Starting from Bristol (but it could quite easily have been London - see note at end) a trip by public transport to the strongest fortified town in the British Isles - Berwick-upon Tweed - makes a fine short break. With the Border Country and/or Northumberland it can be the centre for a wonderful longer holiday or stop off on the way to Scotland. Lowry loved Berwick for holidays and painted many views of the town. Berwick-upon Tweed is a member of European Walled Towns for friendship and professional co-operation and was previously a member of Walled Towns Friendship Circle (see DMB Walled Towns Research Pages). Berwick is on three Sustrans Cycle Routes 1, 68 and 76 and is the centre of a network of bus services.
Photos and a note on rail travel follow.
South of Berwick the Northumberland Coast with mysterious Holy Island and much filmed Bamborough Castle are within easy bus cycle or even walking access. West and North of Berwick Scotland is at hand.
Rail travel Note
Cross Country Trains can be reasonably cheap if booked well in advance and take just under 6 hours; good often cheaper options via London (or if starting in London) are with East Coast Railways (in just over 3 1/2 hours from London and about 6 from Bristol). Using the 13h00 from Kings Cross mid week seems the cheapest) . Another way may be to take a First Scotrail Bargain Berth Sleeper from London Euston to Edinburgh (one way from just £19 !!) and then get a ticket back to Berwick-upon Tweed in under an hour. Via London King's Cross/St Pancras, it is easy (as seat 61 always says) to change onto Eurostar for travel to and from the continental walled towns.
Further Photos of Berwick and its fortifications:-
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