Motoring Oddities EP9 Is this the largest tidal road in England? Lindisfarne Causeway Northumberland
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- čas přidán 29. 05. 2022
- #northumberland #lindisfarne #holyisland
Today we're exploring the historically interesting Holy Island and Lindisfarne. With it's castles, viking heritage and ancient ruins, it's a fantastic place to visit.
However, there is a problem... access to the island can only be made at certain times of day for you see, the only road you can use will be submerged under several metres of sea water at high tides. Many people have attempted last minute crossings and almost always have come to regret that decision.
In this episode we look at the Lindisfarne Causeway, a road that twice a day is submerged under the sea.
Join me in the series you didn't know you needed. We'll be looking at several 'Motoring Oddities' from the smallest, to the largest, to the longest and the highest. It's ultimately pointless but that's half the fun.
Twitter - @jonshenanigans - Auta a dopravní prostředky
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Places not to drive an Alfa Romeo: Here
Imagine living on the island...any stone chip and your car rusts away.
...or a pre-90's Nissan/Datsun, FIAT, BL/AustinRover product. Whoops, there goes a wheel arch.. A wing you say? Don't need one of those!..... lol
Driving off the assembly line rusts out Alfas.
Yeah, I try not to take any Alfa near the sea in fear that it will dissolve 🤣
No, everywhere (idk why but I hate Alfa Romeos)
"This place is well old"
Quote of the day.
My wife hails from Berwick upon Tweed and many years ago my FIL told me he once bought a car that had been owned by a Holy Island resident. Big mistake, it was rotten by all the salt water sprayed up every time it crossed the causeway. There are also many head on car crashes as foreign drivers (holiday makers) leave the mainland side car park and head up over the hill and forget we drive on the left here. The castle was remodelled by the Arts & Crafts architect Edward Lutyens into what it is today. The upturned fishing boats used as storage sheds must have featured on a million postcards! Great video once again.
Thank you. I was going to ask about those.
Upside down ships as houses is so much Viking tradition! All known pagan Viking era buildings were designed like that.
@@johndododoe1411 True enough. I'm just one of to countless millions who have never actually been to this place, so it's all new to me.
@@johndododoe1411 Lindisfarne is where the Vikings first landed in England in 793 AD. They killed the monks and stole all the treasures.
@@tardismole you really should go, tiny island but plenty to see and you can grab lunch / pint in the pub.
You can also climb the bird watching tower behind the priory, for an excellent view of the island.
Lived in Northumberland as a child and regularly visited Holy Island. My mum would always make sure we left a couple of hours early in case the moon was having an off day.
I went many years ago but only the start of the road as the tide was coming in I think. Never got the chance to cross it and haven't been up there since. Maybe one day.
@Alan Jnr Moon controls the tide.
@@Johnketes54 But it rarely deviates from the calendar.
@@Johnketes54 Maybe Ste Gra played truant too much?
@@Johnketes54 Not only the moon though - the wind plays a big role in exactly when the causeway floods and clears, and how fast. A strong northerly reduces the window by quite a chunk.
I had a couple of week long holidays on the island in the 1970's. It was where I set my personal stone skimming record of 34. The tide was in and it was millpond smooth. Almost like glass. The thing about Northumberland is that even in the long hot summer of 1976, the North Sea was never very warm.
Omey Island off the coast of Galway, Ireland is worth a visit.
The roads are just compacted sand, marked with post's, but what makes it unique is that there is a "T" junction on the sand as there are two entry points to the causeway from the mainland.
Try the area around Sunderland Point. The tide comes in at a few different points. Dangerous road that.
I've drove this causeway many times as I live relatively close. I love driving across but love simply watching the tide come in just as much, it's really relaxing to witness. I've seen one or two idiots as well risking the drive when the water has already reached the road.
I like parking at the sand dune parking area and just watching the tide - I know my vehicle is more vulnerable there, but I've always been lucky enough :)
Agree, I did that while I was lucky enough to be staying on the island on holiday. A really tranquil way to spend an afternoon.
