Edge of Britain - a travelblog

Some great people along the way...

2009-08-20T17:02:00.005+01:00

I met some very professional managers and owners of accommodation. The ones I remember, though, were not perfectionists...they were more interested in making sure I had a good time, and that I left with a sense of place - they wanted me to know why their little spot on the planet was so special to them. Many of my favourite hosts had been born or had grown up in their area, and the landscape was fused to their bones. I realise now that I remember the people as much as I do the postcard views...

1. Trevor Lowther at Lowther House in Whitehaven, Cumbria. Trevor is a walking, talking encyclopaedia. I have no way of proving this, but I am sure he knows everything about the Lake District, and in particular the coastal area near Whitehaven. But while he knows plenty, he is also fanatically zealous. He is only too happy to show people around, giving them an entertaining and informative tour.

2. Paul and Alyson Rhind and their three kids (Adam, Fraser and Aylee) at Newstead Housein Silecroft, in the Lake District in England. The Rhinds were friendly and frank, and I felt pretty homesick when I left, because they reminded me of my family - a bit crazy (like all families!)

3. Christian Drew at Corriegour Lodge, Spean Bridge, Scotland. This fantastic lady was the friendliest person I met. She is born and bred in the Highlands, and tartan-coloured blood flows in her veins. She gave me many reasons to one day marry a Scottish woman.

4. Annie Cooper at Boscombe House in Llandudno, Wales. Annie fed me up, did my laundry, showed me around the pretty town of Llandudno, and made me feel like I was her son. On a long trip alone, that's a pretty good thing!

5. Tom and Mary Watson at South Whittlieburn Farm near Largs, Scotland. At first I couldn't understand a word of what Tom and Mary were saying, but it didn't matter, because it sounded wonderful. And more than anyone I stayed with, they were proud to live on the land of their birth.

There were obviously plenty of other hosts who made me feel welcome. And in amongst all the other people I met, I only had one slightly offish experience, and that was being sworn at by a drunk in Edinburgh...for the rest, everyone was decent and kind. Most friendly people? I'd have to say the Welsh...if you want to get friendly with a Welshman, either buy him an ale or start talking rugby.

The Top 5 most beautiful surroundings for accommodation

2009-08-17T21:28:00.002+01:00

Some accommodation establishments are very lucky. They don't need to do very much to wow their guests...the scenery does it for them.

1. MacDonald Hotel in Kinlochleven, just south of Fort William in Scotland. This area is otherworldly. A long, thin loch with inky-black water, guarded on either side by the brooding Ben Nevis mountain range. The town is at the end of a road, and you really do feel like you're in Lord of the Rings.

2. The Cottage Hotel in Hope Cove, England. Unknown to many local tourists, Hope Cove is what I've always imagined a seaside fishing village in Britain to be. Small, remote, away from the main roads, craggy coast, stormy sea, windy...it's a must-do.

3. Worm's Head Hotel on Rhossili Peninsula, Wales. This hotel looks out over miles of beach, and the Worm's Head island just offshore. It's an untouched area, designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

4. Thistle House in St Catherine's, near Inveraray in Scotland. Wake up to a view with Inveraray Castle reflecting on the mirror surface of the loch. 'Nuff said.

5. Castle Cottage, in Harlech, Wales. To the right is Mount Snowdon, in front is a loooong and wild beach, and to the left is the regal Harlech Castle (a World Heritage Site). Sit in Castle Cottage's bar and stare at all of this, then tell me there isn't a divinity of some sort.

It's very tough to leave the following out...Eddrachilles Hotel (Scourie, Scotland), Corriegour Lodge (Spean Bridge, Scotland), Torridon Inn (Torridon, Scotland), Dunchraigaig Guest House(Kilmartin, Scotland), The Ship Inn (Mousehole, Cornwall) and Cornerways (St Ives, Cornwall) and on the white cliffs of Dover, Varne Ridge.

Top 5 best value accommodation on my trip around the coast of Britain

2009-08-17T19:59:00.006+01:00

"Value" is a relative term. You can have the best view from your room, but if the service ain't good...well, it just doesn't work as a package. And because travellers value different things at different values (if you follow me!), it's awful difficult to provide a bullet-proof list...So the following places were great value to me...

Factors I considered were price (obviously), scenery, service, cleanliness, decor, food, friendliness...and the undefinable X-factor, which can be little things like a manager's hearty laugh, or a glass of sherry next to your bed, or home made jams at breakfast, or a phone call after you've left, saying "thanks for coming, it was great to have you to stay"...

1. Eddrachilles Hotel, in Scourie, northwest Scotland. Beautiful location in the lochs and mountains, spick-and-span rooms, and excellent food. All for £60 a person a night (high-season), including room, breakfast and a fine three course dinner.

2. Cottage Hotel, Hope Cove, England. The hotel sits on the hill that overlooks the harbour and bay, and okay, the simple hotel food ain't gourmet, but it suits the setting...somehow it would seem wrong to eat haute cuisine in a village that survives on a daily catch. £60 a person a night (high-season), including room, breakfast and three-course dinner.

3. Lowther House, Whitehaven, England. For £40 a night, you'll get the smartest accommodation on the coast of Britain and the best breakfast (seriously). I can imagine heads of state staying here, and being quite comfortable...the rooms are huge, and the bathrooms are too. And it was the cleanest I experienced.

4. Cornerways, St Ives, England. For between £25 and £40 a person a night, you get slick accommodation in the middle of the labyrinthe of St Ive's cobbled streets and a very good breakfast. Trust me, this is cheap for St Ives...

5. Varne Ridge Holiday Park, Dover, England. This isn't a hotel, nor a guest house...it's got a couple of mobile homes which are very comfortable, and kitted out with everything you need for a self-catering holiday. Including flatscreen TV with all the channels - not that you'll watch them, because you'll probably be staring out across the English Channel. On average, you'll pay about £15 a person a night for a family of four...and these rates come down the longer you stay.

The end and the beginning...and everything in between

2009-08-16T20:49:00.012+01:00

I started my trip around the coast of Britain in Brighton on the 12th July, and have ended it here on the 14th August...

I've loved every minute of it. There are a couple of things that will stay with me forever:

Drinking illicit whisky with Johnny Clotworthy at Loch Ewe Distillery.

Kayaking at sunrise with Chris Wilson on Loch Torridon.

Eating fish and chips in the rain on St Ives harbour in Cornwall.

Walking through the Eden Project nearby to Penzance.

Chatting on the cliffs of Dover at Varne Ridge with Julieann Galloway, who had just swum the English Channel.

Watching the bagpipers and the fireworks under a glittering sky at the Edinburgh Tattoo.

Seeing the sharks being fed at The Deep in Hull.

Sitting alongside the ghosts of ancient Scottish kings on Dunadd Fort near Kilmartin.

The list goes on and on...I've compiled a couple of Top 5 selections, which I'll keep posting during the week...

Day 33 - England South East Coast - Dover to London - My journey ends on an inspiring note...

2009-08-16T18:20:00.007+01:00

I spent the last night of my journey on top of the cliffs of Dover at Varne Ridge Holiday Park. It's a small site with two bungalows and couple of caravan homes. It's got unrivalled views of the coast, across the channel to France. On a clear day you can see the cliffs on the continent, and at night you'll almost always see the lights.

I've been on the road now for 33 days, and have spent every night in a new town. So by the time I got to Varne Ridge, between Dover and Folkestone, I was ready for a break. And it couldn't have been a better spot to unwind and reflect on the last month of travel.

The view from Varne Ridge Holiday Park...across the channel to France. One of the finest views of my trip...click for a full screen version.

I got talking to owner and manager David Frantzeskou, and we spoke randomly and easily about the effect the ocean has on one's life. David moved with his wife Evelyn from London, leaving his job in an architectural firm. They saw the views, and bought a little house straight away. Game over.

Then they bumped into a little old lady who owned the caravan park next door, and she sold it to them...

The reason I'm telling you all this, is because David's holiday park is now the base for almost all the channel swimmers who swim the 20-odd miles across to France (and sometimes back again, and sometimes again across to France! More on this later).

Varne Ridge has become the "unofficial" official place for channel swimmers to wait for the right tide and time to make their crossing. On the walls as you drive in are the names of all the successful swimmers who've swum the distance, along with their national flag. And on the day, your national flag is raised when you come back to Varne Ridge...

David Frantzeskou at Varne Ridge Holiday Park, where most channel swimmers stay before and after they make the 21 mile crossing...every successful swimmer gets their name up on the wall.

David introduced me to Julieann Galloway, who at the wise old age of 23 had just swum the channel. She mentioned it like I mention brushing my teeth. Like "oh, I've just brushed my teeth" or "oh, I've just swum the channel". She's a Texan who's studying her PhD in Dublin, and thought she'd pop down to Dover to have a dash. For sure, she's trained in Dublin harbour right through winter, acclimatising to the cold water - but she had never swum in the ocean before 2007! And yes, she is an Olympic triallist for the 200 metres, but hey, she drove down from Dublin by herself with her dog Gibson, and now she's driving back to get on with her life. No friends, no family...just herself, her dog and 21 miles of powerful ocean currents. Talk about willpower.

Her pilot (that's the guy with the boat who follows you across, and feeds you as you go along) gave her the call at 8pm, telling her that the tide will be right at 2:40am the next morning. So it's pitch black, and Julieann says the first hour was the hardest. "I knew that once the sun comes up, I'd be fine" she said. "But swimming in the dark like that, by yourself, with another ten hours of swimming ahead...that was tough."

Her time of 9 hours 51 minutes is very respectable. Most people do it in 12 to 14 hours...including the men. The first person to do it was Captain Webb in 1875, who swam it in 21 hours 45 minutes. The record belongs to Chad Hundeby, who swam it in 1994 in 7 hours and 17 minutes...

Then there's Philip Rush, a New Zealander, who in 1987 wasn't happy swimming across the channel once, so he swam it twice, then turned around and thought he'd swim it again. He swam from England to France (7 hours 55 min), back to England (8 hours 15 min), and then back again to France (12 hours 11 minutes). His total time was 28 hours and 21 minutes...non-stop.

Think about this...up to 2009, 3000 people have climbed Everest, but only 734 have swum the channel. For sheer physical triumph, I guess the Tour de France might match swimming the channel three times. Well, for me, swimming it just once would be a superhuman achievement. Well done Julieann!!!

Channel swummer Julieann with her "pilot" who followed her in his boat, making sure she didnt' get eaten by any sharks...and no, she didn't swim naked, but she is definitely a "real" swimmer.

The next morning, after another good chat with David about the swimmers, the channel and life in general, a young girl drives out of Varne Ridge. "She's 18," says David, "and she's going to swim the channel today or tomorrow. They're programmed like robots, they're just so incredibly focused."

What were you doing when you were 18? Not sure about you, but I was falling out of pubs, chasing girls and trying to figure out what to do with my life (still am, I guess!). I certainly wasn't about to swim the English channel. People like Julieann deserve all the success they achieve...

Day 33 - England South East Coast - Dover - The "key to England"...

2009-08-16T16:53:00.005+01:00

Ask someone what comes into their heads when you say "British coast", and chances are they'll mention the white cliffs of Dover. (I think I would!?) For centuries, the cliffs were the first thing international travellers saw, arriving on passenger ships from the continent.

Today it is still a major port, with ferries leaving every few minutes to make the 21 mile crossing to France. And the best place to see them coming and going is Dover Castle, perched on the hill above town. It is a superb spot. The castle is imperious, with 270-degree views of the coast. It's been a very important military stronghold since its beginnings nine centuries ago. Indeed, it's always been known among army men as the "key to England".

Dover Castle to the left, Roman lighthouse and St Mary's Chapel in the centre, and Dover harbour to the right...click for a full screen version.

Dover Castle...

The iron age folk used it as a fort, and then the Romans built a huge lighthouse, which still stands today next to St Mary's chapel on the castle grounds. And the castle has been garrisoned continuously from 1066, when William the Conqueror built the first version of the castle, to 1958. Only the Tower of London and Windsor Castle can claim likewise.

It's a worthwhile visit. There are three things you shouldn't miss. First, Dover Castle itself. It's very well preserved...perhaps more so than any other castle I've seen on my trip. Make sure you walk to the top of the Great Tower in the centre, for fine views.

Second, St Mary's chapel next to the Roman lighthouse...the chapel is one of the oldest in the land. It's also got the best view across the channel.

And third, do the Secret Tunnel tour...

When Napoleon and the Brits locked horns in the late 1700s, the army built a vast network of tunnels underneath the castle, to house up to 2000 soldiers. No threat really materialised, but the engineers of the time could never have known how important their work was to become.

During World War II, the tunnels served as the bomb-proof command centre for Operation Dynamo. In May 1940, hundreds of thousands of Allied troops were cornered by the advancing Germans on the northern beaches of Dunkirk in France. The Britisn army's survival was at stake. The navy was tasked with getting them off the continent and back home, so they could fight another day.

From the tunnels the senior naval staff commandeered close to 700 ships, and in nine days more than 300 000 troops were rescued. The ships comprised naval vessels, fishing boats and any number of volunteer leisure boats. It came to be known as the "miracle of Dunkirk," because initially it was thought that only 90 000 troops could be rescued.

The Tunnel Tour will let you see what it was like for those naval officers, as well as the doctors and nurses that worked in the underground make-shift hospital.

Trying to look like Churchill...the Prime Minister came to Dover Castle to monitor the Battle of Britain...

Soon afterwards, the castle's tunnels were used again to monitor the Battle of Britain (July to October 1940). Winston Churchill watched the Spitfires and Hurricanes dogfight with the Luftwaffe's planes, knowing that the war's outcome depended more on this battle than perhaps any other. For it was Hitler's intent to invade Britain across the channel, landing 60 000 German soldiers on the 21st September 1940 between Dover and Brighton. The Nazi leader knew that air supremacy was crucial to the success of his naval operation, so he sent hundreds of planes across the channel to destroy the British air bases.

Three thousand British pilots in 20 squadrons were waiting for them, and the battle reached its climax on the 15th September 1940, when 85 German aircraft were destroyed or seriously damaged, and only 26 Royal Airforce planes were shot down. It was one of the turning points in the war, and led Churchill to praise his pilots with perhaps an incomparable commendation: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."

Almost 600 Allied pilots died during the Battle of Britain, and more than 800 died later in the war.

And that's why the most memorable thing you can do is visit the Battle of Britain Memorial on the coastal road between Dover and Folkestone. On top of the cliffs is a statue of a young pilot, sitting, waiting...pensive and silent, alone. He's looking out to sea, across to France...watching for German planes, ready for the call to jump into his Spitfire or Hurricane. It's a powerful experience...and brings home the sacrifice that each pilot had to make during those few weeks in 1940.

The names of all the pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain are engraved on a wall behind the statue, and nearby is "Bob", a statue of one of the squadron dogs, who's also looking attentively out to sea, waiting for his pilots to come back safely.

Dover Castle is a great visit, but the Battle of Britain Memorial is more impressive, despite it's simple design and slightly run-down state. (It's maintained by volunteer money, so make sure you donate when you're there!)

The Battle of Britain Memorial between Dover and Folkestone...

"Bob", the squadron dog...waiting for his pilots to come back from their battles above the channel.

Day 32 - England East Coast - West Mersea - "Sitting on the dock of the bay, wastin' time..."

2009-08-15T20:41:00.013+01:00

Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come
Watching the ships roll in
And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time

Otis Redding's famous song "Dock of the Bay" could have been inspired by Mersea. This island is only 70 miles from London, but it might as well be a 1000 miles. If you're looking to get away from the capital, it's a good bet. At 6pm you'll leave your desk job, sober and serious, in suit and tie, fretting over your mortgage, and by 8pm you'll end up amongst osyster farms, boozed fishermen, delapidated fishing boats and a superb sunset- all of which can be seen while sipping an ice-cold beer on the lookout deck at The Victory. And after two beers (or G&Ts), you'll want to move to Mersea to join the fishing fleet.

Although the island sits just offshore from the mainland (connected by a half-mile causeway), in a river estuary, there is a sense of separation that extends beyond the tenuous geographical isolation; the "island way" lifestyle is reassuringly disparate from that in the nearby cities and towns. It might have something to do with the pungent smell of the sandbanks when the tide goes out, or the harbour men who seem to have spent more time on the bottle than on the boat. But it's great, because it's real. After travelling through some brash and ballistic theme-park resort towns on the east coast (as fun as they are - if you're in the mood), Mersea is a dreamy reminder of how fishing villages should be.

And once again, I find people who've moved away from the madness of the cities to the "backwaters". Peter and Gill Tydie at The Victory ditched their corporate jobs in advertising and sales, and spent a "gap" year sailing the canals of France. They figured there was an alternative to an "8 to 6" day in the office, and after a spell at a pub in Hertfordshire, they bought the Victory on the shorefront in West Mersea. I have met plenty of people on my trip who have done very similar things...(are we city folk missing something here?)

The beach at Mersea...click for a full screen version. (Sorry about my shadow!)

Upstairs in the two-storeyed Victory are three decently comfortable rooms, and below is a very good contemporary restaurant (have the tuna steak salad), bar and separate sports pub. Sleep with the porch door open - the rooms look onto the many yachts and fishing boats in the harbour.

There's a good sense of humour in the service too: Peter and Gill are always up for a good chat, and the waiters and waitresses even more so. And the motto of The Victory ("a great place to sink a few") ties in nicely with the menu's battleship theme (starters are "take aim", mains are the "big guns" and desserts are "extra ammo".)

An aside...The HMS Victory was Lord Nelson's flagship which gave the French a wallop at Trafalgar - and is the oldest naval ship still in commission! It sits in a drydock in Plymouth as a museum ship...(looks like a worthwhile visit).

Mersea is famous for oysters, and The Company Shed is the most famous place on the island to eat oysters. Proudly non-chalant and low-brow in its atmosphere, this is the place to come for a fish-feast. But because the Shed is so wonderfully focused on fresh sea-food, you'll have to bring your own bread and drinks!

And coming up soon on the 22nd August is West Mersea's sailing regatta, which has been running every year since 1838...check out more info here.

Some more videos of Edinburgh Tattoo 2009...

2009-08-15T17:30:00.010+01:00

Okay, here are some more videos of the 2009 Edinburgh Tattoo! Some are up to 10 minutes long, and you'll need a decent broadband connection to view them. But they're definitely worth a look! My favourite is Swiss Top Secret Drum Corp...it's brilliant. And The Last Post with The Lone Piper is also very atmospheric. And of course the fireworks are probably one of the main reasons people go to the Tattoo.

If you are going to Edinburgh next year in August, do yourself a favour and go to the Tattoo.

Swiss Top Secret Drum Corp

RAF Massed Bands

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and Royal Regiment Band of Scotland

Fireworks display, including "God save the Queen" and "Auld Lang Syne"

"Abide with me", The Last Post and The Lone Piper

"Amazing Grace"

Highland Spring Dancers

"Going Home"

She Hou Cultural Act Xi'an from China

Burns Vocal Vignette

Traditional Bag Pipers!!

Day 31 - England East Coast - Great Yarmouth to West Mersea - The Vanishing Coast at Dunwich

2009-08-12T21:38:00.012+01:00

There's less and less to see on the east coast of England. That's because - well - the coast is actually vanishing...

Take Dunwich, between Great Yarmouth and Felixstowe, for instance. It's the most spectacular case of disappearing coastline. When the Romans pitched their tents on Dunwich's natural harbour, the coastline was almost 2 kilometres east of where it is today. (On the map below, that would be about two centimetres - on the map scale - to the right of its current location.) And imagine a twisty estuary, with a big harbour. Because there was one (even though there isn't a trace of a harbour today!), and it gave Dunwich a lot of strategic power. It was one of the few natural harbours along this coast with deep anchorage.

View Edge of Britain in a larger map

During medieval times, the town's population of 4 000 was only half that of London's. (Today it's population is only a few hundred). But the coastline was disappearing even then. In the 1000 years from the Roman arrival to the arrival of William the Conquerer in 1086, the coast had already retreated by almost one kilometre.

But no-one was complaining, because the harbour was still one of the best in the region. Dunwich continued to thrive. It was one of the ten biggest towns in Britain, and had eight churches, three chapels and two hospitals, plus close to one thousand houses.

All Saints Church in Dunwich in 1904

And the same church in 1919...

The north sea, though, kept bringing more and more shingle on its tides, twice a day. And when a storm raged for three days in 1286, a large chunk of the town was swept into the sea. Equally catastrophic for Dunwich, the harbour was partially closed by huge banks of shingle stone. Another storm in 1328 sealed it off completely. Dunwich's commercial and political power collapsed along with it's coastline - without a harbour, it was useless to traders and shipmen.

