Northumbria

Highlights

• Visit 18th-century ships at the Maritime Museum in Hartlepool
• Discover local maritime history at the Old Low Light Heritage Centre at North Shields at the mouth of the Tyne
• Feast on seafood at a quayside fish restaurant in the pretty harbour of Amble
• Spot puffins on the Farne Islands
• Explore the ancient Holy Island (Lindisfarne) Priory
• Wander the cobbled streets of Leith harbour or take tea on the Royal Yacht Britannia

Itinerary

Day 1: Board Snark from 16:00 to 18:00 at Fish Quay, Whitby. Group introductions and safety briefing, followed by evening meal on board.

Day 2: Maybe climb the 190 steps up to Dracula’s final resting place at Whitby Abbey, before we cast off at midday. Sail up the post-industrial coast of North Yorkshire and County Durham to Hartlepool in time to visit the Maritime Museum, a re-creation of an 18th-century seaport.

Day 3: Run with the tide up to the River Tyne and to the centre of Newcastle/Gateshead. Either moor in town or back down river at the Fish Quay in North Shields, with a possible visit to the Old Low Light Heritage Centre, once one of a pair of leading lights guiding ships through the treacherous mouth of the Tyne.

Day 4: A short hop up the coast to the tiny harbour of Amble. Walk up the river to the medieval town and castle of Warkworth or spend an afternoon on the beach. Dinner ashore in Amble at the Fish Shack on the quayside.

Day 5: An early start to sail up the coast to the Farne Islands and if calm enough, row ashore to the famous bird sanctuary, known for its puffins. Then a short hop to Holy Island, Lindisfarne, the ancient abbey settlement. Anchor in the lee of the island overnight.

Day 6: A run ashore by tender to visit the Priory and/or Lindisfarne Castle, renovated by Edwin Lutyens, before sailing north into Scotland and to the first Scottish fishing port of Eyemouth.

Day 7: Cast off early for the passage around the coast of Lothian to Leith, the ancient port of Edinburgh. Moor up alongside HMS Britannia, the decommissioned Royal Yacht.

Last Day: Breakfast on board, followed by goodbyes and disembarkation at 10:00 from Britannia Pontoon, Leith, Edinburgh.

A typical day’s activities might include:

• An early breakfast on board.
• Cast off and sail to our next stopover with lunch and refreshments along the way.
• Learn the ropes and help sail the boat as we go.
• Relax on board, keeping an eye out for wildlife and coastal landmarks, or chill on deck, reading a book, sketching or photographing the coast as we sail by.
• Moor up or anchor in the afternoon with cultural visits where available.
• Dinner on deck or row ashore to a secluded beach for a sea swim or coastal walk and barbecue, or evening out to a harbour inn or restaurant (onshore meals not included in price).

Note: The above itinerary is provisional. It may be subject to change depending on weather and other factors. Some ports will not be available in certain wind conditions. We might get to others too late or skip a stopover for a longer day’s sail if we’re running behind.