Thanks for The Memories !

I awoke in my own bed..to consider these last few months..

I’ve been away for 3 months and 10 days…

I’ve driven 4,670 miles

I’ve been in England,France,Corsica,France,Italy,France,Eire, Northern Ireland,Southern Ireland,England…

I’ve been on 5 car ferries,lots of other ‘little boats’

I’ve walked and ridden …miles and miles..

and I’ve had a great time.. I hope you’ve enjoyed accompanying me ?

and now…my house is in good form, thanks to my great neighbours Bill and Anne, who are the best ‘watch dogs’ ever- Thank You both

but there’s a bit of gardening to do…opening letters and dealing with the 200+ letters, 470 emails….and planning my next escapade…  which will be….soon !

Thanks for Joining me

Jotown

Leaving the Island of Ireland…

After my ‘sunrise viewing’ …I continued noding until almost 9 a.m., ready for the long day ahead, packing everything, finding my passport (which no one asked for !) and general hanging around on the campsite, on a sunny but windy morning.

I then set out late morning for Dublin Port, filling up with fuel and butties on the way.. I found my way (thanks to Satnav Sally) relatively easily, and as I approached the port saw a massive ‘Gathering’ sign  on the port buildings, reminding me of my original intentions for coming to Ireland…and well worth it, it’s been !

I checked in, to be told that as it was a freight boat, then lunch and dinner were provided (free !) great…although it would be along journey..I was in the queue, first of the ‘tourists’, as I was led onto the ‘European Endeavour’ by a pilot , but you know the saying…I had to reverse into place, and consequently I would be one of the last off !

I made my way to the seating area, to be told lunch was being served, so helped myself to a 3 course lunch, lovely

Then I went to the seating areas, basic but comfortable and clean, and looking out into the port saw the cruise ship ‘The Oriana’ docked next to another cruiser – bet their food was better than mine , maybe they even had some wine…!

We set off bang on time, with relatively few passengers, not like the other passenger ferries I’ve been on..and as I left the borders of the Island of Ireland…looked back fondly on my time there, along with my other travels of the summer.. I sat in a comfy couch watching the sea being eaten up by the ship, with lots of ships going to and fro in front of us – I settled down for the long journey – 8 1/2 hours ! – to Liverpool

As it got dark, I continued cat napping, and watching the sea go by, a gentle swell, no more on a really nice cruise.. as we passed by the Isle of Man, and I think into Morecombe Bay, passing many oil/gas rigs, anchored out in the sea, lit up like giant cities ..I was ready for home…but not before another meal served at 10 p.m. – presumably so the truckers could keep driving into the night, when they disembark..so that’s what I decided to do, I had been wondering whether I should stop somewhere in Liverpool, but as I got off the ship at 11-45p.m. decided I may as well drive home…which I did arriving at just after 1 a.m….to a great pile of letters etc

Safely home…and ready for a final sleep in my sleeping bag ( didn’t feel like making the bed !) which I placed on my bed, so home…but not quite …Goodnight !

Back to the Cold Sea !

I’d had a good ,peaceful nights sleep, up in the middle of somewhere ?, and after a leisurely breakfast, set off, again towards my destination of Dublin,as I turned off the motorway, saw signs for Monasterboice, interesting I thought ,so went there.. turned out to be the site of an ancient Monastery settlement, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monasterboice with a tower (treasury,safety spot) small church, now in ruins,  and great large Celtic crosses – when I say large, they really were, how they must have been made and erected.. then I continued  via the coast, firstly through a busy seaside resort of Bettystown, and then to a small town called Rush, where I located a nice campsite,http://www.northbeach.ie/ right on the top of the beach, at the back of the sand dunes..and paid the princely sum of $10 for the night !

The sea below looked inviting…and cold, so I decided I couldn’t resist one final sea swim..so I changed and went in…freeeezing ! and quickly got out after I had swam a little…After a nice shower (another $2 !) I wandered in to the small town,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rush,_Dublin passing the harbour area and made my way to the library to get on t’internet.. then back to the campsite watching the world go by on the beach below …

I then went back into town for a final Guinness and then my final Irish evening meal…which was ? – Indian Curry ! – although using Irish potatoes ! and there was a special deal, which was still double what I would pay at home ! Then I wandered back along the beach and rocks, collecting some nice rocks and shells for home, looking at the kite surfers who were being blown along by the strong winds.. I rounded the point and arrived back at the campsite, for a read, watching a  tame sunset behind me , but leaving the front screen off, so I could capture the morning sunrise…which I did, just after 6 a.m. I started to see the sun coming up over the sea in front of me, and for the next hour I intermittently watched it rising in front…then went back to sleep, ready for my final Irish journey…to the Port and home !