Today, all the old houses and churches have been captured by the sea, except for the last remaining ruin of All Saint's Church, whose final capitulation is inevitable.

The whole story of Dunwich is very well told in the museum of the town. Below is a snippet of a DVD entitled "Whatever Happened to Dunwich", produced by John Cary, and copyright of Dunwich Reading Room and Museum. The DVD is sold for £4.95, and can be bought at the museum or from John Cary Studios.

Right next to the museum is The Ship, a pub and inn that serves very good food. It's not the usual burger and chips - you'll get a freshly-made, diverse menu.

About ten minutes from Dunwich is Minsmere Nature Reserve, one of the leading birding spots in Britain. You can see more than 300 species of birds - check out the seasonal highlights.

Day 30 - England East Coast - Cleethorpes & Skegness - Theme park theatrics...

2009-08-11T21:48:00.010+01:00

Compared to a lot of other scenery I've been fortunate to see in Britain, the Lincolnshire coast is not very eventful. It's mostly flat, with few big drawcards...

One of the "nicest" little towns is probably Cleethorpes, which is small, simple, clean and - yes - "nice" (it really is the best way to describe it). I stayed there with Tudor Terrace Guest House, and had a good dinner at Signtaure Restaurant down the road. Kids will enjoy the coastal light steam railway nearby...it's a miniature train that goes up and down the coast. The Discovery Centre on the sea front has extensive views of the Humber Estuary.

Check out the Lincolnshire tourism website for more things to do in the area.

Go further south to the theme parks at Skegness. Do so entirely at your own risk, because your kids will chain you to the roundabout and throw away the key. It's a galactical law that all kids love theme parks, and if Skegness were a planet, kids would be in charge. Be prepared for anything and everything...Skegness is raw. I wouldn't recommend it for Vuitton-brandishing Londoners - for the rest of normal humanity, it could be the most fun we've had for a long time.

I have never seen so many happy people in one place.

Day 29 - English East Coast - Yorkshire - Bridlington and Hull - Finding the gems...

2009-08-10T22:38:00.007+01:00

One of the interesting things about my trip (so far) is that I had no idea what to expect before I started. I'd never travelled to the coast of Britain. For sure, I knew something about the areas I was going to travel to. But names were just names, and I didn't associate "good" or "bad" with any of them. And because I'd booked into towns quite randomly, without knowing too much about them, I've been exposed to a wide range of travel experiences.

I've seen some places which at first don't look very enticing, and then - on digging a bit deeper - I've found one or two things which redeem the area.

Bridlington is one of these places. In it's Georgian heydey, it was one of the most visited towns on the coast of Britain...thanks in part to its sophisticated cultural scene. However, it's not a naturally pretty spot. Bridlington wouldn't rank too highly on my list of "The Most Beautiful Places on the British Coast That I've Seen". (I'm going to compile one at the end of my trip.) The beach is brown, and the sea not as colourful as other spots I've seen. The town's buildings are not as quiant and lovingly cared-for, and the geography of the area doesn't lend itself to panoramic, elevated views.

So when air-travel in the 50s kicked in, the wealthier folk who usually flocked to Bridlington ended up travelling further afield to Europe...and the town lost its lustre.

Bridlington in its prime...

There is one thing though, which might make Bridlington famous for you. The Spa (not a health spa) is a small music venue that has hosted every single rock band since the 1950s. And it continues to do so, with Oasis, Travis, Kasabian, White Stripes, Placebo and Beautiful South all playing recently.

In the old days, only the Beatles never played at The Spa. Otherwise, all the other big names did...The Rolling Stones, The Who, Cliff Richard (big name?!?)...they all did. And thanks to this musical history, modern acts use Bridlington Spa as the venue for their one "intimate" performance. This August, Oasis is playing at Wembley to 40 000 people, and the week after they are coming to Bridlington to play to 3 500 people...the only small venue to be used by them on their tour.

With all due respect to Bridlington, you'd never expect to find a music - and theatre - venue of this high quality. It's the best thing about the town - so check out the Spa's website for upcoming music and theatre shows.

The view from Rags Hotel & Restaurant, where I stayed in Bridlington. Rags is right on the harbour.

Just north of Bridlington at Flamborough is a lighthouse tour...it's a stock-standard offering, however it is fun if you've got a rainy afternoon to spare. And it's educational for kids (and adults!) interested in maritime matters. For me, the technology is fascinating. The lens weighs 3,5 tons, yet is powered by two small electric motors; because the lens rests on half a ton of frictionless mercury, it can swivel around with the minimum of force. And because there are 500 different prisms in the lens, only a 1000 watt bulb is required to emit a light beam that extends about 45 kilometres out to sea (essentially to the horizon).

The Flamborough Lighthouse near Bridlington...

Futher south in Hull, The Deep is the biggest - and best - tourism attraction in the region. It's an award-winning aquarium which is not only fun and informative, but also scientifically respected (The Deep's marine biologists have been invited by the Cousteau Organisation to study marine life in the Red Sea.)

The highlight of The Deep would probably be the 10 metre-deep shark tank, in which divers periodically feed the 50 rays, sharks and other big fish (check out the video below). But there's so much else to see that it'd be hard to choose. After seeing some pretty shoddy aquariums on my trip (eg. dirty tanks, lack of educational info), The Deep is a bright blue star. It's a super slick experience, and one I'd trust to educate my niece properly about marine conservation. You could easily spend a whole morning here - just try and avoid the crowds, because it can get very congested.

The Shark Tank at The Deep in Hull....

And divers feeding the sharks...

Day 29 - English East Coast - Northumberland & Yorkshire - The unexpected coast...

2009-08-10T22:16:00.003+01:00

This part of the British coast is not well-known. While the Scottish west coast, Cornwall and the South Coast are more popular, the Northumberland and North Yorkshire Coast is strangely not. That's because it has a reputation for being wild, windy, and bleak. But there are some gems along the way...

There are three castles that should be visited, if you're a castle fan: Bamburgh Castle on the Northumbrian Coast, the dramatic Dunstanburgh surrounded by cliffs, and the polyagonal Warkworth Castle further south.

For pretty towns, it's hard to beat Whitby (lorded over by the imposing ruins of Whitby Abbey), the tiny fishing village of Staithes (situated along a narrow inlet) and finally Scarborough (the original and most famous Georgian sea-side resort).

Whatever you do, please check out Holy Island (also called Lindisfarne). It's just south of the Scottish border near Berwick-upon-Tweed, and is home to a Tudor fortress which once housed the Lindisfarne Gospels, considered at the time to be the most beautiful book in the world (!). (The original book is now in the British Library).

Day 27 & 28 - Scotland East Coast - Edinburgh - Things to do over a weekend...

2009-08-10T21:03:00.005+01:00

Edinburgh deserves its reputation as one of Europe's best cities to visit. It's small enough to walk around and see the best bits. It's hilly topography- and the castle's position high up in the centre of town - makes Scotland's capital one of the more beautiful cities in Britain. And it's vibrant combination of medieval history and contemporary culture ensures that there is something for everyone.

Most of the city is a World Heritage Site, thanks to it's colourful and pertinent history, as well as it's ancient and modern architecture. And it is also home to the queen's Scotland residence - Holyroodhouse.

For a complete list of what to do, check out the official website.

Here are a couple of must-do's.

- Visit the castle, and make sure you do the tours, which are free and last about 15 minutes. You'll get an entertaining and fascinating insight into Scotland, the Scots, Edinburgh...and how Edinburgh Castle has often been central to them. The castle is more than just an impressive building. It houses the "Honours of Scotland" - the ancient crown and spectre of the Scottish kingdom. And the castle is home to St Margaret's Chapel, built in 1130, and the oldest building in the region.

But perhaps my favourite part was the Scottish National War Memorial. The name of every single Scot who died in the world wars (as well as smaller, yet no less significant wars, such as the Anglo Boer war in South Africa) is documented in large registry books...more than 200 000 names are listed, and include date of birth, death and cause of death. And for those who died unknown, there is an adjoining memorial...

- Walk up Arthur's Seat. This 250 metre-high hill is in the middle of the city, and gives great views across the city. Romantics will believe that the name derives from King Arthur, but skeptics will probably agree that it comes from "Archers' Seat", alluding to it's strong defensive position. Both Arthur's Seat and Edinburgh Castle are built on extinct remnants of ancient volcanoes. Take a picnic with you, and enjoy the sunset...

- Explore the haunted past. As Edinburgh expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries, buildings were built upon other buildings, and eventually a network of subterranean passages were formed. Initially they were used as storerooms, but during economic depressions they were used as homes by the poor migrants arriving in the city. During the black plague in the late 1600s, it is believed that the majority of the ill lived in the area around Mary King's Close, a street in the "Old Town". The medieval authorities took the decision to board up the area, trapping the sickly and letting them die within the compound. Plenty of paranormal and haunted tales have been recorded...so scare the living daylights out of your kids and do the Real Mary King's Close tour.

Below are photos from the Tattoo, when the castle is lit up with various efffects...

Scotland Coast - Some panoramics...

2009-08-10T18:10:00.004+01:00

Here are some more panoramics from my trip along the Scottish coast...click on each image for full screen version.

Field near Thurso, north Scotland coast...

Derelict farm house on hill near Durness on the north Scotland coast.

Elgin Cathedral in Elgin, east of Inverness.

Dunnotar Castle near Stonehaven on the east coast of Scotland.

Day 27 & 28 - Scotland East Coast - Edinburgh - The famous Tattoo

2009-08-09T19:09:00.005+01:00

Every year in August, Edinburgh turns into the world's festival city. The International Festival is all about the old classics: operas, orchestras, ballet and dance. The opening concert, for instance, is Handel's Judas Maccabaeus, and lasts more than three hours.

The Fringe Festival is the modern version, including comedy, modern dance, cabaret and contemporary musicals. Shows range from "Porn - The Musical" to the dance show "Love Machines", and from "Soweto Gospel Choir" to the theatre show "My Darling Clemmie", which is the theatre story of Clementine Churchill, Winston's wife.

The Fringe is - according to some stats - the biggest tourist attraction in the UK, although I don't know how they work that out. But it is huge, with hundreds of shows over the whole month of August. The traditional International Festival runs from 14th August to 5th September. Across both festivals, I doubt that anyone from anywhere won't be able to find something to enjoy.

The most spectacular individual event in August, though, is probably the Military Tattoo (which forms part of the International Festival). This music and light show is set against the backdrop of the 12th century castle in the middle of Edinburgh. Various military bands from around the world play a two-hour show every night for three weeks, regardless of the weather.

Although it obviously has a militaristic theme, it's more a tribute and memorial to those in the armed forces. Hundreds of bagpipers start and end the show, while in between, bands from other nations - as diverse as Tonga, China and Switzerland - show off their impression of military music. Each act has its own special lighting effects on the castle, and the fireworks display at the end is probably half the reason why people watch the Tattoo.

The really short videos below are off the official Edinburgh Tattoo website, and intended to give you a taste. However, I've recorded almost the whole show from the weekend, so the file sizes are really large...and I'll upload them once I find a really quick Internet Connection. !

And in case you're wondering (like I was), why it's called "Tattoo", it comes from the 17th century, when drummers would march through town, signalling to their fellow soldiers - who were enjoying their ales in the pubs - to head back to barracks. The inn-keepers would then shout out: "Doe den tap toe" (Turning off the taps).

Even if you're no fan of military themed shows...take a look at the videos, and see what you think.

Day 26 - Scotland East Coast - Stonehaven - Dunnotar Castle rescued by Braveheart! And other dramatic things like the invention of pneumatic tyre.

2009-08-07T09:17:00.018+01:00

Travel is all about random experiences, spontaneous and serendipitous. It's probably why people travel - to get away from the expected and controlled, and stumble across things that we never thought we would. Maybe it's got something to do with our ancient past as nomadic hunters and gatherers...

So Stonehaven, for me, was one of these. It's a seemingly straightforward, pretty coastal town on the east coast of Scotland. A small beach, sleepy main street, laid-back locals, some innocuously pleasant scenery. You drive into it, and say to yourself: "Nice", rather than "Cool!". But it's got a couple of more-than-nice surprises.

First up, Dunnotar Castle, about two miles to the south of the town's centre. Perched on a cliffed-promontory about 50 metres into the North Sea, the ruins are joined to the mainland by a low-flung stone causeway. There hasn't always been a castle on top, but it's been an important site of defence since 681 AD. And since then, it's had a history worthy of an action-packed film.

Dunnotar Castle, scene of Braveheart's "incineration" of the English in 1297, and now a somewhat more pleasant scene...click on the image for a full screen version.

Given its formidable natural setting, it would be very difficult to attack the castle. Well, except for William Wallace, the highland warrior leader who was celebrated in the film Braveheart by Mel Gibson. In 1297, he captured the castle from the English, whom we know - from the film - he hated intensely. And he did indeed, because once Willy's men had rounded up the English in the castle's church, he incinerated them by burning down the wooden enclosure in which he had imprisoned them. (By the way, Mel Gibson ended up shooting some of the scenes of the movie Hamlet at Dunnotar in 1990.)

In 1651, Oliver Cromwell's republican forces laid seige to the castle, to try and steal the Scottish Crown Jewels, but a priest's wife smuggled them out, and for some time they were hid in a small church to the south of Stonehaven.

It's open all year round, and - surprise! - it doesn't cost anything to visit. It's the first time on my trip that I've been able to visit a site of such historical importance, and not have to pay. And for me, at least, it's the most dramatic I've seen. So you must visit it.

We go now from the sublimbe to the mildly boring (at least in terms of any more potential Mel Gibson action flicks!). Stonehaven was the birthplace of Robert William Thomson, the inventor of the pneumatic tyre (and fountain pen!). So if it wasn't for Stonehaven, we'd all still be using horses to get around, and carving words into stone. Even a dramatic castle can't compete with RW Thomson.

Then, make a note of Carron Restaurant. It's an art-deco restaurant, situated on the town's little river, and is owned and run by the Cleavers. Robert is the chef and wife Jackie is the manager. They served me plenty of smoked salmon, even though it wasn't on the menu, and the mains of seatrout was fresh. They were friendly too, and just pleased to serve me a good meal. If you've got kids, and the restaurant is a bit quiet, Robert will take your kids into the kitchen, and let them put their own toppings onto their pizzas!

In fact, everyone I bumped into in Stonehaven was friendly. Especially Liz Molloy at The Beach View B&B, where I stayed. When I arrived earlier than expected, she was playing at Edzell Golf Course (which, interestingly, has a "bunker" on the 1st hole which was created by a German bomb, dropped during Second World War - and now called "Hitler's Bunker"!) She rushed back to set me up in the main room that looks over Stonehaven's beach. I slept with the window open all night, and the seawater flowed into my ears all night - audibly that is.

The sea-view room at The Beach View...

The Beach View only has two rooms, so you feel like it's your own holiday home. Liz is laid-back but attentive, and there are nice touches like binoculars in the rooms to see the birdlife - and occasionaly dolphins! - on the beach right in front of her property.

And then there's Jenna at the tourism information centre on Allardice street. She's generally fantastic. After talking to her, you'll feel like she's reason enough to visit Stonehaven.

A few other things that will keep you in Stonehaven for more than two nights:

- The Stonehaven Golf course runs along the coast, and is accordingly very scenic

- Visiting Cowie Shore to the north of town...only because it was there that the world's-oldest fossil of any air-breathing creature was found! (For the record, it's called Pneumodesmus Newmani.)

- Just south of town is a War Memorial, which is partly unfinished and ruined - intentionally so - to represent the unfinished and ruined lives of those men of Stonehaven killed during the world wars.

Cameron Clan Gathering in Achnacarry - some more videos

2009-08-07T08:45:00.005+01:00

As promised, here are some more music vidoes from the Cameron Clan Gathering in Achnacarry, which I attended last week while staying near Spean Bridge at Corriegour Lodge Hotel. It was a real privilege to attend the gathering - not least because of the Gaelic music.

The Gaelic spoken in the Scottish highlands is grouped with the Irish and Manx Gaelic, and these are descended from Old Irish. They are also different to Welsh and Cornish. Some folk call it Scottish, which is different from the Scots Language, called Lallan, which is spoken in the lowlands, and is derived from Old English. Unfortunately, only about 1% of Scotland's residents speak it, and unlike Welsh, which is taught in schools, Scottish Gaelic isn't. So any celebration of it's use (whether music or just spoken) is something special.

Day 25 - Scotland East Coast - From Thurso to Inverness - Dunrobin Castle - Hundreds of dead African animals, and some fantastic live ones

2009-08-06T11:11:00.008+01:00

The weather continues to hold. And I got sunburnt today (the weather gods' revenge on my previous complaints), while watching a falconry display at Dunrobin Castle, between Thurso and Inverness. The 13th century castle has been amended and extended, so that today it is more of a very large, grand and ornate manor house.But the spirit of the castle still persists, given it's imposing height and architecture, position on a steep hill, and fantastic gardens. It was one of the highlights of my trip. Do yourself a favour, and go see it.

But the undoubted highlight is the display of falconer Andy Hughes and his birds of prey on the lower lawns of the castle. He gives a superb exhibition with his hawk, falcon and barn owl. Displayed in succession, each bird's characteristics and behaviour comes to the fore. Andy moves between the audience, and the birds fly low over their heads, and sometimes - in the owl's case - land on someone's head.

But the birds are wild. They simply allow Andy to feed them on an ask-and-reward system. So each time they fly back to Andy's hand, he gives them a piece of raw chicken. However, if he stopped feeding them, they'd happily fly off and find their own food.

You get to see the birds right up close, and Andy's knowledge is extensive, and he puts on a great show as well. You will be thoroughly entertained and educated. A must-do. Please don't miss it, so find out more at the Dunrobin Castle website. Also in his ranks, but not displayed to our audience today, are other birds such as the golden eagle, which can be viewed in the garden as well on their open-air perches.

Also at Dunrobin Castle is the museum of the Earl of Sutherland's hunting exploits in the 19th century in Africa. Be prepared for some disturbing viewing. There are hundreds of stuffed heads of once proud and beautiful African animals...from giraffe, to elephants, to buffalo, to the smallest animal and the largest. It's not for everyone, but it is a shocking reminder of how precious the remaining populations of wild animals are.

I then moved on to Inverness, and couldn't find any accommodation (it was the first night I hadn't planned in advance). During peak holiday season, make sure you don't make the same mistake. I eventually looked up on LastMinute.com, and found a spot overlooking Loch Ness, about 20 minutes inland from Inverness. Craigdarroch has great views of the loch - rooms are very spacious and comfortable. The food needs some attentions (my Thai Curry was rice and sauce - for £13!), but it may have been a one-off mishap. But it's a very relaxed atmosphere for such a grand building and location, and the South African owners keep a convivial bar where guests can carouse until the late hours.

Dunrobin Castle on the way from Thurso to Inverness. Click for a full screen version.

Dunrobin's museum of dead African animals, shot by the Earl of Sutherland during the 19th Century. If you're an animal lover, this might be too much for you.

Andy Hughes gives a superb "falconry" display at Dunrobin, which shouldn't be missed. He demonstrates various birds' (including the above barn owl) behaviourial characteristics, in a highly entertaining and educating display. Don't miss it!

Day 24 - Scotland North Coast - Thurso & Mey - People at the end of the island

2009-08-06T10:21:00.009+01:00

Have you ever been somewhere remote? (I hope so!). Now think of someone who lives there. What do you think of them?

My experience is that some of the nicest people live the furthest from cities and towns. Funny how we spend our whole lives working busily to earn the right to slow down and live a simple life. Some folk get straight to the good stuff, and forego the ratrace.

Chris and Karen van Rooyen run a small B&B called Creag-na-Mara, within stone's throw (okay, probably a superhero's javelin throw) of Dunnet Head. According to the map, they live in the village of East Mey, to the east of Thurso. But that's just the map. In reality, the village doesn't exist (at least not in the way we think of a village), and their views extend over wheat fields and the north sea. To the left is Dunnet Head, and up ahead are the Orkney Islands.

Karen taught me a new word today: "Haar". It's the Scottish word for "thick, misty haze that is blown in strongly from the sea and stops you from seeing anything further than a few hundred metres away." I experienced "haar" in it's full glory when I visited Dunnet Head that evening. The wind was pumping, the sky so hazy I couldn't see the Island of Stroma (click to see on Google Map), hardly two kilometres off-shore.

Dunnet Head on the evening I visited. The above belies the howling wind and thick haze...the sun is almost blotted out. Despite being perched on the cliffs, about 100 metres above sea level, the lighthouse's windows have been broken by rocks flung up by waves and wind during storms. Click for full screen version.

