Discover the Medieval Kingdom of Northumbria: explore the ruined castles, quaint villages and wild coastline of North-East England on this day trip from Edinburgh.
Holy Island & Alnwick Castle Day Trip
On the morning of your activity, after meeting in the heart of Edinburgh city centre, you'll climb aboard your luxury coach and head south - out of Scotland and into northeast England. Your route will take you down the scenic coastal route, allowing you spectacular views over the rugged landscape surrounding you.
The first stop on your tour will be Holy Island, whose history dates back to the 6th century. This island, connected to the picturesque mainland village of Lindisfarne by a tidal causeway, has been a pilgrimage destination since the Middle Ages. You'll have the opportunity here to explore the ruins of the Priory, the ancient Castle and sample the famous mead traditionally brewed by monks on the island.
Next, you'll continue south, heading in the direction of Alnwick. As well as being a lively market town, this quaint historic area is home to one of the most incredible buildings in Northumberland, the 11th-century Alnwick Castle. You'll have time here to take a relaxed stroll around the town centre or to explore the Medieval castle complex and its elegant gardens, including the Grand Cascade. You might even recognise the grounds... they were used as a filming location in Harry Potter!
Later, you'll make your way back north, crossing the River Tweed into the tiny historic town of Coldstream, which lies on the English-Scottish border. If there's time, you'll stop at the incredibly well-preserved Flodden Field, the site of the infamous battle of 1513 that ended with the death of James IV, King of Scots.
At the end of a magnificent day, you'll return to Edinburgh, where you'll arrive back around 6:15 pm.
Entrance to Castles
This tour doesn't include entrance fees to the castles and gardens so that you have the freedom to tailor your itinerary by choosing which optional extras you'd like to enjoy. On arrival at the attractions, you'll be offered the choice of paying to visit:
- Lindisfarne Priory: £ 6.30 (US$ 7.91) adults, £ 5.70 (US$ 7.16) concessions, £ 3.80 (US$ 4.77) children
- Lindisfarne Castle: £ 7.30 (US$ 9.17) adults, £ 3.60 (US$ 4.52) children
- Alnwick Castle: £ 12 (US$ 15.08) adults, £ 6 (US$ 7.54) children
- Alnwick Gardens: £ 9.80 (US$ 12.31) adults, £ 4 (US$ 5.02) children
- Alnwick Castle & Gardens: £ 21 (US$ 26.39) adults, £ 9 (US$ 11.31) children
Please note that some attractions to not accept credit cards, so we recommend bringing enough cash for the attractions you'd like to visit.
Important Information
The itinerary of this tour is subject to modification based on the tidal timetable at Lindisfarne. On the 24th June and the 10th July it will not be possible to visit Lindisfarne due to the tides, and Bamburgh Castle will be visited instead.
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