In an unusual move, I had planned some of the holiday in advance. One of these things was a cruise to the Farne Islands off the coast of Northumberland, to see Puffins. I have always wanted to see Puffins and photograph them.
So this is why the alarms went off at six in the morning, and we stumbled about trying to make coffee before setting out across the moors to the coast. It was pleasant enough, heading down lanes and roads up and down valleys and over moors that looked anything but bleak in the morning light. We crested another hill after an hour of travelling, to see the sunlight dappling the surface of the sea. We were nearly there, and we were very early.
We still had half an hour to go, up the A1 then u along the coast road to Seahouses. We parked up, and found a few other photographers milling around waiting for sailing time. We made use of the time by having 2nd breakfast at the greasy spoon by the harbour, and all the time, more and more people arrived.
One by one, boats loaded up and headed out, until at ten it was our turn. The boat was packed, but we all had enough room, and so settled down for the half hour trip to the islands. We went to Inner Farne first, to drop off some photographers off on another boat so they could snap a rare Turn which had arrived this week. We went from island to island, each one had cliffs that were packed with nesting birds: Shags, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Cormorants, Razorbills and Puffins.
As we went from island to island, it became clear, that despite the glorious weather, there was a problem. And in time we came to Staple Island, where we should have gotten off, only to be told that due to the swell and high tide, landing was impossible. A massive disappointment for us all, but nothing could be done. And so with all the shots we had, we headed back to ort to get off and to decide what to do next.
Seahouses had filled up with people, and the small fishing village was packed with people, the jetty even more so. Once landed we went to the car, loaded up and set off up the coast. All we wanted to do was find a nice quiet pub and have a bite of lunch. Bamborough was also jampacked, so we headed further up the coast.
We had decided to head to Holy Island, so I could try to find another rare orchid. Lets hope I would be lucky! At the top of the road to the island was a good looking pub, and as the causeway would be closed until gone three, lets do lunch and drink beer!
We have a fine long lunch, and afterwards we head down to the start of the causeway, to find that dozens of cars were parked up, and people were standing on the causeway, looking at the receding waters. Which one would be brave enough to be first across? Turns out it was an Audi driver, heading over the flooded causeway, with the water lapping at the bottom of the car. But he made it, and so one by one others inched across. Half an hour later, but half an hour before the safe time for the crossing, we went over, and the road was mostly out of the water.
Once over we park at an area called The Snook, and so began the great orchid hunt, which struck, if not gold then silver, as I saw a few Pyramidals scattered in the dunes. Further on I came across many Common Spotted and Northern Marsh. The area was huge, and I was beginning to despair of finding a Helleborine, let alone a Lindisfarne one.
I ask a couple, and they say beyond the house about a hundred yards away is orchid heaven. I stride out and sure enough there were Helleborines. Marsh Hellebrines. Not the ones I was looking for, but hundreds and hundreds of them, mixed in with a few fading Early Marsh too, as well as Common Spotted. There must have been thousands of orchids, most of the Marsh Helleborines, but no sign of either a Dune of a Lindisfarne.
Time was running out, it was four, and so I gave up, happy with the shots I had, and the discovery of what looked like to me Leopard Orchids, but they don’t exist, so who knows, these interbreed like crazy. The last one was a monster, over a foot high, with a flowering spike some nine inches of densely packed flowers. It was stunning.
Back over the causeway, back over the railway line, the A1 and into the countryside, with the dark hills in the distance getting nearer and nearer. It took 90 minutes to get back, but it is a pleasant trip, heading via Kelso and Jedborough before heading over the moors to Kielder.
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