In 2002, I set out for a journey through the British Isles. (The “British Isles” includes the United Kingdom and Ireland – and the UK includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.)
My goal was to explore the United Kingdom a bit and then meet up with my mother, Aunt Dawn, and Grandma Dorothy in Ireland!
My first stop was London, by far Britain’s largest metropolis, and the country’s economic and cultural centre.
Traveling on a shoestring budget, I was able to secure hostel accommodations, sleeping in this three-person dormitory bunk in London.
I viewed the crown jewels and hung with the Beefeaters at the Tower of London.
Buckingham Palace, the London residence of the Queen since 1837, has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.
Lady Diana died horrifically in 1997, and this memorial at Harrod’s pays homage.
Westminster Abbey is a large Gothic church where all the coronations of British monarchs have occurred as well as sixteen royal weddings since 1100AD.
Outside of London, I visited the Leeds Castle in Kent, England.
On my way north to Scotland, I also checked out the Tynemouth Castle and Priory in England, in slightly worse shape than Leeds Castle.
In Scotland, I encountered these cool looking Highland cattle. This Scottish breed was bred to withstand the intemperate conditions in the region, and are good eating.
They are “almost as cold-tolerant as the arctic-dwelling caribou and reindeer.”
I took a guided backpacker tour of Scotland, and we ended up at the Loch Ness. Our guide told us that we probably wouldn’t see Nessie, but if we got out of the bus and jumped into the frigid water, we could tell others about the time we swam in the Loch Ness.
I did it! It was cold!
As I continued my meander through Scotland, I explored The Isle of Skye, the largest of the Inner Hebrides islands.
We gave our daughter the middle name of Skye, a nod to her partial Scottish heritage, and because we thought it sounded cool!
The landscape here provides some of the most dramatic scenery in the country, like Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls.
After Scotland, I hopped over to the island of Ireland. I started in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom and is sometimes described as a country, a province, a territory or region. Northern Ireland shares a border with the Republic of Ireland, which covers the rest of the Irish isle. There has been quite a bit of contention through the years between the Republic of Ireland and the UK around the existence of Northern Ireland.
The Giant’s Causeway, in Northern Ireland, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and is a geological marvel where hexagons of basalt come up out of the seashore.
I finally ended up in IRELAND!
I was joined by my Aunt Dawn, Grandma Dorothy, and my mother, Barbara!
We explored Athenry Abbey in Galway County, Ireland, founded in 1241. The remains mostly consist of the church and some tombs dating from the 13th to 15th centuries.
Celtic Knots are complete loops that have no start or finish and are said to represent eternity.
I drove us around in this little car with this little coke while navigating with a steering wheel on the opposite side of what I’m used to and driving on the other side of the road. It was a precarious at first, but my brain adjusted after a while.
We visited St. Patrick’s Rock, an ancient royal site. They say that St. Patrick came here in in AD 432 and baptized King Aengus who became Ireland’s first Christian ruler.
I’ve done quite a few adventures on my own, so having my family with me was precious!
We experienced an extraordinary demonstration of sheep herding in the Irish countryside. These border collies still round up the sheep on the many active farms. You could tell the dogs really enjoyed their work!
Dreaming of herding sheep…
The Cliffs of Moher are famous sea cliffs that run for about 9 miles and rank among the most visited sites in Ireland, with around 1.5 million visits per year.
We really loved visiting the cliffs – “Their natural beauty has inspired artists, musicians, and poets for generations, as well as absorbing scientists and geologists, drawn by the unique landscape in which they sit.”
Although not as famous as the Cliff of Moher, Sliabh Liag are known as the highest accessible sea cliffs in Europe, three times higher than the Cliffs of Moher, reaching a height of almost 2000 feet, twice as high as the Eiffel Tower.
Grandma Dorothy was in her element!
We eventually made it to the Irish capital, Dublin, and somehow found the Guinness brewery.
Grandma was able to clock out of work just in time for this photo at the Guinness factory.
This chap provided colorful commentary and a nice photo opportunity in the middle of the city.
The Book of Kells in Dublin is an illuminated manuscript containing the four Gospels of the New Testament together with various other texts and tables. It was created in a monastery over a thousand years ago; “It is a masterwork of Western calligraphy and represents the pinnacle of Insular illumination.”
We kissed the Blarney Stone and took this shot looking down from the top of Blarney Castle.
We ended our journey at The House of Waterford Crystal in Waterford, Ireland, a Viking city built in 914 AD. This factory is the beating heart of the world’s luxury crystal manufacturer. Grandma Dorothy struck a playful pose with this beautiful harp, also a symbol of Ireland.
It was such a great trip together, and I will always cherish the memories!
