North to South

After so much fish last night, breakfast is a light affair today before we set off to drive to Port Salon. The weather has changed, no longer hot and sunny but low-lying mist make everything seem a bit mysterious. The tall hedges at times hide the glorious green countryside, who knew there could be so many different shades of green. We are eagerly awaiting “the border” but the only thing that marks its passing is that the road signs are suddenly in Irish as well as English. We’re now travelling along The Wild Atlantic Way which hugs the west coast of Ireland, the stunning scenery takes your breath away as vistas of rocky coastline, sandy beaches, white cottages and green countryside sweep past us in great waves. Just as we think we’ve seen the best view another sweeps round the corner, along with little villages such as Ramelton with its lovely small harbour, fishing and pleasure boats swinging at anchor and a race horse galloping along the golden sands of the beach.

Miraculously, we find Patrick and Marie’s gorgeous cottage at our first attempt all due to their excellent directions. It is so good to meet up with our friends in their beautiful home here in Port Salon. So much to chat about over Marie’s lovely lunch. The afternoon has been organised by Patrick to take in all the main sights of the area, first stop Fanad lighthouse. The drive there takes us over the rocky remote centre of the Fanad peninsular before we see the lighthouse perched at the tip of the peninsular. The tour is very informative, but I must admit I’m dreading the climb up to the light room especially as the last section is a 19-step steep ladder with a rope for a hand rail on one side! Amazingly I get up to the top and the 360-degree views are worth it. But now we must go back down, initially backwards, then sideways with back pressed into the wall! Our next, must-see is the little beach below their house and it is gorgeous a sweeping arc of golden sand fringed at both ends by rocks and there’s only one family on the beach.   

Our last stop is the home of our friends Liz and Tony. It to has a stunning location overlooking Port Salon village, golf course and beach. Then its on to drinks at the golf club, a meal at Julie’s and after dinner drinks in the bar, all with stunning views of the beach and harbour. Even at 10 o’clock the children are still out playing in the water, jumping off the harbour into the water, what an idyllic place to grow up.

Our mission if we choose to accept it…..

Carrick-a-Rede

Today we’re on a tight schedule so we need to get away quickly so by 9am we’re heading out the hotel and driving to our first destination Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. We’ve been advised to arrive early to avoid the crowds and queues, a few others have the same idea and together we all march smartly along the clifftop eagerly anticipating our first glimpse of the bridge. I’m feeling quite nervous as I don’t like heights, but I am determined to get across the bridge. Around the last corner and there it is, swaying in the breeze… I take a deep breath and set off across the bridge, you didn’t turn around for a picture says Dave, my hands and feet were too busily engaged going forward and trying not to look at the sea underneath! The panoramic views are worth the effort, there’s only the trip back now to negotiate. That’s the first part of our mission accomplished.

It’s now a short drive to our next destination, The Giant’s Causeway and we arrive there with 10 minutes to spare from the end of our timed entry ticket. However, there is an enormous group of people in front of us causing chaos, thankfully the reception lady takes pity on us and ushers us through. The visitor centre is full of every nationality of tourist imaginable and Dave is not coping well getting very grumpy with all these bodies. It wasn’t like this last time he grumbles, well things have changed since 1979! As we exit the centre and start walking towards the Causeway we’re kept entertained by the audio guide and as the crowds thin out we both begin to enjoy the scenery. I find it amazing that those rocks are naturally formed, and it is all highlighted by blue skies glittering with silver, blue skies and lush green grass. We clamber over the causeway rocks taking pictures with the rest of the tourists before setting off up the track to the clifftop and is it steep or what. By the time we reach the top oxygen would have been nice and a new set of legs, we both lean on the fence gasping, pretending to admire the view. There are very few people around now and by the time we’ve strolled along the cliff to “The Amphitheatre” we’re on our own with just the sound of the seabirds screeching around us. The walk back to the centre and the car is pleasant but the crowds are no better.

Giants Causeway

We’re now nearly halfway through our challenges, refreshment is needed and the aptly named Red Door Café provides a welcome rest with a picnic table in their lovely garden and equally welcome seafood chowder and Brie panini. Suitably refreshed we drive down to Ballintoy Harbour stroll out to the rocks and learn about the limestone quarried nearby and then shipped to Liverpool for paving.

Dark Hedges

The afternoon is to be devoted to finding more recent sites of interest. So, our third challenge is to find “Dark Hedges” which features in a scene from Game of Thrones. It’s a bit like an orienteering challenge driving with other cars across the countryside until we all end up in a hotel car park. This really doesn’t look right but after following further signs we come to the road and it is impressive. Approximately 70 surviving beech trees planted along the sides of a road to give an impressive entrance into Gracehill House. The shapes of the trees with the sunlight streaming through the gaps makes for a very eerie scene, I can almost see the grey lady who is supposed to haunt the road. 

