Berwick old walls and lighthouse - holiday roundup

I am sitting in a quiet early morning house trying to type with an over effusive catling on my lap. She keeps attempting to smother me with fish-breath-cat-kisses and despite the fact she has grown considerably this last week, she thinks she is still that tiny kitten that could fit in the palm of my hand.

I have had to resort to typing with the other hand.....

Berwick upon Tweed** has an amazing history. A frontier town with battlement walls and defenses to make your eyes water. A mish-mash of designs due to disagreements between the Spanish and English designers of the day with centuries of alterations and additions.

The resulting confinement of the town walls encouraged a warren of byways and snickle paths, of myriads of steps up and over and down the other side, of tunnels and gaps between tall and narrow buildings and we love exploring this glorious maze of the old town.

This twisting, squashed together architecture has produced the most tantalising glimpses of views and secret passages. We wandered 'lost' in our thoughts, finding secreted away gardens and hidden routes.

Everywhere we went, we walked under arches or bridges and we entered and returned via previously heavily guarded routes under the secure walls.

The walls are broad and strong and in places wide enough to promenade dozens of people at a time. Once up high, the original defences can be observed and some of the canons used both in anger and in ceremony can be seen. It is walking on one section of these walls that the prettiest and what looks like the most productive of allotments bustles away in front of a stern stone lion guarded house - reputed to be on the wishlist of the artist L S Lowry who frequently came up here on holiday and painted many views of Berwick and surrounds.

Our walk always culminates in visiting the Berwick lighthouse - independently looked after by the townsfolk rather than the national lighthouse organisation - Trinity House. This little squat beacon has just gone through a 2 year restoration and looks resplendent in its new coat of paint and the repaired sea wall.

And of course every decent walk around the walls of Berwick should end with a picnic lunch at Spittal - a sandy spit and revamped victorian promenade opposite the lighthouse.

I do love being by the coast, oh to be able to live where the light is clear, colours are vibrant and the breeze invigorating, there is definitely something special about a break by the sea  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Berwick - pronounced Berrik

Thank you Aubrey - the daily simple and Natalie T - Thistledown Dreams - Sara J - Sara Crafts for popping in and leaving some lovely comments - hello and thank you to my other dear friends who regularly drop in and say hi - I love reading your comments - thank you!