Bartimaeus

In keeping with the carpe diem attitude of canal cruising life, Shane had found a Lowry exhibition he fancied, while we were in Edinburgh. Finding it was not in Edinburgh, but in Berwick-upon-Tweed did not put it off the agenda, our train journey back to Yorkshire would go through there, so we could split our tickets and make a day trip out of it, in stead of just one long train ride. 

Nye got up to wave us off in the morning and discuss which food items he would use up and which we could take with us. Generously, we  left him with some domestic tasks, emptying the washing machine when it was finished and arranging a boiler service. We wouldn’t want him getting bored without us, would we?

We headed off to Waverley in time for Shane to grab a coffee and me to admire the ceiling, before boarding  a train to Berwick upon Tweed. 

Shane knew where the art exhibition was but we got diverted on the way by looking at other artistic creations. I wondered why there was a bear there. It seems there is a bear and an elm tree in the Berwick coat of arms and it all looks like it might be related to medieval times, an era when the town changed nationality several times. While it has been part of England for over 500 years the application for the coat of arms was made in 1958 to the Scottish heraldic authority. The bear is a humourous pun of the name, Berwick, which actually means barley farm. The English town doesn’t seem to view their neighbours over the border as marauding Scots, but in stead seems to enjoy their association with Scotland. Berwick Rangers  football club and Berwick Rugby Football club both play in Scottish leagues. I wonder what team they cheer for in the Euros or world cup, may be both?

Lowry holidayed in Berwick upon Tweed and would draw and paint various places around the town. There was a Lowry trail that can be followed of his artwork of local sites. In the gallery many of the paintings were recognisably in his famous style, but there was a very different subject matter for this exhibition, Lowry At The Sea. These were not the dark, crowded factory scenes for which he is most famous. In his later years he became obsessed with painting the sea. While the paintings are light and bright his mood was not. It was a different side of him from what we saw in Manchester.

We headed out to see the sea ourselves. The paintings had included massive tankers and by the harbour it was clear some very large boats had moored there in the past.

We could only see some much smaller boats and a lot of oyster catchers, redshanks and many cormorants. We heard a curlew. The cormorants were swimming, flying and perched in a row, trying to stave off being swept from their spot as the tide came in.

We didn’t attempt to follow the Lowry trail but enjoyed those we saw. There was also a walking route signposted with no distances that could be very long indeed in one direction and very short in the other, Berwick-upon-Tweed is England’s most northern town. 

We found a quirky lunch spot for lunch. Never mind being in a town that has changed country many times, this place seemed to welcome anyone, whatever planet they were from, as long as they washed their hands.

We looked at the remnants of the castle walls which became hugely built up in Tudor times. There is still a garrison in Berwick-upon-Tweed but not a castle. Another piece of Berwick history that has changed use was a quaint holiday house/room to rent. It was a lot smaller than the art gallery we visited and the art is on the outside. Passers by were discouraged from trying to go in. A couple passing as we studied it, discussed how small it looked. We mentioned that it was slightly wider than our boat (though shorter) and the lady was very enthused about the idea of living aboard. I think this residence must have a much smaller kitchen. 

We returned to the train and continued down to York where we shopped so we had provisions when we got back aboard. On the last short leg of our journey we were opposite a younger couple and the woman asked if I was Scottish and seemed more excited than I would expect to meet another Scot. Her partner was from Hull, but they lived in Scotland and were on their way to see some of his family for a short visit. We had got out a crossword book but in stead had animated conversation until Selby, where we got off, the book unopened.

We saw there were a lot more boats in the basin than there had been before. ‘Dunno’ was still there and two other boats had fitted between us. In the morning we met the couple behind us and found they were both Scottish, with a Welsh boat. Shane recognised the name, as it is a Welsh song. It turned out they used to live in the Bruntsfield area, very near us.

We discussed itineraries and Shane picked up some useful advice about a tool we would need in the next stage of our journey that Shane had planned. We expect to meet them again soon, as we would both be heading off soon in the same direction. Despite being back in England for the last 24 hours, we had had more conversations with people from North of the border than South of it.