Bushmills Distillery

Our fourth challenge is to go to Bushmills Distillery, this is easily achieved but as 4 coaches have just turned up and are streaming through the doors I refuse to go inside and take a tour. A picture of the outside will have to do.

Our fifth and final challenge is to find Dunluce Castle which is perched on the edge of the cliff on the way back to Port Rush. It is again eerily atmospheric even in the bright sunshine. The ruins look broodingly back at us.

Dunluce Castle

Missions accomplished it’s back to the hotel for a well-deserved rest, I can’t believe it when not only is the lift out of action and we have use the stairs but our room card doesn’t work and when we get back to reception we have to change rooms… the challenges just keep on coming today! Thank goodness our evening meal proves to be an easy choice, the hotel restaurant proves to be an excellent choice, fish platter of smoked salmon, prawns, cod bites and calamari followed by seabass on seasonal vegetables, phew we need a lay down after all that exercise and food.

England, Scotland & Ireland in a day

Amazing, it’s another gloriously sunny day for our drive to Cairnryan and ferry over to Ireland. We say goodbye to Jane and Anne and are heading north on the M6 by 9.30am. The traffic is light but the scenery keeps us distracted from the long journey ahead, the countryside becoming increasingly wild and remote as we pass the northern Lakes, then the North Yorkshire Moors and finally into Scotland at Gretna Green. It’s then a long drive through Dumfries and Galloway but the views just keep getting better. There’s a brilliant blue cloudless sky, rolling green hills in a patchwork of greens sprinkled with the darker jewels of trees and sparkling sapphire blue lochs, it is truly breath-taking.

Our pitstop before going to the ferry is Castle Kennedy Gardens as its only a few miles from the ferry port. It has a long drive up to the castle that opens out into a stunning vista across the White Loch to Lochinch Castle which is a beautiful baronial and French style castle home to the 14^th Earl of Stair. Castle Kennedy is the former home to the Earls of Stair until it burnt down and the 75 acres of garden where created. And what gardens they are, stunning rhododendrons and azaleas at this time of year mixed in with a carpet of bluebells and the occasional ceanothus. There are grand walkways of beech, thuga and monkey puzzle trees, a 2-acre lily pond surrounded by rhododendrons and a very beautiful walled garden. You might have guessed that I really enjoyed this amazing garden and was reluctant to leave.

The short drive to the ferry port soon has us checking in for the ferry to Larne. The car is thoroughly examined, mirrors underneath, bag searches, explosive detectors and body searches for us. You don’t get that thoroughly checked when you drive to France, Dave grumbles, maybe they’re just practising ready for Brexit! The bonus is that we’re only 6^th in line so hopefully quickly off when we reach Ireland. The ferry trip is made all the more enjoyable as we secure comfortable seats right at the front of the ship and eagerly await the first sight of Ireland.

Ireland appears after only a short period like an emerald jewel in the sunlight, maybe this is why its nicknamed the emerald isle. As hoped we are among the first cars off the ferry and within minutes we’re onto the coastal causeway driving north towards Portrush. On our right is the silvery blue glittering Irish Sea, on our left are basalt cliffs topped with green grass and above us a cloudless blue sky. Every now and then we pass white or stone cottages scattered along the coast like discarded stones. It is a beautiful coastline and a brief glimpse of the beautiful countryside that awaits us tomorrow. At the end of the drive we find the Portrush Atlantic Hotel after a detour through the one-way system which has the sat nav in a flat spin, threatening to punch us with the insistent demands for a U-turn! The rest of the town seems to be a strange combination of upmarket development and kiss me quick culture. The restaurants all seem to stop serving by 9pm, shame we want a snack after that time, thank goodness for a bottle of red wine and cheese and biscuits in the room!

Lakes & Whisky

Another hot sunny day is waiting for us to go exploring but only once we’ve indulged in another wonderful breakfast then its off driving north towards Bassenthwaite Lake and as we later learn is the only true “lake” the rest being “waters” or “meres. The drive takes us through some of the most stunning countryside easily comparable to our trips to America and Australia. We pass through tree tunnels, sending shafts of dappled sunlight down onto the road, glittering stretches of water, picture postcard housed built in Lakeland stone and painted white and all underneath cloudless blue skies. After many “wows” we fall silent just drinking in the stunning scenery, not able to open our eyes wide enough to see it all.

We pull in to the Lakes Distillery and are immediately struck with how well manicured everything is. Neatly labelled bushes and herbs, mint, juniper, blackthorn and immaculately tidy walkway down to the converted old cowsheds which now house the distillery. We join the tour which is just starting and are taken through to the presentation room to see a wonderful birds eye view of the course of the river Derwent before going into the still rooms with its two large copper stills, Susan and Rachael and the smaller gin/vodka still, Chemmy (named after the Olympic skier). And finally we come to the all important tasting, now as the distillery was only converted 4 years ago there aren’t yet any single malts their blended whisky called One is just to Dave and my taste. We’re not quite so keen on neat ice-cold gin and vodka, it definitely needs a dash of tonic!

