Day 16: Wooler to Holy Island

Today's walk promised to be less hilly than previous days - eventually. The going was tricky in parts, and tired pilgrims needed the help of their colleagues to negotiate some stretches.

And some tricky fences

After an early start and a longish morning we reached Lowick, celebrated Mass at St Edward the Confessor, and headed to the Black Bull. Here the landlord had modified his menu in our honour - with a "ploughman's" becoming a "walker's lunch". Little touches that make you feel welcome!

In principle we should have enjoyed views of Holy Island as we approached - but the weather was not in our favour. There were views, but not as clear as we might have hoped.

Between us and the coast lay two major arteries - the A1 great North Road and the main East Coast main line. As we approached we saw an East Coast class 254 InterCity 125 hurrying northwards. Luckily none came as we crossed the line by a small level crossing.

And so, our destination was in sight, though we were running a bit behind time and we had to beat the tide! We strode out boldly across the sands (the recommended walking route differing from the causeway used by motor traffic).

Many of the traditional poles that marked the route have rotted away, just stumps in the ground remaining. But it was enough to follow...

..until the tide caught up with us! Some of us, thinking ourselves smarter, had erred from the marked route for the shorter-and-quicker version. It also proved deeper - waist deep on some!

But we all made it safely (though I fear the salt water took its toll on walking boots - mine certainly fell apart not long afterwards. Perhaps it would have been prudent to take them off!)

And then, our destination: Lindisfarne Priory church, and our prayers of arrival. (Note Patrick in yellow with the crutches)

And then, on to the SVP Boys Camp for our accommodation. A great relief to be here after a very strenuous pilgrimage, both physically for everyone, and mentally for those of us who had planned the first pilgrimage without Fr Bill at the helm. No-one had realised the huge amount of work that organising a pilgrimage involved - and a remote pilgrimage over rough terrain even more so - and so a great sigh of "Thanks be to God" as we arrived.