Category Archives: Travel

July 15, 2013 · 3:20 am

Gritty Glasgow

Ambassador Hotel, Glasgow

25th May 2013

I said goodbye to (and took lots more pics of) cute little Wood Cottage today and headed off to Glasgow, and I decided to catch a cab to and from the railway stations – bugger the expense! It was nice to arrive just after lunch, not feeling frazzled for a change, and my place is across the road from the back of the Botanic Gardens, so it’s lovely and peaceful with a nice view.

At the Necropolis, Glasgow

I’d seen the hop-on-hop-off bus stop just down the road so I dumped my gear and took off for a quick circuit. I couldn’t help myself and got off at the Necropolis for a squiz, it looked so interesting. It dates back to the early 1830’s and there’s around fifty thousand people buried there in some amazing tombs – on a hill of rock. I had a lovely time wandering around admiring the architecture, reading the tombstones and of course taking lots of photos. There’s amazing views from the top as well. I also had a quick walk through Provend’s Lordship, the oldest surviving house in Glasgow – it was guilt in 1471 – that’s almost 300 years before Cook discovered Australia – mind-blowing.

Glasgow building

I think I fell in love with Glasgow that very first day, the architecture, the red stone, the stone turned black from industry, just everything about it.; it’s funny how some places strike a chord with you and others can be perfectly nice or even spectacular and they don’t move you isn’t it? I rode the bus back to the Botanic Gardens and joined a few hundred others there taking in the beautiful sunny weather, I’ve never seen glass-houses like they have there, they’re gorgeous little buildings in their own right, let alone what’s inside.

Doulton Fountain near the People’s Palace, Glasgow

Glasgow Cathederal

Glasgow style

Art Deco style, Glasgow

Glasgow

Window of Provends Lordship, Glasgow

Waiting for ??? – Provends Lordship, Glasgow

Provends Lordship, Glasgow

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow

Looks like tomb raiders have visited! Glasgow Necropolis

Glasgow Necropolis

Flash decoration at the Necropolis, Glasgow

Glasshouse at the Botanic Gardens Glasgow

Kibble Palace, Glasgow Botanic Gardens

River Kelvin, Glasgow

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Filed under Mid-life travel, Scotland, Travel

Tagged as Botanic Gardens, Glasgow, Glasgow Necropolis

July 9, 2013 · 4:55 am

A day out to see Hadrian’s Wall

24th May 2013

Lakes District, England

I went with Mountain Goat tours around the district and to see Hadrian’s Wall and had a fantastic day; there were only 7 of us plus the driver so not at all crowded or squishy. We left at 9 in the morning and got back to Windermere some time after 7 that night; I’ve no idea how far we travelled but we were mostly on little back roads and seemed to cover a huge amount of ground. Our driver guide was a fantastic bloke; he kept up an interesting commentary all day and I’m sure he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the old languages of the Celts, Vikings and Romans.

We drove along, I think, four of the lakes and stopped at quite a few places. Instead of stopping in the town of Brampton for morning tea, our driver had packed tea, coffee and biscuits for us and we stopped at the little church at Bewcastle. Bewcastle Cross, built around 675AD, is still in it’s original place in the churchyard! It was our first taste of how cold it would be out of the bus, a really icy wind just went straight through you.

Ruins at Lanercost Priory

Our next stop was at the Lanercost Priory ruins, there’s still an active Anglican church there and the ruins are behind. I’m not sure when the church was built but the big windows at the front of the church have been left plain so the ruins can be seen. Apparently, some time in the dim distant past, some king and his entourage came to visit the Augustine monks and almost sent the monks broke because they stayed so long – another one of our guides fascinating tidbits! Also, like almost every other building along the route of Hadrian’s Wall, the priory was built using stones from the wall. I didn’t see it but there is at least one stone with Roman inscriptions still visible.

Someone heading off to tackle Hardian’s Wall

Lunch was at the Roman Army Museum and we had enough time to watch their great 3D Edge of Empire video, have a look through the museum and have a bite to eat. The 3D video is about the wall and the soldiers’ life there – absolutely fantastic. The highlight of the day though, for at least 4 of us, was when we walked along (and on) Hadrian’s Wall. It was another of those, shivers down the spine, places for me. I must let my imagination run away because it gets to me when I stop and think – wow, I’m walking where Roman soldiers cut the stones and built the wall a couple of thousand years ago; and where they must have absolutely shivered their bums off patrolling in all sorts of horrid weather. I had my fleece, coat, gloves and beanie on and it was still freezing, so can you just imagine what it would be like in winter?

Another little town we drove through, Alston, had the steepest streets and they were paved with something like cobblestones, all very cute. Our last stop for the day was a very late afternoon tea stop at Hartside Pass; after that it was more drive by pics from the bus. The country is beautiful, and it was wonderful to sit back in comfort and just take it all in, and almost drop off to sleep!

Lakes District England

There’s also lots of daggy looking sheep!

Bewcastle Cross, Cumbria, England

Nothing was plain at Lanercost Priory

at Lanercost Priory cemetery

Love the light fitting!

