BRENDA & CAMPBELL NEWMAN
23 EDGECLIFF RD
WOOLLAHRA /2025
NSW
[Section 1 of Grand Tour
: Europe 1988]
26th March - 23rd April
London, England,
Wales & Scotland
1. Maps of UK- Route Taken, Places Visited, Regions
2. Itinerary -Travel & Accommodation Details
3. Travel DiaryLondon4. Table & Map Showing English Ethnicity
East Anglia
Wessex
Wales
North Wales
Mercia, N-Yorkshire Dales, Cumbria
Northumbria (N-Country); Strathclyde
Scotland
Dalriada (W-Highlands)
Caithness
Grampian (Pictland)
Lothian & Edinburgh
5. Table & Map Showing Scottish EthnicityScottish Clans by Ethnicity & Tribal Affiliation6. Active Map of UK- Towns & Cities
7. Map of Britain on the Eve of German Invasion (6th Century)
Related WebSites -
Section 2:
24th April - 19th May
Paris, Ile de France & Loire ValleySection 3:
20th May - 23rd June
Rhône-Alps, Italy, Venice & BurgundySection 4:
24th June - 2nd August
N-Europe, Scandinavia & GermanySection 5:
4th August - 9th September
Provence, Aquitaine, Charente, BrittanySection 6:
10th September - 30th October
Orient Express - S.E.Europe, Greece, Egypt
U.K. ACCOMMODATION & ITINERARY
London, England, Wales & Scotland
MARCH
| Sa
Su.c |
26
27 |
Sydney-London
London (5) |
• |
-- en route
Lewis House H., 111 Ebury St., Belgravia. |
>> Qantas >>
P: 730.2094 |
-
2-* |
*r
*o |
0
4 |
APRIL
| F.h
Sa Su
W
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1
2 3
20
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Cambridge
Oxford Salisbury
|
TC - {•} KB TC KB KB {•} ¶. TC - TC §. - §. TC |
Ellensleigh
GH, 37 Tenison Rd.
>> [Country Hse, 20km. E. of Oxford.] Hayburn-Wyke GH, 72 Castle Rd. Willmead Farm, Bovey Tracey, Exeter. Westgate Inn, 38 Westgate St., Bath. Gliffaes C-Hse, Crickhowell, Powys. Maes-y-Neuadd, Gwynedd LL47.6YA. Prince of Wales H., Keswick Rd. Lochgair H., Lochgair. Caledonian H., Station Square, Oban. Claghaig Inn, Glencoe. Royal H., Garve Road, Ullapool. >> Insh GH, Kincraig. Pinetrees H., Pitlochry. Mount Royal H., 53 Princes St. |
P:
64888
P: 248432 P: 24.141
P: 86333
P: 08542181
P: 2121
|
1
2 2-ƒƒ 1 3-** 2 4-** 5-** 2-* 2-ƒ 4 1 4-µ* 3-* 1-* 4-** 3 |
*o
* - Fo * *a * * *F * * - * * - * * |
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0 4 3 5 0 5 4 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 5 3 |
See >> Map of Routes Taken, UK Section...
CODES.
column 1,2= DATE, 3= LOCATION (/NIGHTS),
4= ADVERTISER, 5= ADDRESS, 6= PHONE,
7= PRICE (1-5, see below >>), 8=
BOOKING STATUS, 9= OUR RATING (0-5, see below >>).
h= public holiday, c= p/u
car, x= drop off car.
TC= Thom.Cooke, KB=
BB Guide, §= Michelin, {•}= Budget Guide, •= Frommers Best,
¶= Family Rec,
- = Unbooked, ++ = Pte/Fam/Friends,
Ch=
Chateaux-Relais, Go= Gordon, Ins= Insight, Int= Interhome.
ƒ= Period Furnishings, ƒƒ= Antiques
, *= V.Attractive, **= Beauty Spot, µ= Interesting Mod-Decor, T=
Incl.Tour, pte= Private, k= Kitchen, *= Panoramic Vista.
*= Confirmed, o= Offer, a= Acceptance,
F= Fully Paid, - = Not Organised, D= Deposit Paid, r= Reconfirmed, Underlined
Hotels= TC Bookings (accommodation bookings for other hotels privately
arranged).
pricing codes: 1= budget, 2= tourist/standard,
3= higher/standard, 4= expensive, 5= luxury.
0=Unpleasant, 1=Barely
Adequate, 2=Standard, 3=Memorable/Good Standard, 4=
Superior, 5=Delightful.
| Exchange Rates: | $AUS = £stg x 0.4
$AUS = US$ x 0.7 |
AUS $2.50 = £stg
AUS $1.35 = US$ |
Saturday 26th March 1988
SYDNEY (dep. 3.15 pm)
The flight took approximately 23 hrs (excluding
two stops - Singapore & Bahrain). Very smooth except for the
landing at Heathrow which knocked you back to your senses.
Plenty of food and drink to be had on the
flight, all exceptionally tasty and varied.
Did have some difficulty sleeping and only
managed to fit in 3 or 4 hours (mostly between Singapore & Bahrain).
Sunday 27th March
LONDON (arr. Heathrow
7.55 am)
Cloudy - sunny periods - windy 8°
C
Heathrow is well sign-posted and we managed to
get through customs fairly quickly. Eventually found our way to the
underground which took us to Victoria Station. Train was very comfortable,
lots of light and we noticed all the birds singing and chirping at most
of the stations we stopped at.
We were a little disoriented once we were
off the train. Trying to decipher our map to find our hotel we must
have looked quite obvious as newcomers. A man stopped and very kindly
offered us correct directions and we arrived at LEWIS HOUSE in no time.
Feeling tired by now, all we wanted was to have a shower to freshen up.
Attempted to do some walking but didn’t
get further than St.James Park & Buckingham Palace. Very impressive
with its large gates and decorative gold work. Daffodils were out
in the park but the trees are only just beginning to green up. B
quite tired and began to hate the cold and all the tourists - it was absolutely
packed being a Sunday and did not like London at all.
By 2 pm we were back at our room watching
‘Lost in Space’ and fell asleep at 4.30 pm. Woke up at 11.30 pm with
the orange glow of the outside light filtering into the room and went back
to sleep.
Monday 28th March
LONDON - overcast, light drizzle
10° C
Nice breakfast of bacon & eggs and as much
toast as we could eat.
Forgot about Charlie last night, a cute
little black & white cat named after Charlie Chaplin as a kitten and
turned out to be a girl.
1st stop was National Gallery after a stroll
down the Mall from Buckingham Palace and a brief look at Pall Mall and
Trafalgar Square via Admiralty Arch at which point traffic narrows down
to two lanes and is therefore very polluted.
At the gallery we concentrated on Italian
Renaissance and Dutch Baroque.
