Where to next?
When we returned from our last trip away in our campervan there was a message from Roger's cousin Richard who lives in Ireland inviting us to his 70th birthday party at Trim, County Meath on 12th May 2013. That was the the only pre-planned point on this journey.
We left home in Devon on Saturday 4th May and travelled to Wells where we found a parking place in the centre of town. We visited Wells Cathedral which was very impressive and free apart from a £3 photography permit if you wanted to photograph inside which we did.
There is a very strange clock inside the Cathedral which performs various antics every quarter hour! This little chap rings his bell.....
And the horse riders above the clock face fight each other!
We also went to have a look at the nearby Bishop's Palace but we didn't go in as it costs money and was about to close.
On Sunday 5th May we moved on to the Brecon Beacons in South Wales. This is the peak of Pen y Fan, the highest point in Southern Britain at 886 metres (2907 feet).
Here's where we parked for the night high up on a pass.
The next day Monday 6th May we moved on west heading for the port of Pembroke Dock. We stopped along the way at this lake.
That night we parked by the sea close to the village of Dale in Pembrokeshire. A very interesting place with a spit separating the sea from a brackish lagoon full of Grey Mullet. Also lots of birds and quite a few birdwatchers.
On Tuesday 7th May we crossed by ferry from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare in South East Ireland. We parked for the night by the sea at Kilmore Quay close to Rosslare. This whale rib bone was washed up here. According to the Rough Guide to Ireland the local fish and chip shop in Kilmore Quay was reputed to be one of the best in Ireland but when we sampled its fish and chips I thought they were quite poor.
On Wednesday 8th May we parked for the night on the pier at Schull, County Cork. There were lots of comings and goings of seafaring folk. We took a brief walk into town but it was very cold and it rained so we came back to the van double quick! Saw terns and cormorants diving close to the pier. Heavy rain and strong winds during the night.
It was miserable and wet at Schull on the morning of Thursday 9th May but as you can see above by about midday we could actually see the town from where we were parked on the pier. We decided to move on to the Ring of Kerry - the famous drive around the Iveragh Peninsula in South West Ireland.
Regular followers of this blog will perhaps remember that we had been round the Ring of Kerry on a previous occasion and seen nothing due to low cloud. This time it was different - it's a bit like California's Big Sur!
Fantastic views all along the way.
We stopped along the way from time to time.
Sometimes the road runs close to the sea, at other places you get views from higher up. We stopped for the night in the public car park at the village of Portmagee close to the bridge leading to Valencia Island.
It was raining early on at Portmagee on Friday 10th May but it soon brightened up as you can see from this view across to Valencia Island from our Parking place.
We completed the Ring of Kerry in bright sunshine.
We moved on from the Ring of Kerry and came through Tralee and Limerick to this parking place by Lough Derg on the River Shannon.
We met two locals, Jimmy and Terry, who were also at the parking place so we invited them in for a cup of tea as it was starting to rain. We saw a cormorant struggling with a fish - eventually both went below the surface of the lake and didn't come up again!
As it got late the light on the lake was really good.
On Saturday 11th May we travelled up to Trim in County Meath where my cousin Richard and his wife Anne-Marie live. We parked at their house which is a former church where Jonathan Swift the author of Gulliver's Travels was once the vicar. Met up with several of Roger's relations that evening over a meal. Above is Trim Castle.
On Sunday 12th May we attended my cousin Richard's 70th birthday party at Trim Castle Hotel. It was a great event with over 70 guests including Richard and Anne-Marie's son Leslie who had come all the way from Australia to be there. Ann-Marie and Richard are seen here topping up their punch!
Leslie, Richard's son, brought this amazing photomontage poster which he had put together in Australia - it shows Richard and Anne-Marie, Richard's brothers Giles and Colin, Richard's late parents Leslie and Eleanor, Richard and Ann-Marie's children Frances, Leslie and Eleanor and Richard himself as a young boy. Also in the top right corner their house in Trim and in the bottom left corner Richard's old home in Cheshire. Don't you think Richard looks just like Gerry Adams in this photo?