Anyway, the Van Rooyens are proof that you don't need to have high-speed broadband to be happy. So for once, I couldn't upload any content to my blog, and probably better off for it. Instead, Chris and Karen got chatting to me, and we chatted some more...and then we stared out the windows, and stared some more. They've got 270 degree views of the farm fields, and in the distance, Dunnet Head.

Chris is a former traffic warden who loves laughing, and Karen used to work as a commercial property lawyer who swapped the courts for the cows of the north coast of Scotland. "We thought we could live a better life up here...more simply," said Chris.

The next morning there wasn't a sniff of "haar". So I headed back to Dunnet Head to see if it could show a softer side. Well, it did, and here's the proof below. The distant island to the right of the photo is Stroma Island, which I couldn't see the evening previously because of the haze...

Dunnet Head the following morning, when the sun was shining and the "haar" had disappeared. Click for full screen version.

The view from Creag-na-Mara B&B's lounge. To the right in the distance is Dunnet Head. Click for full screen versioin.

Cameron Clan Gathering in Achnacarry - videos

2009-08-06T00:48:00.001+01:00

I've finally managed to find a decent Internet connection in northern Scotland! I'm staying at Craigdarroch House, which looks out over Loch Ness. I made the mistake of not booking any accommodation in advance in Inverness - during peak holiday season. Bad idea. I spent three hours knocking on B&B doors, and got into a hostel, only to find that I was going to share a dorm with six teenage Slovakian guys, who - the receptionist told me - had a knack of going crazy at 3 in the morning.

So, with plenty of Megabytes flowing here, I've uploaded one of the music videos from the Cameron Clan Gathering, which I attended when I stayed at Corriegour Lodge Hotel. Give it a listen, but it's a big file, so make sure you've got high-speed Internet access. I'll upload some more in the coming days.

Day 24 - Scotland North Coast - Durness to Thurso - It's a wonderful world up north (when the sun shines!)

2009-08-05T23:09:00.012+01:00

The photography gods must have heard my complaining about the rain spoiling my chance of decent pics. Not that they'd care, but the sun's been shining down hard on northern Scotland. After leaving Eddrachilles Hotel near Scourie, I've had nothing but HOT weather. Okay, not 30 degrees hot, but certainly 25 degrees. Which is hot for these parts.

The north coast of Scotland is not given much press. I've done quite a bit of research, and the west coast gets most of the limelight. But what I've seen so far has been fantastic. Okay, the weather does help. And I'm sure every spot on earth is nicer when the sun's shining. But the northern Scottish coast is definitely worth a visit.

Here's why: It's remote. It's largely unpopulated. Distances between towns are long. Villages are very, very small (a few houses at most). And it's beautiful. The highest cliffs in Britain are along the north coast of Scotland, and there are many secluded coves which have turquoise water (when the sun shines). Although the H2O is still quite cold for swimming, the beaches could be in the Mediterranean. But it's all about the weather...So, things to put on your itinerary:

- Durness (click to see on Google map). It's got a nice atmosphere...very holidayish. And a great beach (see the panaromic pic I took).

- Dunnet Head (click to see on Google map), the northern most point on the mainland. It's everything you'd expect of a northern extremity. There are cliffs 100 metres high, wind strong enough to blow the hair out of your head and supreme views out to the islands to the north. Certainly more impressive than I expected. Don't miss it.

- The Castle of Mey, east of Thurso. It was the summer home of the late Queen Mother, and now Charlie spends his summers there. So it's open all of summer, except in August, when the prince comes up to get away from the paparrazi down south.

- Pulteney Distillery, in Wick, to the east of Mey. It's one of the most northerly distilleries, and you can bottle your own wizzos.

On the road from Scourie to Durness...typical highland mountain scenery (click to enlarge)

The beach at Durness...when the sun's shining, it looks tropical (click to enlarge).

Day 23 - Scotland North West Coast - Scourie - The forgotten corner of Scotland...

2009-08-05T21:14:00.010+01:00

Richard Flannery from Eddrachilles Hotel told me that only 4 000 people live in the area from Lochinver to Tongue, an area of about 2 500 square kilometres. It's probably the least populated area of mainland Britain. It incorporates the dramatic Cape Wrath (click to see on Google Map), the most north westerly point, which also has the highest cliffs in the UK. There's no road to the point, so you have to take a ferry across the Kyle of Durness, and then there's a minibus service to the point. Find out more about the transport options at this website...

Near Scourie is Handa Island, an important bird sanctuary. It hosts some 200 000 birds, including arctic skuas and puffins. It's managed by Scottish Wildlife Trust, so get in touch with them to organise a trip out to the island.

Also nearby is Eas-coul-Aulin, the highest waterfall in Britain at about 200 metres. It's not really a true waterfall, more of a very high cascade! Check out some photos here.

Don't forget to just drive...the roads around these parts offer mindblowing views. The photo below is of Loch Glencoul. There's a memorial to 39 submariners who during 1943 were trained here to bomb German war frigates.

Typically, two divers in full scuba gear would sit astride a 500 pound bomb, called somewhat euphemistically a "chariot". They guided their propella-powered "chariot" underneath the Nazi ship, and attached the bomb to the hull. Then they swam away, and detonated it soon after. The memorial reads: "The silent hills remember the young men who were trained in these wild and beautiful waters."

Loch Glencoul on the way to Scourie, where submariners were trained during the Second World War.

This is a small bay near Scourie...I walked into a random sheep field, headed for the coast, and twenty minutes later found this pretty place.

The view from the bottom of Eddrachilles Hotel's garden.

Day 23 - Scotland West Coast - Scourie - Loch land supreme...

2009-08-04T09:40:00.008+01:00

As I got closer to Scourie, the earth started flirting with me...and then it became something of a serious relationship. I've gone on before about how beautiful Scotland is, but it does seem that the further north you go, the better it becomes. So don't fall in love down south...you'll find true romance up north.

Here are some pics I took...they don't do the land much justice, so make sure you get to see for yourself this "forgotten corner of Scotland", as Richard Flannery of Eddrachilles Hotel likes to say proudly. I stayed at his fantastic hotel near Scourie...it is a real find. And perhaps one of the best values of my trip so far. Rates at £48 are very reasonable, considering the remote area, the standard of the service and rooms, as well as the superb food, cooked by Isabelle, Richard's French wife. I can't recommend Eddrachilles too highly. Get here. One of my nicest stays so far.

View of Ardvreck Castle...click to enlarge. This castle was built in the 15th Century by the MacLeods of Assynt (the name of the area). Some say that it's haunted...during the siege of the castle by the MacKenzies, the daughter of the MacLeod chief promised to marry the devil if he spared her father from the MacKenzie warriors. She then drowned herself in the loch once she realised the implications...

And another one of Ardvreck...click to enlarge

Another view on route to Scourie from Torridon...click to enlarge

And another...click to enlarge

And one more...click to enlarge

Day 23 - Scotland West Coast - Scourie - Make your own illicit whisky, bathing admirals and finding dolphins

2009-08-04T08:08:00.014+01:00

I’ve been tempted by the tours at the established whisky distilleries, but for some reason I haven’t done one. Maybe it’s because I’ve always thought of whisky being made in the middle of nowhere, on the outer mudflats of the outer isles, by grumpy old Scotsmen whose accents are indiscernible. For the big brand whiskies, there are pamphlets galore in all the tourist centres, and here's a good website for twelve of the best-known.

So when I drove into the slightly delapidated village of Drumchork, and saw the humble sign pointing to Loch Ewe Distillery, partly hidden by some brush, I thought..."perfect!" And it turned out to be one of my top random experiences of the trip so far – and owner Johnny Clotworthy one of the best characters I’ve met.

Johnny used to be in the fire brigade, and his wife a property developer. They wanted to do something different, so they bought an hold hotel with a big garage and started making whisky, illicitly. Seriously. Well, not illegally, but Johnny makes whisky in the old-age tradition, when whisky was prohibited, more than 200 years ago.

He uses small stills and casks, and simple distillation techniques. All housed in an old garage. But if you're thinking that the bigger, flashier distilleries are making better whisky...then think again. Because Johnny's been on the judge's panel for Whisky Magazine, and in 2004 he was voted by the Scottish Licence Trade Association as Whisky Ambassador for the UK...which makes him the most knowledgeable whisky lover on the island which invented whisky.

And his adjacent hotel, which he runs with his wife Frances, was voted Whisky Hotel of the Year in 2001 and in 2006. They stock hundreds of different whiskies.

Best of all, though, for people who love whisky: Johnny runs a course where you can learn to make whisky yourself, under his expert guidance. Sign up here! As Johnny says of the course: "If you’re not Scottish by birth by the end of this experience you will certainly be Scottish at heart!"

"Scotland Forever" reads one of Johnny Clotworthy's tatoos on his arm. He is the UK's top whisky expert, recently voted Whisky Ambassador for the UK.

Loch Ewe Distillery near Drumchork...

After sipping on a few whisky samples with Johnny, I drove on to Scourie, one of the classic highland routes. Because of the rain yesterday I missed some great scenery, but today the sun was breaking through the clouds, and it revealed a smorgasbord of photogenic opportunities - landscape and people.

I drove past Kathy and her friend "Addy" (stands for Admiral). She was walking her bull alongside the road, taking him for a bath - both of them happier than ever.

Kathy taking "Addy" for a bath...

Another nice surprise was the Gairloch Marine Wildlife Centre and Cruises...they were fully booked, so I couldn't get onto one of their boats for a wildlife tour. But owner Sam French was super friendly, and they have a great visitor centre, with great views (they are presently building a look-out deck). Sam's husband is the guide as well as a qualified marine biologist, and is consistently involved in cetacean research around Gairloch. On the cruises you could see dolphins, whales, porpoises, basking sharks, seals and most seabirds - if you're lucky, hopefully a white-tailed or golden eagle.

Pic courtesy of Gairloch Marine Wildlife Cruises

Day 22 - Scotland West Coast - Torridon - Outdoor heaven

2009-08-04T08:02:00.007+01:00

I stayed at The Torridon Inn, which is grouped with the more luxurious The Torridon, a very-high-end manor house with commensurate prices.

The Inn, though, is nice and low key, with functional, clean rooms, and the service and food are great – it was the AA Pub of the Year for 2008. The scenery is the star, though. It overlooks Loch Torridon, and across the water is the small hamlet of the same name. And everything is dwarfed by the mountain of Liathach, at over 1000 metres...which isn’t any higher than other mountains around here, except the highest point isn’t more than a few hundred metres from the loch’s water level. The gradient is impressive.

Loch Torridon...The Torridon Inn and Hotel gaze across this body of water...click image to enlarge.

Torridon’s Chris Wilson woke me up at 4am in the morning, and took my kayaking on the loch. No wind, orange sunrise, still water, looming mountains across the loch...it was worth the early rise. Soon the wind picked up though, and clouds drifted over. The weather can change very quickly, Chris explained. There is no protection between Torridon and the Atlantic. And the wind funnels through the mountains...it’s the start of the wild north of Scotland, which culminates at Cape Wrath, the most north-westerly point on mainland Britain.

Scotland seems to pride itself on adventure activities, and it’s a good call. Compared to the English coast, and parts of the Welsh coast, Scotland’s lochs and hills are practically unexplored. And the sheep and cows can’t get onto the steep slopes (most of the time) – something which will please true wilderness lovers. No matter how much I loved Wales, for instance, there always seemed to be a dry-stone wall half way up the mountain, or a farm field where there should have been indigenous flora.

In Scotland, there’s a bigger sense of the wild. And it makes mountain-biking, kayaking, walking and climbing that much more special. Just knowing that you can set off for a whole day on your mountain bike, and not see anyone else, is a powerful currency in the UK, where 50 million people inhabit England to the south. In Scotland, there are only 5 million people for a country that’s almost as big.

The Torridon is one of the few accommodation spots that offer the whole gamut of activities. And it makes things a bit easier if you don’t have your own gear, or if you’re new to the area, and want an introduction from someone who knows what they’re doing. Prices are a bit high for the usual things like walking, but for things like kayaking, you are kitted out with everything, including waterproof gear.

For a comprehensive guide to the adventure activities in this beautiful land, check out Visit Scotland's adventure website.

Day 22 - Scotland West Coast - Torridon - Rain but beautiful

2009-08-04T07:47:00.004+01:00

Christian Drew from Corriegour Lodge Hotel had told me how beautiful the drive on the A87 north from Corriegour to Torridon was going to be. The road takes you through some quintessential highland scenery, past 10 lochs (called Lochy, Garry, Loyne, Cluanie, Duich, Alsh, Carron, Kishorn, Damh and finally – phew! - Torridon). You drive through the Glenshie Mountains pass – on either side are at least 15 “peaks” of around 1000 metres. Click to see on my Google Map.

It is wild, windswept, dramatic land...and to all these qualities, you could add rainy. Because it rained hard, and the water vapour was cruel – it let me see the outlines of a fantastic landscape, but no more. It was like watching a classic movie, but with a scrambled signal reception...you know it’s a great movie, you can hear the actors and make out some of the scenes, so you watch anyway – but you’re probably better off not watching at all, because it’s so frustrating.

I felt like this while driving to Torridon. For every drop of rain that fell, my photographer’s heart broke a little more. I could imagine how wonderful it must be to photograph this area when the sun shines. Maybe next time...

I got to the famously photogenic Eilean Donan Castle, hoping that The Big Photographer Upstairs would throw me a favour, but it was raining even harder...so please would you visit it for me? If you look at the photos of Eilean Donan, you’ll understand why I wished it was going to be sunny! It’s a superb-looking, movie-star castle. Don’t miss it.

Eilean Donan Castle...

The other must-do itinerary tick is Plockton village, an out-of-the-way, yet popular spot that’s in all the guide books for its white-washed houses. Click here to see where it is on my Google Map.

Day 21 - Scotland West Coast - Kinlochleven - Climbing ice...and mysteries on Ben Nevis

2009-08-02T20:18:00.008+01:00

Before leaving Kinlochleven, I dropped by Ice-Factor, the climbing facility where visitors can learn how to climb on traditional indoor walls, but also on the unique ice-wall, which is kept cool inside a massive refrigerator about the size of a mini-warehouse. I took some video – check it out (will upload as soon as I find a good Internet connection in the Highlands!). Very cool (bad pun I know!)

Climbing on the ice wall at Ice Factor in Kinlochleven...

I also bumped into the Knight family from Northern Ireland, who were trying out the ice-wall. I got talking, and they had walked up Ben Nevis the day before (they said it was very busy on the route up – peak season.) Anyway, father Steve had taken some photos of the very rare and mysterious Brocken Spectres. Essentially, when conditions are exactly right, a strange halo of rainbow colours surrounds the shadow of a person. Check out the photos they took...

A Brocken spectre, taken by the Knight family on Ben Nevis...

Day 21 - Scotland West Coast - Spean Bridge - The gathering of the clan

2009-08-02T20:11:00.003+01:00

After dinner, I was sent on my way to the clan gathering of the Camerons. Bear with me for a moment, while I dish out a bit of history (which may well need a bit of fine-tuning!)...in the 1740s, the Cameron Clan sided with the exiled Scottish king, and when he returned to British shores, the Cameron clan immediately threw their support in his direction. For that, though, they paid a heavy price. The English and their Scottish allies routed the Scottish loyalists, and the Cameron clan was particularly hard hit.

So once very eight years, descendants of the original Cameron clan gather in Achnacarry at the estate of the Lochiel of the Camerons – essentially the modern-day chief of the clan. A few hundred people spend four days in activities, music, socialising and dining.

I was fortunate enough to listen to some of the Gaelic music on the last evening of the gathering. There is poor Internet access up here in the highlands, and it makes uploading my videos from last night difficult, but as soon as I find a WiFi hotspot, I'll upload the lot...they are great! The videos include excellent bagpipe and Gaelic music, as well as informal renditions of popular Gaelic folk songs by the son of the Lochiel of the Camerons...as well as a great joke by the Lochiel of Cameron, about a drunk Scotsman (You’ll have to listen to it for yourself!)

Day 21 - Scotland West Coast - Spean Bridge - Scottish summers! And warm people...

2009-08-02T14:31:00.010+01:00

From Kinlochleven deep in the mountains, just south of Ben Nevis, I took a day's drive around the area to the west of Fort William, towards Mallaig. The scenery is the same - monotonously beautiful. After a while, you're so inured to it that you have to remind yourself that this is some of the most atmospheric landscape in Britain.

But you don't have to drive this route...rather take the steam train Jacobite, which was voted as one of the most beautiful train rides in the world. It takes you from Fort William to Mallaig on the west coast, and back again. It's about a two hour ride either direction.

And certainly the summer rain adds to the moodiness of things. It's been a bad spell of weather the last few days. If it’s not rainy, the mist smothers the mountain tops. But I think I’ve just been unlucky, because I have come across other visitors who say that they’ve had glorious weather elsewhere in the Highlands. But do be prepared for rain during a Scottish summer. As one weather presenter commented on BBC Scotland, when giving the dire forecast for the week ahead: “This is Scotland, ya know!” Check out the BBC's weather forecast for Scotland, and you'll get an idea.

But, so what if it was raining?! It's part of the deal. And the Scots are famous for their warm hospitality - I've found that they've been wonderful, and I met one of the most welcoming and warm Scottish people at Corriegour Lodge Hotel, just a few miles north of Fort William and Spean Bridge, and only about 50 metres from Loch Lochy. Owner Christian Drew - a true blue Scottish lady - is crazily enthusiastic about her Scottish heritage, and it’ll rub off on you to the extent that you’re ready to don a kilt and eat haggis for the rest of your life.

Corriegour used to be an old hunting lodge, now a laidback-luxury, family-run spot, locally renowned for its owners’ passion and award-winning food. It’s perfectly suited to keeping warm and cosy. There’s a smooth, silent feel inside Corriegour, except for the crackling fireplace in the lounge which warms up the hands and spirits of the most rain-drenched tourist.

I dumped my things, because Christian (her name is a mixture of her parents, Ian and Christa), wanted me to hurry up and head off to the gathering of the Cameron clan, just down the road in Achnacarry. (More on that in the next post...)

Before I left to see this uniquely Scottish occasion, she sat me down in the dining room, which has the best views in the building. The Lodge is elevated on a hill, and looks through a few trees, across the road and onto a wonderland of water, heather and mountains (and a fair bit of mist too!)

Christian’s son Ian is the expert chef (and co-owner), and the meals are certainly reason enough to stay at Corriegour. All ingredients are sourced locally. Along with my stay at Castle Cottage in Harlech, the food at Corriegour was the best I’ve had. Check out one of the sample menus...

Room at Corriegour Lodge Hotel...

Video of the comfiest lounge in Scotland...imagine getting warm here in the middle of winter, while looking over a loch and drinking whisky.

Day 19 - Scotland West Coast - Kinlochleven and Fort William - Don't mess with these guys!

2009-08-01T09:22:00.005+01:00

While I was staying in Kinlochleven, I drove the 30 miles to Fort William, just to the north. I wanted to see the Braveheart Games. It’s a mini-version of the traditional highland games that are held every year in Scotland. Men resembling mythological Scottish giants - some say they are at least 8 feet high, and over 150 kg - compete against each other in one of the oldest competitive forms of sport known.

The events include:

- shot-putting (probably the best known event, and similar to the Olympic event);

- hammer throwing

-“over-the-bar” throwing (which involves hurling a 26kg weight with one hand backwards over a bar set at about 13 feet. The presenter at the games – himself once a competitor - liked to compare the weight to that “of a seven year-old child”). The record is an amazing 18 feet 7 inches, thrown by Dutchman Wout Zylstra in 2000.

- caber-tossing, the most popular event for the crowds (the competitors throw a tree trunk end-over-end, weighing anywhere between 100 and 200 pounds and a length of between 14 and 22 feet).

The caber toss is won – not by how far the competitor throws it – but how accurately the tree trunk falls on an imaginary clock-face, once it’s gone end-over-end. Twelve o’clock is the goal, and minutes to and minutes after are judged by a referee. The closest throw to twelve o’clock wins! It apparently takes years of practice to get right – there’s obviously a lot of technique involved.

Check out the videos from last night...it lasted three hours, cost only £5, and was entertaining all along. There were also girls performing Scottish highland dancing, and a bagpipe band, of course!

Day 19 - Scotland West Coast - Oban - The road north

2009-08-01T09:14:00.003+01:00

The road from Kilmartin takes you through the quaint town of Oban, one of the more popular tourist spots in the highlands. I didn’t find it that special, but I did only pass through. There is the popular Oban distillery, which offers tours, as well as boat cruises from the harbour, with SeaLife Adventures, Oban Wildlife and Craignish Cruises (which can take you to the fascinating Corryvreckan natural whirpool off the island of Jura).

