Uk adventure no. 3
We've recently discovered that owning an old Ford Transit in England puts us into certain categories! When we're towing our newish caravan we're likely to be gypsies, or fairground workers. If not, then we are either delivering something, or it's a getaway car, and we've just robbed a bank. This was made clear to us when we were stopped on the road north in Scotland by two very friendly coppers. They checked the van, and said they had to check the ownership and insurance of the caravan, too, as so many are being stolen. They were happy to give us the "all clear", but not before the "gyppo jokes" had worn thin! It seems that Transits are the ideal getaway car, too, because there are so many of them, plus there's plenty of room for the "loot"! No wonder we get the odd "odd look" when we park in a sleepy Scottish town!
Back to our travel journal....
We headed north on the M6. Not the most interesting of motorways so we exited before the GPS wanted us to, which meant "he" kept telling us to "make a U turn" for a while, then he eventually gave up on us and recalculated, so that we were travelling through some quiet and delightful countryside until we reached our destination, which was a very small caravan park on Hadrians Wall, just past Carlisle. After our last experience we had phoned ahead and asked for a hardstanding site, or a grass site with a tractor in the morning! The farmer, Andrew, was a delightful host, told us lots about the surrounding area, and we headed off for a walk in his fields.....on Hadrians Wall. It was covered in grass but there was no doubt it was the Roman Wall.
The following day we took a drive and visited Lanercost Priory, with an 12th century church, still in use, standing right by the ruins. Lanercost Priory was founded in 1169 (or thereabouts) as an Augustinian monastery. Despite being "dissolved" by Henry VIII in 1536 (during the dissolution of the monastries) parts of the original foundation survive and are still in use.
The sun came out briefly and I then discovered that the battery in my camera was dead, so once again my photos are iPad quality! The church was well worth the visit, a simple gothic design, which attracted me more than some of the fancy churches I've seen in Europe. We could see where the cloisters, kitchens, dining room etc., were in the priory, even though it's a ruin.
Next we visited Birdoswald Fort. This is fifteen miles from Carlisle, and one of sixteen forts along Hadrians Wall. There are tiers of the Roman structure still intact, so worth the walking, and a great view, but what made it even more worthwhile was that there were demonstrations of how the Romans made pottery, and even an original Roman potters wheel, and then we were able to sample some examples of Roman cooking! We particularly liked the cheese and garlic "dip"! And the celery purée.
While wandering back to our "car" Greg helped an ancient American woman over the Wall, she seemed quite frail, but then she caught up with her two equally ancient friends. These women were walking the wall! All 87 miles of it. And they were lost. How can you get lost when you are walking along the wall? We pointed them in the right direction and hoped they would make it to their overnight stop, which we found 5 miles down the road. It was already past 6 pm so they must have been on the go, walking sticks aplenty, (not hiking sticks), for at least 8 hours. Brave souls? Or foolhardy? Still, it is daylight for a long time here.
Next day, on the road again to Jedburgh, stopping at Housested Roman Fort on the way, and wow what a walk to the fort! All uphill, but amazing view when we reached the fort, and after all, you wouldn't have a fort that didn't have a good view! Had a good chat with a couple who are history teachers, so although we had our guide books we learnt more from them. Greg was particularly interested in the Roman latrines, and one wonders how long the 800 soldiers had to queue to use them but nearby you could see where they sharpened their swords while waiting. These latrines were constant flush, but the exit was down the hill, so the smell would have been putrid. The barracks were clear to see, as was the training and practice ground.
Off to Jedburgh, where we arrived at the caravan park with enough time to see the Jedburgh Castle Jail. This was built in 1820 on the site of the original castle, and we can see how prisoners were treated. Also, what remains of Jedburgh Abbey, built in the 12th century, it has endured 900 years of turbulence. It dominates the skyline as you drive into the town.
Next day....Edinburgh. Watch this space!
Greg and Dee' s meanderings
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GregnDee
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GregnDee
- Posts: 508
- Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:32 am
- Location: Always travelling
Re: Greg and Dee' s meanderings
Trying to upload photos but no luck. Keeps telling me to try later. So Hope all's well with you.... You aren't too bored with all the print!
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GregnDee
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Re: Greg and Dee' s meanderings
UK Adventure no 4
Edinburgh! A city we love to visit. Just a short drive from Jedburgh to the caravan park, which is situated close to the Forth Bridge as the crow flies. Everyone that goes to Edinburgh has to visit the castle. It dominates the skyline. It's a romantic town, according to Sir Walter Scott. We spent a delightful afternoon and evening with a school friend of mine, at her mums home, reminiscing. Her mum was just as I remembered her, just older, but still remembered the times when my brothers and I used to go round to her place and spend time there. We told her we were heading to the Orkneys. She reminded me that she was from Shetland originally, and is Viking!. And we laughed at the memories of the Scottish pancakes she always made for us. Then a really nice meal by the Firth of Forth before heading back to the caravan. Our first meal 'out' for weeks.
Now, don't be surprised when I say we didn't go to the castle! We had been there before and we only had one day in Edinburgh so we knew what we wanted to do. First, Arthur's Seat. This is the largest volcano, a long strenuous walk up to the top, situated in Holyrood Park, right by the Palace of Holyrood, the Queens dwelling when in Edinburgh (about twice a year). Phew. Did that. Magnificent view. Then a walk around the Old Town, which has tightly packed closes, tortuous alleys, very Dickensian, ....apparently the area was inspiration for "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and I can understand why!
