In the morning we drove to the Hartland Quay on the north Devon coast. Walk around area, down the cliffs to the Irish Sea. Brisk wind but sunny. Drove to Cornwall to visit with Alan’s family (Mike’s brother), when to Sian (Alan’s daughter) and Lee’s place in Marhamchurch near Bude. Walked along the Bude Canal
Left Inn, toured along the south coast, along fishing villages. Visited with a lady who was swimming in the ocean by the Caer Hays estate, lots of pheasants. Beautiful buildings & gardens however it is only open to the public Feb – May. www.caerhays.co.uk She had a sister in Red Deer, AB. Tootled along to
Left for Devon/Cornwall. Drove to the Eden Project. The Eden Project is a 35-acre living global garden, laboratory, which celebrates our relationship with plants with the Rainforest Biome (largest rainforest in captivity) & Mediterranean Biome (Mediterranean, South Africa and California). Fifteen years ago, this was a barren landscape, with no soil and no plants. www.edenproject.com In
Rest up day after the week of touring Ireland. Wilma took us to Birmingham to visit her friend Anne. We walked along the canal into downtown area. Beautiful area with lots of restaurants library & convention centre. In the evening we got ready to leave for Devon/Cornwall.
Scotland – visited Sweetheart Abbey and store in New Abbey, Pan Am 103 Memorial in Lockerbie and Forest Garden (where Mike previously worked in the morning. Headed towards the Pass ?,through the Lake District, England, to Keswick, through Windermere then on to Kendal, then on the motorway to home. Beautiful drive, beautiful day.
Left for the Titanic Belfast Centre located on the site of the shipyard the Titanic was built on. Incredibe world class site and centre. We departed by ferry to Scotland, docked at Cairnryan, to begin ourdrive back to England. Very tired and stopped at a Bed & Breakfast at The Anchor, Kippford, Dumfries, Scotland.
Drove from Dublin (left the group tour) and on to Dunluce Castle then Giant’s Causeway, Northern tip of Ireland (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and then down the NE coast to Belfast. (Lots of visible police presence here). Checked into our Bed & Breakfast and the out for a fantastic meal at Ryan’s pub.
Spent the morning walking the town of Cong and the Ashford Castle grounds. Drove through Moate on our way back to the Clyde Court Hotel in Dublin. Tour of the seaside on our way to dinner.
Travelled through Galway, 2 hour shopping break and then off to Ashford Castle. We arrived via the traditional boat route (The Isle of Inisfree of Loch Corrib), the same way the Guiness family would have. A lone piper escorted us over the drawbridge to Ashford Castle. Several years ago Sharon met Robert Bateman and he
Today we toured Connemara, the Marble Factory, and on to the Kylemore Abbey (a castellated neo-Gothic mansion) & gardens. Excellent drive through the Irish country. Sunny & warm (24C). Went to the incredible Riverdance type show ( Trad on the Prom ) at the Galway Bay Hotel. The performers have all been members of Riverdance and Lord of
