Dingle Peninsular

Today we travelled around the beautiful Dingle peninsular, I think that this is even more scenic than the Ring of Kerry. We came across an amazing centre dedicated to the Blaskets. The Blasket Centre in Dún Chaoin, at the western end of the Dingle Peninsula, celebrates the Irish language and the distinctive character of the people who once lived on the Blasket Islands. A main focus of the Centre is the unique literary achievements of this isolated community off the Kerry coast which was evacuated in 1953.

Dingle is a lovely little town where we saw fishermen cleaning their nets. A little bit further on we walked into Dunbeg  Promontory Fort, an impressive cliff top promontory stone fort. The fort shows signs of damage due to erosion but is still very impressive. Inside the fort is a circular Beehive hut or Clochan with a square interior. The fort has four outer defensive banks and a souterrain about 16 metres long, leading from the front of the outer defenses to the interior. The fort has been dated to around the 10th century.

Almost directly across the road from Dunbeg are a series of "Ringforts" known as Beehive Huts which have stood there for over 4,000 years. It's hard to imagine that these piles of loose stones have been sitting there that long. They were in habited from ancient times until about 1200 AD. The stones were piled in a downward and outward manner, so as to funnel rain water away from the interior.

We stopped for a coffee at Tig Slea Head and had a browse around the craft goods offered, but managed to resist again! Well a little bit as I think it was here that I bought a necklace and Marie bought some lovely jumpers for May and Jack.

The 'pièce de résistance' is the Gallarus Oratory, dating from 800 AD, it is a perfect example of the boat shaped oratories associated with the Dingle peninsula. It is built without mortar, uses corbel vaulting a technique developed by Neolithic tomb-makers. The walls are built of sandstone and are 1.2 metres thick. The east wall has a round headed window. Internally the oratory measures 4.65 metres x 3.1 metres. At the side of the northern wall is a leact and Cross-Slab. The cross-slab stab is 1.1 metres high x 0.3 metres thick and stands at the east end of a rectangular bed of stones. The upper part of the slab is inscribed with an equal armed cross within a circle and the lower part bears an inscription in half uncial script reading, COLUM MAC DINET The workmanship is impeccable, it is unbelievable that this has remained intact for so many years.

Oh what scenery!

We set out early travelling through Macroom where I saw these Celtic crosses and of course had to stop and take a photo. Today we have travelled the first of two beautiful peninsulas here in Ireland. We started out around the famous Ring of Kerry, going through Kenmare where we had a look around for lace. The history of Lace making in Kenmare goes back to the Great Famine of the 1840s. The Clare nuns led by Sr Mary Frances Cusack organised Lace making workshops to help the Kenmare people resulting in being a life tradition to the present day.We found a shop with the most beautiful lace but managed to resist buying!

We went on through Castlecove, a small resort with fine sandy beaches. The coast has created natural rock pools and there are exquisite sandy coves dotted underneath the cliffs. We drove on to Derrynane Bay, home to the late Daniel O Connell "The Liberator", passing through marvellous, wild countryside with houses scattered here and there and the most magnificent stone fences. On to Ballinskelligs Bay which is a Gaeltacht (where Irish is spoken).We stayed at Murphy's Farm at Boolteens, chosen because of Jill Murphy! Very good choice! Marie and I went to the local for a meal and met up with Martin (pronounced Maaaaretin) Driver and his old grandad eating boiled cabbage or something.

St Patrick and the crozier

We set off early glad to leave Courttown behind, travelling through the lush Irish countryside. We stopped for a coffee at a quaint little town, Carrick-on-Suir, slowly making our way to the Rock of Cashel. A 4th century fortification the stone fort was the seat of kings and mediaeval bishops for 900 years and flourished until the early 17th century.

In the 5th century St Patrick went there and accidentally stabbed the then king Aenghus in the foot with his crozier. Thinking this was a painful initiation right the king bore the pain....with fortitude. Not very bright, he should have croziered him back. In 1101 Muircheartach O'Brien granted the Rock to the Church and in 1127, the bishop Cormac MacCarthy, started work on a Chapel which survives to this day and is said to be the most remarkable Romanesque church in the country. By the way a crozier is a bishop's staff representing a shepherd's crook.

