Day 32 – Ponteland, Newcastle

Accommodation – private

Weather – sunny and windy

Temperature – mid to high teens

I slept like the dead last night and I think it all had to do with a good pillow!  I’m going to have to invest in a feather pillow as they really do make a difference after the many and varied I’ve tried on this trip.

Today, Stuart and Ingrid, their grandsons and David and I went on a small tour not too far from Ponteland.  The trip started at The Parlour, a great little coffee shop and nursery before heading to Northumberland’s famous ‘Lady of the North’ or otherwise known as Northumberlandia.

Northumberlandia is an enormous sculptured land form set in 46 acres of community parkland.  The woman is made out of the Shotton coal mine overburden and is a rehabilitation of the site.  The large surfaces are covered with grass, and paths have been created to wander over the 100 foot high and ¼ mile long figure.  From the top of the head we had great views of the district including the ocean where we were heading next.

Northumberlandia from the air which gives a good idea of the size of the man-made land form.

Atop the structure - the forehead with the seaside in the distance.  It was a very cool walk with a brisk wind.



Seaton Sluice sits on a large beach with St Mary’s lighthouse at the southern end.  We walked the gusty path to get good views of the beach and the rolling waves.  It looked more like Queensland than northern England!

Gorgeous little Seaton Sluice....the local's secret!

Rolling waves and a walk around the headland.

St Mary's Lighthouse from the headland.

 



We were going to have a picnic of fish and chips but the blustery wind had increased so we retreated inside the shop and as luck would have it, one table of six was available.  What a meal!  I chose a cod bite which was large, however the others chose a ‘regular’ size meal which was enormous.  We also had mushy peas served with the fish and chips which is apparently ‘de rigeur’ here although I’ve never heard of it before.  It was a nice combination.

Can you believe this.......and so, the great eating tour of Northern England and Scotland came to a close in the lovely seaside village of Seaton Sluice.



After our lovely day it was time to regroup, pack, and organise ourselves for our flight.

Our hosts, Ingrid and Stuart, have been wonderfully generous with their time and hospitality.  With goodbyes came promises of hosting them and family members in Australia to repay their kindness.  I hope they follow through and visit us.

This last blog has been written at Hong Kong airport where we are having a four hour stop over.  I’m feeling a bit teary thinking our adventures are now over.  It will be lovely to catch up with the family…..but more adventures are in store.  It’s back to more planning.

So, it’s bidding farewell to my blog followers…..until next time!

......signing off!

 

 

Day 31 – Edinburgh – Ponteland, Newcastle

17 August 2014

Accommodation – private, Ponteland

Weather – sunny patches and fine

Temperature – mid to high teens

It was time to farewell Edinburgh after our hectic and exciting stay.  We certainly chose the best time of the year to visit this lovely city with all the festivals.

Our very comfortable B&B in Edinburgh.  It helped that it was close to a bus stop.

We drove down south following some of the coastline from Edinburgh.  Several of my ancestors lived in these little hamlets near the city.  The area was very beautiful, close to the sea with rolling hills of farmland.

Not far out of Edinburgh and we were among the farms atop cliff tops. 

It was a quick coffee stop in Morpeth before once again meeting up with our Ponteland friends.  It was a lovely reunion over a roast lamb lunch with vegetables followed by a choice of homemade apple and blackberry pie or bakewell tart with custard.  How I’ve missed home cooking!

David was very kindly included in the first football match of the season with Newcastle United and Manchester City.  Dressed in the team colours of black and white, he and Stuart were ready for the big match.  Poignantly, two ardent Newcastle fans were honoured with a minute’s silence at the commencement of the game as they lost their lives on MH17.  At the 17^th minute of the game the entire stadium stood and clapped for one minute.  It was very memorable occasion for David and all who attended.

A moving tribute to the dedicated Newcastle United fans.  The family laid wreaths on the field.

At home, Ingrid and I had a great time with their grandsons – lovely boys of eight and six who are such a dear delight.  An afternoon of the film Frozen, handstands (not me!), and learning to play Patience kept them busy.  They also had lots of questions about Australia!

