North Belton Farm Getaway - Day 1

Hi everyone - hope everyone is having an enjoyable Monday.  I have had a wonderful day thanks to my Aunt and Uncle.  As many of you know, I was invited to stay with my Aunt and Uncle at their cottage for a few days.  Their little cottage is on a farm called North Belton Farm.  It's a working farm that grows wheat.  It also boards horses.  Its so beautiful and quiet out here.  If I look out my bedroom window I see horses in the field directly behind the cottage.  I am SO going to enjoy being here :-)

Eyemouth Harbor

So today i got up, took my bath and packed a small bag for my trip.  My aunt and uncle came and picked me up around 10:30 and we headed down to a small fishing village called Eyemouth. The town's name comes from its location at the mouth of the Eye Water. The Berwickshire coastline consists of high cliffs over deep clear water with sandy coves and picturesque harbours. A working fishing port, Eyemouth holds a yearly Herring Queen Festival. Notable buildings in the town include Gungreen's House and a cemetery watch house built to stand guard against the Resurrectionists (body snatchers). Many of the features of a traditional fishing village are preserved in the narrow streets and vennels – giving shelter from the sea and well suited to the smuggling tradition of old.  We had a nice time walking through the harbor and the town.  We stopped in at the Eyemouth Maritime Museum which was really interesting and well done. We also walked down by the beach which brought back some memories from when I visited this little village years ago.  We visited it back in 1990 when my kids were little.  I have a photo somewhere at home of Kristin (she was 4 years old at the time) coming down a slide and it was taken in Eyemouth.  Zach wasn't with us as he was so little (3 months old) and was home with my mom.  Anyway I digress on old memories lol.  After we left Eyemouth, we headed to Coldingham to visit the Coldingham Priory.  Here's a little history I obtained from the internet on the Priory.  It truly is a beautiful place.  

Coldingham Priory

Coldingham Priory was a house of Benedictine Monks. Coldingham Priory was founded in the reign of David I of Scotland, although his older brother and predecessor King Edgar of Scotland had granted the land of Coldingham to theChurch of Durham in 1098, and a church was constructed by him and presented in 1100. The first prior of Coldingham is on record by the year 1147, although it is likely that the foundation was much earlier. The earlier Columban Abbey was founded by St. Æbbe sometime circa 640 AD. Although the monastery was largely destroyed by Oliver Cromwell in 1648, some remains of the priory exist, the choir of which forms the present parish church of Coldingham and is serviced by theChurch of Scotland. Beside the archway is a wonderful lapidarium - a collection of carved masonry and gravestones. Gathered in this corner of the churchyard is a wonderfully diverse array of carved stones, ranging from grotesque heads to Templar grave slabs. Some are medieval, like a grinning Green Man, and some post-date the priory, like an 18th century shepherd's grave stone. There are piscinas and quern stones, and a wonderful grave stone for a mason, showing the tools of his trade. At the entrance to the site is a Victorian mortuary and hearse-house.  Coldingham Priory is a wonderfully evocative site. There are extremely useful information signs throughout, which do a great job of explaining the history of the priory.

EbbCarrs Cafe - St Abbs

After Coldingham we headed for St Abbs, another quaint little village on the coast.  We decided to have lunch here at a place called EbbCarrs.  I decided to brave some new cuisine called Cullen Skink.  For those of you who aren't Scottish, Cullen Skink is a thick Scottish soup made of smoked haddock, potatoes and onions.  It was really good.  It was served with warm and crusty french bread and butter.  Yum.  After lunch we walked around and took a few photos before heading back to the car.  My Aunt took a pretty scenic route home along the coastline, passing fields of sheeps and lambs, cows and calfs.  Lots of the fields are beginning to turn green from the recent rains, and it so picturesque.
We are now back at the farm, relaxing.  So thought it would be a good time to catch up on the blog and publish some photos I took today.  I forget where my Aunt told me we were going tomorrow.  My Uncle is playing golf until 1 pm'ish and then we are headed somewhere.  I am sure it will be just as beautiful as today.  I am thankful for this time I get to spend with them.  Wish I was staying in Scotland longer because my cousin who I haven't seen in over  30 years will be here in June from South Africa.  I probably should have stayed another month.  I could always change my ticket back for another fee hahahahaha.
Ok that's it for tonight.  I will catch up with you all tomorrow night.  Bye for now.