Scotland

I arrived in Edinburgh in the afternoon, and started exploring right away. After climbing all those hills yesterday along Hadrian’s Wall I stared up the stairs up the street in horror. 

Edinburgh is built along a spine, the Royal Mile, running from from Edinburgh Castle down to Holyrood House. Branching off are ‘closes’ which are basically alley ways running down to the valley below the castle. 

So basically a lot of up. So, I hiked up the stairs and along the Royal Mile. After a little bit of sightseeing I followed my standard operating procedure and looked up ‘oldest pub in town’ and went to the White Hart from 1516. It did not disappoint with a small little room and low ceilings.  

After my pint I went back to the hostel to settle in, grabbed some dinner before joining a ghost tour. It was really fun with a guide who has a background in history so he told some great stories about Edinburgh over the centuries. 

The next day I did a walking tour, which was similar, but there were a lot of new stories so it was still fun. In the afternoon I decided to hike to St Arthur’s Seat. Many of my friends had suggested it as something not to be missed. 

Well, it was a great view from the halfway point I can tell you that!! It was a rough dirt trail up the side, and my ankle and my stamina were not up to the task so I figured it was better to be safe than sorry, and I headed back down the hill. (Though then I had to go back UP the Royal Mile!)

I was able to stop for a pint on think hike though, the Tollbooth Tavern was the building that used to be the toll booth coming into Edinburgh. 

My last day I took a bus tour up into the highlands. We drove past Stirling Castle and stopped along several gorgeous lochs.  We had lunch in Ivernay, most of my group toured the castle but I decided to just wander outside taking pictures. It was used in Downton Abbey for Lady Rose’s Scottish estate- at least the outside was. It is a fascinating building to see and a cute little town. 

Rounding out the day were stops at Loch Lomond, Rest and Be Thankful Pass- named by the soldiers who built the original road and were grateful to make the top, and Doune Castle of Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail fame. 

I had a great time in Scotland, I think it was a bit short so I guess I’ll just have to come back again next year!!

Family and Frontiers

 After Ireland it was back to the UK. My already shortened stay in Wales was cut even more but the ferry problems, so a night in the Holyhead Travelodge was it for me. 

A train through London took me down to Surrey and another cousin. I hadn’t seen her in about 4 years since a family wedding and I had never met her son so I was thrilled to visit them properly. 

We had a relaxing Saturday catching up and went for a fantastic afternoon tea at a lovely hotel. Then Sunday was spent casually exploring the area, we found an old ruined abbey that had been built and rebuilt a few times over the years before being abandoned. 

There was also an old motte and bailey castle in Farnham that was really interesting to see, the deep ditch and hill still standing with a low wall encircling the top. 

After walking down into Farnham we found a food festival going on, it was absolutely packed with people and vendors. So we sampled some gins and bought fudge and had a light lunch in town. 

After a too short visit, it was time to go north. On the Monday I took a train north again to Newcastle on Tyne which is still on the English side of the border. I was lucky enough to find an old friend from the Turks and Caicos was in the area so she came down to meet me for a trip to Hadrian’s Wall. 

We first walked along the Wall up to Sycamore Gap, it was a tough climb up and down some steep hills. The Gap is just gorgeous with a single large tree growing between the hills with the Wall right behind it. The fields were all in use so it was a bit startling when we came across a small herd of cows that we had to walk through to keep along the trail. Luckily they were fairly uninterested in us,  and we also got to watch the farmer roll up on an ATV with his collie to herd the cows down off the hill. 

By the time we got to Housestead Fort, it was closing for the night. That was a bit disappointing, though we were able to walk around the outside and the walls were quite low so we could look inside. Housestead is home to one of the surviving Roman communal toilets. Imagine how pleasant that would be to sit and chat with friends!

Just as we were heading out a small storm whipped through, just pouring rain on us as we walked back to the car! So we stopped at the traditional roadside Starbucks to warm up. 