We had a late night playing with the boys and generally chatting about our experiences.  It’s hard to believe we are once again back in Ponteland where we started – we have done so much and the time has passed by quickly.

 

 

Day 30 – Edinburgh

16 August 2014

Accommodation – Dunedin House, Edinburgh

Weather – very windy, early cloud giving away to rain

Temperature – 13 degrees

Today we headed west to see the sights of Glasgow as it is only 80kms from Edinburgh.  We had driven through whilst the Commonwealth Games were on and decided to visit this very busy city of culture at the end of our trip.  Currently it is also hosting the World Bagpipe Championships.

On the way we detoured to Roslin, a tiny village not far from Edinburgh.  It is famous for the Rosslyn Chapel featured in The Da Vinci Code film.  The chapel has very ornate stone carvings throughout which are hugely symbolic including the floriated crosses of the Knights Templar.  The columns near the altar were carved by the master mason and his apprentice.  The apprentice’s column is extremely ornate compared to the other.  The chapel is also known for its ‘green men’ whose little faces peer out of vines.  Once again, no photos were permitted so you will just have to visit!

Such an exquisite little chapel.

The superb detail of the buttresses.

The Rosslyn Chapel was built in 1446 by Sir William St Clair, the 3^rd Prince of Orkney.  The Protestant reformation forced the clergy to leave in 1571 and the chapel lay in a sad state of disrepair until 1736 when a St Clair descendant, Sir James, commenced its rehabilitation. 

One of the better preserved pieces on an exterior wall.

Such is the beauty of this little gem that is has been written about by authors, poets and painters including Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Turner. 

We then made our way towards a very rainy Glasgow.  We parked about a kilometre out of town and it was a very gusty walk.  It’s hard to describe Glasgow as it doesn’t have the castles, palaces and big tourist attractions as Edinburgh.  What it lacks in charm, it makes up for in shopping!  Several large streets have been made into cobblestoned malls and they feature many top name shops including Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

 The Nelson Mandela Place mentioned by Billy Connelly in the opening of the Commonwealth Games.

The main mall in Glasgow - awash with rain and people!

As Glasgow is in the midst of the bagpipe championships there were many people dressed in kilts or in black raincoats covering their tartan.  The raincoats have a particular ‘look’ – they have a cape attached at the top to cover the bagpipes in the rain.

Some of the street art for the games.

After visiting the Celtic Football Club merchandise shop to purchase a soccer shirt for a grandson we then wandered the streets ducking in and out of shops and avoiding the rain.

On our way back to Edinburgh for dinner we did a mini detour through Airdrie where my great great grandfather was born.  All I can say is, there is not much at Airdrie – or perhaps I missed it.  The surrounding farmland is very pretty but Airdrie itself looks quite industrial.

It was a dinner at the local pub before we hit the bed after a busy day.

 

 

Day 29 – Edinburgh

15 August 2014

Accommodation – Dunedin House, Edinburgh

Weather – overcast with some sunny times

Temperature – mid teens

We caught the bus into central Edinburgh today and then walked to Edinburgh Castle where we had been the previous evening for the Tattoo.  There were more tourists than ever before and a multiple array of street performers vying for attention. 

A very amusing sketch...complete with galloping.

A little highland jig kept the crowds amused.

 There are an amazing amount of tourist shops along the Royal Mile.

This fellow had a particular talent with white hoops.....just outside Edinburgh Castle.



As we had had our fill of audio guides on the tour, it was pleasing to join a guided tour with an enthusiastic guide.  Lesley, our Scottish leader, was humorous, informative and energetic.  As we strode at a quick pace around the exterior  of the castle following the upheld gin bottle (aka water bottle), we were given a thorough overview of the history of the castle.

St Margaret's Chapel, built by King David I, to honour his mother.  It is the oldest building on the site.

The room where Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to her son James VI.

The castle was built on a volcanic rock from the 12^th century.  The oldest building is the St Margaret’s chapel which is the only building to survive Robert the Bruce’s destruction of the palace.  It was erected in honour of Margaret, mother of King David I.  It is a tiny chapel with stained glass windows and dates from 1130.