Down Whitehall we stopped at the Clarence
for lunch and we were not disappointed with the atmosphere or the food
of English pubs. People very friendly. Rather medieval.
Big Ben, Westminster Bridge, Houses of
Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Incredibly large with everyone
buried here from Elizabeth I to D.H.Lawrence & Dylan Thomas.
Down Millbank to the Tate Gallery for a
far too brief look at its modern collection. Moore’s “Reclining Figure”
much smaller than I imagined and Jasper Johns’ “O-9” very impressive.
Quite exhausted after another brief stop,
this time at Westminster Cathedral. Back in bed by 4.30 pm.
Tuesday 29th March 1988
LONDON 9° C
Overcast & drizzly
An extremely interesting tour of St.Paul’s Cathedral
with its magnificent Whispering Gallery reached by a wooden spiral staircase.
A very awe-inspiring glimpse of a smaller and more ethereal dome above
the large dome.
Another English lunch at St.James Tavern
this time - much smaller and more like our Kings Cross in Sydney.
To finish the afternoon we paid a visit
to the Assyrian & Egyptian sections of the British Museum. Absolutely
incredible!! It was like walking back in time standing amongst all
the enormous statues. The gold jewellery necklaces and rings were
so beautifully executed as were the tomb paintings and smaller statues.
I could have spent a whole day there. Even the building itself was
magnificent.
Stopped at “Oodles” for a delicious afternoon
tea with freshly brewed coffee.
Rang Esther after 4 pm and she railed to
Victoria station. Did intend to go back with her to the East End
for dinner but felt very tired. Had dinner instead at a very cheap
place across from the station at “GRANDMA’S KITCHEN”.
Back to our room with Esther for a couple
of hours before walking her back to the station.
Wednesday 30th March
LONDON partly overcast
with sunny breaks (v. clear night)
Tower Bridge was our first port of call this morning
and living up to its reputation of being extremely damp and cold.
Quite overwhelmed by the age and history of the building complex (the TOWER)
close by. We were struck most deeply by the poetic inscriptions carved
into the walls of the BEAUCHAMP tower by those awaiting execution.
Disappointed with the Crown Jewels mainly
due to a very lengthy and tiring wait in a line which felt kilometres long.
Perked ourselves up with a hot lunch at
the CLARENCE again.
A well timed walk past the horse-guards
as they were changing on our way to the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Viewed the most beautiful sculptures especially the terracotta working
models which included Michelangelo’s for his “DAY & NIGHT” mannerist
sculpture. The ivory section was exceptionally delightful with its
minutely detailed filigreed work.
For dinner we tried the local restaurant
around the corner from our hotel called “the Tent”. Lovely food but
we felt it was too expensive for what it was. At least we had a cheap
meal last night (£3 each) !!!
Thursday 31st March 1988.
LONDON - mainly fine & sunny
The morning was devoted to Hyde Park and Kensington
Gardens with a brief look at Royal Albert Hall and the Albert Memorial,
and a walk up to Marble Arch (a letdown after some of the other things
we had seen).
Met Esther for lunch at the “Cherry Tree”
(Buddhist co-op) where we enjoyed a delicious vegetarian lunch, finished
off with a very brief tour of the Buddhist Centre.
Had to pay another visit to the British
Museum to catch up with the Egyptian mummy section missed the 1st time
around. Brilliant display of coffins, mummies, deities, cloth, utensils
and every conceivable object you could imagine associated with Egyptian
life.
There was so much it was mind-boggling.
LINDOW man was also quite exciting (esp. after seeing the program on his
discovery).
A walk down Oxford St was tiring, overcrowded
and very disappointing. Campbell’s feet are sore from tight boots.
Walked into a shoe store to try on a pair of more casual lace-up shoes
only to bitterly offend the shop assistant for wasting his time and not
purchasing the pair tried on.
Flaked out at the hotel and enjoyed a simple
picnic style dinner purchased from CULLENS corner delicatessen.
---
PostCard. Thursday 31.3.88 ‘London:
Big Ben’ [in dark gloom]
We are now more or less acclimatised and have
got over jet lag. When we got off the plane it was absolutely freezing
- temperatures hover between 2 and 9 most days since. 1st day walked
fr. our hotel to Buckingham Palace, up the Mews via Pall Mall & back
to Trafalgar Sq. Morning:- National Gallery, then down Whitehall
to ‘The Clarence’ for English beer (delicious! I tried Abbots Ale freshly
brewed) and steak & kidney pie w. cauliflower cheese (surprisingly
delicious). Big Ben magnificent especially fr. river. Westminster
Abbey, then the Tate Gallery (excellent moderns). 2nd day:
St.Pauls, Picadilly Circus & British Museum (Egyptian collection for
B). 3rd day: Tower of London- moving, esp. poetry of the Beauchamp
Tower walls written by those awaiting execution. Afternoon in the
Victoria & Albert Museum, which was fantastic for sculptural exhibits,
esp. Michelangelo & Rodin. Enjoying London very much, underground
is excellent way to get around. Weather unspeakable- big black clouds
and heavy drops of rain seem a permanent condition. pps- we had dinner
with Esther last night.
Map of Routes Taken, 1st to 23rd April, 1988
Map of English Ethnic Regions & Celtic Fringe >> Places Visited
Friday 1st April 1988
CAMBRIDGE Sunny
* Good Friday
A late start in collecting our car and delays
in driving through London, particularly near Marble Arch due to a procession
of some kind, however we finally made it to the M11. (Very glad we
didn’t leave yesterday as the motorway was bumper to bumper in all three
lanes from Junction 5 to Junction 12 (20 MILES) !!)
Gorgeous sunny day with green countryside
and little English villages dotted here and there.
Came off the M11 at junction 9 intending
to follow A1301 to Cambridge. Couldn’t resist driving off the road
into a small village called Hixton. The “Red Lion” was too irresistible
(esp. at 12.45 pm) and we had a lovely lunch. Talked into trying
Cherry Trifle for sweets which was absolutely delicious!!! (NO dinner
for us tonight or we really will come back home looking like balloons!!)
Cambridge is a delightful place - full
of charm and character. People on the whole very friendly.
Walking through the different colleges and down some of the smaller, cobblestoned
streets took you back into a different world. Trinity St particularly
charming.
Late afternoon walk finished off with evensong
at Kings College and the Kings College Choir - beautiful voices even more
so in real life. An uplifting experience - transporting oneself towards
God with such music.
Saturday 2nd April 1988
OXFORD
Bad day today! Difficulty navigating through
towns - no parking at the Royal Oxford & ended up staying in a place
way out of town. Windsor Castle was the high point in the afternoon.
Both feeling a little off colour and tired (Ely Cathedral very spectacular
1st thing in the morning).
