Fun in Northumberland

This is our holiday cottage in the village of Lesbury, Near Alnmouth in Northumberland.

I've never been on holiday before, but it didn't take me long to make myself right at home...

The cottage also had a nice garden for me to explore with some VERY interesting things in it...

I told him if he was only after my chicken, he could get lost....

The oldest parts of St Mary's church date back to the 12th century but there has been a settlement on the site of Lesbury since the 8th century

Oddly enough, Mum's favourite bit of the village was The Coach Inn. This dates back to 1750, though I don't think it still has the original Landlord & Landlady......

The pub had a nice beer garden for me to relax in, as I wasn't allowed inside. What kind of stupid idea is it to allow kids into pubs but not dogs, huh?!  I didn't really mind as it was lovely and sunny.

Mums took me to see the sea for the very first time, but I wasn't very keen. 

Mum says she thinks I would have liked it better if I could have been let off my lead, but my recall isn't very good.... It's non-existent Declan. - Mum.

We visited the market at Amble, which is a little fishing port about 9 miles from Lesbury

Coquet Islands lies 1 mile off the coast at amble and is a wildlife reserve managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) It has been inhabited since the 7th century, but today only RSPB wardens live there in the summer months. During summer over 35000 birds nest on the island. Grey seals are also in residence. Are Grey Seals anything like Greyhounds, I wonder......?

We visited Seahouses, another port a little further north. Mums were very keen to visit Swallow Fishmongers who apparently are quite famous in fishy circles. Mum said they supply The Ritz hotel in London - like I'm meant to be impressed or something! Anyway, we left laden down with kippers, monkfish and mussels - and other Mum muttering something about her credit card having a limit.....

This is a photo Mum took of a seagull in mid-flight. She's rubbish isn't she? Hehe!!

On the way home we stopped to at Hartlepool to visit Mums' friends Vinnie & Helen who run a pub there called The Tall Ships They used to manage our local pub at home, so I expect Mum knows them very well..... I took the chance to grab a well earned pigs ear and reflect on my very first holiday, ever...

PS. I would have posted sooner, but I've still been having issues with my bottom, as it were. Mum finally gave in and took me to the V-E-T yesterday. He's given me some antibiotics and told me to return on Tuesday with a stool sample if I'm no better and he will test for Campylobacter... so that's something to look forward to. Not. No accidents overnight & I have produced some evidence this morning, which Mum says is a better consistency (you'd think I'd been baking, wouldn't you?!) so hopefully I'm on the mend. Mum is still muttering Vet = licence to print money etc etc.... good job she loves me! 

Northumberland: A land of Castles, Castles and yet more Castles.....

If there is one thing Northumberland has, it's castles, LOTS of castles. I suppose they've had a lot of defending to do in their time and clearly, they didn't want to get caught out. Other Mum really likes castles. Mum does too really, but she also likes having something to moan about. Thus I wasn't surprised to over-hear the following conversation:

Other Mum: Oh look, there's Warkworth Castle, lets stop and look.
Mum: What?!?
Other Mum: It's beautiful and of some historic significance (said in a somewhat patronizing manner)
Mum: Oh for god's sake, how many bl***y castles do I have to look at in one day?! Anyway, there's a nice little pub just over....
Other Mum: We're going to the castle.
Mum: But if you've.....
Other Mum: You weren't going to say," if you've seen one castle, you've seen them all", were you darling?
Mum: Humph!

Mum can be a bit of a Philistine when she chooses. Anyway, I thought my friends might be interested in seeing and hearing a little bit about some of the castles we visited, so here goes...

Warkworth Castle

Warkworth is a ruined, but well preserved castle in the village bearing the same name. First mention of the castle is made in a Charter of 1157 - 1164 by King Henry II. The Keep was built by the first Earl of Northumberland in 1377.

Fishing boats with Warkworth Castle in background

 It began to fall into disrepair in 1572 and remained a ruin until mid 19th century when some preservation work was undertaken. It is now maintained by English Heritage.

Alnwick Castle

Alnwick castle is the second largest inhabited castle in England. A castle has been recorded on the site since the 11th century. It was built by the Baron of Alnwick in the classic Norman style. It is currently the home of the Duke of Northumberland.

If you think it looks familiar, many of the external shots of Hogworts School in the Harry Potter movies were filmed here!