That's all we did in Edinburgh, this visit! We had been there before, for Hogmanay, several years ago, so had "done" most of the sights then. But we dearly wanted to go back to Rosslyn Chapel, which is just 7 miles from Edinburgh, to see what it was like five years after we first went, when it was covered in scaffolding. Rosslyn Chapel is featured in both the Dan Brown book, "The Da Vinci Code", and the movie, and as a result, instead of about 3000 visitors a year, the visitors increased dramatically enough to be able to fund the restoration. When we were there five years ago, we were able to walk around the top of the scaffolding holding the temporary roof over the chapel roof, and look down on the carvings and sculptures, some of which cannot be seen from the ground. There was no car park, no visitors centre, and the fee was £3. You could wander around inside and take photos.
Now, it's got a huge car park, even room for coaches! A fantastic visitor centre, with interactive displays, and the fee is £9 ....£7 for seniors. No photos inside. It was fascinating! The temporary roof is gone, as is the scaffolding. The roof is restored, the interior is drying, the whole place is sandstone, so the underfloor heating is helping to slowly dry it out. On the outside you can see the original multicolours; inside the carvings are (unfortunately) covered with a thin layer of cement slurry, which was how restoration work was done in the fifties. Unfortunately it would be too hard to remove the cement with today's tools, but maybe in the future....after all the whole of the outside has now been protected from the weather with a polymer based product that ensures the stone looks natural, as well as waterproof. That wasn't around when the inside was coated in cement. Even so, the carvings and masonry work is exquisite. Gothic design, influenced by gothic cathedrals in Northern France, it was completed in the 15th century, but went through turbulent times. We stayed for the talk which was well worth the wait.
This is a very ornate chapel, with a history to each carving it seems. One worth mentioning is the Apprentice Pillar. Legend has it that the Master Mason was shown a model of a pillar and told to replicate it with one of the many pillars in the chapel. He decided to head off abroad to see the original, and took so long that his apprentice had a dream telling him how to carve the pillar, and he did the work,..... I can tell you it's a perfect marvel! The Master Mason, on his return, seeing the pillar completed, went into a jealous rage and struck the apprentice with a mallet, killing him. The Master Mason was hung. There are three carvings opposite the pillar, one the head of the apprentice, one the head of his weeping mother, and the last the Master Mason, whose head is facing the apprentice pillar for all eternity!
Rosslyn Chapel is unique. The whole area, including the ruins of Rosslyn Castle, and the glen, has been inspiration for poets, and writers such as Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Burns. The whole area is steeped in history. So....please take some time to visit this area when next near Edinburgh. And there's so much information and so many pictures on the Internet if you're an armchair traveller.
So, onwards. Our next stop is to be Killin, which the locals say is the geographical centre of Scotland, and who am I to argue?
Edinburgh! A city we love to visit. Just a short drive from Jedburgh to the caravan park, which is situated close to the Forth Bridge as the crow flies. Everyone that goes to Edinburgh has to visit the castle. It dominates the skyline. It's a romantic town, according to Sir Walter Scott. We spent a delightful afternoon and evening with a school friend of mine, at her mums home, reminiscing. Her mum was just as I remembered her, just older, but still remembered the times when my brothers and I used to go round to her place and spend time there. We told her we were heading to the Orkneys. She reminded me that she was from Shetland originally, and is Viking!. And we laughed at the memories of the Scottish pancakes she always made for us. Then a really nice meal by the Firth of Forth before heading back to the caravan. Our first meal 'out' for weeks.
Now, don't be surprised when I say we didn't go to the castle! We had been there before and we only had one day in Edinburgh so we knew what we wanted to do. First, Arthur's Seat. This is the largest volcano, a long strenuous walk up to the top, situated in Holyrood Park, right by the Palace of Holyrood, the Queens dwelling when in Edinburgh (about twice a year). Phew. Did that. Magnificent view. Then a walk around the Old Town, which has tightly packed closes, tortuous alleys, very Dickensian, ....apparently the area was inspiration for "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and I can understand why!
That's all we did in Edinburgh, this visit! We had been there before, for Hogmanay, several years ago, so had "done" most of the sights then. But we dearly wanted to go back to Rosslyn Chapel, which is just 7 miles from Edinburgh, to see what it was like five years after we first went, when it was covered in scaffolding. Rosslyn Chapel is featured in both the Dan Brown book, "The Da Vinci Code", and the movie, and as a result, instead of about 3000 visitors a year, the visitors increased dramatically enough to be able to fund the restoration. When we were there five years ago, we were able to walk around the top of the scaffolding holding the temporary roof over the chapel roof, and look down on the carvings and sculptures, some of which cannot be seen from the ground. There was no car park, no visitors centre, and the fee was £3. You could wander around inside and take photos.