Back in Newcastle my friend showed me a few sites as we walked around. There is a monument to Earl Grey in the centre of down. He earned it for his contributions in tea making. Or maybe it was something to do with helping England? Nah, probably the tea thing. 

Finding Family

 After Dublin I headed south towards Waterford, I was very excited to meet some cousins I had just recently started to get to know! 

We had a great day driving around the area, seeing the coast. There were beautiful thatched houses, epic coast lines, and Hook Lighthouse. This is the worlds oldest operational light house. It was visible across the bay in Wexford.  

My cousin took me for a night out at a local pub with an Irish music night. It was amazing- who ever wants to play shows up with instruments and plays. People from the bar joined in to sing songs or tell a joke. I wish I could have joined in, not that I have much of a voice, and could catch the chorus of a couple of the songs. I think this is the best kind of “open mic night.”

Though just a short visit, we have plans for me to come back next year. There is a lot on our “to see” list. 

I had my first set back of the trip. My ‘luck of the Irish’ for good travelling weather had run out. With a storm sweeping up my ferry out of Ireland got cancelled due to ‘weather.’ Though I suspect it was an excuse to move us to the under booked  large ferries. 

It did give me some extra time in the evening in Dublin, so I explored some more family links. First, on my way back to Dublin I realized the Waterford train station is named the Plunkett station. I realized this when I spotted a large mural of my grandmothers second cousin Joseph Mary Plunkett. He played a prominent role in the Easter Rising of 1916 and sadly was executed for his part. His push for Irish independence did eventually come to fruition for most of the island in 1922. 

Arriving in Dublin I decided to find the house my grandfather was born in.  It’s now an office. But some records show the family also may have lived next door at some point which is a hotel so I popped in for a glass of wine. 

It’s just a beautiful building- I want to stay there the next time I visit! And it was fun chatting with the bartender, he was amazed when I said my grandfather was born next door. 

A little more walking took me to the Easter Rising Remembrance Garden, as well as the Dublin Spire before I (finally) caught my ferry back to the UK.  

The Search for my Roots

 After my wonderful stay with my cousins in Killarney, it was time to move on. I hopped the train to Dublin for a couple days of exploring. 

I’ve always been interested in history and a recent series of unfortunate events had left me the time to scour my genealogy online.  I have lots of connections in Ireland (not surprising as my dad is Irish and I hope to get my passport myself one day!)

So I spent my first evening in Dublin wandering the sights like Dublin Castle and Christ Church Cathedral, I had dinner at the Brazen Head which holds a Guinness world record as the oldest pub in Dublin with one type of watering hole operating there since 1198. 

The following day I took a bus up to County Meath. One of the more famous branches of my family are from the area- the Plunketts. And the current Earl of Dunsany still lives in a castle there. 

While my family is certainly from the Plunketts, the link to the nobles is tenuous. I am still looking to find out for sure where we branched off. My 2x great grandfather was a prominent Dubliner and claimed to be a close cousin. Allegedly the Earls acknowledged that claim but I have more digging to do!! 

So while exploring Meath I started at Hill of Tara, where the Kings of Ireland would be crowned. It seemed like a gentle slope, but from the top you really could see for miles across the county. It was just beautiful. There were lots of visible burial mounds, and some that were found by scanners still hidden below. 

The Irish have a stone of destiny at the top, which allegedly screams when touched by the true king- not a peep though when I placed my hand on top. There was a group of nutters on top of the hill, they kept placing a crown on a young mans head and people were waving their hands about and gathered close to touch him. I tried to loiter around to subtly watch, I think they started putting the crown on some one else as well. Very weird. 

So I moved along to a small ruined abbey in the area. Bective Abbey was a beautiful old ruin. It had be given away during the reformation and towers added for defence.  It’s a little interesting to wander this pile of rocks and climb around, back home in Canada it would be all blocked off for safety. 