Ellensleigh Guest House in Cambridge was
very comfortable indeed last night.
[*Whilst the drive through Bedford and
the Chilterns was barely worth it, and the Hotel booked by Thomas Cook
for us at Oxford impossible as in effect a traffic island at the intersection
of three highways, the country hotel we ended up in was a lovely older
mansion, furnished lavishly with antiques, and surrounded by groves of
tall trees. Behind the sky was awash in golden wintry sunset before
arrival right on dusk]
Sunday 3rd April 1988
OXFORD - SALISBURY
Beautiful Clear Sunny day
[* Easter Day]
Quick early morning walk around Oxford.
Much older looking than Cambridge and “warmer” in some ways. Everything
seems closer together. Magnificent Easter service at Christ Church
Cathedral sitting in the Choir.
Travelled through quaint little villages
along narrow, hedged roads towards Salisbury Plain only to wonder where
this enormous plain was ever going to appear. We soon realised that
the unforested undulating hills were the plain.
Followed the signs to Stonehenge and we
were quite taken aback by the sight as it loomed up unexpectedly in the
middle of nowhere as we reached the top of a rise. Much more impressive
than I had expected particularly in contrast with the Easter tourists so
insignificant in size in comparison.
Salisbury Cathedral stood out well, esp.
the spire. Lots of lovely country around the town. The New
Forest was rather fairylike in places. Must look great in summer
when all the leaves are out on the trees.
Pleasant dinner at the Wheatsheaf Inn,
Lower Woodford. Gorgeous drive there on a warm night down lovely
hedge-lined country roads in pleasant hilly country that for the first
time in England felt like real “countryside”.
Monday 4th April 1988
BOVEY TRACEY [Willmead Farm]
Sunny but hazy; Fine but brisk
Left rather late from Hayburn Wyke Guest House
(enjoyed our stay & sorry we were not staying longer in Salisbury as
there is quite a lot to see in this area).
Counties we passed through en-route to
BTracey were:
1. Wiltshire
2. Dorset (including Dorchester)
3. Somerset (incl. Yeovil)
4. Devon
Wiltshire was beautiful and the countryside became
better & better as we moved closer to Devon.
Dorsetshire very much as Thomas Hardy had
described this area in his novels. Ploughman’s lunch was delicious
(had ‘real’ Stilton cheese - YUMMY!!! *And what about our delicious
‘cider’ at the Old Somerset pub, Yeovil?)
At this stage, anxious to reach Willmead
Farm. Much more old-worldly than was shown on the postcard sent to
us. Extremely cosy & comfortable.
Given directions to walk to Moorhouse Farm
for proper ‘Cream Tea’ (not Devonshire Tea as we know it). The cream
is fresh, clotted cream made on the farm as soon as it is taken from the
cow. It was almost sticky in consistency.
Walked the calories off, then drove across
the Dartmoor Plains - incredible because it is so different to Devon yet
so close. It was like a different planet to look at, although with
the wild ponies grazing & sitting next to the roadside you soon realised
where you were. This circuit was much longer than we expected and
we almost thought we would have to forego dinner as our booking was for
7.30pm. Finally made it at the Cleave Inn, Lustleigh by 8.15 pm to
find our table still waiting and orders still being taken. Entrée
was lovely (snails - best I’ve ever had) & pheasant for B. was delicious.
(*Snails and pheasant!! My goodness!)
Tuesday 5th April 1988
BOVEY TRACEY [Willmead Farm]
Sunny
B: Gorgeous day [*weatherwise].
A part of me wanted to sleep in and relax at Willmead Farm with a couple
of walks later in the day and another part of me wanted to explore Cornwall.
The latter won. This idea turned out to be a long and fairly tiring
day. Overall it wasn’t as green as Devon although the coast-line
was impressive in parts. Houses much too puritanical and plain in
Cornwall. Very few trees compared to Devon.
Road from Plymouth to Bodmin was the most
scenic. Lizard Point was quite interesting. Didn’t go as far
as Lands End. St.Ives is a picturesque little town surrounded by
beaches and water. Would be crowded in summer we imagine. Heard
Cornish spoken by 3 old ladies in St.Ives.
---
PostCard. April, 1988. ‘Treen
Cliff, near Porthcurno, Cornwall: spectacular rocky cove & turquoise
inlet’
Dear Ma, Whilst staying at Willmead Farm,
which was absolutely idyllic and nicer than the brochure, we detoured for
a trip to St.Ives and Lizard Point via Bodmin and Plymouth. Cornwall
very different from Devon, especially in the west, where it is a windy,
rocky heathland dotted with the ruins of old corn mills. Bodmin and
Lostwithiel nearby are beautiful fairy story towns. Some old people
in St.Ives, which we adored despite continuing queeziness (London water),
still speaking in Old Cornish which is a fascinating language that is not
supposed to exist. Everyone there under 5 ft it seemed, and tiny
houses, many with cats sitting in the windows looking out. Saw a
few Nannas and a couple of Billy Hughes types. Devon is just unbelievably
beautiful- rolling green hills, a pleasant climate, what passes for bushland,
and good air and water. Some very wild woodland and streams in both
Devon and Cornwall. Dartmoor bleak but lovely. Cornish coastline
magnificent rock formations and beaches, but water only just above freezing
when we tried it. Happy birthday for the 11th.
Wednesday 6th April ‘88
BATH
Cold,
hazy, weak sun
Slept extremely well at Willmead Farm, so well
that we only just woke up at 7.30 am - the time we organised to come down
for breakfast. Yesterday’s drive through Cornwall really tired us
out.
Northern Devon to the Tarr Steps was magnificent
with bush covered hills & in areas in between. Exmoor was very
bleak and grim (exaggerated possibly by dank mist rolling in from the sea.)
Picked up a little although still windy going down into ‘Doone’ country
with high hedges surrounding wild but pretty copses. The corner of
Somerset down to Taunton, a lazy sunny land dominated by some imposing
hill-forts and the green and yellow patchwork of the Quantock Hills.
From Taunton to Cheddar was rather poor,
marshy country rendered less attractive by some industrial development
& bleak housing.
Good points were some pretty canals, some
apple orchards on higher ground, and Glastonbury, once an island surrounded
by lakes, fens and bogs. At Glastonbury we saw the ruins of the Abbey
where legend has it St.Joseph of Arimathea planted a thorn bush, a sprig
of which still grows there, and also placed the chalice bearing the ‘precious
blood of Jesus’ - the Holy Grail. Whatever the merits of the legend,
the Abbey ruins are certainly very ancient and imposing, and one can well
believe that this was once Arthur’s Isle of Avalon.
Cheddar was another interesting township
(similar in a small way to the location of Walhalla in Vic). Bought
some local Scrumpy (a yeasty cider) which we hadn’t tried until now.
