 | ||
Berwick-upon-Tweed
We left the Lakes, and the tortuous driving, and made our way directly across the Pennines -- more windswept ferny fells -- through picturesque villages like Alston and Nine Banks. Picturesque, perhaps, but you'll note there are no pictures, as our Quaint-o-meter had red-lined days ago. | ||
 Road narrows... |
Brit-Zen koan: How do you keep to the left when a one lane road narrows? |
 | It takes more than empty quaintness to float our jaded boats, I guess, and even Hexham's crooked streets and ancient abbey didn't touch us. There is something rather sad in the turning of ancientness into a tool for winkling money off visitors. We found ourselves unable to find a place to stop, and so we returned our car early, and found our way into the center of Newcastle via their lovely Metro -- what a concept! a convenient and fairly priced means for getting from the airport to the train station. |
Due to my readings, I was attracted to Berwick-upon-Tweed, an intermediate stop between Newcastle and Edinburgh right on the border. Sensing that the travel goddess might favor us with appropriate accomodations there, we entrained and found ourselves three-quarters of an hour later, stepping out into the relatively untouristed but nevertheless historic seaside enclave on the Scottish border. A B&B immediately beckoned, as did an excellent Italian dinner an hour later. |
 18th C. Guard Station in Berwick |
 |
Berwick-upon-Tweed has been a pawn in the centuries-old war between England and Scotland, and so a city wall was indispensible. Locals call it "Brrr'k". I would have been happy to explore the environs but my traveling partners were eager to travel onward to the bright lights of Edinburgh. |
|
Travel along with us! |
 |
updated 16 July 2001 : 9:59 Caspar (Pacific) time this site generated with 100% recycled electrons! send website feedback to the Solarnet webster |
© 2001-2002 by Caspar Institute. All Rights Reserved. | |