After the Abbey it was time for lunch, so I went to an old family homestead- Killeen Castle. It’s actually been a long time since any Plunkett’s have lived there, and the Earls of Fingall is a defunct title. The land is now a golf course so I had lunch in the clubhouse and wandered the grounds. The old church still stands, and the graveyard beside was beautiful. I wasn’t able to really see the old castle as it’s been completely renovated. I think it will be a hotel and I’ll have to come back when it’s finished!!

Close by is the castle that belongs to the Earls of Dunsany. I had hoped to do a tour with them, but my own bad planning meant I missed out. My email went out too late so I only got a reply after I got back to Dublin!! 

Though I suppose it’s good to leave something to do next time! So my search for Irish connections was interesting, but so far not terribly fruitful. But that was about to change. 

Visiting Killarney and Family.

I have been in Ireland for about a week now, and it’s been wonderful. I have lots of family here so it’s been very busy!!  I took the Irish Ferry from Holyhead in Wales over to Dublin, then heading right to Killarney to see the cousins.  My father’s first cousins live there, with lots of children and now grandchildren!  It was so wonderful to catch up with everyone after so long- though I had to be taught how to pronounce the Irish names! 

Our first day was exploring castles and ruins with two of the little girls. We had a great time looking at Ross Castle which has been restored inside the tower.  Lunch was at the beautiful Lake Hotel with another ruined tower beside it.  We also went to Muckross Abbey. It’s a beautiful old ruin with a graveyard beside it. It’s on the same grounds as Muckross House which has also been fully restored and has beautiful gardens to tour through.  Our final stop of the day was a lookout over Aghadoe, a beautiful view down over Killarney and the mountains near by.  There is also a small cemetery there with the ruins of a church that dates from the 10th century, though parts of it may be even older. 

All that was just one day! The next day my cousins took me through the Gap of Dunloe. It is a beautiful route from Killarney, most tourists start at Kate Kearneys Cottage. You can choose to hike or take a horse drawn trap for this part. Cars are frowned on, unless you are with a local!! 

The path winds along a pass between the mountains, it’s so picturesque with streams, little lakes and sheep grazing all along the way. At the top of the gap you pass into the Black Valley which was the last community in Ireland to get electricity. There is a steep drop along switch backs to the bottom where the village is. We stopped at Lord Brandon’s Cottage, which is an old ruin and the name of a little cafe where the tours can switch to little boats that go through the lake system back to Killarney. Though in the car we kept driving along the valley till we rejoined the main road. There were several viewing spots along as well that were spectacular. 

The family went out for dinner in town, and my cousins took me to a couple pubs in town to experience the Irish night life. Lots of live music and bachelorette groups all dressed up and enjoying the craic!

After a weekend with the family, it was sad to move along, especially waving goodbye to the littlest ones.  I’ve promised to be back soon, I can’t wait another 14 years to visit!!

Wales in a Rush

 Since I changed my plans, I’ve not given myself enough time to visit Wales properly. But I was determined to at least visit one famous spot. After taking the train around the north side of Wales I caught a bus to Caenarfon. 

It’s just a beautiful little sea side town, with an ancient castle. It was the site where the first Prince of Wales was born. Edward I had promised the Welsh a Prince who was born in Wales and spoke no English- and thus crowned his baby son as the Prince of Wales.  The castle was the site of King Charles III investiture, and will almost certainly be used for Prince William in the near future. I overheard one local landlord excitedly planning for the event discussing raising prices in his guesthouse! 

The castle was just splendid, and so much was open to explore. I climbed to the top of several towers to look out over the castle and the town. The sea was very calm at the time with a light breeze stirring the flags over the entrance. 

Work is being done to preserve the great Kings Gate as well as make it more accessible for tourists. It looks like it’ll be amazing. I imagine they will want to wait for the work to be finished before anyone worries about having a large ceremony in the courtyard though!