Most pubs only have the clear cider on tap which is also great and extremely
alcoholic with a very ‘applely’ flavour.
The gorge at Cheddar was so enormously
high with a narrow road winding its way between the cliffs that you felt
quite dwarfed by them.
Our o/nite stop at Bath was late and the
Royal York was awful [*another Thomas Cook booking]. The 1st room
they gave us was so dingey considering that it was costing us £63
for the night - nothing like the room advertised on their leaflet.
A complaint from us had us moved 2 rooms along the corridor to one with
a four-poster bed. Still not 3 or 4 star quality esp. after
the beauty and cleanliness of Willmead Farm which was 1/2 the price!!!
At least it was some improvement on the other room (212).
Thursday 7th April 1988
CRICKHOWELL Sunny,
16°C
No sleep whatsoever in our hotel room in Bath
last night- too hot, too airless and very, very noisy (worse with windows
open!) Campbell had a shave at 4 am and we had packed, paid, complained
and left this awful hotel by 5 am.
Not much light for sightseeing at this
hour so a stop with 1/2 hr sleep helped kill the time so we could view
the Cotswolds to some degree. Rather pretty stone cottages, less
undulating land compared to Devon. At this stage, my favourite county
in England is Devon with its forests and hills, and thatched cottages with
pastures so green and full of sheep and cows. Probably the most picturesque
area in England (so far, anyway.)
Somewhere between Bath and Stroud we began
a dawn tour of a cold woodland country. This part of England has
very pretty villages of stone cottages.
Leaving Stroud and the Cotswolds we bypassed
Gloucester and headed for Hereford - beautiful river but very poor town
and very cold in the dawn hours. Skirting the middle Wye valley for
a breakfast and laundry stop at Ross-On-Wye we suddenly felt as though
we had entered a different country. Here the 1st language appears
to be Welsh and the average height of the townspeople about 5’0”.
From Monmouth to Tintern Abbey the Wye
descends into wild woodland, a meandering course beneath towering hills.
Tintern Abbey founded by Cistercian abbots under Walter de Clare in 1131
bathed in warm sunlight but with a cold breeze.
Stopped near Chepstow for a walk in fairytale
country high on cliffs above the Wye. Gnarled trees and ancient spruce
reminded us both poignantly of the journeys of hobbits and dwarves in Tolkien’s
‘Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’.
From Chepstow (true Wales) entered a warm,
sunny, friendly, well-ordered countryside with forest-crowned hills and
cosy villages. A very warm day by the time we reached Usk, a beautiful,
kindly and ancient town on the river of the same name. Welsh spoken
as 1st language here, but not in the pub. [*Welsh people mostly drinking
tea and coffee over the road].
Towering Beacons of the Black Mountains
on the north as we approach Crickhowell. Lovely hotel - GLIFFAES
- at the end of a winding, forested hillside avenue beside the rushing,
white-flecked river Usk. Magnificent room (No.6), glorious dinner,
and fell asleep listening to the rushing river sounds below, our window
wide open to catch its music.
Friday 8th April 1988
CRICKHOWELL
Overcast, misty & cold
(p.s. Gliffaes - very sociable place & informal,
p.p.s. saw our first squirrel this morning on driveway).
After a late breakfast headed for Talgarth and
photographed the Presbyterian Church where John Kettle started his ministry,
although he finished it at the Baptist Church down the road. After
getting lost in Brecon and noticing the very old Iron-Mongers shop in the
middle of town (where presumably Ephraim Jenkin worked?), headed for Garth.
Between Upper Chapel & Garth crossed
the cold high tableland of the Mynydd Eppynt very like the Monaro.
Found ourselves in the middle of an army firing range and a war game, complete
with machine gun crossfire, tanks, skirmishes and 3 helicopters hovering
close to the ground - nearly died of fright!!
Lunched at Llwrtyd-Wells (smallest town
in the UK), then headed up the Aberwesyn Valley for the most spectacular
scenery encountered so far. A U-shaped glacial valley through which
flows a clear, fast flowing mountain stream over white pebbles - fair tasting
water after London.
Through pine forests then into lowland
pastures of fog bound Dyfed, stopping at Tregaron, Lampeter and Llandovery-on-the-Bran,
and heading off to the Brecon Beacons for a strenuous damp climb up the
side of Fan Fawr (2400 ft) & breathtaking views. Beautiful Welsh
spoken at Lampeter.
Saturday 9th April 1988
TALSARNAU
Snow then sunny
Woke up at Gliffaes to snow falling covering most
of the high hills around for miles.
Drove via picturesque Tretower beneath
the Black Mountain to Talgarth then up the Upper Wye Valley to Builth,
Llandrindod and Rhayader for lunch in very ancient pub. Welsh only
spoken here, then deathly silence when English party arrived.
On to the Devil’s Bridge in fleeting sunshine
- some beautiful forest here, and one of Europe’s longest waterfalls.
Back into Powys for a drive along the Upper
Severn to Caersws - a pretty rushing stream, densely wooded in places.
On through rolling green hills in bright sunshine to the picturesque Dovey
Valley and Machynlleth, a rather medieval town. Now in Nth.Wales
we began a breathtaking drive through the valley above which looms the
spectacular Cader Idris (2,927 ft).
The second most spectacular town in Nth.Wales
after Caernarfon is probably Dolgellau - a thriving medieval Welsh village
built entirely from the dark local stone.
Following the Wnion westward we came at
last to the wide sandy inlet known as The Bar and the pretty, sleepy resort
of Barmouth overlooking Cardigan Bay swathed in a hazy sheen of welcoming
golden sunlight. On north past the craggy towers of Harlech Castle
and up a winding country road to our pretty hotel at Talsarnau, with
wonderful views out to sea from our hotel window. [* Incredible coincidences-
name of our room was CROMWELL. His brother-in-law Valentine Disbrowe
was executed ( ‘dis-browed’) in d/s courtyard below our window, but with
Cromwell’s sister left a child, ancestor of the Tweeds of East Anglia &
Grandpa Newman.]
---
PostCard. 9th April 1988. Talsarnau,
nr.Harlech [‘Gliffaes Country Hse, Crickhowell: view of Usk River from
window of Hotel’ where we stayed two nights ago]. Bleak weather in North
Wales- for now we prefer warmer people and geography of South Wales, although
Caernarvon is fascinating. Loved Crickhowell (see postcard).
Visited Brecon- Ephraim Jenkin’s Ironmongery still standing.
Also Talgarth. Friendly & amusing reception there. An elderly
lady remembered John Kettle- her father played the organ for him.
Lots of Morrises still here. Welsh still first language in all these
places, strange sound at first but rather pleasing after a while.
Not at all like ‘someone about to spit’.
