After a fabulous two-week break with my family in Northumberland, Iām returning home feeling refreshed, re-energised and ready to see my amazing clients again.
Northumberland was an area of the country I had never visited before, and I honestly wasn’t prepared for how much I would love it.
There was something about the landscape that felt incredibly spiritual to me.
I found myself wondering why.
Was it the beautiful scenery? The huge skies and rugged coastline? The ancient stones and castles? Or was it something deeper ā something that I could feel but couldn’t quite put into words?
We visited Lindisfarne/Holy Island, which I found particularly special. There is something very powerful about standing somewhere that has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. Surrounded by the sea, with its ancient priory and incredible sense of stillness, I found myself slowing down and simply taking it all in.
We also explored Hadrian’s Wall, which is almost 2,000 years old. Standing beside something that has witnessed so much history really does put life into perspective.
I couldn’t help but think about all the people who had walked those same paths before us. People who had their own lives, their own loves, their own struggles, their own fears and their own stories.
Perhaps this was part of what I was feeling.
When we visit places that have such a long history, I think we can sometimes become aware of something bigger than ourselves. Whether we call that energy, spirituality, the collective unconscious, ancestral connection or simply the emotional impact of history, there is something about these places that can stir something within us.
And perhaps we are more open to feeling it when we step away from our everyday lives.
The Sycamore Gap was another very poignant experience. Although the tree is no longer standing, the place itself still carries such a sense of meaning. Seeing the gap where the tree once stood made me reflect on loss, grief and how something can continue to hold meaning even after it has gone.
That really resonated with me.
As someone who works with people through anxiety, trauma, grief and life changes, I am very aware that healing doesn’t mean forgetting what has happened or pretending that something wasn’t important.
Sometimes we learn to carry things differently.
Of course, our holiday wasn’t all ancient history and spiritual reflection!
We had plenty of fun too. We visited Alnwick Castle, including seeing some of the places where Harry Potter was filmed, and Bamburgh Castle, where I particularly enjoyed seeing the costumes from The Last Kingdom.
We also visited the Roman Fort Museum and Vindolanda and were lucky enough to see archaeological excavations taking place. Watching people uncover pieces of the past right in front of us was fascinating.
It reminded me just how incredibly rich our history is.
But I think what stayed with me most was the feeling of being surrounded by so much history and nature at the same time.
It made me think about how important it is for us to step away from our everyday lives sometimes.
We can become so caught up in work, responsibilities, family and everything that life asks of us that we don’t always notice how much we are carrying.
Taking a break isn’t simply about going on holiday.
Sometimes it is about giving ourselves permission to stop.
To breathe.
To walk without having somewhere we need to be.
To look at the landscape around us.
To reconnect with nature.
To listen to our thoughts.
And perhaps, most importantly, to reconnect with ourselves.
I think that was part of the spiritual connection I felt with Northumberland.
I wasn’t looking for it. I wasn’t trying to find anything.
I was simply present.
And when we become present, perhaps we notice things that are always there but that we are usually too busy to feel.
For me, Northumberland seemed to awaken something ā a sense of connection to nature, history and something much bigger than myself.
I came home feeling grounded, inspired and grateful.
And now, after two wonderful weeks with my family, I feel ready to return to my work with renewed energy and appreciation for the amazing people who trust me with their stories.
Perhaps that’s one of the greatest gifts of taking time for ourselves.
We don’t necessarily come home as a different person.
We simply come home with a little more space inside us.
And sometimes, that is exactly what we need.
Northumberland has certainly left its mark on me.
And I have a feeling this won’t be my last visit. š
A Journey Through Northumberland: History, Spirituality and Reconnection