Pretty Oban harbour, on the way north from Kilmartin to Fort William. Click on image for full screen version.

Border Collie sheep dogs aren't only found on farms in Scotland. Here's an Oban local with his human side-kick.

And not only do big, hairy clansmen play the bagpipes...another Oban local busking on the street.

Brings a new meaning to "straight into the pot"!

Day 19 – Scotland West Coast – Kinlochleven – Into the dark light of the lochs

2009-08-01T08:25:00.009+01:00

After Oban, my destination was Kinlochleven, a tiny village at the dead-end of Loch Leven, deep in the mountains just south of Fort William. The mountains lord over the narrow sliver of water below. To the south is the peak of Bidean nam Bian, to the north is Ben Nevis, at 1344 metres the highest mountain in the UK.

These Scottish "peaks" - most of which are under 1000 metres - aren’t that high in world terms (the Himalayas hosts several over 8 000 metres), but they seem big. When you’re at the water’s edge of the loch, and look up, they look ominous and intimidating. The steep gradient is perhaps the trick – the ground rises quickly from Loch Leven – it would be very difficult to hike straight up these slopes. But there are great walking routes which follow the streams and valleys...check out this excellent site for walks in the area.

There's a strange light in The Highlands that I've never seen before - bewitching but also beguiling. It's hard to explain, but it's a kind of "dark" light, if you know what I mean?! These photos are of Loch Leven, where the movie Rob Roy was filmed.

Click on the image for a full screen version...

Waterfalls abound, and because it’s been raining now for two days, they sound like a symphony of bass drums. And the loch is very narrow, only a couple of hundred metres at its widest, so you feel like you’re wedged in. It’s dramatic. Don’t miss it.

What’s peculiar about the coast in Scotland is that you can be seemingly entrenched in the mountains, twenty miles from the “sea” and still be on the coast...Loch Leven, for instance, flows into the bigger Loch Linnhe, which in turn flows into the Firth of Lorn, which in turn eventually becomes the Atlantic Ocean. So even though Loch Leven is probably 90% fresh water (I'm guessing here), technically, I could jump onto a yacht, and sail 40 miles through lochs and firths, until I reach the “ocean”. It’s all connected.

The village of Kinlochleven isn’t particularly pretty itself – it’s definitely not ugly either. It used to host an aluminium smelter, closed in 2000, and it was powered by a hydro electric plant further up the valley. But you'd never guess there was any type of industrial activity. The area has been completely restored to an eye-poppingly beautiful and pristine state.

The south road along the loch to Kinlochleven undulates up and down the side of the mountain, while the north road hugs the waterline. A round trip will be 20 miles – it’s the most beautiful drive yet on my trip. Look out for the turnoff on the A82 about fifteen miles south of Fort William.

I am staying at MacDonald Hotel, a country and family hotel on the north east end of the loch. It’s just outside the village, and is an ideal spot from which to go exploring. There’s no fussing over guests – you can be left alone to your own devices, and come and go as you please as if it is your own home.

But you don’t really want to be indoors in a place like this. Outside is spectacular Scottish scenery – make the most of it. There are plenty of walks which are signposted, and the village is on the route for the West Highland Way, one of the iconic treks through the Ben Nevis range, and 153 km long.

If the weather really is that bad, and you can't get outside for fear of death, there are two good reasons to stay indoors.

First, Kinlochleven is home to the world’s biggest indoor ice-climbing wall at The Ice Factor, in the middle of the village, and just a three minute walk from MacDonald Hotel. It’s won a few awards for its innovative development, and is a very slick operation, with shop, cafe and climbing lessons. When I was there, kids and adults of all ages were giving it a go under supervision of the climbing instructors. There are also three or four normal climbing walls, with varying degrees of difficulty. It’s reason enough to check out Kinlochleven.

Then, if you're a beer fundi, then there's another reason to visit the village. Atlas Brewery is based right next door to Ice Factor. They are a small microbrewery, making real cask ale for the local pubs. It's right on the river, and they offer free tours every evening.

Day 18 - Scotland West Coast - Kilmartin - Ancient Scotland, 5000BC

2009-07-31T15:18:00.010+01:00

Past Inveraray, then half way down the Mull of Kintyre (where, Alistair from Thistle House tells me, Paul McCartney has a farm). At Lochgilphead (click to see on my Google Map) I turned right, as the journey all the way down the Mull is a full day’s drive.

But there’s a good reason to head west across from Loch Fyne to the open Atlantic ocean – you follow the Crinan canal, which was dug out two hundred years ago. The canal cuts out the sea trips around the lanky Mull peninsula, which not only meant a saving of a day or two of sailing, but also spared sailors of the more fearsome waters around the point of Mull.

Crinan canal cuts through the Mull of Kintyre

These days, it’s used mostly by leisure yachts, which use the narrow canal and its 15 locks to travel the nine miles across the mainland. If you’re into sailing, check out Scottish Canals for more info...it looks fun.

Pop into the small coastal harbour village of Crinan, where the yachts wait to use the canal. It’s a pretty area as well (although sunlight makes a huge difference – it’s been raining for a while now, and I’m starting to get some good weather).

The harbour at Crinan. Click for a full screen version.

But my main reason for travelling to this area is the huge number of bronze- and iron-age settlements by the distant ancestors of the Scottish people. There are more than 350 sites within a 6 mile radius of the town of Kilmartin (click to see on my Google Map).

There are standing stones, forts, stone engravings and other archaeological attractions which tell of a large, vibrant, war-faring community from the period 5000BC to 800AD. To compare, the wheel was only developed in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) around 4000BC, and the first pyramid in Egypt was built around 2650BC. The beginning of organised society near Kilmartin precedes these by a thousand years. And the fact that there are so many sites, and that they are so old, is extra special.

The view out of my window at Dunchraigaig B&B looks onto the Ballymeanoch Stones, one of 350 ancient sites in the Kilmartin area, some dating back to 5000BC.

I’m no history nut, but it is interesting, and as with all ancient sites, there’s an unidentifiable, yet undeniable, aura of primordial time. I think it’s somehow reassuring that in our age, when most things have been identified, sliced open, examined, explained and published to everyone on the Internet, there are still places that remain a mystery to modern experts. Because much of Kilmartin’s sites are still baffling us.

Why are there carvings in the rocks? Were they for religious, astronomical or social reasons? Or were they simply for fun? And the standing stones? What to make of them? Stonehenge is still a mystery, and so are these sites.

I stayed at Dunchraigaig B&B , which is located in the middle of all the sites. Lyn and Cameron's B&B is right next to the site of the same name, and my room looked over the standing stones of Ballymeanoch. Lyn is an unofficial expert on the area, and her years of school teaching gives her a well-researched insight into the various spots.

For me, the most impressive was Dunadd Fort, which was the centre of the original Scottish Kindgom of Dalriada, around 500AD. It’s quite a lot younger than the original sites back in 5000BC, but it gives an indication of how long humans have lived and moved through the area. And quite clearly, the Dalriada chieftans knew how much the preceding tribes respected the territory, and perhaps chose this territory because of it. More remains of weapons have been found around Dunadd than any other site around the world during this period of time...

Dunadd Fort, the seat of the kingdom of Dalriad, the ancient ancestors of the Scottish. Click on the image for a full screen version.

The “fort” itself is not traditionally medieval (indeed, it pre-dates medieval times). Instead, it is a huge mound of rocks, about twenty metres high, which has been matted over now by soil and grass, although some rocks stick through, and are smoothed by centuries of footsteps. And most impressive of all is its location. It’s bang in the middle of a huge plain, between the hilly regions of Crinan and Kilmartin. You can see for miles, all the way around – 360 degrees.

I was alone on the evening I was there. I sat on the earth-throne of ancient Scottish chiefs, as the summer sun went down, and imagined what had gone before. A mound of earth, that’s all - but as powerful and impressive as the ornate seats of power at Buckingham Palace, the White House, Versailles and others...for me, perhaps more so.

Lyn also recommends the following things to do in the area.

1) A boat trip to Corryvreckan with Gemini Cruises.

2) The small Carnasserie Castle, just outside Kilmartin, built in 1572. You can walk to the top for nice views over the glen.

3) Visit Kilmartin House Museum , for a comprehensive insight into the ancient sites.

4) Go for lunch or dinner in the small fishing village of Tayvallich. I had a good baked cob with veggies at the Inn of the same name.

5) Or enjoy a cuppa at the Crinan Hotel , which has nice views over the western seaboard.

Carnasserie Castle, near Kilmartin.

The view from the top of Carnasserie Castle. Click for a full screen version.

A Celtic Cross near Tayvallich commemorating those who have died in the world wars.

My room at Dunchraigaig B&B near Kilmartin.

Day 17 - Scotland West Coast - St Catherines - Flower of Scotland

2009-07-31T11:37:00.009+01:00

My stay on the shore of Loch Fyne (click to see on my Google Map) at Thistle House made me feel like I was in the actual Highlands. Around these parts, it's the real thing. The mountains, the dark, inky water of the lochs, the ever-changing light of the sky. It is turning out to be prettier than I expected. For a wilderness lover like me, it is great. And the locals tell me that the scenery is going to get even better up around Fort William, which is still further north.

So now that I'm entering the scenic hearland of Scotland, I thought I'd promote the national pride. There is no official national anthem of Scotland, but Flower of Scotland is the most loved and most sung. Here's a YouTube video with singing and lyrics. Great song, and despite the fact that Scotland dont' have a dominant rugby side (but are always Braveheart-courageous), Flower of Scotland matches La Marseillaise of France for goosebumps (for me at least).

Whenever Scotland play England in any sport, there is an added intensity which has lasted hundreds of years, perhaps since 1746, when the last of the Scottish clans were defeated by the English at the battle of Culloden. It was a particularly brutal affair, and for a few days afterwards, the English executed the remaining wounded Scots, and raped their women, according to reports of the time.

I've also included the national flower and emblem of Scotland below.

Lyrics and singing to Flower of Scotland

Scottish rugby team singing Flower of Scotland at a test match against England.

The national emblem of Scotland...the thistle flower.

Scotland's rugby emblem

Day 17 – Scotland West Coast – St Catherines – No rushing please, we have whisky to drink and battles to plan

2009-07-30T10:51:00.025+01:00

The way from Largs to St Catherines is not obvious (click to see on my Google Map). You can either go north and east, past Glasgow, up through the Loch Lomond National Park (where the A82 radio hugs the famous loch). Or you can catch a ferry across the Firth of Clyde to Dunoon on the Cowal Peninsula. You’ll pay about £13 to get across...look out for the road signs that direct you to the ferries. I took the ferry (which takes about 20 minutes), and once on the Cowal Peninsula, I headed west and then south to Tighnabruaich (click to see on Google Map). There is a great view point just north of this tiny town, looking over the Isle of Bute. It’s well signposted.

This area just feels good. The roads are emptier than down south, the sky is bigger, the distances longer – partly because of the lochs and firths. These long, narrow fingers of water(some longer than 100 miles, yet only a few miles wide) splice the landscape, so you can look across the water at a town not two miles away, but you will need to drive 10 miles to get there, driving all the way north, around the top of the loch, then south again.

It’s what some locals call “west-Scottish” time, and is a result of the landscape – the glacier-gorged geology imposes itself on the people. London has a neatly ordered road system, and is flat and compliant to human transportation demands. In west Scotland, humans are compliant to the landscape, and time follows the lands, not the clock.

There is an endearing aversion to urgency around here. Things will happen when they do, and not because someone makes them happen. It’s an observably slower pace of life. At first, it might be off-putting to “tick-the-box” city folk, but soon you realise that half the fun of a road trip through Scotland is that you do run late, or stop for no reason to look at the cows.

Loch Fyne...appropriate name. Thistle House is on the left hand side of the loch, and on the right is Inveraray Castle. I took this photo at the castle's fort on top of the hill, which you can walk up, for fantastic views. Click on image for full screen version.

And the great thing about travelling around Scotland for the first time, is that you can never make up your mind as to which route you should follow. There’s always a prettier loch over there, or a higher mountain back here. So you do end up driving all over the place, and neatly scheduled itineraries soon get crumpled up and thrown in the back of the car.

I went way south on the Cowal Peninsula, and then back north up Loch Fyne to St Catherine’s, which exists on the map, but not really in reality. You will miss it if you drive faster than 10 miles an hour. It looks west over the loch, with great views of Inveraray town and castle. You are a 15 mile drive around the head of the loch from Inveraray, but only 2 miles as the crow flies across the water.

My accommodation in St Catherines was at Thistle House Guest House, a mini-manor house, 3-storeys high, 100 years old - overlooking Loch Fyne, a particularly narrow stretch of water, that eventually flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Thistle House looks older than 100 years, given its dark stone exterior and castle-like position and architecture. (By the way, the Thistle flower is Scotland's national flower, and is the emblem of many of its sports teams.)

Thistle House Guest House on Loch Fyne, which looks over the loch to Inveraray Castle.

Room at Thistle House, the window view is over the loch.

I joined owners Alistair and Jenifer Patterson for haggis-stuffed chicken in the evening. My first ever taste of haggis (sheep offal and oatmeal) was much better than I expected. We talked about how they came to St Catherines from Edinburgh after jobs in accounting and public health care. Before that they were in Saudi Arabia, living in a western world compound in the desert. There can’t be too many better examples of diametrically opposed lifestyles than St Catherines vs Saudi Arabia.

The mist hung on the dusky sky, while Alistair and I sat on the giant sofas next to the fire-place in the lounge, drinking single malt whisky from Auchentoshan Distillery near Glasgow. Thistle House feels like a castle, and for a very brief moment my imagination ran rampant, and I could have been Chief of Clan Ramsay (my blood is half Scottish, and Ramsay is a clan, although we got kicked out of Scotland a long time ago!), conjuring battle strategies with Alistair Patterson, who - now that I think about it - looks very much like a clan chief (not sure why, he just does - maybe it was the whisky!?).

The tartan of the Ramsay clan...the rooms at Thistle House are named after some Scottish clans, left to right below: Campbell, McPherson, Stewart, McNaughton, Lamont, McLachlan and Ferguson.

If you think you've got some Scottish blood in you, check out this website.

Athough it is right on the A815 coastal road, Thistle House is in a sparsely inhabited area, so after 8pm, there are no cars. The rooms look out over the loch, bedrooms are superbly decorated yet not ornate, and the food is first-rate.

Besides walking and mountain biking, Alistair and Jenifer recommended the following to me:

1) Quad Biking with Quadmania.

2) Boat cruises on Loch Lomond or on Loch Fyne.

3) Inveraray Castle, home to the Campbell Clan since the 15th century.

4) Inveraray Jail, an entertaining tourist attraction, in the original old jail, where more than 6 000 people were tried, and then punished. Actors play out the roles of the courtroom participants. You can also get locked up while you’re at it, and also see how prisoners were punished for their crimes. For instance, a petty thief was rehabilitated with thumbscrews, branding with a hot poker or having his ear nailed to a post. That's a new way to get an earring!

5) Brewery tour of the local micro-brewery called Fyne Ales.

6) Take part in an organised whisky tour of up to 16 isles and towns, with The Whisky Coast.

Inveraray pine forest

Day 16 - Scotland West Coast - Largs - Things to do and see

2009-07-29T09:33:00.005+01:00

Around Largs (click on name to see on my Google Map), check out the following:

Kelburn Castle and Country Centre has a bizzare graffiti'd castle, which somehow looks good! As well as horse riding, and a "secret forest", with different exotic species of plants, and a Chinese Pagoda, maze and Gingerbread House.

For walkers, the Ayreshire Coastal Path starts in Skelmorie north of Largs, and ends up in Glenapp. It taks about 50 hours to walk.

The small Cumbrae islands just offshore from Largs can be visited with Cumbrae Voyages, which offer wildlife boat trips from the mainland. You can potentially see dolphins and wales.

The beautiful Isle of Arran, which sits further offshore from Largs, is a relatively unknown attraction, with walking, golf courses and mountain biking. Check out the tourism website. While you're on Arran, and you've got the cash to spare, fly over the area with Arran Helicopter Tours.

Day 16 - Scotland West Coast - Largs - Vikings, Scottish accents and Robert Burns recording

2009-07-28T23:39:00.018+01:00

Largs (click on name to see on my Google Map) is a mid-sized town (it will take you five minutes to drive from one end to the other - stopping at red lights), on the edge of the Firth of Clyde (a Firth is what the Scots call a large inlet of sea water that was carved out by glaciers in the last ice age), which links Glasgow to the Atlantic. The town itself isn't much to get excited about. There's a sea promenade, some unsuited mini-theme park attractions, and a few restaurants.

Ice cream booth in Largs, with seagulls.

Ladies of Largs...

"Can you take our picture?" - the girls of Largs

But eventhough Largs is still in the lowlands, you do get a sense of Scotland's famed highlands, looking west and north. Across the Firth, the hills rise quickly into semi-mountainous lands - the beginning of the territories of clans? Despite summer, clouds were grey and heavy. To me, the weather wasn't out of place. I've always thought of Scotland as wild and stormy, my imagination formed from movies like Braveheart, Highlander and various TV documentaries on clan wars and Viking invasions.

And Largs does have one must-do attraction, if you are interested in the country's sword-bearing past. The Vikingar experience, just back from the sea front, is a retelling of how the Vikings were instrumental in the development of Scotland. For instance, in 1263, Largs was the site of the last official invasion of Scotland by the Norse raiders from Scandinavia. The Vikingar centre is like a museum that's come to life, where costumed story tellers explain the influence that these invaders had on the region.

Largs was also the place of my first encounter with "real" (?) Scottish folk, the compatriots of my great grandfather who grew up in Elgin on the north coast.

I stayed at South Whittlieburn Farm, a few kilometres into the Brisbane valley away from town. I may as well been on a different planet. Verdant hills, spotted with sheep, pockets of oak trees, and a farmhouse with the front door wide open to guests. (Above the gate to the property is written "Ceud Mile Failte"...which is Scottish Gaelic for "A Hundred Thousand Welcomes".

As soon as owners Tom and Mary Watson start talking, you realise they are quite clearly Scottish. They are the first people I have met on my trip who are culturally tied to the land on which they grew up. Tom grew up in Selkirk. Mary grew up in Garbhaltt on the Cowal peninsula near St Catherines (where I am staying tomorrow night). Her family came from Tighnabruaich, further south on the peninsula (don't ask me how to pronounce that...). For me, the couple epitomise what I've dreamt up in my head about what Scottish folk are all about - especially the accent, which is beautiful to listen to.

Mary told me how I should visit Castle Lachlan on my way north to St Catherines...at first I didn't know what she was talking about, describing it like this:

"You should visit MacLachlan of MacLachlan, Castle Lachlan in Strath Lachlan", all in a strong Scottish accent...fantastic.

And I've recorded Tom reading a Robert Burns poem, the famous Scottish poet. Give it a listen, and then play it again. It's only an audio recording (no video).

The audio recording of Robert Burns' Red, Red Rose, read by Tom Watson.

Tom Watson, of South Whittlieburn Farm, on which he farms Scottish black-faced ewes, crossed with blue-faced Leicester rams.

Day 16 - Scotland West Coast - Largs - Entry to the highlands

2009-07-28T21:27:00.007+01:00

From Wigtown, I headed to Largs on the west coast (click on names to see on my Google Map), which is really the beginning of the highlands area. North of Largs, the lochs loom large.

On the way, from south to north along the A77 road, there is Turnberry Golf Course, the site of the recent 2009 British Open Golf Tournament - check out the golf course's live webcam. Culzean Castle near Maybole, the Burns National Heritage Centre in Ayr, and then a few kilometres after, another famous golf course - Troon, the site of previous Open Championships.

Day 15 - Scotland South West Coast - Wigtown - The abode of the authors...

2009-07-28T10:16:00.008+01:00

In Wigtown (click on name to see on my Google Map), I stayed with Andrew and Debbie Firth of Hillcrest House, a five minute walk from all the bookshops. They bought the regal 1875 Victorian building in 2003, after stumbling upon it while searching for potential properties further north. The couple never planned to live in Wigtown, but for them, and for the town, it ended up a good thing.

Hillcrest House is now well-known locally as one of the better guest houses, where large bedrooms, high sash windows and a capacious lounge and dining room mean that no matter how many guests are around, you always feel like you’re alone in your own home.

My room at Hillcrest House...the view looks over the Solway Firth and the Wigtown Bay Local Nature Reserve, the largest private reserve in Britain.

For the town, Hillcrest supplies a down-to-earth, slightly bohemian atmosphere – the kind that authors with the same qualities would enjoy. And indeed they do. When the Wigtown Book Festival takes place in autumn, Hillcrest is the preferred guest house for well-known English authors like Willie Russell (Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine) and Joanne Harris (Chocolat), who spent a lot of time on the stairwell at Hillcrest chatting to Debbie's cats! "She was just lovely," says Debbie.