Edinburgh Castle has had a long a varied existence including a prison, parliament, barracks and a palace.  Its primary asset was its elevation however, like all castles, when besieged its weakness was the access to food.  It has been said that Edinburgh has never been taken by force but history reveals many times that the residents have surrendered due to starvation and thirst.

Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to her son James I of England/James VI of Scotland in the castle.  We were able to see the bedchamber in the castle.  Sadly, she never saw her son from infancy as she was incarcerated in the Tower of London and the young prince’s tutor turned James against his Catholic mother.

The castle also houses the crown jewels of Scotland (unfortunately, no photos were allowed).  The crown is a magnificent piece of gold, jewels and pearls with a red fabric bonnet.   The crown is the second oldest in Europe and has been used since 1540 including the crowning of the infant Mary, Queen of Scots. 

The Great Hall - the ceiling is made of oak and resembles an upside down boat.

After our history immersion David and I became Edfringe groupies and attended four performances from mid-afternoon – a play, cabaret and two comedy shows.   As you wander the streets of central Edinburgh you are inundated with pamphlets about performances.  One of these intrigued us enough to attend a play titled The Road to Skibereen.  We really enjoyed the one hour performance which has won quite a few awards.  As soon as the play was over, bows taken, the actors quickly started dismantling the set and stowing away the props for the next production.  It’s non-stop in Edinburgh when it’s Fringe time!

We had discovered the small booklet Free Fringe which details day by day the free events at the festival……and trust me, there’s hundreds!  For a donation, you can attend these events and generally sit with a drink and see up and coming stars.  We enjoyed a blistering critique from a former civil servant (not sure what the libel laws are like in the UK) and performances by four novice comedians before attending a cabaret act of The Rat Pack.  Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra (well, not really) sang all the old favourites for fifty minutes.  It was a packed and very receptive audience.  Once again, as soon as the lights were on, it was all hands on deck to remove the props ready for the next act.

Tonight we managed to catch the bus before it ceased for the day.  It was a great experience joining in on the buzz of the Edfringe Festival.

 

Day 28 – Edinburgh

14 August 2014

Accommodation – Dunedin House, Edinburgh

Weather – overcast

Temperature – mid teens

It was a big day today playing tourists in Edinburgh.  We took the ‘hop on hop off bus’ which included entry to the three major attractions – The Royal Yacht, Britannia;  Edinburgh Castle;  and Holyrood House.

The day was clear so we sat up on top of the bus taking in this lovely city…..the birthplace of Robert Louis Stevenson, home of Sean Connery and the formal Scottish residence of the Queen.   At the moment it is very busy with all the festivals and the queue was a long one when we arrived at the Britannia.  Fortunately, with a two day pass it gives you priority entry to the attraction so we were soon on board.

The Royal Yacht was a very interesting visit and it certainly gives you an idea of times gone by.  The Britannia was commissioned in 1953 and is the last yacht of eighty-three since 1660.  It was formally decommissioned in 1997.

The Admiral....with the Firth of Forth and the Kingdom of Fife in the background.

Built in 1953 - like someone else I know!

The Queen's bedroom....a single bed adjoining Prince Phillip's bedroom by a doorway.  The Queen assisted in the design of the yacht.

The plush dining area where many famous dignitaries have been entertained.

The sitting room....this was my favourite.

We couldn’t let a visit to the yacht go by without lunch on the top deck.  Coronation sandwiches, scones and a cup of tea were enjoyed with views over the Firth of Forth and the Kingdom of Fife in the distance.

Back on the bus we headed to Holyrood House.  This was our history lesson for the day and in particular the Scottish kings, James I of Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots.  It really was a special moment standing in the bed chamber of the late queen.  The furnishings are intact and the intricate detail on the bedding and poster bed is exquisitely done with peacock coloured  threads on silk.  Unfortunately, no photos were allowed and the gift shop had very few photographs of the interior to take home as a memento. 

The old abbey at Holyrood has been in ruins for many centuries.  It was first built in 1158 by King David I and constructed in three stages.  In 1688 it was badly damaged by fire and by the end of the 17^th century the roof had collapsed.  The abbey is very large with many old engraved stones in the floor.