The weather was a bit unpleasant but we pressed on, stopping at CastleHyde for 'afternoon tea'. Very posh place in the middle of nowhere. A very posh 'communion' lunch was going on in the dining room (how can all those people have a week day off), wine and food flowing. We sat, neglected, in the sitting room until they could find time to serve us. I don't think we were 'quite' well dressed enough.

Our final destination that day was Blarney Castle,County Cork. Blarney Castle is one of Ireland's oldest and most historic castles, an ancient stronghold of the McCarthy's, Lords of Muskerry, and one of the strongest fortresses in Munster.The old castles fascinate me, how could people have lived in them, steep winding stairs that keep going up forever, cold forbidding rooms. We watched a couple of people 'kiss' the Blarney Stone (The Stone of Eloquence - which is traditionally believed to have the power to bestow the gift of eloquence on all those who kiss it) but I wasn't going to let that old man grope me - actually I was afraid he wouldn't be able to hold my weight! Blarney Castle is only 8km from Cork City but seems to be deep in the countryside. There is a beautifully maintained garden around the Castle, so we managed to get our plant fix for the day before we went off to search for a little farmhouse to stay the night, much nicer than last night.

First Day in Ireland

We were up early and had breakfast, which Iris insisted we have although we didn't want anyone to get up too early just for us. Uneventful trip up to the boat and we arrived in plenty of time for the trip over to Ireland. OK so now we were illegal with the car but nothing is going to happen, is it?? We had no difficulty finding our way south out of Dublin, to our first stop Mount Usher Gardens where we had lunch before wandering around the garden. Cute cat gazing at us from the shrubbery!

Travelled on to Courttown and went for a long walk down to the beach and along the Meadow walk. So much onion weed - everywhere! We booked in at a very plastic place, Tudor House or something like that. Not exactly what we have been used to. Marie ripped the plastic off the bed, I suffered all night but never again. Courttown was very touristy. It is close to Dublin so I suppose a popular holiday spot.

Ffestiniog Railway

Today was M's big treat! We boarded a steam train to travel the famous (well Dave knows about it anyway) Ffestiniog Railway to see the spectacular scenery of the Snowdonia National Park.
The scenery was incredible. We travelled to the end of the line, Blanan Ffestiniog were we detrained to have a walk and look at the scenery.

The railway boasts that it is the oldest independent Railway Company in the world and is a narrow gauge steam railway. It seems to be the way that a lot of walkers travel into the National Park. They get off and walk between stations, we saw a lot of tracks along the way.

We hopped back on but decided to do the walk down to Tarn-y-Bwlch. There were so many people walking, lots of families.We had a lovely day, and came back to Porthmadog very happy with the journey. Tomorrow we are off to Ireland.

Port Meirion

Off to Portmeirion first thing this morning, words fail me but very taken with the cut out statue in the garden. Portmeirion is a very Italianate village and everything was picture perfect. M and I had a wander through the shops and couldn't resist making some purchases. We looked for some of the china that Iris had but they only seem to make the thicker pottery now. M bought some things for Maria as she loves the designs.

We then went off into the gardens, they are magnificent. The camelias and rhododendrons were magnificent and so big, but the cutout picture pretending to be a garden statue really cracked us up. We spent quite some time walking around all the paths. There was a beautiful lake with bridge over it and a Japanese pagoda. I liked the frog and crocodile carved out of wood, the view out over the bay, it was all spectacular.

Clough Williams-Ellis built Portmeirion from 1925 to 1975 on his own private peninsula on the coast of Snowdonia in Wales. He wanted to show that 'the development of a naturally beautiful site need not lead to its defilement' - hmmm not sure about this one really. His life work was in architecture and landscape design. He was passionate about the protection of rural Wales and conservation generally. His daughter Susan and her husband Euan established Portmeirion Pottery in 1960. In 1972 Susan created Botanic Garden which proved to be a classic design and is popular to this day.

