Home Again!

After a 9 hour flight (45 minutes spent on the ground in Ottawa), a bus ride to Union Station and a 2 1/2 train trip, I got back to Kingston at 1 a.m. this morning (6 a.m. in Britain so 24 hours awake!). I can't believe it's all over! It was an amazing experience and one that will stay with me for the rest of my life (along with the 2700 photos I took!). We managed to see and do so much and, as ambitious as it looked, my itinerary worked!! We drove 4045 miles and covered more ground by foot, sea and train! It's an amazing country and we could have spent 5 more weeks exploring all the little corners we didn't have time to see. We took one or two things off the itinerary to make room for other things we discovered or to spend more time enjoying the place where we were. The days at the Rural Retreats when we just wandered were a wonderful respite from driving and the "tourist" scene. (Still in denial of the fact that we too were tourists!) We decided not to go to Nottingham. Mom and Dad had been there and I wanted to spend more time in Carlton (where my grandmother was born). We watched a TV show the other night about the 20 worst and best places to live in Britain and Nottingham made #4 on the worst list so maybe that wasn't such a bad decision! I know I will return someday and I have seen the places and sites that were high on my list of priorities.
I'm wondering how many of you will continue to check in and follow my progress with laundry, dishes and the day to day routines of reality! I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts and impressions of Britain and Ireland with you all. Words can't capture all we've seen and done but I've done my best! Now I start planning the European Expedition! Stay tuned!

King Arthur Country

I've had some comments from family members about all the castle pictures we've been sending so here's a change of pace! Today was spent following the King Arthur legend! It has always fascinated me and there are sites all over Britain that claim a connection to him. Unfortunately, we couldn't see them all! That will be the next trip!

We started our day with a visit to Tintagel - the supposed birthplace of Arthur (although the castle on the site post dates his birth). It wasn't too hard to imagine this being true as we walked down a very steep hill to reach the base of another very steep hill!! The castle sits perched on the cliffs on the coast of Cornwall with waves crashing on the rocks belong. We were there early enough that we were the only people and didn't have "tourists" sucking up the mystery and mysticism in the air!

We had a lovely visit with Dad's cousin Paul and Hilary. They live in a great old schoolhouse with a spectacular view of Somerset fields and valleys! Too have that out your window every day...!! We have been seeing Britain through a tourist's eyes (although I really hate to admit that I have been a tourist!!) and Paul and Hillary provided us with a different perspective and more insight as to why people would leave this beautiful country. Social conditions aren't good in many areas and people are disillusioned and discontent. Owning a home is virtually unattainable for so many and housing costs in those regions we have loved so much are soaring. Those lovely little cottages are out of reach for the average person as they are snapped up by the wealthy and the tourist agencies. I had a few moments of guilt for being a part of this cycle.

We would have loved to stay longer but time was ticking and we had more we wanted to do before the day ended. On to Glastonbury and more mystic vibes! The town is a quirky combination of New Age and history! You can walk by buildings from the 17th century and find a shop offering tours of Avalon or psychic readings! We spent some time at Glastonbury Abbey and found these two sites in the photos. We had toured several abbeys and priories already so while the architecture was amazing (as was the light and shadow on the ruins!), it was this connection to Arthur that hooked me! And, after visiting so many of the castles that King Edward was instrumental in building, his connection in this story felt like "a friend of a friend"!

Avebury was our final destination for the day. We arrived just before dusk so the sky had that lovely soft glow. The "tourists" had gone home and we were alone to meet the stones. Perhaps that is why this visit was far more powerful for me than Stonehenge. We walked down a path that wound through the woods and into the village and there they were, sitting as they have for thousands and thousands of years (2500 BC!). Homes sit on the edge of the site but it seems very natural and makes more sense than glitzy visitors' centres. Can you imagine looking out everyday and seeing these ancient monuments?! It's almost overwhelming to be standing in prehistoric sites like this. You can't help but feel extremely insignificant! These stones have survived for centuries and continue to be magnificent. This and the fact that it was our last evening in Britain made it a very awe-inspiring and moving experience. This was the Britain I have grown to love!

Star Castle!

This is a shot of my guard room at Star Castle! It really was a guard room! I had to walk outside the castle to this little building along the wall with a fabulous view of the harbour! You can just see some little "look out" windows along the wall and there were two larger windows looking out at the castle and grounds. Very cute and cozy especially when it rained during the night. A far cry, I'm sure from "guard days"!

Isles of Scilly!