The small village of Beal, on the mainland but on the road to Holy Island, certainly in 2015, had a restaurant with a live camera feed on a monitor, showing you the traffic on the causeway. A shorter, and less used by vehicles, but more by pedestrians, causeway, is that to St. Mary's Island in Whitley Bay.
I keep meaning to book a weekend on Lindisfarne. It's beautiful part of our country.
There's a French equivalent - Ile De Noirmoutier - which also has a tidal road (Passage Du Gois), and which also was the subject to Viking raids from 799. The speed with which the tide reclaims the road is quite a spectacle, all witnessed from the restaurant overlooking it.
As I drove towards the island, people in front kept peeling off the road and parking on the sand. They had spades in their boots which they used to dig for mussels. Seemed quite a popular thing to do.
Yes, this reminded me of the Passage du Gois! We try to time it so the tide is out whenever we visit Ile de Noirmoutier (Black church) so we can cross the causeway, otherwise it's over the bridge we go.
I nearly got to live in Lindisfarne castle as a kid… my dad was offered the job of warden by the national trust ( he was at that point warden of Cragside) he instead took a job at a country manor in Northumberland ( where I loved living )….but part of me still wishes we had moved to Lindisfarne!
It's an amazing place and I think would make for a very different childhood home!
Cragside is also so amazing!
Just checked and yes Lindisfarne - the group are named after Lindisfarne the place. Now I have "run for home" stuck in my head! 😂
They’ve just released a remix called “Swim For Home”…
I prefer "Fog On The Tyne"
Being a Geordie, I'm familiar with Lindisfarne, we try and get up there at least once a year. I knew from your thumbnail where it was. There's a great walk around the island, that takes in white beaches and the dunes. The locals speak of the quiet time, after all of the tourists leave, where they come out to see one another, and have a chat and maybe a nip of mead or two.
It's a very pleasant place to visit!
@@AutoShenanigans I was disappointed to buy the Lindisfarne Mead to find it was made in the Netherlands!! Grrrrrrrrrr
Right across the sea is an island called "Man Island" (Manø). It too is reached by such a road, with no escape hut or asphalt paving. Tourists are encouraged to ride the semi-amphibian bus that can drive safely through 3 feet of water.
you missed the d
I think you are refering to BURGH ISLAND at Bigbury on Sea in Devon & the semi amphibian bus you refer to is the famous "Sea Tractor" which is totally unique.something like this is needed at Lindersfarn.
Delivered onto Holy Island dozens of times. There’s a few videos on my Facebook of the tide making way for the road. Just showed this video to my mrs and kids and thought “hmm, I think we need to visit again”.
You must visit.. it's a wonderful place. Maybe not in winter though.
@@AutoShenanigans delivered in spring, summer, autumn and winter. Chilly in spring and winter but we’ll worth the journey. The area in general is beautiful and with it just being up the road from Bamburgh it’s well worth the travel :)
Many years ago I drove over there a couple of times and can't believe the number of people chancing it at the last minute
If my school teachers had allowed us to describe historic sites as 'well old' I'm sure we'd have paid more attention in class. Great video!
I was expecting to see Judith Chalmers at the end of the journey.
I live about 30 miles from Holy Island, I must go and visit one day.
By the way, as you are venturing North perhaps you should follow the Great North Road and discover all the disused bits of that, it would probably keep you going for about a year.
Me and my partner visited in 2019, got to the causeway really early in the morning as the tide was receding. I think we were the first people to cross it on the day.
Check the road along the southern side of the Solway from Carlisle to Port Carlisle and Bowness-on-Solway. There are signs saying how deep the water will be at regular intervals, if there is a spring tide.
The idiot box. Oh god I love it!
At 1m28, "... King Jimmy the 1st ...", I was caught off guard !! 😂😂 Never would have thought that the British people would refer to him like that.
He is more formally known as "Jimmy the First and Sixth."
First King Jim of England, sixth King Jim of Scotland.
@@DavidCowie2022 Fourth!