---
[Interesting evening. We were refused service
at the hotel bar because we were Australian. An English lord noticing
this ambled over and apologised for his fellow countryman, leaving his
card & inviting us to call him from anywhere on our travels in UK or
Europe if we got into any sort of difficulties. Was this gallantry
real? I think so, even if the alcohol helped a little. Seeing
this scene the owner-barman, originally from Lincolnshire, came over to
where we were sitting and we had notable service for the remainder of our
stay].
Sunday 10th April 1988
TALSARNAU
v. cold & cloudy
Started off going through Snowdonia National Park
via Talsarnau township, Garreg and Beddgelert. This was the most
spectacular scenery we encountered in Wales, dominated by Moel Hebag (2566
ft) and Snowdon (3560 ft). Morning tea at Caernararfon and late morning
inspecting the castle built by Edward I. This somehow gains in atmosphere
through the incessantly crying gulls which hover above it.
Gave two hitchhikers a lift to Bangor then
drove up the awesome Ogwen Valley above Bethesda watching the blizzards
high up above us on Carnedd Llywelyn (3485 ft), Carnedd Dafydd (3427 ft)
and Glyder Fawr (3279 ft).
Betws-y-Coed in Snowdonia Forest Park interesting
town built around river rapids, but very cold, lots of tourists, and no
forest that we could see.
Cold, disappointing drive under steel-grey
skies to freezing town of Bala and its cold, windswept lake. Astounded
to find many windsurfers in temperatures not much above freezing!
Back to Maes-y-Neudd (country-house hotel)
overlooking a sombre Cardigan Bay.
Mercia,
N-Yorkshire Dales, Cumbria
Monday 11th April 1988
GRASMERE
Partly cloudy then sunny
Brief look at rolling hills of the Clwyd Valley
passing through Ruthin and over the Clwdian Range to lunch in Mold at ‘We
Three Loggerheads’ Inn.
Drove through the industrial midlands of
Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester as quickly as possible.
Strange to think that the forests of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia have
given way to this unbelievable landscape of flat polluted wasteland, industrial
chimney-stacks, and mile after mile of power lines.
As soon as we crossed the Standish Hills
marking the boundary of Lancashire we were back in undulating countryside.
Leaving the M6 we then skirted the Forest of Bowland heading for Ribblesdale.
The Ribble flows through rich hills between Lancashire and Nth.Yorkshire,
and appeared to us very like the dale country in “All Creatures Great and
Small”. The closest thing we have yet seen to a desert in the UK
was a little to the NE of this in what is supposed to still be the Yorkshire
Dales. This country however is cold, barren, utterly bleak and treeless
from one horizon to the other. Its magnificently built stone fences
and stark but well constructed stone sheds beside narrow country lanes
look appropriate for the Viking people who settled here.
Rich country around Sedbergh in Cumbria
in great contrast to what we had just seen, and we were surprised at the
high altitude of these hills not far from the sea. Magnificent photographic
weather down to the lovely town of Kendall surrounded by mighty green hills
in bright sunshine and far off snow peaked mountains.
Breathtaking 1st view of Windermere on
its glacial lake beneath the high Old Man and Cumbrian Mountains.
Lake Grasmere also felt like walking into a Constable landscape or a Wordsworth
poem - not surprisingly since Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage is only a few hundred
yards from our lakeside hotel.
Tuesday 12th April 1988
GRASMERE Sunny
then overcast.
Adopted a more leisurely pace taking on a small
scenic drive through the beautiful Lake District via Keswick to Borrowdale
and Buttermere.
Some very old woodland areas with thick
moss covered rocks. Stopped not long after Borrowdale to have a look
at the Bowderstone, then deciding to continue the walk up the hill for
better views and exercise. Our walk turned out to be a hike
and the hill a mountain. Partly cloudy to begin with although we
managed to rest on a soft turfy hillside in full sunlight high up above
the valley for 15 minutes with magnificent views of the green valley below
us against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.
Conquered the last part of our climb onto
the peak to be overwhelmed by the fantastic panorama surrounding us.
Breathtaking views of the valleys and lake and Cumbrian Mountains behind
Keswick. A rugged horizon line with beautiful purples, browns and
blues in contrast to the vivid green below and the brilliant white above
on many of the peaks.
The Honister Pass was quite unbelievable
(1 in 4 steep grade!!!) and very dramatic with its incredibly steep road
winding and twisting between two ranges into a valley that at first sight
seemed close (in fact 50 minutes way down below). Very pleased to
have taken this Circuit in a clockwise direction so we could look down.
Having earnt our afternoon tea today, we
stopped off at Dove Cottage for delicious warm, sticky gingerbread cake
with fresh cream to return to our hotel for a restful late afternoon and
an early dinner for a change.
Northumbria
(N-Country); Strathclyde
Wednesday 13th April 1988
LOCH GAIR
Bright, sunny then grey & more o/cast-
10°C
Early start and very fast trip via Kirkstone Pass
and Ullswater to Penrith. Crystal clear air and lakes in bright sunshine
although the peaks showed that there had been significant snowfalls overnight
and both of us had very cold feet during this drive despite layers of clothing.
After bypassing Penrith, then Carlisle,
via the M6, we headed East through the high hills of Northumbria to Greenhead
and Housesteads to view Hadrian’s Wall in the bright and northern light.
This was a pleasant and rather awesome diversion. Bitterly cold stop
at ‘The Crags’ to photograph each other standing on the best preserved
and highest section of the wall which is surprisingly thick and well constructed.
Breathtaking views over most of Northumberland - no wonder the Romans built
a fort here. Pleasant country lanes but cold and bleak even on a
‘good’ day. The Wall gives you an almost crushing sense of history.
Crossing the border into Scotland we noticed
the same rather stark, puritan lines in the houses we had already observed
in parts of Cornwall and Wales. Remarkably flat at first but quickly
rising to huge hills and high grass country before descending again to
the incredible sprawl of Glasgow, not surprisingly known as the Factory.
Stopped at the Burrells Collection, a private collection of artwork housed
in a brilliantly designed, ultra-modern gallery against a backdrop of forest
separated from the artworks only by enormous sheets of glass. Some
beautiful Daumiers, Degas sketches and Rodin sculptures, but also a brilliant,
although highly eccentric collection of work from ancient, medieval &
renaissance epochs.