This is our ferry and our view from our B&B here on St. Mary's (tide's out)! A lovely region that is almost tropical with mild climate and palm trees, huge agave plants and yuccas and paperwhites and narcissi still blooming!
We took a boat tour yesterday to visit three of the other islands in the area and hiked 12 km.! While there are tourists galore (birdwatching is at its height this week so there were "twitches" of birdwatchers everywhere!), the islands have stayed relatively unspoiled. Everything shuts down on Sunday - no ferry, helicopter or plane service and shops are closed - and the character of the islands is maintained with quaint little B&Bs and shops.
We spent last night at Star Castle - what an experience!! Built in 1593, it has been part of several wars and a haven for several members of royalty - most notably Charles II (his portrait hangs in the front entranceway). We had a wonderfully elegant dinner in the dining room last night with its thick stone walls and heavy brocaded drapes over the windows. The dark beams on the ceiling were warmed by the fire in the fireplace - a real treat since the weather started to change at the end of our boat tour and we were a bit chilled!
I slept in my guard room and had 5 little "arrow loops" as windows overlooking the harbour! Cross beams on the ceiling and an old lamp gave it the flavour of the period but the thick white duvet made it a cozy place to snuggle during the wind and rain of the night!! If there's one thing I've grown to love here, it's duvets!
It's pouring rain today so we are snuggled in the lounge at the castle writing post cards and catching up on email (doesn't seem right in a 16th century castle!! Our last computer experience ended in all of the Derbyshire system crashing so the blog only got partially updated!!
The ferry leaves at 4:30 (2 hours) then we have a bit of a drive to our hotel in Newquay. We hope to get to Tintagel, Glastonbury and Avebury tomorrow as well as meeting Dad's cousin Paul for lunch!! Big plans right up until the end!!
Our flight for Canada leaves at 2:30 on Thursday so I would imagine my next entry will be from Canada on Friday morning...or whenever I surface from my bed!! It's been the trip of a lifetime and I have loved every minute of it!!

Hope Cove, Devon and Land's End, Cornwall

This is the loveliest section of the country! We stayed in a thatched cottage similar to these only more secluded and walked along this coast and down to the beach. It was glorious weather - Tshirts - and we stopped for Devon Cream tea at a thatched cottage and enjoyed ice cream as we strolled the beach. Hiked 10.5 km one day and loved every kilometre! The views are incredible so even climbing hills has a reward!
Land's End sounds horribly romantic but turned out to be very commercialized! For several pounds, you can have a sign made up of your own community and pose for a postcard!!! Didn't fall for that one!! We walked a bit farther along the coast and finally found TRUE Land's End - rugged coastlines, expanses of ocean and crashing waves!! There's something about the ocean that calms me - even when it's not so calm!

The Peak District

Spent a day in Lincoln and wandering through the cathedral. Magnificent! The carving and detail in the woodwork and stonework is mind-boggling - especially at a time when tools were so basic!
We have been deep in the heart of England for several days now and not even thinking computers...much!! We had 4 fabulous nights in Yorkshire and are now in the Peak District for a couple of days. Our Rural Retreats cottages have been wonderful - and very rural. The definition of rural here is narrow (not much wider than my driveway!), winding roads that aren't on any map! Great places for hiking and enjoying peace and quiet! We had planned on going into Nottingham today but, since Mom and Dad have already been there and there wasn't anything that I HAD to see or do there, we decided to spend today walking! We've already hiked a couple of kilometres this morning and will head out on some of the many trails in the area this afternoon. So nice to be out in the fields with the sheep and the cows and seeing pheasants and grouse etc. all around!
This is Glamis (pronounced "glahms") Castle. We stopped in here on our way from Aberdeen to Edinburgh. It was the childhood home of the Queen Mother and birthplace of Princess Margaret. Interesting to see and lots of lovely ghosts that still inhabit the place!

Goathland (Aidensfield!)

Took a drive up to Pickering to take a ride on a North York Moors steam train (Dad's birthday present)! I was a bit disappointed to see this engine come down the track but the coach cars were great - little private compartments just like in Murder on the Orient Express or Harry Potter! Lovely scenery and our trip ended in Goathland - the setting for Heartbeat (any of you TVO fans!) and was also the setting for Hogsmeade Station in the first Harry Potter movie! Quite amazing being in these places I've seen on TV or in movies or just read about. Too bad about all the tourists!! We did visit the Aidensfield Arms and see Scripps' Garage. There are sheep wandering the green spaces - totally disinterested in the tourists!
Our ride back was on a "Harry Potter" type steam engine so I was happy! It was a 1920's train and Dad even got to go up into the engine when we got back to Pickering (although the young engineer DID invite me first!!). Quite an adventure and lots of great photos in Goathland and enroute!

