St Oswald’s Way September 2024 – D7/2 to Seahouses via Bamburgh

Dinner last night at the Salmon Inn. Typical Northumbrian meal ! Sweet and sour chicken with half chips and half rice, and a pint of Guinness 🤣

Didn’t fancy pudding – coffee back at the Hotel and a morsel of Sue’s South African rusks did just fine (thanks Sue!)

So….

A bit of history recap.

St Cuthbert….634-687AD..patron saint of Northumbria…grew up near Melrose (hence St Cuthbert’s Way begins there) and became Prior there around 661/4 after their prior there died. Cuthbert had allegedly been a shepherd, a military man and a monk beforehand.

Became prior of Lindisfarne sometime after the synod of Whitby (664AD) . Known for his piety, austerity and humility. Made Bishop of Hexham but decided to be Bishop of Lindisfarne (approx 685A AD) where he lived for the last 2 years of his life.

His remains led to miracles and a legacy of societies and worshippers persist to this present day.

St Cuthbert’s Way remains a pilgrimage way today.

Q. “What is a pilgrimage?” you may ask.

A. (from the Pilgrimage Trust at Britishpilgrimage.org)

A Pilgrimage is a journey for the soul

At its heart, pilgrimage is a journey, usually (but not always) on foot, along a path often to a sacred place. However, pilgrimage is more than just a journey; it is an intentional path that intertwines the physical act of walking with a quest for deeper meaning within oneself.

On the journey, a pilgrim seeks new insights about themselves, others, or the world around them. Pilgrimage invites the pilgrim to step outside their daily life and enter a space of reflection, discovery, and transformation

Back to St Oswald – dies the year Cuthbert was born , or thereabouts. Introduces Celtic Missionaries (Aidan) from Iona to Northumberland (Bernicia).

Had his HQ as “King” of Bernicia in Bamburgh the seat of many AngloSaxon northern kings.

Back to the walk. THIS MORNING’S VIEW out of the window

Didn’t get better as the walk got underway …but it was pretty warm and not really damp…#interesting.

Beautiful countryside followed….

But it was good walking weather despite the way it seems in the pics.

A few ‘cow issues’ route.

Arty photos were still available to be taken though..

And then… Bird land paradise – allegedly….Budle Bay, part of the Lindisfarne Nature Reserve.

Then on to Bamburgh …it did TRY and clear up a bit.

Got chatting to a few golfers who were waiting for the club secretary to say the course is playable. One chap had come up all the way from Newcastle 🤦‍♂️