The Snook
Landscape In Holy Island, Northumberland
The peninsula part of Holy Island, made up of dunes, salt marshes, Snook House and Snook Tower
I absolutely love a visit to Holy Island. It has such a fantastic atmosphere to it, perhaps because it is cut off from the mainland twice a day, and there are so many interesting things to see there. The Snook is the peninsula part of the island and is a very quiet and secluded area. The road to get there is full of potholes, however, so take care!
There are two buildings on this part of the island; Snook House which was likely fishermen's cottages and Snook Tower which was thought to have been a lookout tower. Both are now privately owned, and there is no access inside them.
I couldn't find much else on these intriguing buildings, so if anyone knows anything, please get in touch!
Snook House is probably better known as Vera's house from the TV series Vera based on the novels by Ann Cleeves. My dad enjoys telling me that Vera would struggle to get from Holy Island to Tyneside in 15 minutes, but sometimes we need to ignore these minor details.
The Snook has a number of wildlife habitats including sand dunes, mudflats and salt marshes and is home to a wide variety of birds. Around 350 species of bird have been spotted on Holy Island, including Shrikes, Skuas and Shearwaters. which is incredible really. Lately (as of November 2023), there have been sightings of Black Redstarts and Short Eared Owls which are both beautiful birds and lovely to see.
Once you've had a potter around The Snook, a visit to the rest of the island is a must. Highlights include Lindisfarne Castle, Castle Point Lime Kiln and a wander to Emmanuel Head Daymark. A fabulous place to visit all year round.
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How To Find The Snook
Where To Park For The Snook?
Lat / Long
55.684818, 55.684818
What three words
There is a parking area for The Snook, before you get to the main part of the island. The road is a bit rough, so take care and mind the potholes.
Contributed by Sandra Clemens
I love the great outdoors and have been a National Trust & English Heritage member for years. I also love going off the beaten track and finding places like Sharp's Folly or Rothley Castle which are hidden gems in Northumberland. My favourite recent hike was climbing Red Screes in the Lake District on a whim, not fully grasping how high 776m was. It was still an achievement to conquer a Wainwright walk and I hope to do more one day.
More Places from Sandra
More Places In Holy Island
Find more fabulous places in Holy Island, Northumberland and if you know of a place we haven't listed, then let us know.
Old Law Beacons On Guile Point
Lighthouse Holy Island NorthumberlandTwo obelisk navigation beacons that when lined up would direct you into Holy Island harbour.
Lindisfarne Priory
Religious Place Holy Island NorthumberlandA ruined Priory on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, widely considered to be the birthplace of Christianity in England.
Lindisfarne Gospel Garden
Garden Holy Island NorthumberlandGarden inspired by the Lindisfarne Gospels, opened in 2004.
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South Marine Park
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Join Our Facebook GroupThe Snook was listed in Landscape // Northumberland // Holy Island