A specially commissioned painting of Richard was unvailed at the party. What do you think?
Many thanks to Richard and Anne-Marie for your fantastic hospitality yet again. We hope to see you here in Devon before too long.
On Monday 13th May we moved on north and visited the old monastic site at Monasterboice where there are three 1000 year old crosses and a defensive round tower of similar vintage.
The tower at Monasterboice. It is thought that the monks took shelter in this when they were threatened by Viking Raiders circa 1000 AD. As you see there are numerous modern burials here - this is very common at ancient holy sites.
That day we parked for the night in a layby on a minor road by the sea at Annagassan, County Louth, where we saw this rather strange rainbow.
There were great views across to the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland from where we were parked.
On Tuesday 14th May we crossed over from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland and parked on waste ground by the sea at Annalong on the Mourne Coast. Here's a view of the harbour. You can tell you're in Northern Ireland here as there is a Union Jack painted on the harbour wall!
We walked along the coast - there were great views up to the Mourne Mountains. Later we went for a meal in the village - very nice fish! Very strong and gusty winds during the night.
On Wednesday 15th May we reached Ardglass in County Down and parked by the Marina. Ardglass also has a fishing port and golf club. There is an old tower house and a few Victorian castles and follies.
We had a walk around and saw this Heron sitting in a fish box on the quay. The Isle of Man was visible from here out to sea.
On Thursday 16th May we travelled up the west side of Strangford Lough but having failed to find anywhere nice to park we decided to cross to Scotland so we phoned to book our ferry and moved on to the Port of Larne. The tower here at the port commemorates James Chaine who originally invested in the development of the port. He is buried nearby in a large earth mound in a public park. He was apparently buried standing upright in his yachting clothes!!
After crossing to Galloway in Scotland we parked for the night in this layby near Lendalfoot in South Ayrshire. You can see the rocky island of Ailsa Craig on the right horizon.
On Friday 17th May we moved up the coast to Fairlie in Ayrshire to visit our friends Moira........
and Martin - here seen attending to important matters.
It was a bit wet on Saturday so we mainly stayed in and were treated to marvellous hospitality. Many thanks Moira and Martin - we look forward to seeing you soon here in Devon.
On Sunday 19th May we left Moira and Martin's and went just a short way to the port of Ardrossan to catch the ferry to Brodick on the Island of Arran.
We met these German bikers at the port.
When we got to Arran we drove a short way south and parked at Whiting Bay with a nice view over to Holy Island which is inhabited by Tibetan Monks.
Arran is very interesting geologically - here we see a basalt dyke running through sandstone on the beach close to our parking place at Whiting Bay.
We took a walk up towards a local waterfall but didn't quite get there so we had some of the local beer in the village pub.
On Monday 20th May we travelled around a bit on Arran.
We visited the prehistoric standing stones at Machrie on the west coast.
Near Machrie we found this beautiful wild camping place by the sea.........
......with raised beach going back to old sea caves which are now inland. Just as it was getting dark we saw an otter swimming in the sea near to where we were parked.
On Tuesday 21st May we went back over the pass to the east coast of Arran - the north of the island is very mountainous as you can see from this photo.
We visited Brodick Castle gardens. Free as Roger is a National Trust Life Member.
Nice Rhododendrons.......
......and a Bavarian style summer house which the late Duke had built apparently to remind his German Duchess of home. The interior is lined with fir cones!
For the night we found this nice seaside car park nearby with picnic benches. You can see the Scottish mainland in the distance.
On Wednesday 22nd May we took the ferry from Lochranza in North West Arran to the east side of the Kintyre peninsula. We re-met the German bikers we had met at Ardrossan!
We travelled south down the east coast of Kintyre - here stopping to look back accross the sea to Arran.
We continued south down the east coast of Kintyre to Campbeltown but did not go the last bit to the Mull of Kintyre but instead crossed to the west coast of the peninsula and up to this layby for the night, where yet again, we saw an otter swimming in the sea nearby.