Debbie cooks all the meals, using only local produce. Pork from nearby Sunnyside Farm, potatoes, beetroot and other veggies from her back garden, lamb from the saltmarshes and so forth. Meals are Scottish, tasty, wholesome – let Debbie cook you “chicken stuffed with Haggis in a whisky cream sauce”. This sort of dish is the type that won Hillcrest the title of Scotland’s Real Food Award in 2009, an independent competition which is judged partly on the locality of the ingredients.

The Firths like a good chat, and are happy to discuss anything and everything that’s going on in the area...

1) Visit the gardens in southern Scotland. Because of the warm Gulf Stream sea current which eddies in the Irish Sea, the area hosts many gardens which are able to grow exotic – and southern hemisphere – plants. Here are just two of 19 in the area:

Logan Botanic Garden, near the Mull of Galloway – , claimed to be Scotland’s most exotic garden, with groves of eucalypts and a brilliant flower garden that is in bloom all year round.

Dunskey Gardens & Maze, near Portpatrick, comprising a huge greenhouse, as well as a maze in which to get lost.

Go to the Dumfries and Galloway tourism website to see all the others.

2) On the way to Wigtown from England, stop off near Kirkcudbright at the Galloway Wildlife Conservation Park , where about 100 different species – some rare and endangered - are kept. The park is part of the European Endangered Species Programme, meaning breeding is co-ordinated according to strict guidelines.

3) Go to Monreith, to see the area which inspired naturalist Gavin Maxwell to write Ring of Bright Water (which describes how he brought an otter back to Scotland from Iraq in 1960)...and pop in to see the otters at Monreith Animal World nearby.

4) Check out the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse, at the southernmost point of Scotland. During summer you can climb to the top for great views, or spend a night in the lighthouse’s cottage .

5) Go on a dairy farm tour at Cream o’ Galloway, but more importantly, try out their ten different flavours of organic ice-cream.

Day 15 - Scotland South West Coast - Wigtown - Half a million books, two ospreys, one whisky distillery

2009-07-27T21:42:00.012+01:00

Wigtown is one of those places that I hoped to discover on my trip around the coast of Britain. It has a funny name (everyone wears wigs in town...only joking), it is off the main tourist track, it isn't particularly pretty (although it's in a pretty area) and at first sight, it looks kind of boring. But (a big BUT), it is full of surprises.

The first surprise is what's inside the tiny stores on the main road. Like Scotland is to whisky lovers, so Wigtown is to book lovers. Crammed into 14 book stores are 500 000 second hand books, according to Shaun Bythell of The Book Shop, the largest smallest bookshop in town (if you know what I mean!)

And the books are not the ones that no-one wants. There are a lot of valuable and much-desired out-of-print books that academics, specialists and fanatics want.

In 1997, Wigtown beat five other towns in a governmental national competition to become Scotland's official booktown, in an effort to regenerate the town's economy. Now, at the annual book festival, the town attracts up to 10 000 book lovers over a ten day period, and hosts more than 150 events. This year, the festival takes place from 25th September to 4th October.

Emma Murray works at The Book Shop in Wigtown, and on a good day, she knows exactly where each of the 100 000 books are...most of the time.

The largest, smallest second hand bookshop in Scotland...

It is a place in which to get lost for days on end...I ended up buying five or six books. simply by browsing and discovering relevant titles of travel and nature. There are also complete collections of poets, and arcane things like The Photo Atlas of the Human Body. That’s the advantage of browsing through actual book stores...you come across titles that ordinarily you wouldn’t find on Internet book sites. And Wigtown is like Amazon.com for used books, but in physical form.

The second surprise is Wigtown’s emergence as a place for nesting Ospreys. These rare fish eagles” became extinct from the area 150 years ago, thanks to fishermen who thought that the birds were reducing fish stocks. So when they returned of their own accord a few years ago, coming from northern areas of Scotland, everyone celebrated. In fact, whenever something special happens, like a chick is born, or they return from their migration to Africa, the town hall’s bells are rung.

And the rangers, who look after the Wigtownshire Nature Reserve (the largest local reserve in Britain), have installed remote-controlled cameras, to monitor the birds (which are in an unknown location). The live images are screened in the Osprey Room on the top floor of the town hall, and is open to visitors for free.

An image of an Osprey (with fish) from the remote-controlled video camera near Wigtown...

Ospreys are especially important, because they are their own species, separate from all other birds. And they are impressive to observe...when catching fish by swooping low over the water, they sometimes briefly submerge themselves as they grab the fish and then power off again with their wings. Find out more on Wigtown’s Osprey website.

The third surprise, especially if you’re a whisky fan, is the location of the little-known Bladnoch Distillery, just a mile or so from Wigtown. It’s the country’s southernmost distillery, just a few latitudes up from the southernmost point of Scotland at the nearby Mull of Galloway. The 1818 operation is proudly old-fashioned in its use of traditional distilling techniques, and visitors can sign up for Whisky School, a 3-day experience in which you learn how to make ‘the water of life’, or uisge beatha, as the Celts call it.

Day 15 - Scotland South West Coast - Two must-do's on way to Wigtown

2009-07-27T21:24:00.010+01:00

I hightailed it from Whitehaven to Wigtown (pronounced “Wigton”, and click on names to see on my Google Map), on the southern coast of Scotland on the Solway Firth, a huge sea inlet that cuts into the coast like a pick axe.

The reality of travelling around the coast of mainland Britain in 33 days is that I just can’t cover everything I want to. The bays, inlets, narrow roads, and numerous villages mean I can’t drive as far and as quickly as I’d like to. But no matter! What I see is more than good enough for me – when I am transixed by the scenery, or randomly encounter friendly locals, I am remined how special a trip like this is.

So I missed a couple of nice spots on my drive to Wigtown. Here are two that you shouldn't.

- Caerlaverock Castle, near Dumfries. Acknowledged as one of the finest in Britain, with a moat still in use.

Caerlaverock Castle, pic courtesy of Wikipedia.

- The town of Dumfries, home to Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland. He lived for most of his life in the town. Although he died when he was only 37, he was a symbol of Scotland’s cultural independence.

He is held in such esteem that Burns Night (25 January, his birthday) is more widely observed as the “Scottish” day, than the official National Day on 30 November. The Scottish get together for a long dinner, and eat traditional food like haggis, which is a mixture of sheep heart, liver, lungs, oatmeal and spices, all boiled in the stomach intestines. (Burns wrote an ode to the dish, called Address to a Haggis.

Among many poems, he is famous for Auld Lang Syne (sung on New Year’s eve by the British), as well as My Luve Is Like A Red Red Rose. The National Burns Collection website has most of his poems, including audio readings.

Visit his home in Dumfries, where he spent the last years of his life.

Day 15 - Scotland South West Coast - Quick facts...

2009-07-27T21:20:00.004+01:00

From Whitehaven (click on name to see on my Google Map), I left England and entered Scotland. The land of tartans, clans, haggis, surnames beginning with Mc and Mac, and whisky.

Here are some quick facts, a few of them taken from Wikipedia:

- Scotland was an independent country until 1707, when it entered into political union with England, to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. Most Scots were vehemently anti any association with the English – think of the movie Braveheart! (And some say that these sentiments are lingering...)

- The name Scotland is derived from the term Scoti, which was applied to raiders from Ireland who made sporadic attacks against Roman Britain. These people eventually established a kingdom called Del Riata in the Highlands in the 400s.

- Scotland makes up a third of the land mass of Great Britain, and its capital is Edinburgh, but the largest city is Glascow. About 5.5 million people live in the country.

- Scotland uses the British Pound, as well as its own bank notes...

- The national flag is called the Saltire, or St Andrew’s Cross, he being the patron saint of Scotland.

The national flag of Scotland...St Andrew's Cross.

Day 14 - North West England Coast - Cumbria - Things to do around Whitehaven

2009-07-27T08:49:00.009+01:00

Trevor Lloyd of Lowther House in Whitehaven (click on name to see on my Google Map) recommends trying out some of the following...

For a good meal in Whitehaven (there aren't many of them, apparently), try Zest Harbourside for a light lunch or dinner, and for a more refined experience try the sister restaurant, called Zest Restaurant.

If you're an enthusiastic cyclist, then you either know of - or will eventually know of - the iconic Sea to Sea Bicycle Ride, a 212 km route that starts in Whitehaven and ends in Sunderland on the east coast. Riders start in the harbour at Whitehaven, after dipping their wheels in the sea water on the slipway.

Likewise, if you're an ardent walker, you'd like to know of the Coast to Coast Walk, which was dreamt up by one Alfred Wainwright in the 1970s. The 300km trek takes about 14 days to complete, and starts in nearby St Bees (just south of Whitehaven), and ends in Robin Hoods Bay on the east coast. There is a new BBC TV program about the route, and local presenter Julia Bradbury is featured walking in the footsteps of Wainwright.

Kids and adults alike will really enjoy the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway trip, a miniature steam train and carriages that travels 11km from the coastal village of Ravenglass and ends inland under the peaks of the Eskdale Valley at Dalegarth-for-Boot. It runs on a tiny gauge line (910mm), and was first used in 1875 to transport iron ore.

Check out the official Cumbrian Tourism website for more things to do...there is plenty.

The miniature Ravenglass steam railway travels through spectacular Lake District scenery from the coast 11km inland to the Eskdale Valley...

Day 14 - North West England Coast - Cumbria - Whitehaven - Slaves, poetry, the best view in Britain...and the last invasion of the UK

2009-07-26T21:45:00.020+01:00

At first sight, Whitehaven (click to see on my Google Map) seems like any other mid-size town along the west coast of England. But it's rich in history. For a seemingly pretty, innocuous place, Whitehaven punched far above its weight in the global stakes.

Whitehaven panorama...click on the image to enlarge.

I was lucky enough to stay with Trevor Lloyd in his 1860 Victorian B&B called Lowther House. It looks out over the town, towards the harbour. Trevor was born in Whitehaven, and after living abroad, has returned.

Some locals are so passionate about their home towns, that they go way out of their path to show you the nooks and crannies...Trevor is like this. He could be the mayor, champion and protector - all in one - of Whitehaven.

As he talks, the intonations in his voice rise quickly when he points out the three-storey Georgian architecture (considered by many to be the best example in Britain), or the grid system used to plan the town's layout (one of the few in the UK), or the lock system in the harbour, which keeps the water in when the tide goes out. Or how the water for his house still comes from the brightwaters of Ennerdale Lake, and how the famous English poet William Wordsworth (1770 - 1850) came to spend the summers in Whitehaven, from his childhood home in nearby Cockermouth. Wordsworth remembered the town well...

" With this coast I have been familiar from my earliest childhood, and remember being struck for the first time by the town and port of Whitehaven, and the white waves breaking against its quays and piers, as the whole came into view from the top of the high ground down which the road (it has since been altered) then descended abruptly.

My sister, when she first heard the voice of the sea from this point, and beheld the scene spread before her, burst into tears. Our family then lived at Cockermouth, and this fact was often mentioned among us as indicating the sensibility for which she was so remarkable."

Trevor kept me entertained and informed.

If you stay at Lowther House, you'll enjoy things like the first-rate Victorian bedrooms and bathrooms, and the antique Whitehaven grandfather clock (world-renowned, and one of which is also owned by Bill Clinton), or the original townplanning map of Whitehaven, which hangs on the passage wall.

Trevor will also point out softly how his great grandfather, a Captain Robert Wilson, was honoured by the Norwegian King in 1902, for rescuing the passengers of the Bengal, a Norwegian ship that had come aground near Whitehaven. The captain was awarded a gold medal and £25 as a reward (£10 000 today). Trevor's quiet pride for his town, and for his family is clear (including his son who has just become a barrister, at the exceptional age of 21).

Trevor Lloyd of Lowther House... Whitehaven's "unofficial mayor", and its biggest fan.

Trevor does everything himself in Lowther House, eventhough he owns a successful and sizeable business in China. He restored the house, he decorated it, he welcomes the guests, he cooks for them, he drives them around town on a quick tour...he even cleans everything himself - and then walks through the house afterwards, and pretends to be a new guest to see if he's missed anything!

The rooms at Lowther House are original Victoriana, and Trevor Lloyd the owner is justifiably proud...it's a stately place, and you feel like you are back in the days of the town's glory as Britain's second largest port after London. And Trevor could well have been the mayor...

But it's his knowledge and entertaining stories of Whitehaven which make a stay at Lowther House special. Here are a couple of snippets from my time with Trevor...they are a poor rendition of his, so make sure you get Trevor to tell you himself.

- The Last Invasion of England...

Back in 1778, the town was the scene of the last invasion of the British mainland. During the American War of Independence, a Scotsman called John Paul Jones (who had started his naval career in Whitehaven), had defected to the American side. On April 17 of 1778, he and his crew of his ship The Ranger, sneaked ashore and attempted to set fire to the English merchant ships. They failed, but he and The Ranger went on to cause the Brits all sorts of trouble. For his efforts, Americans took him in as one of their own, and Paul Jones is still an American naval hero to this day, his remains interred in a bronze sarcophagus in Annapolis.

- The Dark Spirit of Whitehaven

The town was for many years the second busiest port after London. The reason? In the 1700s, Whitehaven ship merchants were importing vast amounts of tobacco from Virginia in the US. When the American War of Independence was lost by the English, the traders had to find new markets to exploit. So they turned to the Caribbean, and started importing sugar and rum. However, slaves were needed to work the fields in Jamaica and Trinidad, and so the ship merchants supplied their vessels for the transportation of slaves from West Africa.

There is an excellent visitor attraction in Whitehaven, called The Rum Story, which takes one through this period of history...the tour itself is called The Dark Spirit of Whitehaven...in reference to the rum that was imported, as well as the pernicious implications of the slave trade.

- The Best View in Britain...Wastwater Lake

Trevor took me inland to Wastwater Lake, which was voted by the British public as the prettiest view in all of the UK, on an ITV TV program in 2007. It is also the deepest lake in England, at 260 feet.

Wastwater Lake...it was pouring with rain when I went there.

When Trevor took me, it was pouring with rain, and a strong wind was blowing. We rounded a corner, and were confronted quickly with a huge mountain plunging near-vertical into the inky-black lake. On our side, the landscape is more friendly, and we could drive along the edge, and look across at the huge granite screes, which were created by massive glaciers in the last ice age. It is worthy of an accolade such as the one it received from the nation.

For more ideas on what to do in the area, Trevor's website is full of suggestions...or go to the official Cumbrian Tourism website.

Day 13 - North West England Coast - Cumbria - Silecroft - Some stunning photos from John Parminter at www.viewlakeland.com

2009-07-26T10:39:00.010+01:00

John Parminter is a Silecroft (click to see on my Google Map) local who spends a lot of time running on the hills in Cumbria, as well as taking some stunning photographs. Here are a few of them...for more, check out his superb website http://www.viewlakeland.com/.

Wastwater Lake

Wastwater Lake

Finsthwaite beech trees in autumn

Beach sunset at Bootle...

Neglected boat at Ravenglass beach

Below are some photos I snapped of the beautiful pebbles and stones on Silecroft beach..(the low tide area is soft sand).

Day 13 - North West England Coast - Cumbria - Silecroft - Big & Beautiful

2009-07-25T23:41:00.007+01:00

Cumbria is home to the Lake District National Park, the largest in Britain, containing 16 lakes and four peaks higher than 3000 feet (including the highest mountain in England - Scafell Peak at 978 metres), as well as the deepest lake - Wastwater, where I am going tomorrow.

Although Ravenglass, between Silecroft and Whitehaven (click to see on my Google Map), is the only coastal town in the park, the national park's beauty flows over into the rest of the coast.

I came across John Parminter's photographs in a local Cumbrian magazine, and you should check them out - they are exquisite snapshots of a much larger masterpiece.

Go to http://www.viewlakeland.com/

Day 13 - North West England Coast - Cumbria - Silecroft - Aaargh, I'm home

2009-07-25T22:04:00.019+01:00

Silecroft (click to see on my Google Map) could be a place I've been expecting. Before I started this trip, except for one trip to Lymington on the south coast, I had never visited the coast of this island. I imagined the edge of Britain to be windswept and wild, mountains and hills falling to the sea, the area sparsely inhabited by friendly, charismatic locals who speak the local dialect, and full of cows, horses, sheep and border collies.

Panorama of Silecroft Beach...click for full screen image. (That shadow is me taking the pic! Still need to Photoshop it out).

Since I started my trip, I've been exposed to some of the above. But never all of them at once. Driving into Cumbria I knew that I could be onto something. The Lake District is world-renowned, and justifiably so. As soon as I drove into the town of Windermere (on the lake of the same name) the steep hills enveloped silvery lakes, and quite country roads wound their way along dry stone walls. But Windermere is inland, as well as touristy, and I was looking for the coast, which in Cumbria is not as well-known as the interior.

Silecroft is on the southern end of Cumbria's coast. And I liked it - a lot. This is just my opinion, so you must please visit the area for yourself to make up your own mind, but I think Silecroft is a spot that Britain should be proud of - even though, at first, it seems slightly unremarkable.

There are only a few houses alongside a main road that leads down to a beach that extends for miles in either direction. There are two pubs, and only a couple of B&Bs. Behind Silecroft is a series of mountainous hills (if you know what I mean), full of sheep and cows, and Cumberland heavy horses.

There isn't much else. The wind blows (there is a windmill power farm just offshore). The tide comes in and out. The sheep and cows eat and sleep. Fishermen amble onto the beach and catch sea bass. Locals walk their dogs on the beach. Seagulls glide on the breeze. And there are no boutique stores, no supermarkets, no fancy restaurants (only one pub), and no "return-on-investment" Londoners looking for their next property deal.

This photo is called "Cumbrian Cow in Corner Composition"

Cumbrian sheep have it pretty good...

Cumbrian grass field...

Silecroft is exactly how I imagined the British coast to be. Of course I knew that it wouldn't be all like this, but if I had to pick a place that I had preconceived the coastline to be, it would be Silecroft.

Of course, place is only half of it. The people are the other half. You could travel to Papua New Guinea and be entranced by the rainforest, only to be eaten by cannibals. In Silecroft I was lucky enough to stay with a very welcoming family - the Rhinds. (And, of course, now I believe that ALL people in Silecroft are like the Rhinds). My mom would have liked them a lot, and that's a measurement in which I can place a lot of trust.

Newstead House is a B&B about 100 metres from the beach, on the tiny main road leading from the village to the coast. It stands alone in a field of long grass, which itself is surrounded by cows and sheep. You can look out your room onto the fields, see the ocean in the distance, smell it on the breeze all night, and wake up feeling like you've been injected with pure oxygen.

Paul and Alyson Rhind and their two sons (Adam and Fraser) and daughter (Eilidh) kindly invited me to eat with them for dinner, and Paul cooked me fresh sea bass, and Alyson servied me toffee pudding for desert (forget about any toffee pudding you've ever had - Alyson's is incomparable). I could have been at home, especially when Alyson said, "I hope you don't mind our crazy family". For breakfast Paul cooked me some fried eggs with cumberland sausage (98% pork meat, 2% seasoning - ie. NO FAT).

Newstead House, Silecroft...

Someone once said that landscapes determine the people, and Silecroft, with its slow-time feel, and people who smile and greet you along the way, is proof of that. It's a wholesome scene with people who are the same.

Paul and Alyson got me started on Cumberland sausages, and suggested I go to Bewley's Butcher Shop in nearby Bootle, where Willy Bewley makes and sells his locally famous kind of Cumberland sausage. It's a small shop, easily missed, so look out for the blue and white building on the main road of the village. Further north in Wabberthwaite, there is Richard Woodall's, who is the Royal Family's official Cumberland Sausage and Ham supplier. I bet the Queen sneaks into her kitchen late at night to fry up a few sausages...they are that good.

Further proof of the genuinely friendly locals, I went for a horseride with Murthwaite Green Trekking Centre, just down the road from Newstead House. Cath Wrigley runs her horse riding centre along with local girls who you can see wouldn't swap their jobs for anything in the world. Not hard to see why. They get to guide visitors onto the beautiful beach every day, riding horses that are as friendly as the locals. I dunno, maybe I was in an especially good mood (thanks to Paul's cumberland sausages), but everyone I met in Silecroft was someone I'd like to get to know better.

Go horseriding on endless Silecroft Beach with Murthwaite Trekking Centre in Silecroft. You can be a beginner horse rider, and not worry, because the guides are friendly and fun, yet always looking after your safety, and the long beach makes the horses happy.

