And for one author, the tranquil island of Holy Island has provided the stage for his first novel.

Joe Diggle's An Island Sanctuary is an emotional and evocative story, set mainly in and around the island.

It tells the tale of fisherman's son Robert Watts, who, instead of following one of the island's traditional occupations, makes a career in the academic world.

But tragedies follow, and it is on Holy Island, the island which nurtured him, with its changing moods and beautiful landscapes, that he finds solace for his troubles.

And for Joe, his debut novel has been more than three decades in the making, stemming from a trip to north Northumberland in the 1970s.

Joe, born and educated in Leicester and now retired in North Norfolk, explains: "It was the 1970s and it was my first visit to the island. I was with my wife and we were at the ruins of the old abbey. I was standing around reading the gravestones and I came across one chap's name. He had been a head keeper at Kew Gardens.

"If you were born and lived on the island there was little to do but sheep farming or fishing but he had become head keeper at Kew Gardens.
"It began to sow the seeds for a story."

Joe researched his work using pictures of the island from his 8mm Bolex cine camera and leaflets. He also used pictures from his son, who visits the island regularly.

Published at the end of last month, An Island Sanctuary took Joe four years to write.

And Joe is pleased with the final product.

"It has bugged me since the 1970s when I was on the island. There is a story there, and I had to get it out. I couldn't rest until I got it out," he says.

The book, ISBN 978-1-906302-14-6, is priced at £9.95, plus £3 postage and packing.

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