It was another calm night but this time there was much less condensation on the tent. The sky was very overcast with low mist. I could see the lights on the Farne Islands but not the sunrise around 7am. I set off under the gloomy skies and on to Bamburgh village. I stopped by an information board which showed the location of the Grace Darling Museum. I passed the museum on my way out of the village but it was closed. I rode on round Budle Bay, up a long climb and on to join the main A1 trunk road.

Bamburgh Castle

Just before reaching it I crossed an auto-barrier railway crossing that just lifted as I arrived. The quiet of the earlier roads changed drastically as I turned right on to the A1. I made sure my rear light was on as I rushed north as fast as I could. It didn’t take me too long to reach the right turn to Holy Island and the access causeway. I’d checked the tide times on the council’s website and it said the first safe crossing could be made at 09:50. I would arrive an hour early so planned for a sit down with my book.

Causeway to Holy Island

As I approached I noticed a couple of cars waiting on my side and a van coming the other way and leaving the island. The road surface wasn’t dry and a little water was flowing across it. The depth was no problem for the cars and after one had gone across I followed on my bike. My peddles didn’t reach the water so my feet stayed dry and my tyres got a good clean. Once clear of the sands I still had a couple of miles to reach Holy Island. On the last rise before the car park I stopped to photograph the sign.

Causeway to Holy Island

My left pannier caught the grass verge and I toppled over to the right to finish up sprawled on the road. I wasn’t hurt but my pride was. I rode on into the village and on to Castle some distance away. I returned to the village and just before heading for the Priory Ruins decided to check my phone for signal Strength. Then I found out the true damage caused when I fell off my bike. I must have landed on my phone as the screen no longer worked. The tweets I was planning to send wouldn’t get sent and I wasn’t able to check my emails. There are more important things in life so I resigned myself to having to buy a new phone in a few days and concentrated on heading for the ruins. Officially they didn’t open till 10am so I went in anyway.

Holy Island Castle

The entry fee was for the inside the ruins which were locked anyway so I wandered around the outside. I was still puzzles at how quiet the place was. I soon got my answer as I started to cycle off the island. There was an unbroken line of cars streaming in. The time was the official safe time for the causeway crossing. Coming early paid off. Even though I’d lost my phone.

Priory Ruin

The gates at the rail crossing were closed so I had time to admire the old steam engine in the adjacent garden. Unfortunately I had to suffer the A1 again on my way to Berwick upon Tweed.

Old steam engine

I approached the town along the river bank then over the old bridge. It was quite spectacular and over on the north side I found the cafe Audela where I was able to buy a wonderful Berwick crab sandwich for £6. I got it in a bag and took it to the old wharf to eat. It turned out the cafe name was the same as the last boat built and launched from the wharf. What I didn’t know was that L.S.Lowry was a fan of the town and made many paining of the street scenes. There is even a Lowry trail. Further up through the town was a magnificent stone gate arch constructed to keep the Scots out during the reign of Elizabeth the first.

Old bridge

Audela cafe

L.S. Lowry trail

Back on the road I headed for Eyemouth and had to follow the A1 for a while. It was fairly quiet through the town but I had a long step climb out. I reached Coldingham and then a very long climb up over Coldingham Moor. A very long descent followed down to a final steep hill to Pause Bay and a large caravan park. The river crossing was a shallow ford. A wooden footbridge was there if the water had been too deep. A steady climb back up eventually took me back to the A1.

Crossing the border

Thankfully there was now a cycle path alongside. I was aiming for a pitch near a lighthouse to the SE of Dunbar. I saw a signpost to a bay and also a public toilet where I could get water. I cycled down, filled my plastic bottles, returned to the road and continued. The road was fairly wide but soon there were gipsy caravans by the road and where the lighthouse turn off should have been and gates said closed for open cast quarry workings. I had to retrace my route.

Memorial at Skateraw

I followed a cycle route marker but it seemed to be taking me nowhere. I returned to bay and wheeled my bike to a quiet area that didn’t seem to be visited very often. By the rocky shore was a suitable campsite and nearby a memorial cross. It was to previous pupils of St. Giles’ later Canongate Boys Club Edinburge who died in the second world war. And also to Rev Right of the same club who enjoyed many camping trips with them at this very spot. The wonderful quote was ‘Goodnight Sir see you in the morning’ It was special knowing I was camping on the same spot they all enjoyed such happy times.

Memorial at Skateraw and Torness Power Station.