ISSUE 16 ARCHIVE - PRACTICAL GUIDE TO SEAHOUSES

Juliet Savigear

Seals, seals, seals, well that’s basically what we go to Seahouses for isn’t it? One of Britain’s best places to go diving with seals is off the Farne Islands. There is a large colony of Atlantic great seals based here and let’s face it, Britain is one of the best places for grey seals, with 36% of the world’s population based around our coastline. There are plenty of wreck and scenic dives also on offer on this beautiful bit of English coastline.

FOOD AND BOOZE

Being by the seaside does ensure the classic British fish ‘n’ chips is no problem. Both Pinnacles and Neptune will fill those bellies post diving and ensure you sink 
to the bottom to hang out with the seals the next day.

The Olde Ship Hotel, Seahouses
 Tel: 01665 720200.
This pub has a wooden floor that is made from ships’ decking and the walls are covered with seafaring artifacts. Accommodation 
is also available here (see below).

The Black Swan Pub, Tel: 01665 720227 provides some excellent home-cooked food with a well deserved reputation.

A GOOD NIGHT’S KIP

The Olde Ship Hotel, Seahouses
 Tel: 01665 720200 
makes an excellent location to stay,
with rooms at the hotel or self-catering accommodation if you are staying for a week.

For dive groups then The Chalet Bunkhouse sleeps 12 people costing £25 pp, including breakfast. Rooms in The Chalet cost
£35-40 pp. Tel: 01665 720158.

Farne Diving Services – offer accommodation as well as diving. They have 15 ensuite bedrooms available (3 doubles,
10 twins and 2 family rooms which sleep 3/4 people). Tel: 01665 720615 or 07534 988 445

OUT AND ABOUT

Seahouses is a classic British seaside spot with amusement arcades and plenty of tat to buy. However, there are some interesting and different things to do when you’re not in the water.

At the seaside? Well, time for some 
crazy golf. Head over to The Bunker.
 An 18 hole crazy golf course that should always be a laugh for a bunch of divers. (There is a soft-play area for small kiddies and a restaurant that boasts the best fish and chips in Seahouses).

Take yourself back in time if you’re not playing with the seals. Northumberland has numerous dramatic castles that are just like the ones 
you dreamt of when you were a kid. Just close to Seahouses is Bamburgh Castle, which occupies an imposing place on the coastal landscape and can make a dramatic picture towering above the sand dunes

No need to tell each other scary ghost
stories around the fire at night, head out
for a ghost tour of Chillingham Castle chillingham-castle.com. Chillingham has a fantastic history that has left this charming castle the place of many a ghostly tale – the Blue boy, poor, wandering, Lady Mary, a tortured child and the Royal procession. The castle has lived through tumultuous times, with a record eighteen Knights of the Garter who were not always so loyal to the king, 
this family has seen eight well recorded executions. Some were hanged and, still alive, they were cut down from the gallows to have their entrails removed and the dying body was cut into quarters with the head displayed on the city gates. Ghost tours last approximately 2 hours (depending on the ghostly activity), starting at 8pm (£20 pp).

LOCAL DIVING CONTACTS

Billy Shiels – 2 dive boats with dive lifts,
an air station and 6 other vessels for other boat trips you, or any non-divers, might be interested in (Birding, pelagic, Staple Island, Holy Island and other cruise choices).
Tel: 01665 721297

Farne Diving Services – 2 boat charters, again with dive lifts. Each boat holds 12 divers. They also provide accommodation with 15 ensuite bedrooms.
Tel: 01665 720615 or 07534 988 445.

Farne Island Divers – 10m RHIB “Farne Discovery” accommodating 12 divers.
The hull sits low to the waterline enabling
easy entry and exit to and from the water. Farne Discovery is powered by two four stroke Johnson outboard engines with combined engine power of 450hp, providing the speed to access all dive sites both safely and quickly. Tel: 01327 860 753 or 07854 079 340 or 07831 512 551.

Sovereign Diving – A dive shop and
air station, 2 diving boats, with dive lifts (Sovereign II – a twin engine 12m Cheverton; Sovereign III – a twin engine 12m Aquastar) skippered by Andrew, Toby & Ron.
Tel: 01665 720059.

Parking on the harbour pier costs £4 a day

Launching – Harbour Office Tel: 01665 720033 In busy periods the slip is in constant use. Open 08:30 till 18:00. A launching fee is payable to the Harbourmaster per boat and passenger. The slipway is locked out of season.