Excellent video as always driven that stretch of road a few times and with being about a hour and a half from my house it's a good little road trip as I am up in Edinburgh, and we holiday with the kids in Berwick. Never actually been to the castle but the Island is a lovely little place with a couple of nice cafes.
It's a wonderful part of the world and I'll be back there at some point. Pilgrims Coffee on the island... literally the best coffee I've had.
Went there on holiday, got some Lindisfarne Mead! Walked up to the castle but it was closed...
The coastal road from Edinburgh down to Holy Island is a great road. Very scenic when the weather is sunny. Bleak when its not !
@@PiousMoltar, clearly you’re not a Viking!
“Yeah, we went to rape and pillage, but the castle was closed”…
When I was about 7 or 8 my gran was taken to Holy Island on a day trip / mystery tour for old uns.....when she got back I asked where the tour took her, Holy Island she said.....I thought...wow she got all the way to Israel AND BACK in a day....😁....THANKS FOR AN ENJOYABLE INFORMATIVE CLIP :)
Hahaha little kids,I would have thought the same,When life decisions were which socks to wear for school
Imagine the shame and embarrassment of having to ring the AA etc
“Hello sir what’s the problem”
Sir…. “My car is stuck”
Recovery…. “What’s your location?”
Sir…. “The sea” 😂😂
They probably would not feel shame and embarrassment,NOT THEIR FAULT the stupid car broke down or the council should have barriers the same for rail crossings
It's worse than that. "What's your location" "The idiotbox"
@@Johnketes54 it is their fault...no barriers..
A whole new meaning to "flooding the engine" or "dipping your headlights!"
OMG, you could’ve quoted a famous AA TV ad:
Dad: Kevin, where exactly did you bury the car?
Kevin: Eeen the sand!
I stayed on Lindisfarne once in the pub there and the bar man was asking people if they were staying on the island. If they weren't they were getting turfed out so they didn't miss the tide and get cut off
Imagine making it to temporary safety at 3:33, seeing the incredibly helpful sign at 3:41 and just as you're thinking YAY! - you realise that there maybe more challenges left to come if you try to call for help using the phone at 3:44...
There's a similar quandary on the far end of Cromer pier, but at least on that one you could potentially call the speaking clock - if you've been there you'll know what I mean
Bizarre, last Easter I went to Northumberland and crossed this causeway and this Easter I went to Cambridge (your previous video). Looking forward to your next video so I can book it for next Easter. Cheers John, secret travel agent
The road from Overton and Sunderland Point in Lancashire does the same at over 1 km, not a causeway but goes under water, it is unique in the uk as being a mainland road that serves the community of Sunderland Point.
Once arrived to visit the island just as the tide was covering the road. I double checked the tide times on my next visit 🌊🚗
Always worthwhile checking.. you might get stuck on the island for a while.. although that may not be a bad thing.
@@AutoShenanigans it was also just getting dark, and pre internet days, so checking tide time was a very manual job. Lol
@@AutoShenanigans Internationally getting stuck on the island can be a good thing cross early in the morning spend the day with the tide in the leave in the late afternoon. The coach trips and most visitors only visit at low tide so it is much quieter got the place nearly to yourself. We did it many years ago for a day out much better than low tide having to queue for things lots of traffic, people etc.
You also need to check the wind! -We walked across the causeway after the tide was supposed to cover it - strong westerlies had delayed the tide - strong Easterlies will advance it! - oh and we walked off following the Pilgrim's Route
theres a path off Sheerness , when the tide is out you can walk it , but only with a guide , if the tide catches you out , you are dead. Its called the broomway.
Brilliant videos these mate… Love the humour in the narration just delivered dry as a bone 🦴
haha... Thanks for watching!
I go there on a regular basis. Wonderful and peaceful place.