Lanercost Priory, England

Hadrian’s Wall

Walkers along the wall

Along Hadrian’s Wall

Looney tune on Hadrian’s Wall

Walking the wall

One tree pass along Hadrian’s Wall

There’s more stone walls than you can poke a stick at in England!

I can see for miles! Along Hadrian’s Wall

The hills made good lookout points

Roman ruins in the north of England

Coming in to rain hear the Scottish border

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Filed under England, Mid-life travel, Travel

Tagged as Hadrian's Wall, Lanercost Priory, Roman Army Museum

July 5, 2013 · 4:22 am

Lazing around Kendal and the Lakes District

The woman at the visitor information centre in Kendall really put me on the right track for cheap and easy travel around the villages of the lakes district. England has such a great bus and train system to service all these little places, I went all over the place for just a few pounds each day.

Tour boats on Lake Windemere, UK

One day I went for a cruise on Lake Windemere from Bowness-on-Windemere (don’t you just love the names). I stopped off for an hour or so at a place called Brockhole House, then re-joined on another boat for the rest of the cruise up to Ambleside and the return.

Another day I just caught the first bus leaving the station and ended up at a place called Grange-over-Sands then Ulverston for lunch. There was a lovely elderly lady who kept me company on the way back, she goes to Ulverston every week to have her hair done and have lunch; it’s amazing the amount of history you pick up from the oldies and it’s much more interesting listening to them than just watching the scenery go by.

An Auriol pen – some will know why I took this photo!!

I found a pen shop in Kendal and had a good yarn to the old guy there; his wife has a hairdressing business in one side and he has his pen shop in the other side. He gave me some nibs while I was there – maybe to get rid of me???? Who would think you could have a shop just devoted to pens in this day and age?

Another day I wandered up the hill to the Kendal Castle ruins and marvelled for the thousandth time at how green everything is over here. The grass is gorgeous, you just want to lie in it and roll around – except it’s usually sopping wet! After trying a sketch and just soaking up the peace and sunshine, I headed down to the pub beside the river and chilled with a wine to cool down; I had perfect weather every day of my stay in Kendal except the day I went to see Hadrian’s Wall.

Still watching over the town, Kendal, UK

Kendal Castle, UK

Flowers growing in the stones

Through the stones

kendal from the Castle

Around Kendal, The Lakes District, UK

The Lakes District, UK

The town from Kendal Castle

Good spot to cool down with a glass of wine

Little stream in my hood, Kendal, UK

Just flowers

Brockhole House, Lake Windemere, UK

Old boathouse on Lake Windemere, UK

On Lake Windemere, UK

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Filed under England, Mid-life travel, Travel

Tagged as Kendal, Kendal Castle, Windermere

June 29, 2013 · 7:11 am

Helloooo again Britain!!

17th to 24th May 2013

The ferry crossing back to England from Dublin to Holyhead, wasn’t half as exciting as the one going over a couple of weeks ago – smaller ferry, been there, done that, ho-hum! I had a couple of old guys asking me directions when we arrived, I felt like telling them they were taking their life in their hands asking for directions from me – after my track record in Ireland, I think I might be navigationally challenged. I pretty much lost two days travelling as I stayed in Bangor that night then headed up to Kendall the following day. I was also cutting it fine with my accommodation; I only received confirmation about it when I was on the train; it would have been an interesting afternoon if it didn’t work out, wouldn’t it.

Everyone kept telling me I had to go to the Lakes District in England, don’t miss it. Do you know what it’s like when everyone tells you about a place that is wonderful, you should go there , it’s great, yadayada….. and then you go there and wonder what were they on about…… Well, that didn’t happen with the Lakes District – it was wonderful.

The place I was going to, Wood Cottage, was situated somewhere called Yard 26 Kirkland, Kendall. I’d never heard of something called a “Yard” as part of an address and had no idea what it meant. I got a cab from the rail station thinking a cabbie would know where it was; but no, he just stopped somewhere in the vicinity, asked someone at a shop if they knew where it was, with no success, and then he just left me there. I had a few shops as markers for finding the cottage so I knew I was in the general area; I eventually found the front entrance to Yard 26, but it was locked and of course I had no key. I asked at a couple of the shops but no-one could help at all. It’s unbelievable that in such a small place the locals don’t know where an address is two metres away. So, I rang the landlord for further directions; he was a lovely man, but, fair dinkum, his directions were really not good. I know what this sounds like but this time it wasn’t me. I have drawn a totally dodgy mudmap to show you how I had to get there, (I know, I know, too much spare time) and he didn’t even tell me I had to walk down Chapel Lane!!

Anyhow, Wood Cottage was a gorgeous little one bedroom cottage, with a bathroom and bedroom downstairs and kitchen, dining and lounge-room upstairs and I had a wonderful week staying there. I couldn’t believe the extras they provided, there was bread, fruit, cereal, you name it, it was there – and a glass bottle of milk; I don’t think I’ve seen milk in a glass bottle since I was a kid. I silently apologized to the landlord for whinging about his terrible directions once I had made myself at home. I had a couple of lazy days, read a book, saw a movie, just recharged and enjoyed not having to pack up and move; mind you, I was getting itchy feet again though after that.

Okay, I promise, no more stories about not finding my way – from here on in, I keep them to myself – unless of course they make good reading!!