DISCOVER THE NOR THUMBERLAND CAFE REA CHABLE ONLY AT LOW TIDE

Inaccessible from the mainland during twice-daily high tides, Pilgrims Coffee, on Northumberland’s remote Holy Island, offers home-roasted beans and locally sourced dishes with a side serving of adventure. Words: Aleesha Hansel

In the far northeast of England, just south of where the River Tweed flows into the North Sea, lies the remote Holy Island of Lindisfarne. For around 10 hours a day, it’s cut off from the mainland by the tide, creating a semi-isolation that lends itself to monastic living. As such, the history of this small isle is one of religion, refuge and raids — and while marauding Vikings are no longer a concern, the island still offers challenges to those living or working on it.

“The weather changes when the tide moves in or out, so you can tell what’s going on,” says Andrew Mundy, who, along with his wife, Victoria, took over Pilgrims Coffee from his parents in 2016. “It changes the acoustics and feeling of the island. And the seals get up and start singing. It’s eerie, but in a nice way.”

Sitting a mile off the Northumberland coast, slightly south of Berwick-upon-Tweed,

Holy Island is just two square miles in size. The island’s only village is home to 180 people and a handful of businesses catering to residents, as well as to visitors to the island’s main tourist attraction.

Being cut off for almost half the day throws up challenges for businesses like Pilgrims.

“I’ve been trying to get organic milk for the last year,” Andrew says. “Ultimately, we just get told, ‘We’ll drop it off if we can.’”

And it’s not just deliveries that don’t always turn up. Last year, the cafe posted a job ad, received 100 responses and lined up 100 interviews, but ended up with zero attendees. Despite lockdown, online coffee sales were so buoyant that chief coffee roaster, Joseph, moved to the island to cope with the burgeoning orders, making use of the cafe’s emergency bed, normally used after missing the tide.

Ben Nevis towering above the village of Caol, near Fort William

A red stag in Glen Etive, south of Glencoe, with snow-capped mountains

in the background

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