Now, it's got a huge car park, even room for coaches! A fantastic visitor centre, with interactive displays, and the fee is £9 ....£7 for seniors. No photos inside. It was fascinating! The temporary roof is gone, as is the scaffolding. The roof is restored, the interior is drying, the whole place is sandstone, so the underfloor heating is helping to slowly dry it out. On the outside you can see the original multicolours; inside the carvings are (unfortunately) covered with a thin layer of cement slurry, which was how restoration work was done in the fifties. Unfortunately it would be too hard to remove the cement with today's tools, but maybe in the future....after all the whole of the outside has now been protected from the weather with a polymer based product that ensures the stone looks natural, as well as waterproof. That wasn't around when the inside was coated in cement. Even so, the carvings and masonry work is exquisite. Gothic design, influenced by gothic cathedrals in Northern France, it was completed in the 15th century, but went through turbulent times. We stayed for the talk which was well worth the wait.
This is a very ornate chapel, with a history to each carving it seems. One worth mentioning is the Apprentice Pillar. Legend has it that the Master Mason was shown a model of a pillar and told to replicate it with one of the many pillars in the chapel. He decided to head off abroad to see the original, and took so long that his apprentice had a dream telling him how to carve the pillar, and he did the work,..... I can tell you it's a perfect marvel! The Master Mason, on his return, seeing the pillar completed, went into a jealous rage and struck the apprentice with a mallet, killing him. The Master Mason was hung. There are three carvings opposite the pillar, one the head of the apprentice, one the head of his weeping mother, and the last the Master Mason, whose head is facing the apprentice pillar for all eternity!
Rosslyn Chapel is unique. The whole area, including the ruins of Rosslyn Castle, and the glen, has been inspiration for poets, and writers such as Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Burns. The whole area is steeped in history. So....please take some time to visit this area when next near Edinburgh. And there's so much information and so many pictures on the Internet if you're an armchair traveller.
So, onwards. Our next stop is to be Killin, which the locals say is the geographical centre of Scotland, and who am I to argue?
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pet-els
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GregnDee
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Re: Greg and Dee' s meanderings
Not boring in the least 
Queen of the Banal & OT chatter and proud of it. If it offends you then tough titty titty bang bang.
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GregnDee
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Re: Greg and Dee' s meanderings
I've written lots about our travels, up to Scotland, across to the Orkneys, down the west coast of Scotland, terrible weather in Skye, down to the Lake District, then Shropshire for a farm sit, then to Devon for another farm sit, up to Exmoor, and now we are in Ireland. If anyone is really really interested in our trip, I've been submitting articles to startsatsixty.com.au under Nomads....and we are Rogue Nomads.
However, now we are nearly back...just one month to go ....and you know when you're homesick when a slice of toast looks like a map of Australia......I thought I'd just add the Irish notes! We have finally God excellent weather, in September, in Ireland!
Oh and by the way, we are shipping our Bailey over...and selling the Humpback....
UK Adventure No 22
...when we have a short break from travelling, before taking the ferry to The Emerald Isle!
We enjoyed ten days in Swindon with friends, getting the Transit it's MOT Certificate, and trying to get a replacement window for the caravan (Greg had dashed round from the back of the van and his shoulder hit the open window, ripping it from its fixings. Hurt his shoulder too!). Cost to replace: £400, and that's just the smallest window. A front window on a modern caravan? £1200. Then realised we are insured so panic over. Almost.
Planned trips to Bath, Stonehenge, Avebury. Swindon is pretty central for these sights. But it rained. A lot. So the only tourist spot we saw was what the locals call the "Magic Roundabout". This is the scariest road junction we've ever come across, being several mini roundabouts around one big roundabout, and as long as you give way to the right you can go in any direction. There's even T-shirts printed with "I survived the Magic Roundabout" on them. The boys went fishing. Means us girls could have some quiet though. How can two grown men make so much noise?
Before we knew it, it was time to drive to Holyhead in Wales, to catch the 02.30 am ferry to Dublin. I am wondering what possessed me to choose that time, but I think I thought it would save us a nights camp fee, plus the ferry fee was cheaper. We were 10 hours early, so crashed out in the long term car park, until 9.00 pm when we went to queue up. Slept until 1.30 am and nearly missed the ferry! This was the biggest ferry I've ever seen, with several decks for trucks and just one for cars and caravans.
Arrived in Dublin at 05.30 am, after a sleepless crossing, and no Euros on us, as we'd forgotten to change some money! So keyed "no tolls" into the GPS, which meant we would be going through the centre of Dublin rather than the toll ring road....easy at that time of day. And Dublin is a "fine city" at that time, too.
We arrived at our first caravan park, in Ballykeery, near Athlone, in the west. Nice little site by a lake. Had a laugh when:
"Where ya from"? Says the manager (Irish) of the caravan park. "Australia". Says Greg.
The manager says "to be sure, you can help me with something".... He rushes back into his cabin and brings out a toy boomerang. "How do you work this?" He asks.......
He meant it! ....so Greg showed him! Told him it was easier if you stood on one leg.
Does anyone else find that funny or is it just my warped sense of humour?
We wanted to go to Clonmacnoise Monastic Village, so off we went the next day. The guided tour brought the place to life. The Irish guide was easy to understand, ...you have to "tune in" to the Irish accent...which always seems to come with a twinkle in the eyes.