On Thursday 23rd May we continued north and visited the sculptured stones at Kilbery.
Then on to the cairns and standing stones at Kilmartin.
We ended the day at the port of Oban where we found a parking place on the seafront for the night and having booked tickets to go by ferry to the Outer Hebrides went out for a meal in town.
On Friday 24th May we turned up at the ferry terminal to go to Barra in the Outer Hebrides only to be informed that the ship had broken down! We re-booked to go on Saturday and then visited this beach just north of Oban.
We stayed the night of Friday 24th May at this beautiful location by Loch Creran a few miles north of Oban. It is a National Nature Reserve.
We were sorry to leave here on Saturday 25th May but we had a ferry to catch.
We left Oban that afternoon and after a 5 hour voyage reached Castlebay on Barra - the most southerly of the main islands in the Outer Hebrides. We found this great parking place for the night overlooking Castle Bay which as you can see is aptly named. The ferry we came on was just leaving to go back to Oban when I took this photo.
On the morning of Sunday 26th May we drove around Barra which is very small. We went past the "airport" which is a beach towards the north of the island and visited the ancient church of St Barr nearby where we saw this old cross (which is actually a replica, the original is now in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh).
We eventually decided to stay the night at a parking place on the west coast of Barra - here's the view from it.
We went walking on the beach. Beautiful white sand and striped rocks - Lewisian Gneiss I think!?
Saw lots of Oyster Catchers who seemed upset by our presence - perhaps they were nesting nearby. During that night it was very wet and extremely windy - didn't get much sleep as the noise was terrific and the van was rocking violently!
On Monday 27th May we took the ferry from Barra to Eriskay and then crossed on this causeway from Eriskay to South Uist. What a classic road sign!
We stopped for the night by this beach at Gearraidh na Monadh, South Uist. After we'd walked along the beach for a while we had to go inland slightly to avoid a stream and Ann unfortunately fell and badly twisted her ankle. She had a painful walk back to the van.
On Tuesday 28th May we visited the South Uist Folk Museum which was basically about how life had been on the island until quite recently - no electricity etc and a very hard life for ordinary people. We then visited this nearby ancient burial site.
Before leaving South Uist we rather unwisely visited a much hyped eatery for a fish lunch which was rather poor - will I ever learn? We moved on over a causeway to Benbecula which was a bit flat and uninteresting so we stopped for the night on this tiny island which forms part of the causeway from Benbecula to North Uist.
On Wednesday 29th May we visited Balranald Nature Reserve on North Uist but Ann's ankle was swollen and painful so she couldn't walk very far.
We found this good parking place at Greinetobht, North Uist. It is by a tidal estuary largely protected from the open sea by impressive sand dunes. Lots of birds around - Lapwings, Oyster Catchers, Plovers etc.
The beach here was frequented by cows.
Then a whole lot of birdwatchers turned up but soon left.
On Thursday 30th May we saw this enormous Prehistoric burial cairn of Barpa Langais near Lochmaddy in North Uist.
Also visited nearby Pobull Fhinn stone circle.
We went across another causeway from North Uist to the small island of Berneray where we found this gorgeous parking place on a sand dune overlooking a sandy beach. As it was getting dark we saw our third otter of the trip swimming in the sea nearby.
On Friday 31st May we took the ferry from Berneray to Leverburgh on Harris.
We spent the night by this tidal inlet near Losgaintir, South Harris. Beautiful wild location.
On Saturday 1st June we crossed to North Harris and travelled north west along the coast to Huisinis passing this impressive "castle" along the way.
Though Huisinis is a beautiful place, there were too many people around for the available parking space what with the very narrow road, drifting sand etc. Therefore we came back past the "castle".
We found a parking place high up above the sea in wild country.
There were plenty of rabbits around.
On Sunday 2nd June we moved on to Lewis and visited the Callenish Standing Stones.