The Last Leg Downwards

I’ve been trying to pack everything in, these last few days that I’ve got, but it’s starting to get harder to get going in the morning…and keep going all day/evening !

I was still up early today though, packed and on my way before 9 a.m. and down into Ballycastle. The radio ( BBC radio 2 at last !) was talking about great weather, lots of sunshine etc in England…guess what here ? -still overcast with better prospects for later and as I wandered around Ballycastle, the rain arrived, so I scarpered, taking the winding twisty road, up and around the coastline, so that I could pass Fair Head the North Easterly point of Ireland – which I did in a sweep of the road, and was travelling along the steep Antrim coastline, with the sea below me – now the ‘North Channel’ between Ireland and Scotland, clearly seen not many miles away .Now I was on my last ‘leg’ of the Irish coast, down along the West… I stopped at Coolranny village wandering around the graveyard, and a plaque giving the now normal history of poverty,emigration and decimation, although now it’s a very quiet coastal hamlet with an immaculately kept graveyard

I continued down into Cushenden (in the rain) and then Cushendall, a very picturesque village , by now I’d decided to splash out and have lunch somewhere – couldn’t find anywhere yet open, it was 11-30 a.m. and so had to carry on, and do myself a butty, whilst looking out over the coastline, and remains of coal/quarry  workings along Red Bay ,continuing down the West Coast, where great rocks of white limestone were being cut from the cliffs and used to line the road. Everything started getting busier as I approached Larne, where I could see big ships going across the channel towards mainland Britain

Not stopping I continued down towards Belfast, and the end of the Causeway coastal route… as I looked across Belfast Bay, and could see in the distance the big cranes of the Harland and Woolf shipyard. I wasn’t going to venture in to the City, having seen it last year…

So now, where to go next ? I decided the luxury of a campsite for a couple of days, and no more driving until Wednesday – good plan ? yes, but not that good… I had selected a campsite on the coast at a place called Kilkeel with the sea and Carlingford Loch for company and the Mourne mountains behind… when I got there after an hours drive I found a really busy seaside area, with hundreds of caravans packed in… not for me, so I turned back inland and to another campsite in a forest at Rostrevor, far nicer I thought when I got there… full ! So I headed off with some suggestions from the people at that campsite, stopped for fish and chips on the banks of Carlingford Loch, by now having driven through Newry and returned to Eire .

I eventually found a spot up in the Dooley hills, where reputedly is buried the ‘Long Woman’(back in the land of Myths and Legends!) …I’ll keep her company for the night… as I’m not going further   ..Goodnight !

In the Land of the Giants..

I had decided to get going on Sunday, so packed, showered …and up to 10 a.m. mass at the Fr John’s home Church (although he was saying the 11 a.m. mass !), an enjoyable service, with lots of the locals around..

then it was off, out of Derry crossing the River Foyle on the large new bridge, and skirting the banks of Lough Foyle, I headed out to the coast, firstly seeing signs for Benone beach, so thought I’d go and have a look – well worth the visit, with miles and miles (8 miles actually) of clean sandy beach stretching out in both directions with the waves crashing onto them, and mist hanging over the area.. the beach was almost deserted, although a beach warden told me that in the recent heatwave they had 10’s of thousands of people there, as you could park the car on the beach… and for free !

I then drove up onto the headland, and overlooking the bay, had great views of the sea,loch and Inishowen in Donegal on the other side – I had to dodge the showers though, with a statue of a Viking ( I think) overlooking the waters below and then back the twisty turny road, and out onto the beach again, for lunch before continuing on the ‘Causeway Coastal Route’, twisting along the different headlands, with the Atlantic crashing along my left

I went through the towns of Portstewart and Portrush, which were busy places, with unsettling Union Flags, St George’s with Ulster Red Hand Flags flying aloft from the tops of all the lampposts as I drove in and out – I presume it must be a ‘Unionist’ area, although what these flags say to people .. I leave to your imagination !

Carrying on along the coast, I looked across the headlands towards my objective – the Giants Causeway in the distance, with ruined forts on top of intervening headlands , and as I passed White Rocks area (guess why ?) I could see lots of different arches and towers cut into the softer limestone by the sea – which today was raging and foaming onto the coast

I then got through Bushmills to the Giants causeway visitor area, and after a while managed to get onto one of the car parks.. the place is managed by the National trust , and so, expensive, £8-50 ! I wandered into the visitor centre, and waited for the ‘guided tour’, although I could have used a ‘self guided’ audio one.’Billy’ the tour guide was just getting used to the technology, however we all set off with him for the tour, firstly down towards the ‘stones’ with him telling us a little of the causes, and rocks of the area –including Fionn McCool's ‘camel’..see it ?

