To the Island of Tides: A Journey to Lindisfarne

In To the Island of Tides, Alistair Moffat travels to--and through the history of--the fated island of Lindisfarne. Walking from his home in the Borders, through the historical landscape of Scotland and northern England, he takes us on a pilgrimage in the footsteps of saints and scholars, before arriving for a secular retreat on the Holy Isle.

Lindisfarne, famous for its monastery, home to Saints Aidan and Cuthbert and the place where the celebrated Lindisfarne Gospels were written, has long been a place of sanctuary. It is an island rich in history: the Romans knew it as Insula Medicata; it reached the height of its fame in the dark ages; even survived Viking raids; before ultimately being abandoned after Henry VIII's dissolution of the monastery. Today the isle maintains its position as a space for retreat and spiritual renewal.

To the Island of Tides is a walk through history, a meditation on the power of place, but also a more personal journey; a chance for stock-taking and reflection on where life leads us.