Leaving Glasgow we drove up Loch Lomond
watching the snowy peak of Ben Lomond (3192 ft) grow ever closer, the weather
turning increasingly foul. Near Succouth we found a place marked
‘Ashfield’. Was this the fief of John Campbell, 9th & last laird,
or perhaps another Campbell property? It is a cold, narrow glen at
the head of Loch Long, under the cold gaze of Cruach Tairbeirt (1364 ft)
between the Cobbler (a jagged 2891 ft peak) and Ben Reach (2168 ft) to
the East. No wonder if he never lived here! [**There is another
Ashfield on the pass of Crinan that controls the entrance to the Kilsyth
peninsular south of Duntroon- this is more probably the original Lergnachunzeon/
Ashfield- look for the village of Slochmullein to confirm it. This
other Ashfield is possibly a second property of these lairds, such places
were frequently given to second sons, connected by marriage ties, or kept
as rented estates.]
Climbing the ‘terrible pass of Glen Croe’,
we at last came within sight of Loch Fyne and skirted its darkling
northern waters to stop briefly at Inverary before finishing this very
long and arduous day at the very pleasant Hotel Loch Gair.
Thursday 14th April 1988
LOCH GAIR [2nd Day] Partly
sunny, then cold rain- 9°C.
The easiest day of our trip so far.
A late breakfast after a much needed sleep-in
and an extremely short drive back to Inverary to visit the castle of the
same name. Weather relatively mild & partly sunny.
A rather lovely Scottish castle very much
influenced by French Classicism. Beautiful hand painted panels, magnificent
family portraits including some by Gainsborough which really bring the
history of the fortunes of this highland family very much to life.
The interior belongs essentially to the finest part of the age of the minuet.
Giant, blazing fireplaces facing each other in central hallway, and enormous
but cosy 17th century style French provincial kitchen, most delightful.
A walk through tangled woodland in brief period of sunshine completed our
tour - no sign of hanging tree.
Friday 15th April 1988
OBAN Low
cloud & fog, showers
This morning we followed the Crinan Canal from
Lochgilphead to the hotel at Crinan for views across stormy Crinan Harbour
to mist enshrouded Duntroon Castle, looking very much like the lonely outpost
of the Kingdom of Dalriada.
Checking to see whether this was in fact
the castle we were informed by red-headed bargirl (sitting on the bar)
that Mrs.Malcolm, widow of the Laird of Poltalloch and hence heiress to
Duntroon since the bankruptcy of its Campbell lords in the late 17th century,
was extremely friendly and loved to have visitors.
An interesting short drive across the flat
marsh and woodland of Crinan Moor brought us to the stone pillared gate
to the Poltalloch estate and a fine view to the castle whose battlements
could now be plainly seen. Not expecting to get very near we were
very surprised when Mrs.Malcolm, whose look of startled amusement and general
features rather resemble those of Irish actor Peter O’Toole, invited us
to take an unescorted tour of every room, and then invited us to come back
after a walk in the garden, a visit to the Poltalloch ruins and the the
family church within the grounds, for lunch. This consisted of a
most beautiful barley & leek (Scotch) broth and freshly baked home
made loaves.
We were here for 4 hours and enjoyed the
beauty of this castle with its panoramic views through nearly every window
of its five storeys [¶], and innumerable rooms, nooks and crannies,
we reluctantly left in mid-afternoon for a wet trip to Oban.
Oban is a very busy town with a very busy
port as we soon discovered since our hotel ‘The Caledonian’, which had
obviously seen better times but which still had a certain grandeur, was
right next to the docks. Evening twilight here was quite spectacular
- a purple glow of very deep hue extending to the oceans horizon over a
placid sea. Unfortunately a large ship docked in mid-evening and
the noise from this combined with the noise from a large party of Scots
from Glasgow forced us at 2 am to arrange a new room with the night porter.
[¶ A rather interesting memory intrudes
here. In one of the rooms was an enormous desk facing a deeply recessed
window, perhaps on the second or third storey as it presented a view.
At the desk with his back to us sat a man of large proportions. He
said nothing, but Mrs.M later told us that it was Mr.Malcolm. Their
son was jackarooing on a property in Australia, and by the engrossing change
of subject we did not notice the obvious: how did this tally with C’s recollection
that the Irish girl at Crinan, frequent visitor to Duntroon, described
Mrs.Malcolm as a widow?]
Saturday 16th April 1988
GLENCOE Showers
& sleet, snow on all peaks- 7°C.
Very late start in showery weather following the
north coastal road past Dunstaffnage Castle ruins skirting the steeply
forested sides of Benderloch and the mirror-like waters of Loch Creran,
not stopping until the head of Loch Linnhe. Ballachulish and Glencoe
very picturesque in their setting between the outstanding peaks at the
mouth of Loch Leven. The spectacular quality of the mountain scenery
increased in imposing grandeur and sheer perpendicular dimension as we
proceeded up to the White Corries of Srön-na-Creise (2952 ft) and
Clach-Leathad (3602 ft) on the edge of the terrible cold of the moor of
Rannoch.
Finding the Kingshouse Hotel here out of
season and most unfriendly we retraced our steps to Dalness and on a country
road beside the foaming waters of Achtriachtan beneaththe sheer walls of
Aonach Eagach (3168 ft) to the North, and Bidean-nam-Bian (3766 ft) we
spent a very pleasant and peaceful night at the Claghaig Inn. Could
not help noticing a sign ‘No Hawkers or Campbells’ at reception window!!
---
PostCard. Saturday 16th April, 1988.
Oban/Glencoe. ‘Moonrise over Oban Town, Argyll, Scotland’.
The weather turned bad as soon as we hit Scotland,
but we still had plenty of sightseeing. Found an Ashfield near Succoth
at the end of Loch Long, rather awesome [in fact not the original Ashfield,
see notes above]. Enjoyed Inverary Castle very much, partly because
there was a big log fire burning there. The Crinan Canal & Duntroon
Castle absolutely marvellous places- had lunch with Mrs.Malcolm of Poltalloch
in the Castle’s kitchen next to an Arga Stove. Highland hospitality.
Oban an interesting place but cold and noisy so we’ve had to move out to
Clachaig Inn near Glencoe. People round here hostile because my first
name is Campbell, which seems a bit puerile. I thought it was a
joke at first, but they take their history & grudges very seriously.
Beautiful purple twilights over the sea at Oban last night- this postcard
sums up its night atmosphere well.
Sunday 17th April 1988
ULLAPOOL
An extremely long drive up the Great Glen - Loch
Linnhe and Ben Nevis totally fogged out - along Loch Lochy to pretty woodland
at the Well of Seven Heads, then up to a spectacularly bleak rocky tableland
dominated by the peaks of Ceannacorc and the Five Sisters over the steep
slopes of Glen Shiel.
Lunched at Dornie at the junction of three
Lochs: Duich, Loing & Alsh; and overlooked by romantic but bleak Eilean
Donan Castle. B asked for a Tia Maria & milk at the bar here
to be given a glass of Tia Maria & a separate jug of milk and told
to take as much milk as she liked. He said he did not get much call
for it in these parts.