These stones are incredibly atmospheric. They made a stronger impression on me than any other megalithic site I have ever visited and that includes Stonehenge, Avebury and Carnac!
Later that day we visited Carloway Broch.
Also visited Garenin restored crofters' village on Sunday.
Parked for the night at Rathad An Duin, North West Lewis. Lots of birds on the beach.
On Monday 3rd June we travelled north to the Butt of Lewis, the island's northernmost point. Very atmospheric place with sea stacks, amazing rock strata and nesting Fulmars.
Later that day we went into Stornoway the capital city of Lewis for supplies etc and then came up the north east coast of the island to this nice spot by the sea with a huge sandy beach, dunes and moorland. Met three English blokes who were travelling in a VW Camper and had a few drinks.
On Tuesday 4th June we went back into Stornoway and got on the ferry to Ullapool on the Scottish mainland. View of Stornoway as we were leaving.
After a two and a half hour voyage we arrived in Ullapool. Found a very remote car park a few miles north of Ullapool where we stayed the night. Great view of Ben More Coigach. Our 20th anniversary!
On Wednesday 5th June we took the minor road north along the coast past Stac Polly (seen here).
And past Suilvan to Lochinver.
Saw this stag along the way.
Stayed the night at the village of Drumbeg - here's the view from the village car park where we stayed.
On Thursday 6th June we travelled east from Drumbeg to Unapool, then north to Laxford Bridge before turning south down the A838 through very remote country where we passed Ben More Assynt (seen here).
We eventually came back to "civilisation" at Lairg and parked for the night near Dornoch where we had this view from our van.
As Ann's ankle was still swollen on Friday 7th June we went to the Community Hospital at Saltburn who diagnosed a chipped bone in her ankle and sent us off to the Inverness Hospital who put her foot in plaster! We stayed the night in a layby on the A939 between Grantown on Spey and Tomintoul where she tried out her new crutches and decided she didn't need them.
There was a nice view from our parking place.
On Saturday 8th June we moved on to the Linn of Dee in the Cairngorm Mountains. There were plenty of deer around.
This was the view from our parking place. The peak in the distance is Ben Avon 1171 metres (3841 feet).
On Sunday 9th June we visited Dunblane Cathedral.
Inside the cathedral we saw this very old sculptured stone which had been rediscovered when the Cathedral was renovated in the early 20th Century.
That afternnon we found a good place to stay in a forest car park just outside Stirling on the very boundary between the Highlands and the Central Lowlands. This was the view.
We met a bloke called David at the car park. He had found a pet rabbit apparently dumped by its owner(s) in the nearby woods. He was going to take it to the RSPCA. David works for Glasgow City Council and was camping just up the road from our parking place.
We were woken rudely on the morning of Monday 10th June by loud mechanical noises very close to our van. When we looked out we saw that a large mechanical digger from Stirling Council was digging up the car park very close to us! For some reason it soon gave up and went away. That day we drove across the Central Lowlands and across the Southern Uplands of Scotland stopping to make a cup of tea next to this river.
That afternoon we parked by the estuary of the river Nith at Glencaple by the Solway Firth. Very nice place with shop, tearoom and pub. Went out for a meal in the pub.
View over the Nith estuary that evening.
On Tuesday 11th June we came across the border from Scotland to England and moved on to this remote place in Upper Teesdale in the North Pennines.
From our parking place I walked to Cauldron Snout where the River Tees flows down a steep gorge.
On Wednesday 12th June we continued south through the Pennines and the final night's stop on the journey was on the A62 on the border between Yorkshire and Lancashire between Oldham and Huddrsfield.
On Thursday 13th June we returned home. Good news about Ann's ankle. We went to the hospital in Exeter on Friday and they removed the plaster and gave her a much lighter removeable ankle support so she can take it off to have a shower, sleep etc.
Our journey lasted 41 days and we covered 2934 miles ( equivalent to 4723 kilometres) excluding the distance travelled on ferries.
Roger.
