From Edinburgh: Holy Island, Alnwick Castle & Northumbria
- Length9 hours
- Departs fromEdinburgh
- CancellationFree up to 24 hours before
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before it starts, for a full refund.
The most-reviewed way in
More traveller reviews than any other listed Alnwick departure, by a wide margin.
Holy Island first
The priory ruins, the mead the monks brew, and the crossing while the tide allows.
Alnwick in the afternoon
Time in the castle complex, or next door in the Grand Cascade and the Poison Gardens.
Seven written languages
Digital translations on board in German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian and Mandarin.
Free cancellation
A full refund up to 24 hours before departure, with nothing to pay today.
How the day runs
- Holy Island of Lindisfarne and its priory
- Lindisfarne Castle views across the causeway
- Alnwick Castle and the Alnwick Garden
- Coldstream and Flodden Field on the return
The causeway, and why it sets the day
Holy Island is reached by a causeway that floods twice a day on a published tide timetable, and the sea decides the running order. Some departures do the island first and Alnwick after; some reverse it. The operator publishes three dates in 2026 — 26 September, 25 and 26 October — when the crossing is not attempted at all and the day runs without the island.
None of that touches the Alnwick half. If the castle is the reason you are booking, the tide is a variable in the morning rather than a risk to the afternoon.
Alnwick, and the choice you make on arrival
The stop is a block of free time in the town and the castle complex, and the listing leaves the choice to you: the castle, with the State Rooms and the museums, or The Alnwick Garden next door with the Grand Cascade and the Poison Gardens. They are separate attractions with separate tickets on adjoining ground.
Decide before you step off. The ten minutes spent working it out at the gate come out of the visit. What each one holds is set out on the things to do page.
What the fare does not cover
Entry to Lindisfarne Priory and entry to Alnwick Castle are both optional extras, bought on the day rather than included in the fare. Adult admission to the castle in 2026 runs between £19.25 and £24.45 depending on the week and the channel — the rate card is on the visiting page, and it is worth having the figure in mind before you travel rather than at the till.
Who this suits, and who should book something else
Book this if
A first look at Northumbria, when the castle is one of two things you want out of the day. Travellers who like a driver-guide talking the whole way. Anyone who would rather decide between the castle and the garden on the day than commit in advance.
Book something else if
You have come specifically for the castle interiors and want the longest possible stop, or you want a stated time at the castle rather than a block of free time in the town.
The castle’s own entry ticket is the one to look at instead.
What’s included
What the fare covers
- ✓ Transport in a modern air-conditioned bus
- ✓ Live commentary
- ✓ Driver-guide
- ✓ Digital written translations
What it does not
- ✗ Entry to Lindisfarne Priory, optional extra
- ✗ Entry to Alnwick Castle and Gardens, optional extra
- ✗ Toilets on board
- ✗ Food and drinks
Know before you go
- The listing does not state time at the castle. Plan from the nine-hour day rather than from a promise, and treat the Alnwick stop as an afternoon rather than a fixed block.
- Both entries are optional extras. Lindisfarne Priory and Alnwick Castle are paid on the day.
- No toilets on board. Comfort stops are built into the route instead.
- Children under four are not carried. That is the operator's rule, not the castle's.
- Collapsible wheelchairs only, with a companion. Someone must travel with you to help with boarding and disembarking.
- The tide can reverse the itinerary. Holy Island may run first or last, and on three published 2026 dates not at all.
What travellers said about this one
The causeway crossing turned out to be the part we remember. Our guide had the tide timetable worked out to the minute and never made a drama of it, and reaching Alnwick Castle in the afternoon light was worth the early start on its own.
Couple · May 2026
Alnwick came after Holy Island and the time there went faster than expected. Decide between the castle and the garden before you get off the coach — we spent ten minutes deciding and lost them.
Family · June 2026
The written translations on board made the commentary work for a family that does not all speak English. Small thing, and it changed the day for my parents.
Family · July 2026
Read all reviews on the booking page
Frequently asked questions
Is castle entry included in this tour?
No. Entry to Alnwick Castle is an optional extra bought on the day, as is entry to Lindisfarne Priory. The fare covers the transport, the driver-guide and the commentary.
How long do I get at Alnwick Castle?
The listing does not state a figure for this departure, so plan from the nine-hour day. The castle itself recommends allowing at least two to three hours, which is the number worth holding any coach stop against.
What happens if the causeway is closed?
The itinerary is reordered, or Holy Island is dropped for the day. The operator publishes three dates in 2026 when it does not attempt the crossing. The Alnwick half of the day is unaffected.
Can I visit The Alnwick Garden instead of the castle?
Yes. The free time at Alnwick can be spent either way, and the two are separate attractions with separate tickets on adjoining ground. If you want the castle itself without a clock on it, the castle’s own entry ticket gives you the whole day instead of an afternoon.
Is there a toilet on the coach?
No. There is no toilet on board, and frequent comfort stops are built into the route instead.
Other ways in
- Alnwick: Alnwick Castle Ticket — From $29 per person
- Harry Potter's Alnwick Castle and Scottish Borders Day Trip — From $75 per person
- Alnwick Castle Tours — every option compared