OF CASTLES AND ISLANDS

To the west of Tweedmouth, within sight of Scotland, is Norham on Tweed, where the long closed railway station has become a sort of museum.

 There's no track, but the signal box still stands.

Another railway now, in the shadow of Etal Castle. It's the Heatherslaw Light Railway, of 15 inch gauge. The line's diesel runs around its train.

There's also a steam loco, seen at the other end of the line at Heatherslaw Mill.

And here's the mill itself, on the River Till.

This taxibus, on a stage carriage service from Berwick, takes us to Wooler.

A traction engine has had a little mishap in Wooler!

Now we're back at the coast and are traversing a tidal causeway to Holy Island/Lindisfarne.

 Here are a few of the scenes to be found there.

This lovely AEC has brought a group of discerning tourists to the island.

Back on the mainland and our next stop is Belford.

There was once a station on the East Coast Main Line.

The station has long gone, with buses still operating, run by Travelsure.

The next stop is Bamburgh, dominated by its huge castle (Creative Commons License).

This Whites of Calver/Chesterfield Transport coach was found there in 1994.

Back on the ECML, we've now reached Chathill station.

This was once the junction for the North Sunderland Railway. The push-pull shuttle service from Seahouses is seen arriving.

Seahouses station was the outer terminus of the North Sunderland Railway.

Main Street, in downtown Seahouses.

It's here that we find the Olde Ship, a decent free house with accommodation.

Here's an old postcard of Seahouses harbour.

A more modern view sees the harbour being used by fishing vessels.

The rocky beach at Seahouses, with the Farne Islands visible.

Let's take a trip out to the Farne Islands.

Here are the sights of Inner Farne.

Now we head out to the other main island, Longstone, with our last view of Inner Farne.

Here is the famous Longstone lighthouse.

We now take our leave of the Farne Islands.

We regain the mainland at Low Newton-by-the-Sea.

There's a tiny chapel, dedicated to St Mary (Creative Commons License).

There's also the Ship Inn, with its own brewery.

From the beach there are views south to Dunstanburgh Castle......

.....but you'll have to await the next post to see what else is there.Meanwhile, here's a link to the map of the route (so far).

WE FINALLY LEAVE SCOTLAND

 In the last post we were within sight of England but, before we get there, we make for Duns, where we find LNER 9895 and a sister on an express service.

To the south, but still in Scotland, we come to Kelso, illustrated by this postcard view.

The LNER kept a tiny Sentinel in the shed at Kelso.

Lowland maintained a depot in Kelso. This really is the last photo in Scotland.

We now head for the outskirts of Berwick-upon-Tweed and find the Salmon Inn at East Ord. The future of the pub doesn't look too promising.

Just for a short while, we head north, almost back to Scotland, but stop short at England's most northerly pub, the Meadow House at Marshall Meadows. Sadly, no real ale now.

So we head into Berwick-upon-Tweed.

The railway station cuts through the middle of the castle ruins!

A class 03 shunter was kept at Berwick as late as 1976.

Today, Berwick station is just an island platform. A down HST departs.

Berwick's bus station/depot was jointly owned by SMT (to become Eastern Scottish) and United. An old SMT Leyland is operating a town service.

Eastern Scottish became Lowland and continued to use the facilities.

Lowland became part of Firstbus and the bus station and adjacent depot have been redeveloped.

Arriva, the eventual succesors to United, start their services at the railway station.

Independents serving Berwick include Travelsure and Perrymans.

Time for some beer now and some is being delivered......

.....to the Castle Hotel.

Next up is the Brown Bear.

One pub not to missed, totally unspoilt, is the Free Trade Inn.

Hidden away down a back road, another good pub, the Pilot Inn.

More like a bistro than a pub, Foxton's serves some decent cask beer.

Barrels Ale House sits on a nearby corner.

A newish addition is a micropub, the Curfew.

We must now attempt to cross the Tweed. Coming the other way is this United Bristol RE, no. 4341.

The railway crosses the River Tweed by means of the Royal Border Bridge. LNER 10000 heads south.

In 1978, one of the first HST sets for the ECML is seen on the Royal Border Bridge.

From the main road bridge, a view of Berwick quay.

There are good views from the Royal Border Bridge too.

On the south side is Tweedmouth, where the LNER had its loco shed.

Travelsure buses pass through Tweedmouth.

Border Brewery used to be in Tweedmouth.

Sadly, it would appear that the Harrow and the Queens Head, both ex Vaux pubs, are now closed.

But there we must end this post. The next one will find us touring rural Northumberland.