Timing the tide to ride

Posted bycinnicrewPosted inScotland

Day 5

July 18, 2025

Stats: 29 mi. AIS: 3:10, Elev. 790 ft. Speed: 9.1mph

We were traveling in the van by 9am this morning to Berwick-Upon-Tweed, England. We needed to time our 15 mile ride from there to Holy Island to cross the causeway to the island when the tide was out.

Today’s route
A larger image of the coastline
we rode today
The even bigger picture. We are the blue dot. I can see Denmark
across the North Sea!
Hi Soren and Line😊
The most modern subdivision I have seen in 2 weeks

Today we were joined by Sandy’s friend Gordon. He’s an avid cyclist but willing to ride at our pace to show us Holy Island.

The ride started immediately with a rough gravel road. I was hoping this wouldn’t be the whole way. I wasn’t expecting that type of ride. We’re following the English coastline south. The trail type changed pretty often. Sometimes it was tarmac (paved) small trail, then paved road, then double track, then single track, then nice crushed rock that was smooth and fast. We had to open and close about 5 fenced properties along the way.

Where’s the trail?
The single track
The chunky gravel
The fast crushed rock trail
One of our fence stops. Meet Gordon
View along the coastline
at the start of our ride
The view just before the crossing

We made it perfectly on time to cross the causeway to the island. There was a line of cars waiting for the water to get low enough to cross. We waited maybe 10 minutes and headed across.

Tide charts and warnings about crossing too early or too late!
The escape tower if you get caught in water at the crossing
Line of cars crossing the causeway
How the crossing looks
when the tide is low
Captain Sandy

A short distance after the crossing you enter the town of Holy Island. There’s a pilgrimage trail to get here callled St Cuthberts’s Way. We actually rode part of the trail to arrive here.

We spent some time enjoying the views and the castle and the Church of St Mary’s. It’s quite a tourist destination and the town quickly got busy. The island is a conservation refuge so there are hiking trails along the sand dunes. No camping but there’s a hotel or two in town. A few restaurants and food trucks. You have to park and walk the village.

Having some snacks enjoying the castle in the distance
They have repurposed old ship hulls into storage sheds . Back of shed
Front of shed
The walk up to visit the castle. It’s only about 500 years old. It was actually used in more recent times. Now it’s a museum
View looking up to the castle along the walk
It was our first castle so we decided
to pay to enter
The kitchen
Food storage and dishes
The dining room
Windows in the dining room
Another view
Holy Island village
View from the Abbey
Looking down from the castle

Then we visited the church and the old abbey

St Mary’s church
Cemetery all around the area

After this we were on our way back to the van. We took a slightly differ route back to stay on paved roads. We made it back just as it started to rain so our timing was perfect. Now back to Kelso for another night at Sandy’s.

Sandy made another nice dinner for us tonight and we were joined by his wife Alicja (Alicia). She has been gone traveling for work. We had a lovely dinner together. She’s very friendly and kind to share her house with us for several days!

Me😊 leaving the island
I knew I was going to like Alicja when I saw we shared the love of Polish pottery. She has many more pieces than I do… as she should since Poland is her home country!

Tomorrow is Saturday… a big day for Sandy and his civic week. We’re also expecting it to be a rainy day. We’re hoping for a ride in the morning. We’re on our own since Sandy is busy all day with the Pipe Band.

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