Clonmacnoise is one of the greatest medieval Irish monastic sites. Although founded by St. Ciaran in the 6th century, it's heyday was between the 9th and 12th Centuries, as royal money was poured into it to support workshops, sculpture, metalwork and manuscripts. The guide told us that it is still firmly believed to this day that if you are buried in the grounds, you go straight to heaven. They've had to extend the graveyard, and even the extension is fully booked! This site is famous for its round tower, and the High Cross, which is housed inside the museum now, with a copy outside. You can still see the intricate carvings on each side. There is also a small area in the graveyard, on the ground, with water in the rock, about the size of a soup bowl. This water is said to be able to heal warts. Apparently it still gets visitors dipping their hands in the water.......
I was fascinated by all the peat bogs around, and we were told there was a nearby bog which had a visitor centre explaining what the process is. So we headed off in that direction. But being distracted is common for us, and Greg saw a sign saying "Clonony Castle", so quickly reversed and parked on the grass nearby. As we walked in we saw a gardener and suddenly realised this is someone's home! ......oops.
However, he said he'd ask the owner, a tiny woman, and she invited us in. Her name is Rebecca Armstrong, an ex ballet dancer, and she and her husband bought the castle, a Norman Tower House, 10 years ago, and she has been living in it for the past 18 months, while continuing with restoration work. She showed us around, even went up the very scary spiral staircase, and gave us a potted history.
It is a Tudor castle built by the MacCoughlan clan in 1500, and is where the firing of muskets was first practiced. In the early 17th century, the castle was assigned to King Henry VIII who, in turn, handed it over to Thomas Boleyn and made him Earl of Ormond. The reasoning behind this was to win the hand of his daughter Ann in marriage, as this made Ann a countess. Two cousins of Queen Elizabeth 1 … Mary and Elizabeth Boleyn, spent their lives at the castle and are buried underneath a hawthorn tree in the grounds. Story goes that it wasn't just Ann that was beheaded; her relatives and maids were, too.
During Cromwell's invasion of Ireland the castle remained relatively untouched but was left abandoned and fell into ruins in parts. Rebecca is now continuing with the restoration virtually singlehanded. An inspiration to all.
There are many of these Tower Houses dotted about Ireland...mostly ruins, and this is a classic, with a spiral staircase, mural passages and a murder hole, where bodies of the dead were left to rot.
Oh and yes it has the requisite ghost, ...seen by many....a tall, thin man standing on top of the tower, wearing old-fashioned clothes and surrounded by a strange luminous mist. Wierd lights and unusual sounds have also been experienced by many visitors to the castle.
Peat bogs will have to wait......
However, now we are nearly back...just one month to go ....and you know when you're homesick when a slice of toast looks like a map of Australia......I thought I'd just add the Irish notes! We have finally God excellent weather, in September, in Ireland!
Oh and by the way, we are shipping our Bailey over...and selling the Humpback....
UK Adventure No 22
...when we have a short break from travelling, before taking the ferry to The Emerald Isle!
We enjoyed ten days in Swindon with friends, getting the Transit it's MOT Certificate, and trying to get a replacement window for the caravan (Greg had dashed round from the back of the van and his shoulder hit the open window, ripping it from its fixings. Hurt his shoulder too!). Cost to replace: £400, and that's just the smallest window. A front window on a modern caravan? £1200. Then realised we are insured so panic over. Almost.
Planned trips to Bath, Stonehenge, Avebury. Swindon is pretty central for these sights. But it rained. A lot. So the only tourist spot we saw was what the locals call the "Magic Roundabout". This is the scariest road junction we've ever come across, being several mini roundabouts around one big roundabout, and as long as you give way to the right you can go in any direction. There's even T-shirts printed with "I survived the Magic Roundabout" on them. The boys went fishing. Means us girls could have some quiet though. How can two grown men make so much noise?
Before we knew it, it was time to drive to Holyhead in Wales, to catch the 02.30 am ferry to Dublin. I am wondering what possessed me to choose that time, but I think I thought it would save us a nights camp fee, plus the ferry fee was cheaper. We were 10 hours early, so crashed out in the long term car park, until 9.00 pm when we went to queue up. Slept until 1.30 am and nearly missed the ferry! This was the biggest ferry I've ever seen, with several decks for trucks and just one for cars and caravans.
Arrived in Dublin at 05.30 am, after a sleepless crossing, and no Euros on us, as we'd forgotten to change some money! So keyed "no tolls" into the GPS, which meant we would be going through the centre of Dublin rather than the toll ring road....easy at that time of day. And Dublin is a "fine city" at that time, too.
We arrived at our first caravan park, in Ballykeery, near Athlone, in the west. Nice little site by a lake. Had a laugh when:
"Where ya from"? Says the manager (Irish) of the caravan park. "Australia". Says Greg.
The manager says "to be sure, you can help me with something".... He rushes back into his cabin and brings out a toy boomerang. "How do you work this?" He asks.......
He meant it! ....so Greg showed him! Told him it was easier if you stood on one leg.
Does anyone else find that funny or is it just my warped sense of humour?
We wanted to go to Clonmacnoise Monastic Village, so off we went the next day. The guided tour brought the place to life. The Irish guide was easy to understand, ...you have to "tune in" to the Irish accent...which always seems to come with a twinkle in the eyes.