Bamburgh Castle

Bamburgh is the largest inhabited castle in England and was known as the Royal Seat of the Kings of Northumbria. The original castle was Anglo-Saxon  ( 5th - 11th century) The Keep is the oldest surviving part and was built in 1164.

Bamburgh Castle from Seahouses harbour

1610 saw the final Royal abandonment of the castle by James I. It has been privately owned ever since and is currently the home of the Armstrong family.

Lindisfarne Castle

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne is connected to the mainland by a long causeway, which twice a day is covered by the incoming tide of the North Sea.

In 634 Oswald became Northumbria's Saint King and it is he who laid the foundations for Bamburgh and Lindisfarne's worldwide fame as the cradle of Christianity. 

Lindisfarne Priory

Oswald requested that the Abbot of Iona send him a Bishop to help convert his people to Chrstianity. Aidan was sent and was given land on Lindisfarne to build a Priory, which became the centre of learning for all of Europe.

St. Aidan

Ruined church - Lindisfarne

Follow the link to find out more about The Holy Island Of Lindisfarne.

Well I hope you've enjoyed Deccy's Quick Guide to Castles. I have to say, I'm with Mum; they are quite interesting but I'd rather go to the pub.. hehe! Tales from the bits of my holiday that didn't involve castles will follow shortly.

Even then, I was dreaming about castles.....

PS. I am writing this blog from my sick-bed. Having been much better yesterday, Mum had to get up three times last night during which, much cleaning of the kitchen floor occurred :-(  Mum is now talking about the possibility of a trip to the V-E-T. I am however perfectly cheerful in myself and so staying in bed isn't strictly necessary; I just like it.

A Bad Case of Man-Flu.....

Hello everyone. I had hoped to be telling you all about my lovely Northumberland holiday, but unfortunately, I've come home with a nasty dose of Man-Flu. Well, at least that's what Mum is calling it. Not that she thinks I'm faking it or anything, it's just that I do seem to be making the most of it......

To put it delicately (some of you may be about to eat...) I've got a bit of an upset tummy. Mummies can vouch for this as between them they had to take me outside 8 times in 6 hours overnight, in order for me to use my private bathroom (behind the hedge).

Mum says she doesn't think it's anything to worry about too much at this stage; I just need to take things easy. I have interpreted this as follows: I can sleep where I want, when I want regardless of how inconvenient it is for everyone else. The gas fire and central heating will be left on at all times. Mum will hand feed me fillet steak and coffee cake and there will be warm milk to hand. She will constantly tell me how pleased she is to be taking me outside at 2.00am in the pouring rain and force 10 gale.

Mum's interpretation: My bed will be placed under the window, out of the way. If I am cold I can have my Banky over me and the heating will not be left on all night. I will be starved for 24 hours and then given small meals of chicken, rice and scrambled eggs. I will drink only bottled water. She will try and not be grumpy when being awakened by me loudly breaking wind, but isn't making any promises..

Life can be so very cruel sometimes, or at least Mum can be. Anyway, I'm sure I'll be feeling well enough to raise my head from my pillow in the next day or so and I'll tell you all about my holiday then.

A Dogs Thoughts On Holidays

Uncle Flynn and his black pudding birthday!

I’m really looking forward to my holidays!

My humans are taking me to Northumberland in a few weeks time. They took Flynn there a couple of times and he loved it. Hated the sea and the beach but loved the battered black pudding apparently! Mum hopes I might be a bit more confident than he was about the sea, but I won’t be able to be let off my lead this time, Mum can’t trust me yet! Greyhounds should never be put on extending leads as we are way too strong and fast. I’m still pretty young and fit and can get close to 40mph in three strides. I could break my neck and Mum would have a dislocated shoulder, or worse. Mum’s bought a training lead that she can wear draped over the shoulder and is hands-free, which will give security and me a bit of freedom. I’ve told her to pack her wellies and plan on some paddling!

Mum says there’s a great Sunday market at Amble where you can buy fresh fish from the quayside and she also got the best dog bed Flynn ever had from there too! Yeah well.. I bet it wasn’t as good as my bed; it’s huge! Mum keeps muttering about needing to build an extension to put it in, but she is prone to exaggeration. We do like to stretch out, do us Greyhounds and as you know, we really like to sleep. I’ve told Mum, if she doesn’t want to lose the couch completely, she’d better buy a spare whilst we’re there..