...and ride some more...

Some other things to do in the area:

- Check out Swinside Stones, a mini Stonehenge type circle of 55 stones.
- Visit the RAF Museum in Millom.
- If you want to ride (or even just look at) the huge and heavy Clydesdale and Shire horses - the ones that are famous for doing the really heavy labour - go to Cumbrian Heavy Horses, just up the road from Silecroft. They are spectacular animals.

And for more, go to the official Cumbrian Tourism website.

Cumbrian Heavy Horses offer horse rides on these magnificently strong animals...

Day 12 - North West England Coast - Blackpool - Get ready to ride..

2009-07-25T12:51:00.009+01:00

Blackpool is a city that is regenerating itself after a long period of degeneration -millions of pounds are being spent to improve it, especially the seafront area. But the much-needed investment won't be able to improve the scenery; it is not a naturally pretty place. There are more beautiful places nearby to visit, and I don't think even the mayor of Blackpool would argue with that.

If you want a naturally beautiful experience, the splendour of the Lake District is an hour to the north, and glorious Wales (which is perhaps my favourite region so far) is two hours to the south. If Wales is the buxom farmgirl who feeds you up and keeps you warm at night, then Blackpool is the shortskirted minx making eyes at you across the dance floor.

So although Blackpool is definitely not a place to go for a restorative beach holiday, it doesn't pretend to be a genteel, scenic spot, and it's entirely comfortable in its own loud and brash skin. There are certainly lots of fun things to do, especially for young kids and parents who want to be kids again.

In the centre of Blackpool's tourism is the Blackpool Tower, which is a must. It looks quite like the Eiffel Tower (although all comparisons end there), it stands 150metres high, and a lift takes you to the top for great views in all directions.

Within the Tower's building complex, there is a pretty average aquarium, and an old-style circus with daily shows. Kids will love it...there's a live swingband playing, and it's colourful and vibrant.
Further south, the biggest drawcard is the huge Pleasure Beach, a massive playpark of 150 odd different rides. It attracts millions of visitors ever year, and is the main reason why Blackpool - most folk may be surprised to hear this - is considered one of England's most visited cities.

The park hosts what must be the most thrilling rollercoaster in the UK, getting up to speeds of 120km/h, and dropping you 75m in a near-vertical descent. Nearby is the waterpark, an indoor complex withan array of rides, including one the kids will spend a whole day on: the brilliantly named Master Blaster, the world's biggest water slide.

And there are three long piers - north, central and south - which are worth a walk along. There are the usual curio stalls to have a look at. For more things to do in Blackpool, check out the city's tourism website.

The accommodation options in Blackpool consist of a lot of mediocre-looking 3-star B&Bs, a few chain hotels and not much else. But in amongst all the frogs is a prince. Langtry's B&B is a symbol of the way forward for Blackpool. If the town council did for Blackpool what David Webb and Julie Sayers did for Langtry's, then Blackpool will shed it's tawdry look, and become a very slick seaside city.

David and Julia moved to Blackpool a few years ago, bought a shabby-looking 3-star B&B in a road with lots of other similar B&Bs. They ran it as a 3-star for a few years, but soon realised how much Blackpool needed a world-class offering that would appeal to sophisticated business travellers as well as weekenders.

They've spent plenty of money and time converting to 5-star, and it is obvious. It is practically perfect. Decor is modern and minimalistic, and there are great touches like inspirational books by Edward Monkton next to your bed. Best of all though is the flatscreen TV above the bath in Room 3.

If you find yourself in Blackpool, check Langtry's out. It's setting the standard.

A restaurant that would sit well next to Langtry's is Kwizeen, a gourmet restaurant in a part of town that is certainly not suited to gourmet restaurants. But that's Blackpool..there are some diamonds in the rough for sure.

The night I was at Kwizeen, there were only two other tables, and I felt kinda sorry for the owners. Because the food was so good that the restaurant should have been jam-packed. It was an awkward experience sitting in Kwizeen, eating a starter of salmon, bearnaise sauce with a poached egg on top, and a mains of superbly cooked lamb, and wondering why no one else in the whole of Blackpool wasn't doing the same.

View south from top of Blackpool Tower

View north from top of Blackpool Tower

Blackpool Tower...

The girls in Blackpool...

A theme park in Blackpool...one of many that kids will love!

Best thing in Blackpool...Pleasure Beach rollercoaster...dont eat noodles for lunch!!!

Day 11 - Wales Coast - Llandudno - Bronze age records to Victorian splendours

2009-07-23T21:33:00.013+01:00

Well-known travel writer Bill Bryson knows the UK well...he wrote a comprehensive travel book called Notes From A Small Island, about his journeys all over the island. And so when he said in 2003 that Llandudno was his favourite town, his opinion must carry a lot of weight.

And one can see why he thinks this way. The town of Llandudno is on a peninsula between two huge outcrops, called Great Orme and Little Orme. The bay curves round between the two, and a long beach lies in front of a succession of Victorian-age hotels and apartment blocks. Lording over the whole scene is the Grand Hotel, which sits at the base of the Great Orme.

Walk to the top of Great Orme, for great views over the sea, Llandudno, and onto the mountains of Snowdon. It really is a pretty sight - even when it rains, as it was when I was there.

But the town is not only superficially pretty and neat. Dig a little deeper under the surface of Great Orme, so to speak, and you'll find the biggest bronze age copper mine in the world. In fact, you could dig 70 metres below ground to get to the bottom of a mine that was first dug 4 000 years ago by neolithic people.

Yes, I know, if you're not a geologist or archeaologist, it may not sound that interesting at first, but trust me, once you get there, and get talking to Nick Jowett, you'll find it fascinating. When they're not operating the visitor centre during summer, Nick and his team are working right through winter to keep digging out more and more rubble. They keep discovering more and more tunnels, in a labyrinth that extends to 6 kilometres! You'll get to walk down deep into the earth, through the original tiny tunnels, which, in neolithic times, were literally hacked out bit by bit with animal bone. You don't want to get lost, because you won't get out - but there is a guided pathway, so don't worry.

The Great Orme Copper Mine in Llandudno.

Almost 1800 tons of copper was mined, enough to make 10 million axes, which was what everyone wanted in those times. It was the most valuable mine in the world during the bronze age. And then the Victorians came thousands of years later, and mined it even more. Since excavations started in 1986, a human jaw bone has been found, as well as one black cat (dead) surrounded by a circle of berries...all from Victorian times. Sinister stuff.

The Great Orme is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, one of 4 000 in the UK. It not only hosts the copper mine, but also an iron age fort ruin, with a rock that was used to determine whether someone was guilty of a crime. The accused would stand on the rock (which is there to this day), and if it didn't rock, you were guilty. Try it out. I was guilty of my crime - didn't move one millimetre!

A great way to get to the top of Great Orme is the cable car, which starts in town and takes you to the summit, with more superb views of the area. And while you're up there, there is a tabogan run, which is great fun even for old folk who feel the need for speed.

I stayed with Annie Cooper of Boscombe House, a grand Victorian three-storey home a few blocks back from the promenade. "Stayed with" doesn't really describe adequately how things are at Boscombe House. It would be more accurate to say that Annie looks after you like you were one of her own grand children.

She does things in style, and with a serious amount of care and love. Her rooms are HUGE, the ceilings are HIGH, and the decor is way more comfortable than it should be for £30 a night, which is what Annie charges for Bed & Breakfast.

The first thing Annie did when I arrived was give me scones, jam and big pot of tea, and we sat in her homely lounge talking about the horrible weather. When she heard I hadn't eaten lunch, she jumped up and immediately made me a sandwhich. When I went to bed, she had turned down my bed, and left two teddy bears to keep me company for the night, as well as a glass of sherry and two biscuits to help me start dreaming deeply. And in the morning, breakfast kept coming and coming...if you didn't ask Annie to STOP bring more home-baked bread and scones, then you'd be eating all day. And when I left, Annie had made me a packed lunch for the road...

For more things in the area check out Llandudno's tourism website.

My room at Boscombe House, with two teddy bears to keep me warm.

Old and new...

Imposing Conwy Castle near Llandudno is part of a World Heritage Site that includes several other castles in the area.

Day 10 - Wales Coast - Abersoch - Some scenic pics from www.totallyabersoch.co.uk

2009-07-23T20:59:00.005+01:00

While I was in Abersoch, I bumped into John Wormald, who's a photographer based in the town, with his own studio and shop that sells photographic prints. He's got lots of outstanding photos of the area. Check them out at http://www.totallyabersoch.co.uk/.

Here are a just a few of them. All were taken in the Abersoch area.

Day 10 – Wales Coast – Royal Welsh Show – Wales vs New Zealand Test

2009-07-22T23:10:00.003+01:00

Nope, not a rugby test. It’s a sheep shearing test. Ever year, several countries’ best sheep shearers gather at The Royal Welsh Show to see which nation is best.

I know this topic is a bit off the subject of my coastal trip of Britain, but while driving to Abersoch, I was listening to BBC Wales in the car, and heard the latest from the Royal Welsh Show. One comment from the Welsh presenter stuck in my head: “The New Zealanders are World Champions, and looking very strong, agile and skilful this year." Just to be clear, he was talking about the New Zealand sheep shearing team.

Apparently, shearers are scored by points being deducted. So competitors start with maximum points, and for every mistake/misjudgement made, points will be deducted. For instance, shearers should never have to cut twice over the same area – apparently, that’s not very skilful. The winner is the shearer who has the least points deducted. The presenter interviewed one of the New Zealanders, and his best time for shearing a sheep was exactly 18.08 seconds.

Random fact of the day: There are 10 million sheep in Wales, compared to a human population of three million. That's a lot of lamb chops to get through...

A YouTube clip of the final of the All Nations Competition from 2008. To the uninitiated, it looks like the poor sheep is being roughed up quite a bit, but on the BBC Radio Wales program, the New Zealander competitor says they actually enjoy the rough stuff.

Day 10 – Wales Coast – Abersoch and Lleyn peninsula – Island of 20 000 Souls

2009-07-22T22:56:00.005+01:00

King Arthur died here, and so did 20 000 Christians...

Bardsey island, two miles long, off the western tip of Lleyn, must be one haunted place. Back in the 6th century, the Pope decreed that three pilgrimages to Bardsey was equal to one pilgrimage to Rome (because the journey to Rome was too dangerous). Over a period of time, thousands and thousands came to the island, which eventually became known as the Isle of 20 000 Saints, because as many as 20 000 pilgrims came and died here.

Make your own way there with Colin Evans of Bardsey Boat Trips, which offers boat trips to the island from the town of Aberdaron. Besides the historical aspect, the island is noted for its nestings of Manx Shearwater and Peregrine Falcons.

Pic of Bardsey Island, courtesy of Bardsey Boat Trips.

Day 10 - Wales Coast - Abersoch and Lleyn - Mad adventurer now bespectacled chef...

2009-07-22T22:09:00.010+01:00

The town of Abersoch lies on the Lleyn peninsula (also spelt Llyn, and pronounced “khleen”), sticking out into the Irish Sea. Like the Gower Peninsula further south (see my post from a few days ago), this has been decreed an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Panorama of Abersoch, a small village on the Lleyn Peninsula in North Western Wales. This area is considered the stronghold of Welsh culture. Click on the image for full screen version.

You are never far from the sea, and it is less populated – it was great to be one of the few cars on the smaller roads. And people seem more laid back here than anywhere else I’ve been so far (maybe it’s just me though!). Even though you can't compare, Cornwall, for all its plusses, was one big traffic jam and had a bustling energy. Lleyn is a bit slow, in a good way, if you're slow like me.

What makes Lleyn special and unique, I think, is the amount of Welsh spoken. It is the first language of most locals, and you’ll hear it on the streets and in the shops. When I went to the Welsh Heritage Centre at Nant Gwrtheyrn (near Nefyn), it was closed for renovations, but apparently there is an excellent exhibition on Welsh language and culture. Open or not, go anyway, because the drive down from the main road (the B4417) to the town is spectacular. The road zigzags steeply down a mountain, to end with great views over cliffs to the sea. And if it’s raining, there’s a very long waterfall that’s visible all the way down.

I stayed in Abersoch on the south west end of the peninsula. Only a 1000 people live here, but during tourist season, according to John Gosling at Gosling’s B&B and Bistro, up to 10 000 people can visit the greater area. Not that you’d notice it. It is peak tourist season now, and the area doesn’t seem overcrowded.

There’s a shortish main street, which leads down to a fishing and sailing harbour, and a number of restaurants, delis and clothing shops. A long beach (rated as Blue Flag) extends in front of the harbour at low tide. The area has plenty of activities, and because the Lleyn peninsula is long and thin, you’re never too far from any of them.

A quick aside...When I met John Gosling, he was in his chef's outfit, getting his bistro's kitchen ready for dinner. We had a good long chat about our respective laptops giving us trouble, then got talking about Lleyn, then went back to our laptop discussion, then we started chatting about canoeing on Mount Everest...hold on! How did we end up here?

John might look very comfortable in his middle aged years, settled, chilled and bespectacled, but that's just a front. Because he's actually a closet adventurer. In 1976 he was part of the team that helped set the world altitude record for canoeing, of which a film was subsequently made: "Dudh Kosi - Canoeing Down Everest".

John's also been on K2 doing similar sane things. Okay, 1976 was some time ago, but John's still got that mad look of adventure in his eyes. Check out more on Wikipedia...where John is described as "the troubleshooter of the team". No doubt those skills come in handy when things in the bistro get hectic.

Here are a couple of John Gosling’s other suggestions:

Go walking. There are more than 50 miles of coastal walks on Lleyn. Edge of Wales is a respected company that specialises in guided walks, including a 75 km trek along the north shore of Lleyn.

Visit Porthdinillaen, which is not even a village, with seven or so houses, and a great pub restaurant on the tiny beach called Ty Coch (Red House). It is 1 mile from the village of Morfa Nefyn.

Go surfing at Hell’s Beach, a three minute drive to the west of Abersoch. Also good for surfing is Porth Oer (near Methlem), on the north-west coast.

Play golf at Nefyn Golf Club, acknowledged as one of the ten most beautiful golf courses in the UK.

Go for sailing lessons at Abersoch’s sailing school.

For panoramic views of the area, walk to the top of the hill at Llanbedrog, a few miles east of Abersoch (see the panorama pic from my post yesterday). And go see Criccieth Castle, a 13 century ruin that sits on top of cliffs with a vista of Tremadog Bay. In summer there is an arts festival that ends with fireworks over the castle.

Among the several events held near Abersoch over summer, the most particular must be Wakestock, a rock festival for wakeboarders, who descend on the peninsula because of its protected bays and skiing opportunities. 15 000 watersport fans come for four days to Llanbedrog (a couple of miles east of Abersoch) to listen to some top bands (Moby played this year). The festival in 2010 is from 2nd to 4th July.

Finally, learn Welsh! The Welsh Heritage Centre at Nant Gwrtheyrn offer courses for all ages and sizes.

For more ideas, check out Abersoch and Llyn’s tourism website.

Day 10 - Wales Coast - Abersoch - Welsh signs and flag

2009-07-21T23:01:00.008+01:00

Some Welsh road signs...and the Cymru flag. Y Ddraig Goch, as it called in Welsh, is probably the oldest national flag still in use. Its first official record of use was in 830, but was most likely introduced much earlier by Romans during their occupation of Britain.

Anyone want some WYAU SYTH OR NYTH for breakfast?

The dragon's rocking.

The Welsh flag...

Day 10 - Wales Coast - Abersoch - The heartland of the Welsh

2009-07-21T10:15:00.018+01:00

North Wales is accepted as the heartland of Welsh identity, and more people speak Welsh (or Cymraeg, as locals prefer) as their first language here than anywhere else. The name Wales is the English version of the real name in Welsh, which is Cymru (pronounced "kumree"). Cymru means "the land of the comrades".

I left Harlech, and drove North West to Abersoch on the Llyn Peninsula...By now you're probably wondering how to say all these Welsh names. I don't know either, but here's a good website that explains it. The language has 28 letters, but no J, K, Q, V, X or Z (although these are "borrowed" from English).

I thought I'd upload a BBC Wales radio news report, as well as a Welsh song...have a listen. (If anyone knows the artist, please let me know!) The language grabs me, and I found myself listening to it a lot, even though I don't understand a word.

It's a beguiling sound, ancient and proud and romantic. We all know that French and Italian sounds romantic to Anglo Saxons, but Welsh is unique. Glyn Roberts from Castle Cottage in Harlech tells me how his English-speaking daughters went to a Welsh speaking school, and are fluent in the language. More than that though, they are almost fluent in French, but they've learnt it through Welsh!

I hope the Cymru culture thrives. Janet Havard from Anchor Guest House in Broad Haven told me of her Welsh friend who was forbidden in 1969 to speak Welsh at shcool! Although things are obviously way more diplomatic today, I guess there will always be a threat to the minority of Welsh speakers, as there is to all minority cultures around the world.

This is an audio file of a Welsh song on BBC Radio - click play to listen.

BBC Welsh Radio news report...sounds great, eventhough I have no idea what they're saying.

Day 9 - Wales Coast - Harlech & Snowdonia - Random fact of the day

2009-07-21T09:38:00.008+01:00

Random fact of the day: Mount Snowdon is Britain's highest mountain outside of Scotland, at 1085 metres. The first recorded climbed was in 1639 by a botanist Thomas Johnston.

Interestingly (to me!), Mount Snowdon is almost exactly the same height as my favourite mountain - Table Mountain in my home town of Cape Town, South Africa. The mountain gods must have created them together, and the gods must have been in a really good mood, because both mountains are beautiful...Just goes to show that mountains don't have to be the highest to be the most photogenic!

Mount Snowdon...there are various walking routes to the top, but if you're feeling lazy, rather take the Snowdon Railway, which will take you all the way up to the summit, where a new visitor centre has recently been completed.

Day 9 - Wales Coast - Harlech - A castle and cottage fit for a king...

2009-07-21T09:21:00.008+01:00

From Dolgellau, I drove to Harlech, famous for its World Heritage Site castle. And the views change again...for the better, if that's possible. (This trip is making me search hard for adjectives...must bring out that old Thesaurus of mine.)

Harlech sits high up on a hill, a town of 1000 people with a small main street. The castle dominates in the centre, where it looks west and north over a vast plain of low green hills, rising into the watercolour mountains of Snowdonia. And in the middle of these is the geometrically perfect triangle of Mount Snowdon itself. But it doesn't stop there. To the west, the town drops off steeply to Harlech Beach, 4 miles long, and St Davids Championship Golf Course, a links course, that blends well into the environment.

I am staying at Castle Cottage Harlech, and the views of Snowdon from the lounge bar will keep you from your meal. Except that the restaurant is award winning, and my starter (grilled goats cheese, avocado and pine nuts on beetroot carpaccio with pesto dressing), and my main (roasted loin of lamb and confit shoulder, served on bubble and squeak with buttered carrots and a red wine shallot sauce) quickly got me out of my chair in the lounge and into the dining area.

Castle Cottage's tag line is "restaurant with rooms", and this hints at the passion of owners Glyn and Jacqueline Roberts. The restaurant is the fulcrum around which this highly professional, yet welcoming, establishment turns. It is a family-run, luxury, five star restaurant, in a restored 17th century inn. The rooms, though, provide the double whammy. They are easily the most comfortable and sophisticated I've experienced on this trip, as well as among the slickest I've stayed in over several years of travel journalism.

From the outside, the austere stone work blends in with the rest of town, and you can easily walk past Castle Cottage without realising the potential dining and accommodation experience inside.

And something else makes it really easy to visit...although it would be number 1 on many visitors' lists of places to stay in Wales, and is definitely a "special" spot, it doesn't have the attendant formalities. I walked in with my dirty shorts and hiking boots, initially worried about pitching up at a smart spot looking like I did. But as I walked in, Glyn greeted me before I could greet him. "You must be the South African!" he said. "Only South Africans walk around in shorts all day!" I felt welcome straight away.

Check out Britain's other World Heritage Sites, and see what else Harlech has in store for you.

Harlech Castle...dating from the late 1200s.

My room at Castle Cottage Harlech...

Day 9 - Wales Coast - Harlech - The mountains of Snowdonia start...and cows get happy

2009-07-20T22:57:00.018+01:00

So north I go. Driving along the coast from Broad Haven, through St Davids, where there is an imposing cathedral, well known locally as an important pilgrimage for Christians.

I stopped in Aberystwyth for lunch. It felt run-down and maybe in need of some tourist money.

Heading north further still, I got to Machynlleth (not sure how you pronounce that!) . Here the mountains smack right into your vision. It's a quick change of scene. And Dolgellau is the town that's right in the middle of the southern areas of Snowdonia National Park.