Clonmacnoise is one of the greatest medieval Irish monastic sites. Although founded by St. Ciaran in the 6th century, it's heyday was between the 9th and 12th Centuries, as royal money was poured into it to support workshops, sculpture, metalwork and manuscripts. The guide told us that it is still firmly believed to this day that if you are buried in the grounds, you go straight to heaven. They've had to extend the graveyard, and even the extension is fully booked! This site is famous for its round tower, and the High Cross, which is housed inside the museum now, with a copy outside. You can still see the intricate carvings on each side. There is also a small area in the graveyard, on the ground, with water in the rock, about the size of a soup bowl. This water is said to be able to heal warts. Apparently it still gets visitors dipping their hands in the water.......
I was fascinated by all the peat bogs around, and we were told there was a nearby bog which had a visitor centre explaining what the process is. So we headed off in that direction. But being distracted is common for us, and Greg saw a sign saying "Clonony Castle", so quickly reversed and parked on the grass nearby. As we walked in we saw a gardener and suddenly realised this is someone's home! ......oops.
However, he said he'd ask the owner, a tiny woman, and she invited us in. Her name is Rebecca Armstrong, an ex ballet dancer, and she and her husband bought the castle, a Norman Tower House, 10 years ago, and she has been living in it for the past 18 months, while continuing with restoration work. She showed us around, even went up the very scary spiral staircase, and gave us a potted history.
It is a Tudor castle built by the MacCoughlan clan in 1500, and is where the firing of muskets was first practiced. In the early 17th century, the castle was assigned to King Henry VIII who, in turn, handed it over to Thomas Boleyn and made him Earl of Ormond. The reasoning behind this was to win the hand of his daughter Ann in marriage, as this made Ann a countess. Two cousins of Queen Elizabeth 1 … Mary and Elizabeth Boleyn, spent their lives at the castle and are buried underneath a hawthorn tree in the grounds. Story goes that it wasn't just Ann that was beheaded; her relatives and maids were, too.
During Cromwell's invasion of Ireland the castle remained relatively untouched but was left abandoned and fell into ruins in parts. Rebecca is now continuing with the restoration virtually singlehanded. An inspiration to all.
There are many of these Tower Houses dotted about Ireland...mostly ruins, and this is a classic, with a spiral staircase, mural passages and a murder hole, where bodies of the dead were left to rot.
Oh and yes it has the requisite ghost, ...seen by many....a tall, thin man standing on top of the tower, wearing old-fashioned clothes and surrounded by a strange luminous mist. Wierd lights and unusual sounds have also been experienced by many visitors to the castle.
Peat bogs will have to wait......
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GregnDee
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- Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:32 am
- Location: Always travelling
Re: Greg and Dee' s meanderings
Here's the next one.....
UK Adventure No 23
(Except it's Ireland....)
When we first started driving around the Republic of Ireland, I said I didn't think it was much different to England. Now I can say, although there's no leprechauns leaping out to greet us, there are differences. They have the Guardian, the Mail, Telegraph, etc., all tweaked to lean towards Irish interests. They have Tesco, Aldi, Burger King, Marks and Spencer's etc.. The police look the same. But the name on their back is GARDA, not "Police". It's Kms, not miles. Post boxes are green. Traffic crossings emit a screeching sound. Top speed on the motorways is 120kph. There are NO lay-bys. No rest stops. Or very few. On some highways they have a hard shoulder but if someone wants to overtake you, you pull into the hard shoulder to let them by. Parking inspectors are actually council police, and they only check the meters on two days each week. (You have to be a local to know which days). They still have lots of small local shops, butchers, green grocers, ironmongers, which seem to survive against the supermarkets. They have "soda bread", which might be similar to damper....tastes ok...ish. It's Euros, not £££££s. Oh and there's no National Health/Medicare scheme...costs you €50 per visit to see a doctor, and €20 for a prescription.
We were staying in Athlone, and we had been to Clonmacnoise......oh and I forgot to mention that at Clonmacnoise the cathedral has a whispering doorway still standing....it works too. The last place we saw one was at Colditz Castle, so they are rare.
Athlone (pronounced "atlone" ... no "th" sound) is another tourist area, with a castle, which wasn't open as it closes in September. Looks impressive, though. We left the following day for Adare, in County Limerick. Driving around we couldn't help seeing flags flying from every available spot....even churches. We had arrived the weekend of the All Ireland Hurling Final, between Limerick and Cork. What's hurling?
"Hurling is believed to be the world’s oldest field game. When the Celts came to Ireland as the last ice age was receding, they brought with them a unique culture, their own language, music, script and unique pastimes. One of these pastimes was a game now called hurling. It features in Irish folklore to illustrate the deeds of heroic mystical figures and it is chronicled as a distinct Irish pastime for at least 2,000 years." (http://www.gaa.ie/about-the-gaa/our-games/hurling/) Having read the description I can only liken it to AFL with a funny shaped hockey stick!
Adare is quaint, has some cottages with thatched roofs, and the requisite castle, plus the remains of a monastery, now a church. All worth a look if you can squeeze by the American tourists. We did a self guided walk, but the crowds started to be cringe making....lots of pushing and shoving.
So we went to Lough Gur, nearby. The whole area is dotted with megalithic remains, and is one of Ireland's richest archeological sites. When the lough (lake) was drained in the 19th century many artifacts were revealed, ...now housed in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, so we won't get to see them this trip. We had a walk around what was once a megalith dwelling, and then on to see a megalithic tomb, which at one time an old woman lived in, it was so big. On to the Grange Stone Circle, dating from 2000BC, consisting of 113 standing stones, with a diameter of 150 ft. (Big). It is thought to have had a ritualistic function as the Irish name for it means "Stones of the Sun". I noticed that some stones had little messages of love, and tiny gifts on them. We had the place to ourselves. Not a bit like Stonehenge. Better. (No £13 charge to see it, for starters).