A rainy afternoon was spent walking through Holyrood House, the abbey and the gardens where Queen Elizabeth holds her annual garden party.

When we had set out in the morning we knew we wouldn’t be back until very late as we were going to the Edinburgh Tattoo.   After Holyrood House we put in our time walking the streets and popping in and out of shops….Edinburgh is a tartan explosion at the moment and with tourists everywhere!  Grassmarket, part of the old city, was as busy as the Royal Mile.  The street performers were in full swing and large crowds gathered around the most popular up the Royal Mile – the street that joins Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood House.

I would hate to estimate how many pamphlets have been produced to advertise the productions here.  This is one of many on the Royal Mile.

The organisation of the Tattoo is an impeccable production -  from gaining entry to the smoothness of the performance changeovers.  For two hours we were mesmerised with the massed piped band, Scottish dancers, zulu warriors, maori haka group and the precision marching from Singapore.  Of course, it would not be a Tattoo without Scotland the Brave and Auld Lang Syne.  The Belgium lady next to me was unsure what to do with her arms during the singing but after a quick lesson she was in full swing.  It was a magical night.

A night that won't be forgotten!  With our fantastic seats we could see the performers entering the area from the castle.

Just as we were leaving it started to sprinkle with rain.  Fortunately, it held off until it poured down when we put the key into the door at the guest house – the buses had stopped so we had to walk two miles home.  We need the exercise anyway…..too much food, wine and good cheer and I’m developing a holiday bulge!

The timing of our trip to Edinburgh couldn’t have been more perfect as it’s such a happy time to be here.

 

 

Day 27 – Crail – Edinburgh

13 August 2014

Accommodation – Dunedin Hotel, Edinburgh

Weather – sunny!

Temperature – 17 degrees

The sun was peeping through the curtains, so off we went to take a few photos of Crail before breakfast.  It’s amazing how the sun can put a spring in your step after days of rain.

Ahh....sunshine and the tide is in!



Today we were off to Edinburgh with a side tour to Stirling Castle.  The countryside was lovely as we drove to Stirling through the Kingdom of Fife.   

Just outside Cupar in the Kingdom of Fife.



Ready for a big day in learning about Stirling Castle's history.  It is said whoever holds the castle, holds Scotland.

Already at Stirling Castle it was very busy by the time we arrived mid-morning.  Coach buses were everywhere and cars were lined up to enter the parking area which was already full.  Luck was with us and we parked just outside the castle wall.  A long queue to enter the castle followed but it wasn’t too long before we were inside with our audio guides and enjoying the history of this 1000 year old castle.

The castle is comprised of many parts including The Royal Palace, The Chapel Royale,  the Great Hall and the old castle.  There has been a major restoration undertaken on the palace which shows how it would have appeared around the 16^th century when it was built.  James V built the impressive palace although other kings had been building on the site over the centuries.   Unfortunately, the king, with his French wife,  Marie de Guise were only married for four years before James V’s untimely death on the battlefield.  The king and Marie de Guise were the parents of Mary Queen of Scots who lived here for her first six years until she was raised in France for her safety. 

As the ceiling would have appeared 450 years ago with a lot of colour.  These are copies of the originals held on site which took ten years to complete.

An original.....all the colours have disappeared except for fragments used to detect the original colours.

The palace interior looks very new however it has been heavily researched to recreate how it would appear at the time of its construction. 

The castle was last besieged in 1746 by the Jacobites led by Bonny Prince Charlie. 

We had a very interesting time following the exhibition trail and soaking up the history of this lofty castle.  From its high position we could look over the ancient gardens of Charles 1 built in 1633.  Only the large grassy outlines of the King’s Knot and Queen’s Knot remain form the king’s coronation.  The commanding views over Stirling, the Wallace Monument and countryside were wonderful on a sunny day.

The tapestry exhibition.....creating the authenticity of the castle's past is a major priority.

After losing ourselves for a day in a huge history lesson it was time to move on to Edinburgh.  Armed with a map and some tips from our host we set off for a place for dinner and ended up walking into central Edinburgh which is abuzz with all the major festivals occurring this time of year:  The Edinburgh Fringe, The Edinburgh Tattoo, Edinburgh International Festival and the Book Festival.  If there is a month to visit this city then August it is!  We had a quick lesson in booking tickets to attend a fringe event – bookings have to be done at the venues dotted over the town or there is a one stop shop in High Street. 

