with only half a day's rain. I live in Bridgend (15 miles west of Cardiff) but am originally from further west (Ammanford - I never though I could get the town onto this forum!!).
Good luck with your journey. It's going to be busy returning from Pembroke on the weekend. Hope you're not going all the way back to Edinburgh in one day?

Hi AR. So glad you were lucky with the weather up here.

We had a few delays on the way down to Wales on Friday but did exceptionally well on the way back (yes, in one day) yesterday. We came straight back from Pembroke via mid-Wales as we no longer had to travel via Swansea, & did it in 8.5 hours - a record, excluding the 2 times we've done it on Boxing Day. It's usually 10-11 hours. We saw no traffic going through Wales & the traffic on the M6/M74 was all heading south - I think it was the end of the E&W school hols ? (Scottish ones ended 2/3 weeks ago.)

My husband's family is originally from Swansea but he also lived in Cardiff, Port Talbot, Saundersfoot, Pontypridd & Newport, & his parents recently moved from Burton Ferry to Pembroke. Have to admit I hadn't heard of Ammanford before but I've now found this website about it (http://www.terrynorm.ic24.net/) & it sounds as though it's near Llandeilo ?

That's quite a journey Caroline.
Ammanford is certainly no metropolis, and yes it is near Llandeilo (about 7 miles). There are not too many famous locals when you leave out the rugby and football players. Hywel Bennett, the actor is a local as it John Rhys Davies of Indiana Jones and Lord of the Rings fame (big, fat beardy actor). Some out there would know of John Cale from the Velvet Underground (as of Lou Reed fame), who was born and bred in the area. Oh, and the man that started "Specsavers" is from Ammanford!!!
All the best to Edinburgh (even though the rugby team did beat the Llanelli Scarlets last Friday).

Ah right, I knew John Cale was Welsh but not where from.

All the best to you & South Wales too, until our next visit !

Hi AR, a little late to reply to the posting but wanted to say that we too visited Flodden ( or Branxton ). To us it was amazing that such a historic place was deserted, empty and somewhat forlorn. Also that so many people could be killed on such a small field. It is definitely worth visiting though.
Anyway the 500th anniversary is only 3 years and a bit away so maybe it will get some of the exposure it deserves.