The following day, Sunday, we spoke to a neighbouring caravanner and mentioned that we thought being a Sunday it would be a good day to go into Limerick. Oh no, he said! Granny is coming to Limerick! It'll be really crowded.
Granny???? We discovered that (only in Ireland), Limerick Council paid €1,000,000 for a giant "granny" puppet, 6.4 metres tall, a French puppet no less, to parade the streets of Limerick. This was the culmination of the year when Limerick had been designated the first Irish Centre of Culture. If you are interested, this is a video. http://youtu.be/sv5a3aOr5oE
So we missed out on Limerick. Instead, we took a drive along the coast road, checking out the various little towns and villages. The guide book said there were some pretty little towns, but what we saw looked pretty sad and sorry. Some parts of Ireland are still licking the wounds of the recession. There were not only a number of derelict old buildings, empty little shops, but there were quite a few empty new houses on new housing estates.
The next day we were on the road again to Caherviseen, (pronounced "kerrvseen") on the Ring of Kerry. We were wearing shorts for the first time since May, the sun was warm, the trees were beginning to turn into stunning autumn colours, and when we arrived we were camped right by the glittering blue water of the Atlantic. Heaven!
Next....Valentia Island, and the Ring of Kerry....
Oh, and The match was a draw.
UK Adventure No 23
(Except it's Ireland....)
When we first started driving around the Republic of Ireland, I said I didn't think it was much different to England. Now I can say, although there's no leprechauns leaping out to greet us, there are differences. They have the Guardian, the Mail, Telegraph, etc., all tweaked to lean towards Irish interests. They have Tesco, Aldi, Burger King, Marks and Spencer's etc.. The police look the same. But the name on their back is GARDA, not "Police". It's Kms, not miles. Post boxes are green. Traffic crossings emit a screeching sound. Top speed on the motorways is 120kph. There are NO lay-bys. No rest stops. Or very few. On some highways they have a hard shoulder but if someone wants to overtake you, you pull into the hard shoulder to let them by. Parking inspectors are actually council police, and they only check the meters on two days each week. (You have to be a local to know which days). They still have lots of small local shops, butchers, green grocers, ironmongers, which seem to survive against the supermarkets. They have "soda bread", which might be similar to damper....tastes ok...ish. It's Euros, not £££££s. Oh and there's no National Health/Medicare scheme...costs you €50 per visit to see a doctor, and €20 for a prescription.
We were staying in Athlone, and we had been to Clonmacnoise......oh and I forgot to mention that at Clonmacnoise the cathedral has a whispering doorway still standing....it works too. The last place we saw one was at Colditz Castle, so they are rare.
Athlone (pronounced "atlone" ... no "th" sound) is another tourist area, with a castle, which wasn't open as it closes in September. Looks impressive, though. We left the following day for Adare, in County Limerick. Driving around we couldn't help seeing flags flying from every available spot....even churches. We had arrived the weekend of the All Ireland Hurling Final, between Limerick and Cork. What's hurling?
"Hurling is believed to be the world’s oldest field game. When the Celts came to Ireland as the last ice age was receding, they brought with them a unique culture, their own language, music, script and unique pastimes. One of these pastimes was a game now called hurling. It features in Irish folklore to illustrate the deeds of heroic mystical figures and it is chronicled as a distinct Irish pastime for at least 2,000 years." (http://www.gaa.ie/about-the-gaa/our-games/hurling/) Having read the description I can only liken it to AFL with a funny shaped hockey stick!
Adare is quaint, has some cottages with thatched roofs, and the requisite castle, plus the remains of a monastery, now a church. All worth a look if you can squeeze by the American tourists. We did a self guided walk, but the crowds started to be cringe making....lots of pushing and shoving.
So we went to Lough Gur, nearby. The whole area is dotted with megalithic remains, and is one of Ireland's richest archeological sites. When the lough (lake) was drained in the 19th century many artifacts were revealed, ...now housed in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, so we won't get to see them this trip. We had a walk around what was once a megalith dwelling, and then on to see a megalithic tomb, which at one time an old woman lived in, it was so big. On to the Grange Stone Circle, dating from 2000BC, consisting of 113 standing stones, with a diameter of 150 ft. (Big). It is thought to have had a ritualistic function as the Irish name for it means "Stones of the Sun". I noticed that some stones had little messages of love, and tiny gifts on them. We had the place to ourselves. Not a bit like Stonehenge. Better. (No £13 charge to see it, for starters).
The following day, Sunday, we spoke to a neighbouring caravanner and mentioned that we thought being a Sunday it would be a good day to go into Limerick. Oh no, he said! Granny is coming to Limerick! It'll be really crowded.