On a break from the transporters I did a stint for a firm at Berwick servicing portaloos with a vacuum tanker, Lindisfarne was a regular in the summer with all the tight wearing types who used to play mock battles. They'd camp on the island and as they disturbed my Sunday every time I'd be there bright and early, fire up the tanker in the middle of the camp site and clean the bogs. You could either suck or wash so I used to empty the whole lot in one go leaving them nowhere to go for 10 minutes, spritz the loos down with a washer, refill the tanks and such and then have a good chuckle at the cross legged dancing and bleary eyes
Great episode thank you
Thanks John. Fab video as always
No worries, thanks for watching!
Genuis! Now the Vikings can get there in their Saabs and Volvos
I love Northumberland ❤️ beautiful part of the country
Went there with my family on holiday in the 70s ,my Dad would not cross until the seawater had gone down as to not be driving through it .
2 cars stranded in the last fortnight. You have to be seriously dim to not understand the displayed tide tables but every year it happens.
Another cracking video, I’d love to come along on one of these
Great vlogs, u should try Overton to Sunderland point in north Lancashire…you’ll find it fascinating
I keep watching these interesting quirky videos so i may as well be a subscriber..
I enjoyed this vid 🙂. Subscribed 👍
Awesome, welcome along!
I remember as a young child, 5 or so, being in a car alone while the water was slowly rising outside. I don’t know who it was that went for help, because the car was stuck in the soft sand. I must say it was terrifying to see water rising on all sides. It wasn’t like a regular beach, but some sort or area between a peninsula and the mainland as I recall. Apparently, it was safer in the car than to leave it, very debatable, but the increasing terror was beyond belief. It felt like slowly being taken by the sea. I don’t recommend it to anyone. BTW, It wasn’t child abuse, my mother was always too careful concerning my safety as a child. Help arrived, as recall, about a foot of water surrounding the car and rising. Don’t remember who I was with, that day, but it was deeply imprinted on my mind. Your video bought all this back to me , some fifty five years ago. Thank you for this. lol
That was great. thanks
I always thoiught that there should, at least, be electronic notice boards at each end that show the safe times to cross each day - obviously this changes daily, but at least would give visitors the times when it is safe to cross and a deadline for the return.
There are dot matrix signs an old fashioned sign stating if the water is at this sign STOP go no further and I think some in a selection of languages. Unfortunately still people continue to cross, I have seen some locals push their luck but only ever on an ebb tide!.
Tide times are displayed in the layby at the start of the causeway and in all the car parks in Lindisfarne. Was there two days ago.
I agree, would be good if Northumberland County Council had a electronic board with tide times and whether it was safe to cross and when you had to be back.
@@mrjonnylowes Problem is it would make them liable if it showed the wrong information for any reason. :/
@@EyePeterborough well that doesn’t make sense, they already have liability as they publish the tide times on boards at both sides of the causeway.
Thought I was watching @TheTimTraveller at the end 😉 Intresting video 👏👍
But we're not here to see any of that!
I realize someone thought of this 600 years ago, but how about a little car rescue ramp as well as a little rescue shack?
I love all your videos greetings from Scotland thanks 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Ooh, I was there with my family the weekend before last. We were on our way up to Scotland from Kent
I love everything about this video
Pilgrims still take their boots and socks off to walk the route marked by the posts. Lindisfarne marks the end of St. Cuthbert's Way, a route from Melrose.
My NZ relative flew over to do the route 3 year ago .... I don't think she brought the Covid germ.
When the M42 randomly disappears and turns into the A42 might be a good idea for the another episode. (:
or the other way round...
drove south on it today. i think its where the a444 leaves
The local private school in Berwick has "Lindisfarne boarders". Depending on the tides, some days they can get home, other days they board overnight at the school. Not making it back on Friday for the weekend is the worst.
I wish I could have used the technical term “well old” in my history a-level. There’s always people who ignore the signs isn’t there 🤦♂️ I wonder if the residents could use a “sea tractor” like they do at Burgh Island in Devon…
Crammond Island, in the Forth off Edinburgh, has a causeway crossing. It's about 0.7 miles long and usable for around 2 hours either side of low tide, but since it's foot traffic only you need to make sure you leave plenty of time to cross. You'll probably be OK if you get stuck on the island for 8 hours or so, but there are no facilities and only a few ruined buildings for shelter.
