When last I checked in, Abby and I were headed north to visit York, Newcastle, and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. When we left, England was in the midst of the worst heatwave the country had ever seen. We got up and went to York Minster, the seat of the Archbishop of York – the third highest office in the Church of England (C of E) before the heat set in. The minster was completed in 1472 after several centuries of building, and it is devoted to St. Peter. While we were there, they were tuning the very large, very loud organ, which made for an interesting, but amusing tour.
We then got back on the road and made the 2 hour drive north to Newcastle, where it was 97 degrees in the far north of England! We met a friend of Abby’s who moved from Annapolis to Newcastle to pastor a church. We walked close to six miles in the scorching sun!
After our quick visit to Newcastle, we made our way to the much cooler temperatures of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. The island is only accessible twice a day, when the tide goes out far enough to allow travel over the causeway. Tourists flood in at the first opportunity, because they only have six or so hours to enjoy the island before they have to leave or be stranded. We however, decided to stay on the island, and it made our trip that much more special. As soon as the day trippers left the island, a sort of calm peace settles in. It is just the few villagers who live and work there, and the very few who have accommodations on the island. We spent three days, praying, walking, meditating, reading, and being in silence. It was a very moving time, and it is easy to see why Lindisfarne is where Christianity got its foothold in England, and why so many people come to this holy place.
On our way back home to Liddington, we stopped by Hadrian’s Wall – the northern most boundary of the Roman Empire. Hadrian’s Wall marked the boundary between Roman Britannia and unconquered Caledonia to the north.
The next day, we ventured to Oxford. We attended church at New Road Baptist Church, one of the oldest Baptist churches in Britain. We enjoyed the service, and especially the fellowship during coffee hour. Our children ran around with new friends, including the pastor’s daughter whom they had a lot in common with, and played in the (thankfully) dry baptistry. We then wandered around the city, fighting many tourists, and enjoyed the beauty of the many colleges that make up Oxford University.
The next day, July 25th, I was able to go back to Southampton, this time with my family. They know how much I love watching the Saints play in the English Premier League every Saturday morning, and how much this part of the trip meant to me. Before we had left for England, I had contacted the Southampton Saints, to see if I would be able to tour the stadium. Unfortunately, they were not offering regular tours at that time of year. However, a member of staff was kind enough to show us the stadium, including the home dressing room and right next to the field. I was able to sit in the seat of my favorite player, and in the managers seat. A couple of days later, I went back to Southampton by myself and was able to attend a preseason match between the Saints and AS Monaco of the French League.
Over the last few days, we stayed pretty close to home. We visited a small, but very fun fair in the next village over. We hiked to the site of an old hill fort from the Iron Age, and packed up. This morning we got in the car, said good-bye to our Liddington home, and made our way to Wales. Stay tuned for our Welsh adventures!
Your pictures are great. It brings us closer to your travels.
I am so glad you got to worship with my friend Rosa Hunt. Thank Abby for the photos. I can’t reply to her since we promised to give her space and not drive her crazy with email.
Its hot here toooooooo. I am so sorry heat hating Abby is having such weather on your Sabbatical. Enjoy your last weeks. We know time has gone too fast.
Two of your church members worshiped at Broadneck this week. It was a Suprise and absolutely wonderful.
I so enjoy reading your wonderful messages and seeing all the beautiful photos. It makes me happy to know how special this sabbatical is for the Hailey family. Enjoy!!