Caernafon Castle was out next destination. We parked under the shadow of the castle, which was built by Edward I. Caernafon is located at the southern end of the Menai Strait between north Wales and Anglesey, 8 miles south west of Bangor. The tradition of the British monarch's eldest son being conferred with the title of Prince of Wales started at this time when Edward's son was invested at this castle in 1301. During Edward I's invasions of Wales, this was strategically an excellent place to build a castle. It was preceded by first a Roman fort, and then a Norman motte and bailey - built by Hugh of Avranches around 1090. This motte was incorporated into the Edwardian castle, but was destroyed around 1870. We walked up the hill to the Roman fort (Segontium) which was situated in a position to look out over the whole area. So many things to see and do, we wanted to fit a visit to Bodnant Gardens in as well. The garden has two parts. The upper garden around Bodnant Hall consists of the terraced gardens and informal lawns shaded by trees.
The lower portion, known as the "Dell" is formed by the valley of the River Hiraethlyn and contains the Wild garden. It is good to see all the gardens and how well the plants grow here. They just bloom so well, must be all the rain, but they just seem more prolific and vibrant than at home.

Cistercian Monks

On to Wales and M was really looking forward to visiting Tintern Abbey. It was only the second Cistercian monastry in Britain, and the first in Wales, and was founded on 9 May 1131 by Walter de Clare, lord of Chepstow, although the present ruins date from the 1300s. We were totally blown away by the Abbey. I just can't believe the workmanship. The stonemasons were true craftsmen, the detail in the carvings is spectacular. Henry VIII, in the mid 1500s, brought about the demise of the monastries mostly to gain from their riches than from religious conviction I suspect

We briefly dashed back into England as the quickest way to North Wales, seeing some spectacular scenery on the way especially looking toward Criccieth Castle which sits high and majestic on a rocky promontory which juts out into Tremadog Bay. The earliest mention Criccieth Castle is found in the Welsh chronicles, the Brut y Tywysogyon, in the year 1239 and there is a combination of both Welsh and English ruins.

The land is, once again, very lush and green, so different from Australia. We found a delightful bed and breakfast within walking distance of the station for the The Ffestiniog Railway (a must on M's list) so are staying overnight at Bod Hyfryd in the village of Minffordd, between Penrhyndeudraeth and Porthmadog. Iris runs the place although sadly is off to Cornwall soon - maybe we can catch up on our next visit to England as we won't make it to Cornwall this time!The place is very luxurious, similar standard to Bradle Farm, the china is superb and made locally at the famous Portmeirion pottery.

From the Pearl of Dorset to Drake's Haunt

We reluctantly set out from Bradle Farm to continue our adventure and, on the advice of Gillian, headed for Lyme Regis a small coastal town famous for its shops selling fossils from the Jurassic cliffs. The pearl reference in the title is from something I read about Lyme Regis! The beach was what I imagined English beaches would be, where is the sand - the stones would be very uncomfortable to lie on!

We weren't very interested in the shops and were keen to get to Clovelly. Thank goodness for M and all the preparation reading she did but after doing this blog and searching the web for reference I think next time I will be better prepared!

Clovelly was incredible, it must have been so isolated way back when. The 'road' down to the beach is so steep, everything is carried in on sleds that are pulled over the cobblestones either by donkeys or people. The harbour is wild, you can sense that it was once the haunt of smugglers, pirates and wreckers. The colourful cottages line both sides of the narrow cobbled street winding down to the fourteenth century harbour below. Traffic has been banned from this village and it is quite a climb back up from the harbour.

M and I spent a lot of time taking in the scenery, walking on the harbour wall and looking at the incredible gardens virtually clinging to rock. Charles Kingsley is said to have written Westward Ho! while staying in Clovelly in 1855 (his father was the vicar of Holne which is also in Devon) so we also had a look through the Kingsley museum.

To round off the smuggler experience we set off to stay the night at Hoops Inn a picture-book 13Century thatched Inn not far from Clovelly and notorious as the haunt of smugglers and well as being the meeting place for seafarers such as Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Richard Grenville.

The Inn was beautiful but the accomodation was motel-like, not quite the experience we expected.
We will both be sad to leave the Devon area of England.

Stonehenge and on to Dorset

Today was the most incredible day. M said we wouldn't have time to go to Stone Henge so I told her that I was perfectly happy for her to miss but I was going there and it was just ..... don't know how to describe but we were both blown away with it even though the day was miserable, cold and rainy.