I’m surprised no one up there has thought of making a hovercraft, those sand flats would be a great playground
There's a lot of protected land and nature reserves for birds in the area,
@@jackthomson1560 was thinking for the inevitable rescues, save the lifeboat being at risk in the shallow waters as the tide rushes in
@@jackthomson1560 boring
I had ideas regarding ground effect vehicles. There are designs which are hovercraft that can take off from land or water and actually fly. Seems perfect for fast commutes around maritime locations. Then discovered it's impossible to licence such in the UK.
Wouldn't be surprised if the coastguard uses a hovercraft, they do at Hunstanton. And remember, you can sell beer from a hovercraft without a license provided the hovercraft keeps moving (see the Tom Scott video on the subject).
I love your videos John, so informative and always with a sense of humour. What is that music, I know it’s from a program of my earlier days but which one? HELP!
It's The Carnival by Gordon Giltrap. Also used as the theme for "Wish You Were Here"
Any time I cross this I always make sure it's in a hire car..
Absolutely stunning part of the world, here and Cragside are 2 of my favourite places.
There's a bus service to Holy Island - Borders Buses route 477. You need top have a very clear head when reading the timetable as it varies according to the tides ...
The causeway has featured in the "in association with" car adverts that are dropped in for every commercial break with the series "Vera", along with the long sands on Bamburgh beach.....
Been past on the A1 many times, must make the effort to go over and visit Holy Island.
This is an pretty neat idea, is there anyway that someone has a video of one of those cars? What about driving through an Ford. That is funny, and painful at times. I just subed, and you have interesting information, and short and precise. All the while, entertainment and humor is injected throughout. Love the videos, keep them up. Just a little extra. I live in the US, and have not traveled around there, but I have subed to several other channels, because of the layers of history, most shallow, and others deeper. It seems like almost everyone lives in,on, next to something that is historic, and sometimes forgotten to history, for the most part. You get three thumbs up. 👍👍
Thanks for watching. Yeah everything's old and "historic" round here.
A couple of friends recently visited from the US. The first pub I took them to dated from the 1400s. I told them that if something has the prefix "New" something that it was usually post 1700.
Fords are FRESHWATER & NON TIDAL & are only a few metres across.
One a month? I believe it's a lot more than that, the r-soles getting caught out seem to appear in the local rags at least once a week, mind you, I haven't seen a report of an r-sole for a while
The nearby RNLI station at Seahouses has a logbook on display of every launch (or they did back in 2008 when I last visited). About half of them are to Holy Island causeway.
Loving all of your videos Jon! The theme tune you've used at the end of all the episodes in this series is so familiar but I can't quite work out where I've heard it. Where's it from?!
It's The Carnival by Gordon Giltrap. Made famous after it's use on the TV show "Wish You Were Here"
The Tim Traveller also uses a version of this in his videos, that's where I recognised it from.
I've got to visit there now - if only because there's a place called 'The Snook' there (0:27). Thanks for the video John!
Thanks for watching!
As a bit of extra info - that's where Vera Stanhope's home was from the TV detective series "Vera".
We drove on this road last year, just as the tide was coming up…..terrifying!
Did you get a bottle of the famous mead made on the island whist you were there? It's bloody lovely
We spent far too much in the gift shop :D
@1:09 yea we kinda still dont 😅
I've just discovered this channel today - love it!
One question - the music at the end of the video, I recall it from a TV programme...what's the name of the track, please? Thank you :)
Hi! I was wracking my brain too! But finally realised it's from this... czcams.com/video/IDRX7biAi3w/video.html
:)
The Carnival by Gordon Giltrap. Also the theme from the holiday show "Wish You Were Here" it's a great tune!
@@AutoShenanigans Thank you so much! It is a fab tune, and takes me back somewhat now that you mention 'Wish you were here'..... those were the days..........
Really Fascinating stuff John, thanks muchly bro!
