More of the walk

The causeway

The first part of the walk!!!!

This is where we'll be walking: Holy Island (Lindisfarne)

Photos just taken last Sunday 4.10.09 (we just hope weather will be like this and the sea, the sheep and Bamburgh Castle!)

Plan for the Walk
The day of the walk the tide for Holy Island opens from 06.15 to 12.25 and then from 18.35 to 00.35 hrs. We will gather in The Barn at Beal cafe (http://barnatbeal.com/), just a curve before the beginning of the tidal causeway by 10.30 hrs and will start walking to Holy Island by 11.00 hrs in order to be sure we get there before the tide closes. This is approximately 4 miles (I will distribute walking maps at start). If you want to follow the Pilgrim's Path you will need to have some wellingtons or be ready to go barefoot, if not you can just follow the causeway. We will have a short lunch break in the village and then go for the 3/3.30 hour walk around the island. We will end at the Crown and Anchor Pub (http://www.holyislandcrown.co.uk/) with some drinks until the tides open again at 18.35 hrs.

Women making cisterns

Since 2006 the women's cooperative has managed to build 15 cisterns with the help of an NGO who facilitated their training and applied for them for government funds. This year they will build 5 more and 5 next year (but there is currently no funding for more). The cisterns are built with hand-woven wiremesh, sand and cement. The way it has operated is that the cooperative has a list and the families who want to invest in a cistern add themselves to the list. These families have to contribute sand and labour: the man has to clear the land and dig the hole; and the woman has to agree to weave mesh for her own and approximately 5 other cisterns. There are still over a 100 households without cisterns (and their own water supply).