Hadrian's Wall

This first photo is the warning seen on Holy Island. It has a causeway which is affected by tides. One only visits the island on low tide! Fortunately it worked for us to visit AND get off before this happened to us!!
Our next item on the agenda was to see some part of Hadrian's Wall!! We had left Edinburgh in the morning (after walking the Royal Mile) and after spending time on Holy Island knew we'd miss any of the interpretive centres for the Wall. So...it was up to us!! We did see bits and pieces as we drove but, as we have discovered here, pulling over is not quite as easy as it is in Canada. But, just as we decided to forget it and head for our cottage for the night, we came upon a sign AND a place to park!! There was a tower and a section of the wall in a farmer's field along the roadway! Over a stile and along a path with a flock of sheep watching and we were in 200 AD.!! Quite amazing and, in my opinion, much better than with glitzy displays and signs! The sun was just setting and it was a lovely, tranquil moment!

Holy Island, Lindinsfarne Castle

Royal Yacht Britannia

Quite an amazing "boat"! We arrived in Edinburgh in time to do a tour and, with our ferry ride to Ireland still fresh in our minds, decided that this might be the way to travel in the future! Quite elegant and spacious! The dining room and living room could have come out of any country home complete with the chintz, flowers and fine china!
There were many photos of the royals on trips over the years and they became a bit more human to me as I imagined the kids running along the decks and the Queen in her sitting room with a good book?!
They had that famous photo of Diana being reunited with a much younger William and Harry on the deck and it looked like a much happier time for her. The woman at the fudge shop on board told us that Diana used to pick up fudge for the boys on a regular basis.

Dunnottar Castle

Today will definitely be one of the highlights of this trip! I had been looking forward to seeing this castle and wasn't disappointed. Where Harlech was a bit disappointing with the parking lot directly in front of it, this required a 1 km walk down a gravel lane then down 206 steps and up 39 to reach the castle! And it was worth the trip! The views were breathtaking and the castle itself had so much history attached to it - the keep was 14th century and other buildings were 15th and 16th century. It was attacked by Cromwell and William Wallace, visited by Mary Queen of Scots and Charles II, a prison to 167 men and women who refused to acknowledge the Episcopalian style of church Charles II had imposed on Scotland... While the castle is in ruins, there are still many original features remaining - great fireplaces, bake ovens, chapel windows and a dry sink in the kitchen! And there weren't the crowds of people that have been at the more easily accessible castles. I was able to wander and spend time just soaking up the scenery and history all by myself. I could have stayed there all day!!
We went into Aberdeen for the afternoon and toured Old Aberdeen. Very different buildings made of granite blocks (beautiful flecks sparkle in the sunlight) with intricate Gothic spires! Did some shopping and I got 2 more 2 GB cards for my camera (2 already filled!). I will have lots to keep me busy over the winter sorting through all the photos and deciding which ones are worth keeping, printing etc.!
We head to Edinburgh tomorrow via St. Andrew's and Kirkcaldy (birthplace of my Aunt Ella). We hope to see the Royal yacht Britania on our way into the city and arrive early enough to wander the Royal Mile. Our hotel is right in the heart of the city so a great base for sightseeing!

Aberdeen

A day to sleep in, have a leisurely morning and regroup for the final 2 weeks of this excursion! The whole crew headed off to Crathes Castle just before noon today. It's a 16th century castle gifted to the original family by Robert of Bruce. Supposedly the best example of Scottish baronial architecture?! Quite well restored inside with artifacts etc. from the 15th-18th centuries. Amazing topiaries and garden walks - even this late in the season. The leaves are turning colour and it was a wonderful Indian summer day (not sure what it's called in Scotland!). The sweaters I bought in Wales have been put away for awhile and it's back to a light jacket!
We had a picnic lunch on the castle grounds - can you imagine? To be having a picnic in Scotland at a castle!!
We went down the road 5 miles to Drum Castle. Totally different in appearance (I preferred this one). It has a 13th century Norman keep with a restored Jacobean mansion house and gardens. Quite impressive!
We are going out to dinner tonight to celebrate Rachel and Mom's birthdays and tomorrow will head down the coast to Dunnotar Castle. It was apparently the setting of Hamlet (the Mel Gibson version) and is one of those incredibly imposing castles high on a cliffside! I have enjoyed the restored castles but still love the ruins!