Granny???? We discovered that (only in Ireland), Limerick Council paid €1,000,000 for a giant "granny" puppet, 6.4 metres tall, a French puppet no less, to parade the streets of Limerick. This was the culmination of the year when Limerick had been designated the first Irish Centre of Culture. If you are interested, this is a video. http://youtu.be/sv5a3aOr5oE
So we missed out on Limerick. Instead, we took a drive along the coast road, checking out the various little towns and villages. The guide book said there were some pretty little towns, but what we saw looked pretty sad and sorry. Some parts of Ireland are still licking the wounds of the recession. There were not only a number of derelict old buildings, empty little shops, but there were quite a few empty new houses on new housing estates.
The next day we were on the road again to Caherviseen, (pronounced "kerrvseen") on the Ring of Kerry. We were wearing shorts for the first time since May, the sun was warm, the trees were beginning to turn into stunning autumn colours, and when we arrived we were camped right by the glittering blue water of the Atlantic. Heaven!
Next....Valentia Island, and the Ring of Kerry....
Oh, and The match was a draw.
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GregnDee
- Posts: 508
- Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:32 am
- Location: Always travelling
Re: Greg and Dee' s meanderings
...and the next...
UK Adventure No 24
IRELAND
Ah, Ireland. The Ring of Kerry. Skellig. Land of dreams, myths, and puffins.
We arrived at Mannix Point Caravan Park on the west coast of the Ring of Kerry, (Another European Black Sky spot) and were greeted by ..... Mortimer Moriarty. What an amazing name! And a delightful man, with his sidekick, Paddy. The nicest situated park in Ireland. Even has a music room! So we were immediately made to feel at home, and we were set up with a site overlooking the water, and Valentia Island. The best sunset completed our pleasure, and we had booked for four nights!
The next day we stirred ourselves and took the ferry (€9 return) to Valentia Island. We drove around the Island, stopping to look closely at the lighthouse, there was a panoramic landscape to see up on the Fogher Cliffs, and Bray Tower, an 18th Century signal tower. Lots of subtropical plants in this area; crimson fuchsia hedges abound.
On returning to Caherviseen, we needed some veggies. I saw a sign for fresh veggies so we turned in to the driveway. The shop looked devoid of anything of the eating variety, so we decided to head to a supermarket, at which time "Gary" came up to us and asked what we wanted. I said we were after spinach, cabbage, etc., so he said to follow him, and he picked the veggies direct! So we had runner beans, black Irish cabbage, Irish spinach and a few other items. An Aladdin's Cave of vegetables. Gary told me that he used to work for a pharmaceutical company, but he changed to moving and growing vegetables "for a woman, and, to be sure, she was worth it".
Next we popped into the town to buy some bread. I can't remember why, but as we were coming out of the shop I said under my breath "Men!". Two ancient Irish ladies turned and one said "To be sure, you'd be wanting to put a paper bag over their heads!" Well, it was all a hilarious banter from then on, with the Irish man with them and Greg looking confusedly at each other, while we women discussed the sentence "They're all the same, English, Irish, Australian... Don't ask directions, don't change the toilet roll....etc". I still smile, thinking of that encounter.
Some of the best highlights of our trip have been the people we've met along the way.
Next day it was the turn of the Ring of Kerry, including Skellig Ring, (the part the coaches can't go). It was a very enjoyable drive, scenic, and relatively isolated. Steep climbs, twisting roads. We stopped for lunch at Ballinskellig Village, which has a lovely stretch of beach. Met two Irish ladies sunbathing, and they told us about the Skellig Chocolate Factory just down the road...and you get to taste the different flavours for nothing! So off we went. Strawberry and champagne, Irish whisky, and many other other flavours. Delicious. We bought two packs for presents, then ate the lot within a week! We then drove up a steep hill to Our Lady's Quarry...high up on the hill, there is still a slate mine, still working, but if you look up up up the sheer cliff where slate had already been mined, there is a small alcove housing statues of Our Lady and other artefacts. There was then an exhilarating descent....
We also drove way up again, to Bolus Point, where there is a lighthouse. Looked down onto the cliffs, reminiscent of the Great Ocean Road, and we could see seals, and dolphins...lots of them!
Back on the tourist track, we entered Waterville, which was full of tourist coaches. It boasts a Statue of Charlie Chaplin, who was a regular visitor. We couldn't find him! Pulled up outside a cafe a bit further along, and outside was a sign "we cannot cater for coaches, nor can we cater for loud Americans. Quiet tourists welcome". I wonder how much custom he lost. The bay there is very pretty, so we tucked into our box of chips looking across to Skellig Rock, a place we would have loved to visit, but not this time. Full of wild birds, puffins, and a home to seals and dolphins.
Over the pass, taking in Molls Gap, .....spectacular views but nowhere to stop, then Ladies View, where we could not only stop, but could listen to a busker playing Irish tunes, while looking at the view from which it takes it's name. Apparently one of Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting, while accompanying the queen on a visit to Killarney in 1861, pronounced it "the finest view in the land". I can't disagree with that; it looks like all of Kerry can be seen from there.
Nearly there. We drove through Killarney, and headed on to Caherviseen and a good rest. A beautiful, sun filled day, with great views, and some interesting people.
Our last day at the site was to be a "nothing" day...rest, washing, look at the water. But in the afternoon we decided to visit the castle, which we could see across the water, and this we did. The castle isn't even in the guidebooks, but it's still a good looking ruin! Greg was very naughty and climbed up some spiral, stone, crumbling, staircases, with me shouting at him to come down it was too dangerous and he's not 25 any more. (Actually I think he even scared himself).