We now decided to drive all the way to
Ullapool and set off up the single track road around Loch Carron.
Did not tempt fate over the alpine scenic route to Applecross although
views to this area from Kishorn across the head of Loch Kishorn were spectacular.
After the pass of An-Stoonach (1682 ft)
came to a new kind of scenery not yet encountered. This consisted
of very ancient looking pinetrees, more gnarled and twisted with burnished,
coppery trunks, and also extensive areas of bushland, the first real bush
we have seen in Britain.
For miles around Loch Torridon the country
is dominated by the peaks of the Liathach (3358 ft & 3456 ft) towering
above the scattered ancient pines of the Ben-damph Forest, the Torridon
mudflats, and the gushing stream of Glen Torridon. This eventually
gives way to almost desert country, a boulder-strewn treeless landscape
in a high glacial valley beneath further craggy peaks. From Kinlochewe
to Gairloch the road follows the much richer forested areas of Scotland’s
north-western watershed. North of this the coast road offers the
scenic delights, even in foul weather, of flawlessly beautiful sheltered
bays facing north. Their calm, turquoise waters set with picturesque
islands and crescent shaped sandy coves.
The final approach to Ullapool is breathtaking,
a rugged road of imposing contrasts past glaciated peaks still in the grip
of a polar winter, then down deeply into the Corrieshalloch Gorge of the
River Broom which suddenly opens out into the most beautiful flooded valley,
Loch Broom.
Hotel Royal modern but very adequate and
quiet on the approach road from Inverness, with fine views to the blizzards
blowing on Beinn Dearg (3536 ft) above the beautiful and extensive Inverlael
Forest. Ullapool probably the most interesting town we have yet seen
in Scotland. Freezing cold- sleet and occasional snowflakes with
weather deteriorating and gale blowing- hotel nearly deserted.
[§. Blizzards over the Loch and sea here
with spectacular sunset. As at Lake Bala, we saw a group of wetsuited
surfers riding boards despite squalls and snow.]
Monday 18th April 1988
ULLAPOOL Very
wet & extremely cold & windy- 3°C.
Set off in driving sleet and extremely cold conditions
on the northern heathland road, aiming for Cape Wrath. As the gale
intensified however we had to change our plans, since the ferry to the
Cape would not be running in such weather, and we even nearly turned back
only 5 miles out from Ullapool.
The landscape here is a wilderness of bare
alpine crags, steeply dissected by wild lochs- some a beautiful turquoise
hue and towards the coast strewn with rocky islands and bleak grasslands
bare except for occasional strands of heather. The heather is a dour
dark brown at this season.
After encountering near cyclonic conditions
at Loch ___ where the crests of waves were being blown half a mile out
of the lake, we decided to have lunch and warm up beside a blazing fire,
albeit a coal fire in a grate. Gaelic spoken here by fishermen, however
the hinterland is practically unpopulated.
After lunch we proceeded as far as Scourie
Harbour near its beautiful Bay of Islands, then headed south again to Lochinver
where there is a beautiful rushing stream entering at the source of yet
another loch, Loch Inver, and a beautiful stone bridge.
On the road back from Lochinver we were
surprised to find ourselves in some of the most outstanding and rugged
volcanic mountain scenery yet encountered, not unlike the Warrumbungles.
Today marked the furthest north that either
of us has ever been. Blizzards and heavy snowfalls on the mountains
at the head of Loch Broom.
Tuesday 19th April 1988
KINCRAIG - Early morning fogs
then bright & sunny, Warm! - 19°C.
Awoke with bright morning sunshine in our eyes
on a brisk but bearable day in Ullapool. Took leave of our exorbitantly
priced and poorly serviced Thomas Cook hotel vowing never to use Thomas
Cook’s services again, paying a brief visit to Corrieshalloch Falls one
of the longest in Europe (but not as long as the Devil’s Bridge Falls in
Wales). Nearly struck dense fog on gradually less bleak road south
to Inverness, and were thereafter under cloud till Inverness.
Inverness an interesting old town with
a neo-classical modern bridge that has a certain functional beauty with
its vast sweeping lines. Westward along Loch Ness, stopping frequently
along its banks as the weather fined up to a perfectly calm, clean stillness
under brilliantly blue sky. More subtle but also more interminably
lovely than other lochs.
Following Loch Lochy for the second time,
but westward, we came to our turning off point for the Grampians in full
view of the vastness of Ben Nevis this time only partly in mist, and thereafter
headed east through a delightful high country and series of passes towards
the Cairngorms. It was now about 2.30 pm and what passed for Britons
as hot afternoon, so we both stripped off unnecessary clothes and went
for a pleasantly cooling afternoon stroll in an ancient mossy glen of rushing
waters under enormous pines beneath a sundrenched sky.
Down in the valley of the Spey a sunny
haze was beginning to develop above which the mighty peaks of the Cairngorms
thrust in a curious patchwork of pine forest, rock and snow. After
Devonshire Tea & conversation at the Hotel Ossian, our intended destination,
finding the hotel closed we booked in at a quiet B&B establishment
surrounded by peaceful countryside and run by a friendly English couple.
Lovely room in a nice old house - at £28 including dinner for two
the best value of our entire trip.
Turned in for the night after a delightful
sunset & twilight walk down through woodland to an incredibly serene
Loch that mirrored every detail of sky and earth.
Omitted to mention in late afternoon drove
up mountain road to a still lake reflecting the glory of the Cairngorms,
drove up into the Cairngorms as far as we could, and returned via a short
drive and walk through woodlands of the Clan Chattan. Apparently
much of this wild country is still owned by members of the McPherson &
Grant families.
Wednesday 20th April 1988
PITLOCHRY - Fog nearly all day,
some sunny patches, very cold
A disappointing day after a promising and sunny
start driving north to Castle Grant where fog set in. The fog persisted,
and Castle Grant was shut to visitors, as were Braemar and Balmoral later
in the day. Despite these disappointments, we drove through some
very interesting country including a high mountain pass with patches of
melting snow all around, and some distant views of the mountains of central
Grampian as well as of the Cairngorms behind us. This aristocratic
part of Scotland is more densely forested, with older and more diverse
trees, numerous rushing rivers, and the most prosperous towns. Braemar
in particular has a very wealthy look about it with its immaculately laid
out cobble streets and exceptionally fine storeyed buildings displaying
the Celtic love of good stonework.
Finally arrived at our utterly magnificent
hotel ‘Pinetrees’ at Pitlochry after a rather exhausting drive through
pleasant countryside. Our attic-walled but spacious room in a turret
of this grand Victorian hotel set in a glorious and huge garden was the
most comfortable since Crickhowell- a sheer delight to be in. After
a banquet dinner prepared by a cordon-bleu chef & served with unusual
charm in an almost deserted dining room, we enjoyed long and peaceful slumber.
