We spent the sea day of June 2, like many of the other passengers on the good ship Nautica, inside. The seas were very rough, the ship was rocking, and most everyone got sea sick. Luckily Melissa and I did not. After a quiet day doing nothing, we had tea and were serenaded by the string quartet that plays during high tea every afternoon.

Thursday, June 3, we arose early and set off in a bus for a tour to Alntick Castle, about an hour's drive from the pier. The ride was quite enjoyable because our tour guide lectured the entire way, providing more information about Norhthumberland, the Scotish/English battles for the border, and everything else pertaining to the castle we were going to. Also, the castle has been the site for filming of two Harry Potter films (the first two) and the Christmas episode of Downton Abby.  

As we approached the castle, we moved to a "lay by" with a magnificent view of the castle and grounds. Then we came to the grounds and entered. And, we moved into the grounds themselves. Very impressive. The area used in the Harry Potter films for the quiddich matches.  

We then entered the castle proper, learning to our dismay that photography inside is prohibited. I did manage to sneak a few shots, which I will include. One of the first stops was a chamber used to house prisoners--a dungeon and prison. Then we moved into an armory room with a display of many weapons. We also got a peek into the chapel.  

The hallways and stairways were quite impressive. And one of the marvels of the castle is the carved wood ceilings adorning many of the rooms. To show off the ceilings so one does not have to crane one's neck are massive mirrors on the wall tipped just so to reflect the ceilings' detail. In one room there is a display of shephards' staffs wrought from the beasts horns. There is a long hallway with many dishes and other porcelain ware displayed, including a porcelain basket.

 After returning to the ship and having a bite, we proceeded into town. I thought we were actually going to Newcastle, but it turned out that we were actually in Tynemouth, a port town some miles from Newcastle. By now it was mid-afternoon and we did not feel like figuring out how to take the train to Newcastle, much less hurrying to get there and back before the ship left, so we just walked around Tynemouth, which was quite enjoyable.  

First, we encountered a church that was converted into a shopping mall. Then we walked towards the sea and encountered the Priory, a crumbling ruin of a monastary. It is delightful and quite beautiful. It is on a hill overlooking a beach and some cliffs. The area around the Priory is quite breathtaking.  

We concluded our walk back through the town, seeing a couple of interesting sites--The Fryery by the Priory (where Jimi Hendrix once ate fish and chips) . We saw many people out and about with dogs, realizing that this was a very dog friendly town.