Further in, you notice plenty of happy cows and sheep grazing lazily. But the cows in these parts are not just happy, they positively overdosing on good vibes. For the first time in my life, I saw cows lying down on their sides, fast asleep in the afternoon sun. In South Africa, cows are pretty much everywhere outside of the cities, and I've ever seen this...I didn't know cows could do that! There must be something in the grass in these parts...(it does look tasty, even to a homo sapiens like me! If I had to eat grass, I'd eat Snowdonia grass.)

Day 8 - Wales Coast - Broad Haven - My first day on holiday...

2009-07-20T22:09:00.007+01:00

I drove north up the coast of Wales from Rhossili to Broad Haven, a small holiday village to the north west of Milford Haven, which has the second deepest natural harbour in the world. There's also a massive oil refinery in the area, but don't let that put you off, because the coast is predictably attractive.

This trip isn't really a holiday - I am moving every day to a new spot, and don't really have time to sit and enjoy the views for longer than a few minutes, before finding the next spot. But after an hour in Broad Haven, I felt - for the first time on this trip - like I was on holiday. (Don't feel sorry for me though....I'd do this every day for a long time to come! It's a massive privilege to travel through new lands, meet locals, understand new cultures...)

I arrived at Anchor Guest House, right on the expansive beach, and the first thing owner Janet Havard said to me was: "I've been reading your blog, and you've done way too much travelling in way too little time. Put your bags down and just chill!"

So I did as I was told, and as it was sunny, I went straight tothe beach for a swim (The water wasn't cold, nor that warm...just in between.) I sat down and just watched the beach scene, without doing anything.

Broad Haven reminds me of one or two beach towns outside Cape Town, in South Africa, where I come from. They're simple, not glamorous, stripped of any pretension, and the sort of place where you can go out for dinner in your costume, flip flops and sand in your hair. In other words, a real beach holiday.

Anchor Guest House is the same...you feel like you're on holiday in your own beach holiday home. It's simple. Bathrooms are small but clean. Bedrooms are not decorated. There's no fuss. The result is you don't feel scared to be untidy, and throw your clothes on the floor, just like I would at home, and worry if someone looked inside. It hosts a lot of walkers from Germany, Holland and the rest of Europe, who do the beautiful coastal walks in the area. And surfers too...they probably enjoy the easy going way Anchor is managed.

There're one or two basic restaurants, but head to Druidstone, about two miles to the north of Broad Haven. A completely different dining experience! It's a big old house in 20 acres of wild land, owned by the Bell family, who have opened it all up to guests for meals and for a drink in the bar and patio that looks out over the coast. Everyone is part of the family when you go there. Art of all kinds hangs on the walls, hard core locals mix with regular visitors. The meals, though, are very tasty, and service is good. So they haven't compromised the visitor experience by letting guests hang out in their home. Go there, because you'll meet locals, and they'll make you feel welcome...it's an authentic insight into how people live around here.

Round the corner from Anchor Guest House is Haven Sports, a surfing store that rents our water sports gear. Richard Heys will point you in the direction of one of many of the good surf spots in the area.

Broad Haven beach is wide, long and has small waves for beginners. Newgale, a bit further north is bigger in wave size, reaching 6 to 8 foot in autumn. And further south at Fresh Water West, 10 foot waves are predictable in big swell.

To the north of Broad Haven, is St Davids, a town with a cathedral of the same name...a classic, fairytale cathedral, that is an important pilgrimage site for Christians in the area. It is beautiful, but I am quickly starting to become immune to all these architectural gems, because there are so damn many of them. (I've been spoilt by St Catherines, St Govan's etc)

But something did catch my eye near St Davids. I didn't go there, but I saw a pamphlet for sheepdog demonstrations at Pembrokeshire Sheepdogs. Apparently, you can see border collies giving demonstrations on how they herd sheep, and how they are trained. Awesome. Go there for me, will you? (I have a border collie called Jasper back in South Africa!!).

The view from Anchor Guest House onto Broad Haven beach...roll out of bed onto the sand. Click on the image for a full screen version.

Anchor Guest House...

Day 8 - Some more pics from before - Chesil Beach, and Worms Head near Rhossili

2009-07-20T22:00:00.004+01:00

Chesil Beach, from a few days ago...17 miles long! (Click on image to full screen version)

Worm's Head to the left, and Rhossili Beach to the right, and the Worms Head Hotel looking over it all. This area was the first to be declared an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK. I just wish the sun was shining! Still, it was special. (Click on image to full screen version).

Day 8 - Some pics from before - Corfe Castle and St Catherine's Chapel near Abbotsbury

2009-07-20T09:36:00.006+01:00

Here are some landscapes from earlier in my trip...the first is Corfe Castle near Bournemouth, the second is St Catherine's Chapel near Abbotsbury.

Click on the image for a full screen version...

Click on the image for a full screen version...

Day 8 - Wales - Gems of the coast...

2009-07-20T08:35:00.006+01:00

From Rhossili, I drove up the west coast of Wales, through Llanelli, to the Pembrokeshire National Park. This is the only truly coastal National Park, and it protects a countryside that the locals are very proud of. Surging blue sea, coves with sandy beaches every few hundred metres, and undulating green coastal hills that at their edge fall twenty or thirty metres into the sea.

On my way I stopped at Barafundle Bay, another photogenic spot, with a rock arch just offshore. Then I headed to St Govan’s chapel, which might just beat St Catherine’s Chapel in Abbotsbury for being every girl’s favourite church for getting married. And it’s legendary origin is indicative of the Pembrokeshire coastline.

St Gobham was an Irish missionary who found his way across the Atlantic in the mid 500s. (Yes, 500...phew, that's 1500 years ago, or 1000 years before any white man got near my home country of South Africa!). His existence was for certain, but how there came to be a chapel at the bottom of a cliff, in front of pounding waves, is up for debate. Apparently, he was pursued by pirates to the edge of the cliff, where he looked down onto the rocks below, knowing that he’d die if he jumped off. Miraculously, the cliff face opened for him to walk down, and it closed around him, hiding him from the pirates up above. It was in this spot that St Gobham built his chapel. He died in 586, and his remains are thought to lie in the altar on the east side of the chapel.

Another fable which reflects the influence that this coast has on local folklore, is that of the Huntsman’s Leap, a huge vertical fissure in the cliffs, about 600 metres to the left of St Govan’s. In the 19th century, a horseman saw the crevice and had no choice but to urge his horse to jump over it. He and his horse did so successfully, but when he looked back and saw just how far they had jumped, the huntsman died of shock.

From St Govan’s I headed to Marloes Sands, another beautiful National Trust site. When I got there, it was high tide, and the “Sands” were covered in surging surf. Nevertheless, it was a powerful scene, something that makes one sit down and stare at for hours and hours, not knowing why - it’s maddeningly addictive. While looking for a good spot to take photos, I met Liz and Duncan, the summertime caretakers of the local youth hostel, and they invited me over for a cup of tea. The hostel is about five minutes from the beach and cliffs, and is well isolated. It is somewhere I’d like to go back to, and simply listen to the wind and sea, and watch the clouds and the surf. And at £13 a night for a dorm bed, I reckon I could do that for quite a while.

Unfortunately though, I’m having to move quickly from place to place. I only have 33 days to go all the way around the coast of Britain – it’s a strange experience moving quickly through these stunning landscapes. I wish I could have spent more time with Liz and Duncan. They really made me feel like I was on holiday.

St Govan's chapel on the way between Rhossili and Broad Haven...no words needed. Click on the image for a full screen version.

Day 7 - Wales - The people...

2009-07-20T08:31:00.002+01:00

Heading into Wales, you can’t help notice the road signs that are written in both English and Welsh. There is a strong sense of identity. Turn on the radio, and skip through a few stations until you come to BBC Cymru, the Welsh station...even though you won’t understand a word, you’ll be entranced...it’s a language of fairytales. In fact, it reminds me of the Elves speak in Lord of the Rings.

The people are very friendly. There is the old man who pointed me in the right direction of Worm’s Head. There’s the other old man in the National Trust Car Park at Barafundle Bay who let me park for free, because I had no cash.

There’s the receptionist in the Dragon Hotel in Swansea who let me use their Internet without hesitation, but with a very big smile.

There’s Julian Short at the Worm's Head hotel on Rhossili Bay who seemed most happy to keep the bar open late for his guests, even though he’s had a year of late nights already.

There’s Liz and Duncan who manage the youth hostel at Marloes Sands, who invited me in for a cup of tea and a chat. And then there’s everyone else who I passed while walking along the coast, who smile like the sun’s going to shine forever. And the weather was good...after a few days of rain, the sun came out and saturated all the greens and blues. It is hard not to be extra friendly in a place like this.

And there are fewer tourists. It is now school holidays for six weeks, and while Cornwall was jammed with them already, the Welsh coast is comparatively quiet. It’s a somewhat wilder place, where villages are spread further apart, and are less commercial. The area seems less reliant on the tourist trade. Of course there are tourists, but they seem to be the independent travellers, not the tour bus kind or the city crowd. There are a lot of “walkers”, who simply enjoy walking. And it’s easier to bump into the locals at the pubs and restaurants.

Day 7 - Wales - Gower Peninsula - Official area of outstanding natural beauty

2009-07-20T07:48:00.006+01:00

The Gower Peninsula, just to the west of Swansea, was the first area in the UK to be declared an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, by a governmental body, in 1956. Today there are 47 in total across the UK, and they are each deemed to be “a precious landscape whose distinctive character and natural beauty are so outstanding that is in the nation’s interest to safeguard them”.

It is clear, once you drive onto the peninsula, why Gower is an official AONB. But it is once you get to Worm’s Head, on the south west corner that you realise why it was the first to be declared. Worm’s Head is a photogenic offshore island, cut off at high-tide from the cliffs of the mainland. (The name is Viking in origin – “Wurme” meaning “Dragon” or “Serpent”). This in itself might be enough for an AONB designation, but it is Rhossili Bay immediately to the north that completes the symphony. Sweeping for a few miles along the coast, the beach of Rhossili is made all the more spectacular from the high viewpoint above the cliffs, where the Worm’s Head Hotel is situated.

This family hotel is a popular with locals who like to enjoy a sunset drink on the bar’s patio, perched high up on the cliffs, looking over the beach and the island. Just a week into my trip, I have been surprised again and again by the edge of Britain. It seems like the more I travel, the more diverse and locally unique it becomes. This west coast really does hypnotise.

The Worm’s Head hotel is right at the end of the road, next to the parking lot for visitors to the site, which is managed by the National Trust. The building itself is not beautiful or grand (fortunately, because the view deserves the attention), and it provides simple, clean, comfortable rooms, with reasonable food in the restaurant. And there's lot of fun in the bar. It’s hard not to enjoy oneself in a place with views that would cheer up an old fisherman who’s spent a whole winter’s night without catching anything. But they do catch down here. At sunset last night, a about ten local fishermen parked their cars next to the hotel, donned their wetgear, and headed down to the edge of the peninsula. The sea bass ended up on my plate later.

There is no cellphone signal, and no internet connections here. Owner Julian Short, who used to lecture civil engineering at Swansea University, says the telecom companies “won’t go near the area, because there are hardly any people living here.” It’s a couple of houses, and the hotel for plenty of miles - in one outstandingly beautiful area. There is no sign of commercial tourism. Even the hotel looks non-descript and subdued – the first time I drove up to it, I didn’t see it – because the sign can be easily missed. It is graded 2-star by the AA, which means there isn't the wide range of services that more demanding customers may require - but this suits the scene. I'm not sure guests should be making cellphone calls or checking their email in a place like this. It should probably be outlawed actually.

Julian’s son Adrian helps manages the hotel, after leaving university a few years back. Julian says:”I said to him, you can go to London and work on the tenth floor of a building, and not know who’s on the floor below, or on the floor above. Or you can come and work with me here, and enjoy the best view in all of the UK every day.” Adrian didn’t argue, and it’s obvious why.
The view from my room looked onto the island and the beach. The only thing that obscured it was the salt on the window, which probably accumulates over night, every night....the westerly wind is incessant.

There is, probably appropriately, very little to do in the area.

Walking is why most people come: you can walk for 18 miles along cliff tops from the hotel to Mumbles, the popular seaside town of Swansea.

There are five golf courses within a ten mile radius, the best being Langland Bay and Pennard, according to Julian.

For something more adventurous, check out Dryad Bush Craft, an outdoor survival school that teaches you how to enjoy nature without modern help.

There is a lot of water around, so you can try out some kayaking, surfing, canoeing etc with Gap Activities.

For more info, see Swansea’s tourist website.

Click on image for a full screen version...the Worm's Head hotel is on the right, up on the hill.

Day 6 - South West Coast - Great roads that I've driven so far...

2009-07-18T16:13:00.006+01:00

After almost a week, there are a couple of drives that offer GREAT views:

1) The coastline from Corfe Castle, near Bournemouth, going west to Chesil Beach. I am still thinking about St Catherines Chapel between Chesil Beach and Abbotsbury town.

2) The drive from Brixham, through Dartmouth, along the coast to Hope Cove. Dramatic, isolated coastline with cliffs and panoramic, high-up viewpoints. Go to Hope Cove, in particular.

3) The south Cornwall coast...Lizard Point to Mousehole. Not many villages, lots of space.

4) Tintagel to Clovelly - high cliffs, big seas when the wind blows.

5) Ilfracombe to Minehead, which takes you through Exmoor National park. Some BIG SKY views, and yes, more and more cliffs! Monotonously beautiful.

I'll keep adding to this list as I go...(I've just passed through Cardiff and Swansea, on my way to The Worm's Head hotel in Rhossili, and passed over the Severn Bridges on the Bristol Channel - very impressive.)

PS. There is no cell phone reception or internet access in Rhossili, so I'll be updating tomorrow evening only!

Day 6 - South West Coast - Ilfracombe - Night on an island, and living with wolves

2009-07-18T15:21:00.006+01:00

Sharon from Collingdale Guest House has the following suggestions for visitors to Ilfracombe;

- Visit the Tunnel Beaches. These are proof that people will do almost anything to go on a beach holiday. Just to the south of town, these beaches used to be cut off from visitors by a rocky promontory. No worries, though, because Victorian engineers carved out four tunnels by hand so that the town folk could go sit on the beach, their bodies fully covered by Victorian dress. I am sure the guys who actually dug the tunnels would have preferred, after all that effort, to see a few bikinis...

- Take a day trip - or even better, spend two nights on Lundy Island, which takes its name from the Norse word for "puffin" (you can see these on the island). Check out on my Google Map where it is...it takes about two hours by boat from Ilfracombe (£32 an adult), or you can go by helicopter (£92 an adult). You can go for a day, but rather stay on the island, says Sharon. She stayed at the bottom of the lighthouse, but you can also stay in a fisherman's cottage, a Georgian mansion or the medieval castle. I wish I had enough time to do it, but when I planned my trip, I kept to the original plan, which was to stay on the mainland. I think "Islands of Britain" should be the next adventure!

- The Ilfracombe Theatre looks like two small power plant towers, but they are in fact ingenious acoustic designs, and well worth a look. The theatre hosts shows almost every day of the year.

- If you're a surfer, Woolacombe Bay to the south of the town is a must. It often hosts international surfing competitions, and is one of the best breaks on mainland Britain.

- For something completely incongruous with the area, check out the Combe Martin dinosaur & wildlife park. I'm not one for things like these, especially when lions, meerkats, wolves and monkeys are involved, but it is home to Mr & Mrs Wolf (aka Shaun Ellis and Helen Jeffs). Shaun is a noted wildlife biologist, and in 2005 he spent 18 months in captivity, living side by side with the wolves. So it has a good reputation, apparently.

For more things to do, contact Ilfracombe's tourist office.

Day 6 - South West Coast - Ilfracombe - The 1 place to stay, things to do...

2009-07-18T00:25:00.011+01:00

For excellent value for money, The Collingdale Guest House in Ilfracombe offers a smart, comfortable, laid-back, spacious and homely stay. It's a four-star, four-storey building overlooking the old town and harbour, as well as a nature reserve called the Hillsborough Leisure Area, which is a bad name for a beautiful high peninsula with great views itself.

The Collingdale has been a hotel or guest house since 1882, and owners Daryl and Sharon Furmston have owned it since then...only joking. They have owned it for seven years, and brought a freshness to what must have been a very old-fashioned and moth-balled Victorian building.

Views are unsurprisingly good from all nine rooms, and the downstairs lounge and bar area have big comfy leather couches, fire places, big sash windows, through which you can look down the hill onto the ocean and parkland. And prices are even better. You can stay for as little as £30 a night, including breakfast.

I'm off to bed now, but Sharon's given me a list of things to do in Ilfracombe...including staying in a lighthouse on an island out to sea!

View of Ilfracombe from harbour wall

View from the Collingdale Guest House

Room at Collingdale Guest House...that window looks out onto the harbour.

Click on this panorama of Ilfracombe to get a full screen version..

Day 6 - South West Coast - Ilfracombe

2009-07-18T00:07:00.006+01:00

After going to Clovelly, Ilfracombe was always going to be a different experience. It's much more of a working town, with a fishing industry that supports the local folk. But it is similar in that it has some of the old soul from times gone by. There's an unofficial debate going on in town about whether Ilfracombe should develop a waterfront area. At the moment, the harbour and the breakwater are traditional...and I can imagine how it could be transformed into a glitzy eating and dining promenade.

But, Ilfracombe works for me. I think it offers just the right amount of authenticity, without losing the services that tourists need, such as nice (but not overly posh, thankfully) restaurant and pubs, and comfortable B&Bs. It does host Damien Hirst's restaurant, called "Number 11 The Quay." But it's the only nationally famous one, while the others seem to offer good food at really good prices. (If you're not from the UK or an art fundi, like me, then check out some Wiki info on Damien Hirst...he's a controversial, and very wealthy, artist.)

I ate a delicious sole at Take Thyme, on Fore Street, right next to the harbour. It was caught in the afternoon, and Tara O'Callaghan bought and cooked it for me a few hours later. Her restaurant hasn't been decorated by a professional, and it's not going to attract a trendy city crowd...however, the meal was the best - and most representative of the area - that I've had yet. And you can sit and look out the windows onto the street, watching locals - not tourists - walk by.

Day 6 - South West Coast - Clovelly - The prettiest village I've ever seen

2009-07-17T23:33:00.010+01:00

I'm starting to sound like someone who's addicted to hyperbole and over-exaggeration...but I honestly am not. I've worked as a journalist, and skepticism comes with the turf. I know I've given a few good words to places like Mousehole, Dartmouth, Brixham and recently St Ives, but Clovelly is extra special. For sheer beauty, this tiny village (much smaller than tiny Mousehole) is unmatched. (And I promise to get a few photos up soon!!! Update - Check them out below.)

My mate back in London made me swear that I'd visit Clovelly on my trip. He's been on a romantic escapade there, and I can see why. The little place would knock the pants - sorry, I mean socks! - off most girls (and guys) on a romantic weekend.

I will try to describe it, probably unsuccessfully, because you have to be a poet... There are only about thirty whitewashed tiny cottages, all situated in a steep culvert between two high hills. To the left and right are precipitous forests that come down to a stony coast. There is a waterfall cascading into the ocean just to the north of the village. The harbour keeps about ten fishing boats, and the breakwater tries its best to keep the winter swells out. Streets are cobbled. Flowerpots hang out the windows. And the sound of the sea is amplified by the narrow topography.

And many of the residents are old locals. Barry Perham owns the Shellfish Shop at the bottom of the hill, just before you walk onto the breakwater. He was born in Clovelly. His great grandfather moved there after marrying one of the locals. He's not bowing to any tourist marketing program...he's just selling his "hot, smoked mackerel in soft bread roll for £2.50". That's why Clovelly works. There are tourists, but it hasn't compromised the soul one bit.

The history of the place goes back to 1066, when it was described in the census for that year. The whole village has always been owned by a family, and today it is privately owned by the Hamlyn family, and has been since 1738. As a result, they have been able to preserve Clovelly, so that is has essentially remained unchanged for centuries. The town's tourist centre at the top of the hill does taint things somewhat, but it's far away from the town itself, so it doesn't matter. And you'll pay £6 to gain access to Clovelly, but it's worth every penny, and it helps to preserve it.

In fact, I would have liked to spend a night there. And will be going back for sure. Two places caught my eye, but didn't go inside:

- Red Lion Hotel, right on the breakwater. An impressive sight.

- Donkey Shoe Cottage, in the middle of the village.

- For more accommodation options, check out http://www.clovelly.co.uk/.

Panorama of Clovelly, click on the image for a full screen version...a photo doesn't do the village justice, and I wish the sun had been shining...it deserves sun all year round - clouds should be reserved exclusively for London!! And notice the waterfall on the left of the image...