Thursday 21st April 1988
PITLOCHRY [2nd night] - Fog and
rain - cold
Missed breakfast. First went to the Pass
of Killiecrankie and walked to the Soldiers Leap, so named after the terrified
lowland soldier who, pursued by ferocious highlanders under the legendary
Dundee, jumped 18 feet across the swirling and raging waters below.
This is supposed to be one of Scotland’s best pieces of natural forest,
the original forest of oak and hazel that once covered all of Scotland.
Finding it rather cold and bare at this time of year, we left it for Blair
Atholl 3 miles north-west of the pass.
Blair Castle is undoubtedly one of the
highlights of our trip to the UK. Whether one is interested in the
Castle, the garden, or in Scottish history, weeks could be spent here.
A contemporary of the 1st Duke of Argyll, the 1st Duke of Atholl shared
his strange combination of cunning, taste and decadence. In matters
of style and sheer aesthetic perfection these two Scottish barons shared
also the classicism of their French aristocratic archetypes alongside a
certain barbaric Scottish joie-de-vivre and sense of Faerie. The
Lordship of Atholl, though not so ancient as that of Argyll, became since
the English ‘Glorious Revolution’ in which the ruling Stuarts were deposed,
the most senior family of the Royal Stuart line in Scotland.
The three things which fascinated us most
were the exhaustive and quite magnificent collection of portraits, the
marvellous richly decorated (17th century French high baroque style) banqueting
hall, and the lovely parkland, rather wild by Scottish standards, begun
by the 4th Duke by random shooting of Larch seeds from a cannon!
After a misty late afternoon walk in the
gardens we returned to our beautiful and peaceful hotel, and to yet another
sumptuous meal, carried to our table with the usual perfection and charm.
The atmosphere was rather unique in combining Edwardian grandeur with Oriental
almost palatial furnishing and an other-worldly Celtic quality emphasised
by the off-season quietness.
At the stroke of midnight (really 1 am)
C. woke to see what he thought was an old woman with white wavy hair walking
through the door of our room, which was closed. [§. The woman
sat ON the bed. She was wearing a white shroud not unlike mosquito
netting. Although there was no source of light in the room, the white
clothing seemed faintly luminous.] As B. also had heard footsteps
and as there was a rather electric atmosphere, perhaps due to our room's
strange proportions, neither of us could sleep for about an hour although
when we did we slept very peacefully.
Friday 22nd April 1988
EDINBURGH - Cold, bleak
& grey- 5°C.
A very large breakfast, superb by any standards.
The Manageress looked amused when asked about ghostly visitors, and explained
that staff living in rooms 25 to 28 would explain the footsteps.
Later however she confided in us that all staff were away overnight, that
a fabulously wealthy and eccentric Turk had owned Pinetrees in the 1890s
[§. which functioned as a Turkish Consulate or Embassy], and that
a friend of hers from New Scotland Yard had discovered his name in old
CIB files connected with, evidently, some major crimes [§. e.g. the
mysterious disappearance of his wife]. The friend was still investigating,
and we wondered what would turn up!
The road to Edinburgh was uneventful &
rather grey. Stirling Castle, an island in a sea of bleak flat peat
marshes, rises to an enormous height above the volcanic plains around,
its windy black fastness echoing in the gale that blows perpetually from
East to West. Apart from some refinements in the French vein instituted
by Charles I with a curious and rather lingering beauty in this terrible
place, and some extraordinary stone figures- dragons, grotesques, gargoyles
and bare-breasted Renaissance women holding up the roof, we felt that this
was typical of the strange marriage of barbarous, magical and wild forces
that pertains everywhere in Scotland.
Our 1st impression of Edinburgh was of
harsh, cold stone buildings under an even harsher steel grey sky.
Admittedly the weather was absolutely awful making even the castle high
up on its craggy rock above a bustling modern city look dismal and irrelevant.
People here rather cold and business-like, almost military - in great contrast
to Glasgow’s people. Another dreadful Thomas Cook hotel room with
no sleep at all.
Saturday 23rd April 1988
EDINBURGH [2nd day] - Cold,
windy, clearing- 6°C.
A brief look at Edinburgh Castle, and a chilly
but sunny walk about its battlements for magnificent views over the city
and the Forth. Setting and gardens also magnificent, stonework not
so refined as Stirling nor as interesting, although the Mary Queen
of Scots apartments are very lovely and quite moving - esp. the brilliant
Van Dyck of the rather sensitive looking Charles I and his family.
Late dropping off the car at Port Royal
Golf Course, where we had lunch and waited some time at a bus stop beside
an empty paddock feeling just as though we were in Melbourne on a
similar day. B’s first ride on a double-decker bus!!
In the late afternoon while C. had a rest
in our new (thank heavens!) and very lovely ultra-modern Avengers-style
Executive Suite replacement room, B. went to see the ‘Gold of the Pharoahs’
exhibition at the City of Edinburgh Art Centre. This had some magnificent
pieces of gold jewellery, funerary objects and masks on display, superbly
crafted and obviously created with much care and love for the aesthetic
as well as the functional or spiritual purpose of each work. The
wait in the long queue was worth it!
Sunday 24th April 1988
EDINBURGH to PARIS
- B’s birthday - No.28
(Edinburgh- mild, clearing- 17°C)
(London- sunny, warm- 19°C)
(Paris- sunny, warm- 21°C)
SEE >> PART
2- PARIS, ILE DE FRANCE & LOIRE VALLEY.
____________________________________________________________________________
ACCOMMODATION & ITINERARY CODES
COLUMNS-
DATE LOCATION ADDRESS PHONE COST
RATING
RATINGS-
0= UNPLEASANT
1= BARELY ADEQUATE
2= STANDARD
3= MEMORABLE, GOOD STANDARD
4= SUPERIOR ACCOMMODATION
5= EXCELLENT LUXURY + AESTHETIC
DELIGHT
____________________________________________________________________________
Appendix - Maps
1. Map of the UK & Ireland
showing All Ethnic & Historical Regions
2. Map of UK showing Routes Taken,
April 1st to 23rd, 1988 (each colour= 1 day)
3. English Historical
& Regional Divisions & Celtic Fringe >> Places Visited
4. Scotland- Historical
Tribal Regions (Clan Confederacies) >> Towns & Castles Visited
5. Map of UK showing Towns & Cities
6. Active UK Map- Tourism
in Towns & Cities
7. Map of Celtic Britain on the Eve
of German Invasion (6th Century)
Map of the UK & Ireland showing All Ethnic Regions
Map of UK showing Towns & Cities >>>>>>>
Map of Celtic Britain (ca. 550 a.d.) >>>
Go to Section 2: Paris, Ile de France & Loire Valley...
