Holy Island: Lindisfarne Castle, the priory and the shore

From the main island car park at Chare Ends the walk takes Straight Lonnen and Crooked Lonnen east across the island, then a grass path along the east shore south to Castle Point and the lime kilns. It climbs round the rock of Lindisfarne Castle, then follows Castle Road west past the harbour and The Heugh to the village and the ruins of Lindisfarne Priory, and returns to the car park by the village streets. The walk stays on the island throughout and does not use the Pilgrims' Way across the sands.

It is 5.6 km round with 10 m of ascent; allow about 1½ hours. The grade is Easy: the island is flat and the route is on lanes, village streets and grass paths.

The island is reached by a causeway that the sea covers twice a day. Northumberland County Council publishes safe crossing times for it and asks drivers to allow 30 minutes extra; check them before you leave the mainland, and plan to be back well before the road closes. The council's times do not cover the marked walking route over the sands, which it says to use only in daylight with someone who has local knowledge and never during a rising tide. The National Trust asks for dogs on short leads at the castle because of ground-nesting birds and livestock, and the castle approach is by a steep cobbled ramp and steps. Castle Road is used by vehicles dropping visitors at the castle gate.

The main island car park at Chare Ends is pay and display, by card or by phone; the National Trust's page says it is not run by the Trust. The nearest station is Chathill, about 16 km away; the Trust says buses run to the island from Berwick via Beal (route 477) and that their times depend on the tides.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.