Here is a poem I found that has been attributed to John Dryden

Nor is thy Ston-Heng a less wonder grown,
Though once a Temple thought, now prov'd a Throne.
Since we, who are so bless'd with Monarchy,
Must gladly learn from thy Discovery,
That great Respects not only have been found
Where Gods were Worshipp'd, but where Kings were Crown'd

We the went on to Salsbury Cathedral, another fantastic experience, I don't know how many photos I took, so many.

Then on to Church Knowle in Dorset where we were spending the night at Badle Farm, and no we didn't book ahead!

We went down to have a look at Kimmerridge Bay. The coast is magnificent and the little town of Kimmerridge has so many beautiful houses with thick thatches.

We are covering a lot of territory each day but oh what experiences we are having, I love it and am having such a good time!

Bradle Farm, with hosts Gillian and John Hole, is a working farm and is in a valley three miles west of Corfe Castle. The Purbeck Hills surround the farm and part of the farm has been officially recognised as a of a natural World Heritage site which includes the Purbeck coast.

The original farmhouse and land are mentioned in the Doomsday Book before being destroyed by fire in the early 1800's. The present farmhouse was built in the 1840's with local Purbeck stone, still retaining much of the character and style of the original.

M was very interested in the farm, they farm 550 acres and have two dairy herds, sheep and corn.

Shakespeare Country

Immersed ourselves in Shakespeare today. We went out to Anne Hathaway's house at Shottery first. All the houses are so different from home. Next to Anne Hathaway's was another house with a beautiful cottage garden.

Having the car is so good, we can wander where we want. Stratford-upon-Avon is a beautiful place, with the canal, lovely park and the streets are full of flowers.

Just to make the day we decided to take off for the White Horse Hill at Uffington, and then would stay the night at Winchester. The image on the hill could be a stylised drawing of a dragon and dates back to 1000BC in the late Bronze Age.

Arrived in Winchester to find it pretty booked out, narrow streets with cars parked everywhere. Thank goodness for mobile phones, we managed to find a lovely place just out of Winchester.

The Cotswolds

Picked up the car this morning and after reading the contract nearly had a fit as we were not supposed to take the car out of UK - decided not to say anything and risk it! This is my favourite photo, don't know why but I love it.

We went on a great walk from Bourton-On-Water to Upper-Slaughter via Lower-Slaughter. Lovely day even though I nearly trod in a cow pat! Staying the night at a Youth Hostel near Stratford-upon-Avon.

Bourton-on-the-Water is called 'the Venice of the Cotswolds' you can read all about it.

Blenheim Palace

M and I caught the bus out to Blenheim Palace which is at Woodstock, Oxfordshire. Winston Churchill was born there and it is owned by the Duke of Marlborough. (Check out Blenheim Palace.) We used the trip to scout out where the car hire place was as well.



Blenheim was amazing, the grounds were so green and lush, with a beautiful lake, pheasants, bluebells, trees - you name it - even a cricket game on the green. Inside there were beautiful tapestries, china, furniture and it was all very organised.

Off to Oxford

Walking around London is addictive. We saw so many exciting things today. I love the parks and all the narrow streets. We saw the new ANZAC memorial today and picked out a few towns like Wolseley and Adventure Bay. Loved the Ritz and the window boxes and the parks, I could spend more time here. But..... off to Oxford. M and I caught the bus to Oxford, the driver let us off near our B and B (Nanford House)and we walked up the road to it. Looked reasonable outside but when we booked in we were very hesitant and decided to stay only the one night. We booked it from the internet and if you read:

Period guest house located 5 minutes on foot from the University of Oxford. Wide variety of rooms available: quadruple, triple/family, twin, double and single at budget prices. All rooms en-suite.

what would you think?
We walked into Oxford for a look around and had out tea there, went down to the Youth Hostel and decided that it was MUCH better than Nanford. We are doing so much walking and travelling!

London

Walked around London today, saw my first squirrel in Hyde Park and of course did the "changing of the guards" at Buckingham Palace. I love London (for a visit) we are so central in Piccadilly Square. M and I have walked and walked, it is so exciting to see everything that we have 'known' all our lives.

We were on Tower Bridge when it opened and a boat went through, there were a heap of men on the deck all singing "Land of Hope and Glory",

it was very stirring and you could feel the power of the song and the way it would raise patriotic fervor. Oh forgot to mention today is St. Georges Day. (England's National Day) and the flag was flying on the boat as it was all around London.