Lunch in the courtyard under big parasols is lovely and relaxing, croque monsieur and a beetroot & goats cheese salad mmm… After this we must walk down to see the river Derwent, passing the time of day with the alpacas on the way before driving back to Hawkshead to look around the village enjoying the lovely stone houses and the 12^th century church before finally driving back to Hillcrest.

After a relaxing couple of hours in the sunny Hillcrest garden we set off for an evening meal at Rusland Pool, unfortunately the Bank Holiday crowds and an unhelpful barmaid ended that plan so with a quick phone call a table is booked at the 14^th century coaching in turned pub, The Farmers Arms. The doorways are so low that even I need to duck! As we go in a notice instructs us not to use the cigarette disposal box as Blue Tits are in residence! The pub is delightful, obviously authentically old and serving good honest pub grub. Home to bed and tomorrow on to Ireland.

Coniston Water

Well day two in the Lakes and its full sun and over 20⁰C already in fact we’ve slept so well we nearly miss breakfast and as Jane’s breakfasts are amazing that would be criminal. So we enjoy a late breakfast in the conservatory watching the birds especially the coal tits flitting in and out of their brick wall nest. I have suggested a walk around Tarn Hows today. The drive there is beautiful, however it soon becomes clear that everyone else has had the same idea and we are soon trapped in the automotive train up to the carpark only to be turned away. Grumpily, we settle on a walk from Little Arrow to Coniston Water up towards Coniston and back along the road to the car. Halfway, a refreshment stop in The Ship sat on a cool bench overlooking Coniston Water and the valley is very welcome as it is now 28⁰C. Apart from misjudging where we’d left the car the walk was perfect, hardly a sole in sight except down by the water where dogs and sheep paddled joined by children and their parents.

A late afternoon siesta on the patio was in order, shame it was ruined by brief heavy thundery type showers which cleared as soon as they started. An evening stroll down to the Whitewater Hotel’s Dolly Blue Bar for drinks and a meal is very pleasant. We sit outside by the river where we’re fascinated by the jumping fish in the river and the next table which seems to be made up of Good Morning Britain backroom staff and camera crew, can’t wait till tomorrow morning now…

Cartmel Racing

The day starts with the sound of a steam train chugging down the valley on the Lakeside railway and is soon followed by a wonderful cooked breakfast in the conservatory overlooking the trees and valley. After dusting off our glad rags its off to Cartmel and racing.

The Cartmel track is in a stunning setting of a natural bowl surrounded by rolling hills sprinkled with trees and off to one side, the gorgeous village of Cartmel with its old church, quaint winding streets and post office selling sticky toffee pudding. Pete and Angela have set up camp out the back of their land rover providing us with a never-ending supply of beer, wine and food all on the running in rail, so we can see close up the final stages of each race. And talking of racing we start out well with winners in the first two races but things then deteriorate with some horses nearly winning but not quite.

The day ends with another BBQ at Pete and Angela’s apartment with John, Steff, Frankie, Becci and Martin. Good banter and entertainment provided by the  dogs Trevor and Megan.

Wet Drive to the Lakes

We’re setting off today to start our holiday to The Lakes and Ireland. After all the wonderful hot, sunny weather today is definitely a turn for the worse, torrentially wet but as Dave says “good for our grass”. The motorways are full of heavy lorries throwing up lots of spray that limits the visibility and roadworks that slow us down. We reach Backbarrow just after 1pm and head to The Whitewater Hotel bar, The Dolly Blue Bar for lunch. As its Friday it has to be fish and chips and absolutely scrummy it is too especially looking out over the river and surrounding countryside.

We’re too early to check in to our guest house so we drive to the shores of Coniston Water and sit on a bench by the water drinking in the restorative peace and quiet, accompanied only by two ducks who are looking at us expectantly for some food. The time soon passes and its time to check in at Hillcrest Country Guest House. The setting is gorgeous, tree filled vistas out of all the windows, fresh coffee provided by the very welcoming Jane and lots of birds flitting about the garden. We’re fascinated by the coal tit that has managed to nest in a crack between the downpipe and a brick!

Tonight, we’ve been invited to a BBQ at Pete and Angela’s apartment on the shores of Lake Windemere with views, a beautiful traditional stone mansion, G&T’s on the terrace and good friends, I can’t imagine anything nicer except possibly warm weather and a stunning sunset! Sorry Pete and Angela! But the burgers and sausages were BBQ’d to perfection, the wine flowed freely and the conversation relaxing. Perfect.