Getting to Holy Island in Northumberland

Holy Island is a tidal island, thus it’s by no accident for anyone to visit this awe-inspiring place.

Holy Island, off the Northumberland coast, is a magical place. The architecture of the island’s priory, built in 1150 and now a hotel, is often described as a mix of bleak, beautiful, and breathtaking. Best of all, its cliffs are home to huge colonies of seabirds – puffins, guillemots, and razorbills – which nest just yards from the hotel’s doorstep.

Holy Island Tidal Times

Safe Crossing Times

Please check https://holyislandcrossingtimes.northumberland.gov.uk/ for live crossing times

Wondering how to get to Northumberland’s Holy Island? Here is our guide.

Reaching Holy Island by Car

Many travel by car, so you will be delighted to know that it is entirely possible to arrive on Holy Island by driving.

From the A1 roadway, drive until you reach the crossroad at Beal (which is south of Berwick-upon-Tweed). It’s approximately 65 miles from Newcastle-upon-Tyne as well as Edinburgh. You’ll know you’ve reached Beal when you see the Lindisfarne Inn.

Note: Beal is the only access to Holy Island for public, private, and commercial traffic.

Access to Holy Island from Beal is possible on the Lindisfarne Causeway. This metal causeway is highly affected by the tides, so there is a noticeboard of tidal information for the day in relation to crossing. This information can also be accessed here or by calling the English Tourist Information Centre.

Important Information About Accessing Northumberland’s Holy Island

Walking, Running, and Cycling

Access to the island by foot is only possible by using the aforementioned Lindisfarne Causeway from Beal. Please use the opening hours for the causeway to plan your visit accordingly and please be aware that the road is shared—use caution.

Parking

Coaches, commercial vehicles, and private vehicles should cross the causeway and park in the main car park. This is the only location in the village permitted for visitor parking.

In this parking lot, there are EV chargers as well as public toilets.

Buses

The regional bus routes you may use to reach Beal include Route X15 and Route X18, which operate between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Berwick-upon-Tweed.  Stops are only made at Beal if requested to the driver, so please keep this in mind when traveling.

There is a local bus, Route 477, that traverses between Holy Island and Berwick Station. If you prefer not to make the 5-mile hike from the Beal bus stop to Holy Island, you can reach Berwick Station and take this Route 477 bus instead. Keep in mind that Route 477 operates most days during the summer and just once per week from September to May.

Rail

The station at Berwick-upon-Tweed is the closest to Holy Island. This station can be reached by taking the LNER line from London’s King Cross Station toward Edinburgh.

From here, the previously mentioned Route 477 can be used to reach the island. However, this local bus does not operate year-round. Thankfully, there are several minibuses and taxi services at the station that can accommodate your journey.

Accommodation

Enjoy visiting Holy Island while staying close by in luxurious accommodation at Signal House Coastal Retreats. Located on the headland dunes in Amble, Northumberland. Three modern, bespoke, luxury holiday cottages built in 2020. Close to all local amenities while enjoying the peace and tranquility of a relaxing getaway.