The Farne Islands and other United Kingdom Off The Beaten Path Tips

these are a group of small islands off the coast of Northumberland - three miles out from the little fishing village of Seahouses. From Seahouses several companies run day or half day trips, some are just out and around the islands without landing and some give you 2 hours on the island/islands. We chose to do a whole day trip with Billy Shiels Tours, you really have to phone and book in advance. I phoned and there were very friendly advising me to wait a few days because of poor weather. The day we did go the weather was marvellous and the sea not to choppy. The whole day trip costs 25 pounds per person and to land on each island (Inner Farne and Staple Island you have to pay 5.80 National Trust entrance (or be a member of the NT) - sounds like a lot of money but it is ABSOLUTELY worth every penny! The boat takes you out around the islands showing the grey seals as well and the lighthouse and where Grace darling sailed from for her famous rescue in 1838. You do have to take a packed lunch and drink with you as there is nowhere to get anything on the islands - but it is lovely to sit on the rocks with a picnic lunch and watch the birds. Staple Island is high and rocky and so full of birds - the puffins are so wonderful. Inner Farne is very flat and from the docking area you have to walk through a colony of Artic Tern so bring a hat with you. These tiny birds can be very vicious - Koos ended up with several holes in his head. Although I have to admit he walked the attack area several times to film the birds peeking his head! There are only toilets on Inner Farne which you visit in the afternoon on a whole day visit so go before you leave Seahouses in the morning - there are public toilets near the harbour.

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Phone: (01665)720 308 / 720 316
Website: www.farne-islands.com

I am putting this tip here although Canterbury is certainly not "off the beaten path" but this museum is fun although not a "must see". Geoffrey Chaucer (1342-1400) was a wonderful write who gave/gives his readers real characters. He certainly made his characters real in his fantastic work - The Canterbury Tales. This is an unfinshed series of 24 vivid, raunchy stories with adultery, crime and romance as told by a group of pilgrims travelling from London to Canterbury and back. In the stories it is not CHaucer telling the story but the pilgrim.
The museum "The Canterbury Tales" these people with all their rudness, smutty, and lesser characteristics are brought to life. The scnes of the book are brought to life with the sounds and smells of the time. Although the scenes sometimes have models that move jerkily the whole museum does give you an good introduction to the much more fantastic book. There is a very good gift shop there as well.
The museum is open every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Years Day.

St. Margaret's Street, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2TG

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Website: www.canterburytales.org.uk

Alnwick - actually said as Annick is a lovely old town with lots of little cobbled streets and alleyways. There is a lovely medieval castle with wonderful gardens. Of course Harry Potter fans will know Alnwick from the films but it has also been used in the series Backadder. The castle overlooks the river Aln and is on the northern side of the town. Alnwick Castle is actually the second largest inhabited castle in England. It has been the home of the Percys, Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309. The castle is first mentioned in around 1096. That was when Yves de Vescy became Baron of Alnwick and had the first part of the castle built. The first Lord Percy of Alnwick had the first restoration of the castle done in the early 1300’s. It included the Middle Gateway, the Abbots Tower and the Constable's Tower. Unfortunately the castle was in scaffolding whie we were there, did not think it looked nice for photos.
The saturday we were there we wandered around the small market in the centre. There has been a market in the town for more than 800 years. Market days are thursday and saturday but there is a farmers market on the last friday of the month.

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Website: http://www.visitalnwick.org.uk/explore_alnwick.htm

This is the house were the composer B.Britten lived from 1957 until his death in 1976 with his partner the tenor P. Pears. It is where he wrote some of his greatest works - such as the War Requiem and Death in Venice.
I was looking for more information about the Red House, and discovered it was probably closed for the year by the time we would be on holiday. I emailed the curator and asked the actual closig date and saying when we would be there. Quickly got an email back saying that they were actually closed but if we came he would open up and give us a tour. We arrived expecting a short tour but he took us around and we spend a happy and very interesting two hours looking around the house and learning a lot about the lifes of these two Britten and Pears. We were not rushed through at all but given a very individual and very informative tour and then the chance to look at the exhibition area by ourselves.
Britten and Pears were avid collectors of art and their house is full of it.
When driving there we stopped and asked an old lady for directions and heard she had met the composer during one of his many walks on the local beach.
Tours up to 10 people are welcome but must be pre-booked

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The graves of the composer Benjamin Britten the tenor Peter Pears can be found in the graveyard of St. Peter and St. Paul's Church in Aldeburgh.
Britten was born in Lowestoft in November 1913. He met his life partner the tenor peter pears in 1937. In fact Pears was Britten’s musical collaborator and inspiration as well as his life partner. Britten and Pears moved to the States in 1939 and returned in 1942. His opera “Peter Grimes” had its premiere at Sadlers Wells in 1945 and was his greatest success until then. Britten though encountered opposition from some areas of the English musical establishment and he gradually withdrew from the London scene. He formed the English Opera Group in 1947 and the Aldeburgh Festival the next year. The greatest success of Britten's career was the War Requiem which was written for the 1962 consecration of the newly reconstructed Coventry cathedral.
Britten developed close friendships with the Russians Dmitri Shostakovich and Mstislav Rostropovich in the 1960s.
In the last years of his life Britten suffered increasing ill health and this is reflected in his music – his late works became progressively more sparse in texture.
In june 1976 he was made Baron Britten. He died on the 4th of December 1976 of heart failure in his home. His partner Peters Pears died on the 3rd of April 1986.
The church is in Victoria Road Aldeburgh

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Known as The Buttertubs, these potholes can be found near Thwaite on the B6270. They are known as the Buttertubs because farmers going to market lowered their butter into the holes to keep it cool. Thwaite is in Wensleydale, which is the largest of the dales, which is famous for its lovely cheese. In the last years it has also become very well known because of the James Herriot books and television series.

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Lying in the Lowlands of Scotland and therefore in very close proximity to the English enemy all that is left of these abbeys are ruins. Even the ruins though are magnificent and a poignant reminder of the turbulent past. The abbeys were founded during the 12th century and destroyed during the reign of Henry the eighth.

Jedburgh abbey in the centre of the little town of Jedburgh and was built in 1138. There is an excellent visitors centre close by which shows how the Augustinian monks lived.

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Warkworth castle is situated overlooking the river Coquet and was the Percy family home for some time. It is featured in William Shakespeare’s play “Henry the Fifth” The remains are mainly from the 14th century. At Easter time the banks around the castle are covered in daffodils – a beautiful sight.

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The Romans started building this 117 kilometre long wall on the orders of the Emperor Hadrian to mark and also to defend the northern limits of their British province. It runs westward from Bowness on the Solway Firth to the mouth of the Tyne at Wallsend. The A69 and the B6318 give good access to all the major sites. It was abandoned in 383 when the Roman Empire crumbled. It is now owned by the National Trust. Much of the wall still remains and is really worth visiting. The fort Vindolanda has a museum with a collection of Roman writing tablets which provide details of their food, clothes and work there. Homesteads fort is the best preserved site on the wall. It also gives some beautiful views over the surrounding countryside. At Cawfields which is 3 kilometres north of Haltwhistle you have access to the highest sections of the wall.

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Bamburgh is a lovely little town and also has the Grace darling Museum. This honours the bravery of the 23-year-old girl who rowed with her father through the stormy seas to rescue 9 people from the wrecked “Forfarshhire” steamboat in 1838.

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