Then we took a walk to two stone forts, both were probably fortified farms, still in good condition. Those guys knew how to build for the long term! Finally we took a detour down a road that wasn't marked on our map, and found a delightful little bay and harbour, with people actually swimming in the water. You'd have to be a local to know about it.
We had walked quite a bit, so we went "home" to a well earned rest.....and to pack ready for ......Cork!
UK Adventure No 24
IRELAND
Ah, Ireland. The Ring of Kerry. Skellig. Land of dreams, myths, and puffins.
We arrived at Mannix Point Caravan Park on the west coast of the Ring of Kerry, (Another European Black Sky spot) and were greeted by ..... Mortimer Moriarty. What an amazing name! And a delightful man, with his sidekick, Paddy. The nicest situated park in Ireland. Even has a music room! So we were immediately made to feel at home, and we were set up with a site overlooking the water, and Valentia Island. The best sunset completed our pleasure, and we had booked for four nights!
The next day we stirred ourselves and took the ferry (€9 return) to Valentia Island. We drove around the Island, stopping to look closely at the lighthouse, there was a panoramic landscape to see up on the Fogher Cliffs, and Bray Tower, an 18th Century signal tower. Lots of subtropical plants in this area; crimson fuchsia hedges abound.
On returning to Caherviseen, we needed some veggies. I saw a sign for fresh veggies so we turned in to the driveway. The shop looked devoid of anything of the eating variety, so we decided to head to a supermarket, at which time "Gary" came up to us and asked what we wanted. I said we were after spinach, cabbage, etc., so he said to follow him, and he picked the veggies direct! So we had runner beans, black Irish cabbage, Irish spinach and a few other items. An Aladdin's Cave of vegetables. Gary told me that he used to work for a pharmaceutical company, but he changed to moving and growing vegetables "for a woman, and, to be sure, she was worth it".
Next we popped into the town to buy some bread. I can't remember why, but as we were coming out of the shop I said under my breath "Men!". Two ancient Irish ladies turned and one said "To be sure, you'd be wanting to put a paper bag over their heads!" Well, it was all a hilarious banter from then on, with the Irish man with them and Greg looking confusedly at each other, while we women discussed the sentence "They're all the same, English, Irish, Australian... Don't ask directions, don't change the toilet roll....etc". I still smile, thinking of that encounter.
Some of the best highlights of our trip have been the people we've met along the way.
Next day it was the turn of the Ring of Kerry, including Skellig Ring, (the part the coaches can't go). It was a very enjoyable drive, scenic, and relatively isolated. Steep climbs, twisting roads. We stopped for lunch at Ballinskellig Village, which has a lovely stretch of beach. Met two Irish ladies sunbathing, and they told us about the Skellig Chocolate Factory just down the road...and you get to taste the different flavours for nothing! So off we went. Strawberry and champagne, Irish whisky, and many other other flavours. Delicious. We bought two packs for presents, then ate the lot within a week! We then drove up a steep hill to Our Lady's Quarry...high up on the hill, there is still a slate mine, still working, but if you look up up up the sheer cliff where slate had already been mined, there is a small alcove housing statues of Our Lady and other artefacts. There was then an exhilarating descent....
We also drove way up again, to Bolus Point, where there is a lighthouse. Looked down onto the cliffs, reminiscent of the Great Ocean Road, and we could see seals, and dolphins...lots of them!
Back on the tourist track, we entered Waterville, which was full of tourist coaches. It boasts a Statue of Charlie Chaplin, who was a regular visitor. We couldn't find him! Pulled up outside a cafe a bit further along, and outside was a sign "we cannot cater for coaches, nor can we cater for loud Americans. Quiet tourists welcome". I wonder how much custom he lost. The bay there is very pretty, so we tucked into our box of chips looking across to Skellig Rock, a place we would have loved to visit, but not this time. Full of wild birds, puffins, and a home to seals and dolphins.
Over the pass, taking in Molls Gap, .....spectacular views but nowhere to stop, then Ladies View, where we could not only stop, but could listen to a busker playing Irish tunes, while looking at the view from which it takes it's name. Apparently one of Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting, while accompanying the queen on a visit to Killarney in 1861, pronounced it "the finest view in the land". I can't disagree with that; it looks like all of Kerry can be seen from there.
Nearly there. We drove through Killarney, and headed on to Caherviseen and a good rest. A beautiful, sun filled day, with great views, and some interesting people.
Our last day at the site was to be a "nothing" day...rest, washing, look at the water. But in the afternoon we decided to visit the castle, which we could see across the water, and this we did. The castle isn't even in the guidebooks, but it's still a good looking ruin! Greg was very naughty and climbed up some spiral, stone, crumbling, staircases, with me shouting at him to come down it was too dangerous and he's not 25 any more. (Actually I think he even scared himself).
Then we took a walk to two stone forts, both were probably fortified farms, still in good condition. Those guys knew how to build for the long term! Finally we took a detour down a road that wasn't marked on our map, and found a delightful little bay and harbour, with people actually swimming in the water. You'd have to be a local to know about it.
We had walked quite a bit, so we went "home" to a well earned rest.....and to pack ready for ......Cork!
-
GregnDee
- Posts: 508
- Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:32 am
- Location: Always travelling