I had dinner in a little local pub by the city, and a bit of a walk around. Though I was exhausted, and had an early morning to catch the ferry to Ireland in the morning so I collapsed into bed fairly early. 

In the morning I journeyed up to Holyhead for the Irish Ferry crossing to Dublin. While I was disappointed at not seeing much of Wales, I was very excited for what was coming next. 

Visiting a Queen

I arrived today back in London hoping to see the Queen’s cortège and it was taken to Westminster Hall. And I was not the only one. Apparently the crowds had filled the viewing spaces fairly early so there was no more access. I was told I could go to Hyde Park and watch on screens that were set up. This was tempting, but it was a fair walk away. 

I considered my options and decided to look at joining the queue for the state viewing. As I walked along the Thames I learned that the line stretched all the way to Blackfriers bridge already- with over three hours until they even started the public viewing!!

I debated my options, I’d come back to be a part of this moment, and I wanted to see the Queen’s procession with the Royal family walking behind. Should I find a pub with a screen? Go visit a cathedral and take advantage of all the tourists spots likely being empty? Standing beside the London Eye I noticed it barely had a line….wait. The Eye!! A quick Google showed a great view from the top of the procession route. A 30min round trip, the procession starting at 2:22 to reach Westminster at 3:00. Some quick math led me to get a ticket and up I went- with a few others who had the same thought. And we reached the top, with a splendid view of the Horse Guards Palace as they marched through with the gun carriage for the Queen.  The yellow of the Royal Standard quite visible even from our hight, and her family solemnly pacing behind. 

Next my thoughts turned to the viewing. The lines were already long as predicted. I only had one night and very little patience for queuing so I decided the middle of the night would be the best time to join. As I rested at my hostel I met two other travellers- a Canadian and a Brazilian who had rushed to London after the news to be here for the funeral. We agreed to head out together tonight. 

The line tracker showed a queue of about 2.4 miles when we set out before midnight, it seemed reasonable. Of course it was longer than expected- we joined close to London Bridge. We quickly made friends with a woman in line with us, she was an American ex-pat living in London.  For the most part the line moved steadily (but slowly) along the Thames. There was one annoying delay- turns out they closed the hall for an hour to clean around 2am.  We finally got to Jubilee park about 4 hours in and got our wristbands.  After about 5 hours we were at Westminster Bridge and were told about another 5-6 hours to go. We were shocked. We’d already travelled so far! We were so close and could see it!!  That’s when we learned the line estimates didn’t include the zig zagging queue on the grounds beside Westminster Palace (which my watch measured at about another mile of walking!). I reached a low point, and was angry. I wanted to leave. I wasn’t willing to wait that long!! Just to see the coffin of some one I’d never met!! I was close to walking back to the hostel. 

But, I’m also stubborn. I also wasn’t willing to concede that I just wasted over five hours standing outside for nothing. So, I stayed. We asked every marshall we passed what their guess was. Everyone had a different estimate as there really was no way to predict it. In the end it wasn’t as bad as we thought. We crossed Lambeth Bridge and the sun rose as we slowly weaved around the park. 

We spotted a BBC reporter doing interviews as we passed. This helped passed the time as we entertained ourselves posing and “acting natural” as we filed past. Then pulling up the news coverage and finding ourselves on the BBC. Laughing and joking about it, and watching the man behind us trying to duck out of sight as he’d called out from work that morning.  And then we realize we were at the end of the queue. We had finally made it to the security check point. 

Westminster Palace is a beautiful building. It was wonderful to see inside. There are beautiful stained glass windows. The hall had incredible wooden beams supporting the roof. And in the centre on her catafalque was Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The royal standard draped across her coffin, with the coronation crown, her staff and rod of state resting on top. It was actually hard to believe that she was in there, a woman who has always just ‘been there’ surely couldn’t be dead now? 