Barry Perham, who owns the Shell Fish Shop next to the Red Lion Hotel on the harbour (which is to the right of the panorama photo)

Day 6 - South West Coast- Tintagel - King Arthur and his knights...

2009-07-17T23:20:00.009+01:00

On the way from St Ives north to Ilfracombe is Tintagel Castle, close to the town of the same name. It is here that King Arthur was born...if he ever did live.

The castle is on cliffed-island down a steep hill from the town. The wind was galeforce when I got there, and had to lean into it while taking a few pics. The sea was spraying up above the cliffs which are about 40 metres high...an impressive place for a legendary king to be born. Bad weather suits the place. But although it's a decent outing, it's not as special as some guidebooks make it out to be. The castle is almost eroded to it's foundations, and the town itself is not pretty. There are lots of curio stores selling swords and King Arthur chess sets. Poor old King Arthur...I wonder if he's getting any royalty payments...

Click on the panorama for a full screen version of the broken down Tintagel Castle...it's to the right of the image.

Day 5 - South West Coast - St Ives - some more...

2009-07-17T22:56:00.010+01:00

St Ives is popular today as an artist town, and it has been since 1811, when the famous JM Turner (I didn’t know who he was either – but check out his work to see if it's your thing) moved to St Ives. The first official tourist arrived in 1877 when the trainline was extended.

And now that I’ve had some more time in the town, I’ve realised how much St Ives, in particular, relies on tourism. The pilchard fishing industry, which was once so prolific, has died, and overfishing left the fishing boats unused in the harbour. To give you an idea of how many pilchards were caught, Tim Tait from Cornerways showed me the basement of his B&B, which used to be a pilchard press (...it smells better now!)

“They used to throw the pilchards down a shute, into the press, extract the oil, and send it to London to light the street lamps. There was just so much of the stuff...” One estimate, according to the local tourism brochure, is that every year 100 million fish were transported out of St Ives. And it didn’t take long for the stock to run out – by 1924 the industry had almost died.

The town relies now on its bygone charm as a working fishing town to draw the tourists. There are lots of boutique clothing and fashion stores, and a lot of upmarket restaurants. Sure, there are fish and chip shops too. The charm is still there, and it’s great. I just hope that it doesn’t become too trendy.

Well, it may be too late, because the Tate art empire has got a St Ives branch, which you pay about £5.65 to get in. There are 30 other galleries in the village, hosting a wide range of paintings, sculptures and photography. If you're an art fan, then go to St Ives.

Here are a couple more things that you can do, courtesy of Tim, and Madeleine at St Ives Tourism (The office is very helpful - a clear sign that they know how important the industry is to the town.)

- Take a guided tour of the town with Valerie Hurry, who offers two versions: one for folk interested in all the art, and one for those who want to know more about the history and quirkiness of the place. Contact Valerie on vwaves@btinternet.com. Prices are $5 a person, and tours last about 75 minutes.

- Visit the St Ives Museum down near the harbour wall. Yeah, yeah...I know what you thinking...you didn't go on holiday to see a museum. And it is run-down and poky, but according to Tim at Cornerways, it is one of the unsung attractions. It has an enormous amount of archival material that even ardent non-historians might find interesting. Like how Saint Ia (a lady!) from Ireland founded the town in the 5th century, after sailing across on a dingy made from animal hides! Wow. There's a lot of quirky stuff as well.

- Go to Trewyn Gardens, which isn’t touristy, and are very pretty. They sit right next to the Barbara Hepworth museum, which houses much of her modern sculpture work. Tim says it’s a “must-do” if you’re that way inclined. I didn't know who she was.

- Try Saltwater Restaurant in - you guessed it - Fish Street! Tim says it’s got the best seafood, and is a “special occasion” spot. Other famously good restaurants are Porthminster Cafe & Restaurant, which is apparently nationally famous. And Alba, which got 10/10 from the Daily Telegraph food writer and is located in the old lifeboat house and has panoramic views of the ocean.

- Bringyour walking shoes. The coastal walks are fine. Tim says his favourite is to walk the three hours south to Zennor, have lunch at the popular - and only - pub, the Tinners Arms, then take the open-top bus back to St Ives.

- For diferent accommodation options, check out Old Salthouse, which is a luxurious studio apartment, and Gowerton Guest House, a less pricey spot (£30 a night incl breakfast) run by a South African lady called Zelda Bennett. I know I keep going on about how great the views have been, but her view has set the new standard. Her three storey fishing cottage is part of the breakwater, and you look out your window onto the sea directly below.

St Ives Internet Cafe...

Art deco poster of St Ives

...and one for Cornwall too.

St Ives on a stormy morning...hey, I also wish the weather was better in July!

Day 5 - South West Coast - Lands End & St Ives

2009-07-16T18:47:00.009+01:00

I drove from Mousehole to Lands End, the most south westerly point of England. When I arrived, it was raining, and foggy. There was a queue ten cars back from the kiosk, where they were charging £4 to get in. And then I saw the sign that said there was a shopping mall. I decided to give it a skip and carried on to St Ives.

A shopping mall at a place with a romantic name like Land's End? Not sure it works!

St Ives has a talked-up reputation, and deserves it. It's about four times the size of tiny Mousehole, with a bigger harbour and waterfront, but it has the same charm. It's busier with tourists, and there are more designer boutique stores. But the town still has "old charm" written over it, the streets are too narrow for SUVs, and they twist and turn randomly, as if the town's builders woke up every morning and threw a dice to see in which direction they'd build an alley way. It's romantic.

Cornerways B&B suits St Ives well. It's classy, yet reasonably priced, in the old part of town, on a hill that overlooks the harbour. The building is an old three storey fisherman's cottage, with narrow staircases. Inside, it's renovated, modern in a maritime way and very comfortable. For attention to detail, Cornerways deserves a good mention. And because the rooms are stacked at odd angles and at different heights, you feel like you're in your own small flat, with couch, table, and ensuite bathroom. And a view of the harbour. And there's a seagull that perches on the roof of the neighbour's house, staring into your room while you're changing. No wonder it's squawking at me so much.

Room at Cornerways...the windows look out onto the pic below...

...Where a seagull squawks at me while I'm changing.

Have lunch at the Cornish Pasty shop just down from Cornerways, on the promenade. For £2 you can have a medium sized traditional pasty (steak, potato and veggies, wrapped in a light tasty pastry). I had two!

Day 4 - South West Coast - Mousehole - Some old pics..and bit of history

2009-07-16T17:06:00.003+01:00

Like all villages along the coast of Britain, Mousehole is all about the ocean and the people who survive off it. The air is thick with salt. The sea is loud wherever you are in the village. People practically live IN the ocean. So everything relates back to the sea. I found these old pics from The Shipp Inn's bar area...incredible. My fishing mates in Cape Town won't believe the pic of the massive shark, taken in 1939. The caption for the photo says it weighed five tons and the liver was one ton...

Incredible. Nature is amazing for what it can come up with!

The caption for the shark photo...click on it to read it in a bigger font.

The best beer in the world for admirals - and us.

And Mousehole's history is violent. It was burnt to the ground by the Spaniards in 1595. Squire Keigwan defended his manor house to the death, and it still stands today.

And the last speaker of the Cornish language - Dorothy Pentreath - lived and died in Mousehole, passing on in 1777 at the age of 102. Her grave is in the churchyard above town.

Day 4 - South West Coast - Mousehole - Ice cream from heaven

2009-07-16T00:21:00.005+01:00

I've just tasted the best ice-cream in Cornwall, if not the galaxy. It’s made by Mr Robin Webb, whose company is called...Webb’s.

If anyone should put their name on their business’s products, Mr Webb is that man. In fact, he should call his ice-cream flavours after his children, because he must be that proud of it. And he should be knighted and ordained all in one go, because his ice-cream must make thousands of people happy to be alive when they lick their favourite flavour.

I’ve eaten way more than my life’s fair share of ice cream already, so I really do believe, with all my heart, that Mr Webb’s ice-cream is up there amongst the best I’ve tasted. This is not an exaggeration, because on the wall of his mom’s tiny ice-cream store in Mousehole are more than twenty annual awards for “Cornwall’s Best Ice-Cream”, as judged by the National Ice-Cream Alliance. (Update: Actually, I've just visited Robin in Penzance, and he says he got a merit award, which is about tenth place out of a few hundred entries...still not bad!) Now that’s an organisation that I could work for, and if it ran the United Nations, I reckon it could ensure world peace just by handing out endless supplies of Mr Webb’s chocolate ice-cream.

Mr Webb runs his business from Penzance, and I’m going to pay homage tomorrow or the next day. (Have just done so, and he's an ordinary man selling extraordinary icecream - the name of his shop is the Coffee Pot, and it's on the main promenade near the arcade in Penzance. Don't pass it by.)

Because I went back for seconds immediately after my first cone, I thought I’d strike up some friendly conversation with his old lady, Mrs Webb, to find out a bit more about this holy grail of ice-cream. But being an unashamed fan of her son’s ice-cream doesn’t make you special, as I found out when I asked Mrs Webb what her first name was. “I don’t tell people my first name. I’m just Mrs Webb to you, and that’s the way it’s going to be, okay?” Fair enough - I guess you wouldn’t ask the Pope’s mom what her first name is either.

Day 4 - South West Coast - Mousehole - Tiny fishing village

2009-07-16T00:16:00.009+01:00

Mousehole. I knew I had to spend a night in a town called Mousehole (pronounced “Mowzel”).

It’s a tiny fishing village, in a tiny cove, with tiny fishing boats, with tiny streets, tiny buildings and tiny night-time fairylights. You can walk around the whole village in five minutes.

There’re only a couple of places to spend the night. I am staying at tiny The Ship Inn, which has the best spot, right on the harbour, overlooking the tiny fishing boats, and the tiny breakwater that keeps the very large sea out. The Ship Inn is mainly a pub that serves good food, but they do offer a couple of rooms upstairs.

I am sitting now in front of the bay window of my room, which has a view that might just rival that of The Cottage Hotel in Hope Cove. But it’s a different view. It’s a very comforting view, not an awe-inspiring natural view. The fishing boats in the harbour look safe and sound, like small children wrapped up snuggly in bed. Old fisherman must have felt the same way coming back into Mousehole’s harbour from a night on the ocean. The sounds from downstairs in the pub: laughter and chatter. People passing on the street below. The seagulls doing seagull stuff out on the harbour’s wall.

NB. Just before you get to Mousehole, make sure you visit Marazion, just to the east. St Michael’s Mount sits just off the coast, a spectacular hill island with a superb abbey on top, connected to the mainland by a narrow, low causeway. It really is special to see – its sense of history matches its physical impressiveness: the abbey dates back to the 5th century. It’s currently draped with scaffolding for restoration, but even so, it’s WOW.

Mousehole harbour

Mousehole itself...The Ship Inn is in the middle with the flower boxes

St Michaels Mount, just to the east of Mousehole

Day 4 - South West Coast - Lizard Point - Southermost point on mainland

2009-07-16T00:15:00.008+01:00

A quick mention about Lizard Point, because it’s the southernmost point on the British mainland.

Like everyone perhaps, I’m not sure why we all trek off to these sometime mostly sunspectacular places, which are really just important because of the longitudes and latitudes dreamt up by mapmakers. We come back and say a little proudly that we’ve been to this and that point, without knowing why we’re proud.

But even if Lizard Point is buzzing with tourists and is not AS stunning as much of the rest of this coast, there’s still a pensive, reverent feel to the area. People sit on the grass, talking softly, staring out to the horizon, re-evaluating their live's...we can’t help ourselves, can we!?!? So go, only to say to that you’ve been there. And it is beautiful in it's own right.

The view from Lizard Point, the southernmost point on the mainland.

Follow the signs...

Day 4 - South West Coast - St Austell - St Austell Brewery

2009-07-16T00:01:00.006+01:00

From Eden, it’s a five minute drive to St Austell Brewery, where you can ponder the future of the earth over several pints of real ale. The brewing company has more than 170 pubs in the south west of England, where you can enjoy their five or so different types of beers. It’s been in the family for five generations, and when you do the brewery tour you get the feeling that they really do love their beer.

It’s not contrived or commercial at all – if you love beer, then do the tour, especially because you can sample all the different ales. St Austell’s beer lasts only 6 weeks in the cask, because they don’t use any chemicals or preservatives. And the brewing water is still sourced from the same spring that was originally used.

Jeremy Mitchell at the brewery looks after all the different pubs in Cornwall, and has spent plenty of time visiting all 173 of them. So he knows the area like the bottom of a beer bottle. His top picks of things to do and see in the region:

- Charleston, for its famous tall ships.
- Fowey (pronounced “Foy”), because it’s a pretty but un-touristy coastal village.
- Veryan, because there are two thatched houses which are round: locals believed that the devil could hide around square corners.
- Halford Passage, because there’s a famous oyster farm there
- Gweek, for its seal sanctuary
- Lizard Point, the southernmost point on the British mainland.
- Porthcurno, firstly because you can suntan naked – there’s a nudist beach there. And secondly, the Minnack open air theatre is apparently spectacular and hosts shows every night in summer.
- Watergate Bay, to visit Jamie Oliver’s restaurant called “15 Cornwall”.
- St Meryn, to enjoy another celebrity chef’s food: fish and chips at Rick Stein’s Cornish Arms
- The whole coast between Newquay and Padstow...there are at least seven long beaches, all with decent surf breaks. Jeremy grew up in St Agnes, whose nearby beach has a particularly good reputation amongst local surfers.

Day 4 - South West Coast - St Austell - UFOs and Rainforests at Eden Project

2009-07-15T23:57:00.014+01:00

From there I shook a leg across to the Eden Project near St Austell. I heard about this futuristic environmental site long ago, and being a willing earthy type, I always wanted to go. It’s well worth it.

From the outside, there are five or six massive space-ship-like, honeycombed white domes. It’s futuristic looking, and when it was launched back in the day, it was a futuristic concept. These days we've has come to realise how we’ve messed up the earth, so whereas the Eden Project was an implicit warning to the world when it launched, today it’s simply confirming for us what we’ve now known for some time.

What’s impressive is that the site on which Eden is built used to be a massive mining pit, and what’s arisen from the dust is all the more special because of it.

Inside each dome is the recreation of different natural climates and habitats from across the globe. You can get really hot and sweaty in the tropical biome crammed with rainforest, and then cool off in the Mediterranean one. It's worth the £16 entry fee, which all goes to the charity which runs Eden anyway.

It was packed with people, and is clearly a big hit. For me, it was a melancholy experience...I
wondered what things would be like in the future...would the world be one big concrete megalopolis, and we’d have to visit a habitat “zoo”, like Eden Project, just to remind ourselves what deserts and rainforests were like? That’s a dumb thought I guess. I hope it is!

The river in the rainforest biome

Outside the UFOs

The Mediterranean biome

Day 4 - South West Coast - Bigbury-on-Sea & Burgh Island - Sea tractor and surfing

2009-07-15T23:47:00.009+01:00

Nearby to Hope Cove is Bigbury-on-Sea, which has some of the best surfing waves in the UK (take a surf lesson at the local Discovery Surf School), and looks onto the exclusive Burgh Island, which is privately owned by the same folk who have built a very high-end hotel on the isle. You can stay there for between £300 and £600 a night.

There’s also a special pub there called the Pilchard Inn. According to locals, non-residents aren’t officially welcomed there – it’s very much a local’s local. But don’t worry about that, because the kids (and anyone who likes being a kid), will enjoy the sea tractor which ferries you across the 50 metres between the island and the mainland. The tractor is a unique contraption that looks exactly like a normal tractor, except you sit about fifteen feet high above the huge inflatable wheels. When the tide is out, you can walk the distance to the island, but when the tide comes in, the sea tractor will shuttle you across without you getting wet.

The sea tractor on Burgh Island (pic courtesy of Wikimedia - the tractor wasn't running when I was there as it was low tide)

Day 3 – South West Coast - Hope Cove - Don’t read this if you’re a tourist...

2009-07-15T07:55:00.017+01:00

I’m sitting in a hotel room in a village that isn’t really on the maps or in the guide books. And, it’s got two names. Hope Cove is made up of Inner Hope and Outer Hope. It’s a tiny town that dates back to the 1300s, and apparently some of the thatched fishing houses in Inner Hope are the original ones from about 1600. The Norsemen got here long before that. And some iron-age folk got here long before that (there’s a remnant of an iron-age fort nearby). Those cavemen clearly knew a good spot to light a fire...

And crazily, it’s hardly mentioned in any guide books, and even on the Ordnance Survey map for the South West of England, the names are written in that small font that makes people drive past. Don’t. It’s got the feel of this part of the coast, with cliffs into the sea, peninsulas and rocky outcrops. But it’s better somehow. There aren’t any fancy yachts in the harbour like Dartmouth or Brixham, only a couple of small working fishing boats. The houses aren’t out of the real estate magazines – most are weather-beaten and covered in a layer of salt from the insistent sea breeze. And best of all there are hardly any tourists. So if you are a tourist reading this, press the Ctrl-Alt-Del button on your brain and forget everything you’ve just read.

The Cottage Hotel is a friendly, formal hotel run by the Ireland family for the past 35 years. I should be careful about talking up the views, because I thought the Cumberland Hotel in Bournemouth had a great view. But The Cottage Hotel’s is better. To the left is a cliff-faced peninsula. In front of the hotel is the tiny harbour, with a paltry breakwater that somehow stands up to the winter storms (check out the video from last winter). And to the right are several rocky outcrops jutting out above the sea. The Cottage Hotel’s view is the benchmark from now on..., and keep it as a benchmark for the rest of my journey.

Guests at the hotel are 80% returnees, and many are of the older vintage, which suits the place – because it’s a traditional, old-fashioned place, with friendly, yet formal staff. William (the brother) and Sarah (the sister) run the hotel – their parents bought it 35 years ago. William wears a dinner suit with bow-tie. The chef has been with the hotel for 30 years (some city food snobs might say that the five-course set menu probably hasn’t changed either, yet it’s tasty, and probably suited to the clientele’s needs). And although there are a few who surf in the bay just to the right of the hotel, Hope Cove isn’t going to be on any varsity student’s end of year celebrations. It’s too quiet, and too out of the way, and too traditional. And because the National Trust has control over the village, there ain’t going to be any gluttonous property developers lurking. Just perfect.

William recommends having a drink at the Hope & Anchor, one of the oldest, consistently-used pubs in the region. And spend time walking. It’s the best way to explore the coastline. The views from the roads don’t match up those from the paths. Unless you are sitting on your porch in one of the hotel’s sea-facing rooms: the videos and photos can do the talking for me.

The Cottage Hotel, Hope Cove

Sunset from the porch at The Cottage Hotel

Coastal path near Hope Cove

Aerial view of Hope Cove

Room in The Cottage Hotel

Day 3 – South West Coast - Brixham & Dartmouth - Places I wish I could have spent more time..

2009-07-15T07:46:00.010+01:00

First up is Brixham. It’s perched at the end of a peninsula south of Torquay. I only visited it because I am a lighthouse fan, and Brixham has the “tallest and shortest” lighthouse in the UK (maybe the world?) Figure it out for yourself....here’s a pic. (Okay, it's on top of a huge cliff, so the lighthouse only needs to be a couple metres high!)

Brixham Lighthouse...tall or short?

The village of Brixham is probably what a lot of foreigners think English fishing villages are like. It hugs a small cove, with pastel coloured cottages and red and yellow fishing boats huddled up in the harbour, surrounded by steep hills. Check out Sir Francis Drake’s ship the Golden Hind (it’s a full-sized replica). For me it was interesting, because the same (quite dainty and small!) ship rounded my home town of Cape Town in South Africa a few hundred years back, and Sir Franky proclaimed it the “fairest cape of all”. That’s not a bad compliment coming from someone who knew this pretty section of Britain’s coast really well.

Village of Brixham, another pretty village along the South West Coast

Then just over the beautiful river harbour of the River Dart is Dartmouth itself. Another stereotypical English scene. It’s like Brixham, just bigger and slicker, and with its own castle at the heads of the bay. The steep slopes of the hills give the town a secretive attitude. Smugglers used to operate around here, and that’s probably because they could hide out in the many tiny coves and caves.

So, Brixham and Dartmouth – don’t miss them, and don’t just drive through them like I had to.

(One of the other things I am realising is that driving close to this part of the coast of Britain takes LOTS of time. The roads twist and wind, and because there are so many villages along the way, driving speed is far slower than the highways. I really only covered about 300 kms today, but it took me a good 7 hours. There’s also a LOT to see along this coast – so budget for a couple of days at least.)