Down to the actual causeway itself, and seeing all these columns of Basalt beneath us, and later I would see them towering above me also ! The lower stretches of the causeway were submerged beneath the crashing Ocean waves, but still enough was visible to give me a good idea…  fascinating how they worked out what had caused it, and how the chap who discovered it’s cause…never actually visited it !

I could see further in the distance the ‘Organ’ and so walked up the hillside to that, and also round the corner to another structure the ‘Harp’ where all the columns had bent over at the top, very interesting for us amateur pseudo geologists !!

A climb to the top of the cliff, brought me out onto the headland, overlooking the entire bay and causeway stretching out into the sea

I then returned to the centre, had a welcome cuppa and cake, before continuing my drive along the coast, ready to stop somewhere for the night, it being past 7 p.m. by now..

I found a nice picnic spot, above Benbane head, with distant views across to Scotland…almost home !  ..and settled down for a peaceful night..with a ‘bird’ to keep me company… Goodnight ! 

A Nice Surprise !

Surprising who you meet on your travels, isn’t it – especially when you text them ! Fr John comes from Derry, and I’d sent him a message, and he immediately came for me, and took me up to his home area, and the church where he was ordained just over 25 years ago. It was nice for him to run me round the area, and tell me a little of  what he’d experienced whilst me actually seeing it for myself – Thanks Fr John !

Then I was back down to Derry city for the Fleadh, again the streets were busy, even dancing in the shop windows ! and again with instructions from Ants for some publicity pictures, which I dismally failed at – or more accurately my camera did !  I took the time to have a wander over the ‘Peace Bridge’ to the other side of the River Foyle, where more people were with another stage and concert ongoing. Then back into the main part of the ‘walled city’ of Derry , where as i wandered around the differing stages, found ,to my surprise, ‘Flat Out’ playing …a group I’d seen lots of whilst in Attymass and Ballina ! – who’s following who ?  I popped back to Wally, then back into town for my final session of the Fleadh, again spent wandering the differing bits, in sudden downpours, watching the various groups performing, including these youngsters ..what festivities !

The streets were building for another late and busy night, but for me…an eary’ish one, as I’m travelling again tomorrow, even though it’s ‘finals day’- I’ve still lots of ground to cover..and I don’t think enough time to do it all !- and thanks to Anthony for use of his ‘mobile dongle’, which expires tonight, so I may not be able to keep in contact as easily – you’ll hear from me when I can !

From a packed Fleadh Cheoil  Na h’Eireann in Doire 2013

Goodnight ! 

Dancing in the Streets !

I awoke to a nice clear sky (well, for Ireland !) at the top of the Island of Ireland, with my hilltop views of the coastline, and out to sea (next stop America !), and after breakfast drove up to the old lookout towers on the top of Malin head , and had a wander around the headland,looking at the stones marking out ‘Eire’  to give pilots a clue during the Second World War.. and then seeking out ‘Banba’s crown’, the official spot of the most Northerly point in Ireland , a weatherbeaten cross indicating it, where people had put coins in varying nationalities (presumably to mark ‘home’ ). As usual I was caught in a brief but heavy downpour, and had to laugh at one of the information boards which said Malin Head got the most sunshine in Ireland ! 

I could have spent all day exploring, but had decided to go to the Fleadh http://www.fleadhcheoil.ie/ being held in Londonderry/Derry…and so made tracks back inland to try and find somewhere to stay… I knew everywhere was solidly booked out but I thought there may be some temporary campsites there.. so drove there, seamlessly entering Britain again, without so much as a ‘Welcome’ sign – I realised I’d changed countries when the speed limits changed to MPH rather than KPH ! I saw some signs for a ‘Family campsite’ and followed them to Templemore sports centre, where I negotiated a reasonable fee £15 (p/night) to park Wally on a cinder area, the secure car park for campers… and had a welcome shower inside the sports centre.. I’d never been to a Fleadh, so didn’t know what to expect…just that it would be busy !

I  walked into town, only about a 40 minute walk, although there were shuttle buses going (didn’t have any sterling though !) to find the streets already busy, with the prospects of more to come later, already there were differing groups playing everywhere, even a lone bagpiper playing on a balcony overlooking the square ! It’s hard to describe what was happening, every nook and cranny was filled with a few people, playing Irish traditional music, and various stages set up around the city, with big productions on…all for nothing ! –as if I haven’t heard plenty of Irish music and fiddle playing on my recent travels !

I got the bus back to Wally, and changed for the evenings entertainment, and then went back into town to see what was happening…with instructions from Anthony for some pictures , although I didn’t get much of what he wanted, but loads of other pictures of packed streets and more music everywhere …even an appearance from someone who’s just won ‘The Voice’http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/118596/The-Voice-UK-Final-2013-Andrea-Begley-Is-The-Winner so, on that high note, I’ll leave you, whilst I’m dancing (and drinking) the night away , Slainte