Cheers mate, thanks for watching!
thank you young man
See you king Jimmy!
Great video. Think of the impending rot on local cars driving through that everyday! Eeeeee nah.
I'm surprised my subframe didn't rust and fall out!
Tom Scott taught me about this bridge.
Visit Rufford Ford. It’s notorious for catching out drivers despite the height chart next to the road.
I love watching Rufford Ford Fail videos :D
@@AutoShenanigans whenever we visit the park I always hang around a few minutes at the ford in the hope of witnessing someone’s misfortunes
I live on Mersea island Essex it floods every month we have tide tables and yet we still have idiots that don’t know the difference between seawater and fresh water 💦
I live in Colchester so know Mersea well. What about an idiot box on the strood? Perhaps that could save the RNLI/Coastguard having to rescue the idiots who get stranded down there
@@Lexden66 they need to start handing out big fines as well or have a traffic light system RED to stop etc 🙌🏻👍🏻
In the United States, if this didn't have a barrier, there would be police cars blocking the road. Local governments are more afraid of lawsuits, I think. We close roads all the time that way, for reasons ranging from flood, to tidal flow, to snowstorm, ice storm, wild fire, hurricane, tornadoes and other wind storms, serious motor accidents, and even military training. Funny that British people are considered more meek and deferential to Government than brash and reckless Americans.
In defense of American brashness,
People probably wouldn't put up with a busy road that gets flooded twice a day
for 70 years.
@@HauntedXXXPancake - On second, maybe local police dont have to officially close this road during high tide because only a minimum number of Brits are going to YOLO when the water is riding, while American drivers would be needing rescues daily.
"Funny that British people are considered more meek and deferential to Government than brash and reckless Americans." It's not that we are deferring to the government, rather we are deferring to time and tide, which wait for no man. If you have to stay off the road because you are told to, rather than because it is (about to be) covered by the sea, then you have certain mental readjustments to make.
I think the tidal road between Burgh by Sands and Drumburgh on the Solway Firth is longer than this one.
I’m named after Saint Aidan!
awesome video
Thanks for watching!
Try the Strood Mersea on spring tide..
I think the longest tidal road is The Broomway in Essex @ 6 miles 😀
That's fair... however from what I can see, you'll need quite the offroad vehicle to drive it!
That’s technically a byway rather than an actual road
@@matthewfickling4441 but what is the definition of a byway - a road or track not following a main route; a minor road or path.
Nobody said it had to be tarmac'd 😉
@@badboybushy11 That's just the general, conversational definition of the word. In England, "byway" is a technical/legal term meaning a public right of way that is not a road but which is legal to drive motor vehicles on, and that's the context that's being used here.
Jim Bowen would approve 😀
Another less well known tidal road is Overton to Sunderland, on the Lune Estuary near Lancaster and Heysham
A boom gate that is tidally operated would be perfect.
We've just been there, an enchanting place.
infrastructure aside.. isn't it just! Did you try Pilgrims coffee...
@@AutoShenanigans sadly not! I'll remember that for next time we go
this is especially good driving the car through salt water: rust
The hut is very interesting
Tom Scott's 'Lateral' podcast brought me here...
I am on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, right now.
1:55 Just wondering if old mate in the background has completed his stone tower goal yet?
3:48 The refuge is located on The (very low) “Bridge” - the highest point of the causeway and is therefore the last place to get flooded.
When I went there I didn't realise I was half way between New Castle and Edinburgh
king Jimmy the 1st WAS SCOTTISH, being Jimmy the 6th of Scotland and the 1st of that other place down SARF, innit?
I got a speed camera alert from my navigation app whilst driving across that causeway!
Imagine getting a speeding ticket for racing the tide.
Why would anyone voluntarily drive their vehicle through salt water? 😅
How is it an inconvenience to have barriers stop you using the road at times when you can't use the road anyway?
I’ve been trying to place your musical theme… is it the same as wish you were here from the 80s??
Short parts but there are bits of the Thames at richmond where you should not leave your car (mostly Porche owners that cannot understand the signs