The mood was somber. A hush over the crowd as we filed slowly passed. There were several different branches of the military standing in vigil. Her Beefeaters and the Buckingham Palace guards, police officers and horse guards.  I took my moment to reflect on what I was seeing, an era that was ending. And a woman who did devote her life to making her country a better place. Perhaps not all decisions were good or fair, but she was only human with an immense responsibility to go along with her privileged opportunities. I think it will be a loss to future Prime Ministers to loose access to her candor and experience in their meetings. 

As we filed out, the guards were gathering to change out those on vigil, allowing another group time with their sovereign.  As we left the palace into another morning, we checked the timer that had been started when we joined the queue. 

Just shy of 8hrs.  A long wait for a moment alone in reflection. And then out into the world. Where so much has changed and yet nothing truly has. And I had a train to catch to Wales. 

A Yorkist Interlude

 Since I decided to go back to London for the Queen’s lying in state, I made a quick detour to York for a couple nights. My first time in a hostel in 16 years- it wasn’t bad. Sleeping in a room with 7 other people is never completely restful. And I wasn’t the oldest person there! A little old lady was in the next bunk. 

Most of what I know about York comes from historical fiction and archeological shows- so I was thrilled to be there. My hostel was inside the old city walls (oldest almost complete set of walls in Europe) and just beside the Micklegate Bar. 

The first night was a bit wet, so I just wandered about, found a couple old pubs (original licence from 1644!) and walked around the town. I also joined the Original Ghost Tour, started in the 70s, with a charismatic guide who had lots of great stores about York and ghosts. 

The next day I got off to an early start, with a nice breakfast in a café before visiting Clifford’s tower. The spot is where William the Conqueror built his original Mott and Bailey castle, with Henry I rebuilding in stone. It’s just a ruin now, but the outer walls still stand and they’ve added floors and a catwalk on top for lovely views. You can also see the oldest flushing toilet- a cistern on top to collect rain water to flush down the kings garderobe. More walking around the walls, and I went into York Minster, and a wonderful afternoon tea at Betty’s and found some beautiful Abbey ruins. Of course this was ruined by Henry VIII and the dissolution. 

I covered over 20,000 steps around the city and really earned my riverside gin and tonic that day!! Which was made from a delicious local gin I found in one of the shops. I’ll have to come back for some York Gin!

A week in and everything changes…

 I have been in England for about a week now and am quickly changing my plans. If you’ve been under a rock recently, the Queen died on my second day here.  To be in the capital during such a momentous change in history seems to good to miss. 

I have been in Bristol for the past few days, visiting with and Aunt and Uncle, it’s been wonderful. We visited the Cathedral in Wells- and heard the bells rolling for the Queen. I’ve seen a castle in Wales, Chepstow is a beautiful ruin of just everything you want to see in a castle!  And we went to Bath, the Roman rules were just wonderful as well. You can try the mineral waters from the spring, tastes like Iron.

 

Today the plan was to move on to Wales before taking the ferry to Ireland. But I’ve decided to take a different path. I’d like to be in London on Wednesday to see the Queens processional, so I’ve decided to go to York for two nights. I’ll slip back to London, and go see the Queen lying in state before I rush to Killarney to see the cousins on Friday. 

But, this is why I chose the unlimited train pass. I planned for this trip to allow me to have spontaneity, and this is my first chance to do so!   There is a fork in the road, I can go left or right. And on this journey neither is wrong! It’s just more adventure! 

It Begins

Amazing. Four and a half years ago I signed up for this leave of absence, and I never thought it would come. Aug 2022 seemed impossibly far away.  And then the pandemic- would we ever travel again?!

But here I am, in London England on day one of a five month adventure. It was off to a bumpy start, flight was delayed. Train into town was delayed! I’m exhausted, but sitting in a pub near Trafalger Square enjoying my first pint. 

There are a lot of possibilities in the future, I’ll spend Sept exploring the UK and Ireland. Seeing castles and seeing family. I can’t wait!