Everywhere we walked we were handed brochures to attend shows – comedy, mime, street performances…..you name it!  It’s a very exciting time to be here.

We wandered back towards our accommodation about 2kms out and found the recommended restaurant.  Sitting near us were two Scottish ladies who we chatted to for the evening.  They were great company and shared their ideas on the Scottish independence, travel guidance and their upcoming trip to Spain for a language immersion course.

What a big day!

 

 

 

Day 26 - Crail

12 August 2014

Accommodation – Hazelton Guest House

Weather – very overcast in the morning, intermittent rain and windy

Temperature – mid teens with a very cool chill factor

Well, the weather gods were still having a merry time and our plans to walk to St Andrews were thwarted as it was still very gusty with intermittent rain and low dark clouds.

Undeterred, we drove to St Andrews, the home of golf and a university city.   After a short drive around we eventually found a parking spot in the main street.  The town is very busy at the moment as it is in the third day of a four day fair which is held annually.  We walked to the links courses situated very near the town and saw many keen golfers teeing up – the wind was blowing and everyone was rugged up.  The West Sands Beach, featured in the movie Chariots of Fire sits next to the Old Course and as the tide was out it presented a very vast area of sand.

A familiar sight for golf lovers....The Old Course and very exclusive clubhouse.

The West Sands Beach......can't you just hear the music!

 David standing at the 18th hole....personally, I prefer the 19th!

Death by misadventure.....or, in reality, Hurricane Bertha. 

Over 47 thousand rounds of golf are played on the Old Course each year.  The main clubhouse is very exclusive and is positioned near the 18^th hole.  As we wandered around St Andrews we noticed there were many golfing shops.

From the Old Course we walked to the other end of town to St Andrews cathedral which is now in ruins.  It really is an amazingly big area which is maintained with beautifully manicured lawns surrounding the cathedral and old headstones.

Magnificent and vast.

On the site as well, sits the St Rules Tower which was built in 1150 and once formed part of a very old church looking over the ocean.

I kid you not....mobile Bingo at the fair!

A couple at our guesthouse recommended Mitchell’s Restaurant for lunch and we found that in the main street.  It was heated very warmly so I had to peel off many layers before I expired from the heat.  The homemade mushroom soup and artisan bread went down very well followed by sticky toffee pudding…..the eating tour continues!

Once back in Crail, we made our way to the museum where the enthusiastic volunteers had been searching the archives for some of my family history.  Luckily, a PHD student had mapped out the Crail graveyard near the church and two graves belonging to the family had been also photographed.

 The little toppled headstone in the middle is my great great great grandparents' grave.  Fortunately, the museum gave me a copy of a photo of the headstone before it toppled face down in the ground.  It is covered with thick green moss.

Her Purpleness standing in front of the Crail Kirk alongside another set of great great great grandparent's' headstone.  The family didn't move far from the area....until, of course, they headed to Australia!

As we now had the positions of my long ago ancestors, it was an easy task finding the headstones.  Unfortunately, one (dated 1864) has toppled on its face since the photo but another is standing tall next to the rear of the church.

Still raining, but we tried for another view of Crail Harbour.

After our busy day, we had a quenching drink at our now local pub, The Golf Inn Hotel where we picked up a local paper that told us the previous day had been the wettest in the UK for the year! Our friends who had travelled north were cut off by flooding and landslides on their way to Durness and had to be diverted to Inverness.  Once there, they couldn't find any accommodation so had to spend the night in their car.  This certainly makes for great travel stories - once your back recovers.

After a busy day it was tea, sandwiches and cake in front of our tv for dinner.  Touring can be tiring!  .

All in all, it has been a very satisfying day despite Hurricane Bertha’s determination to stick around.

 

 

Day 25 - Crail

11 August 2014

Accommodation – Hazelton Guest House

Weather – dreadful – rain and gusting winds

Temperature – mid teens with high chill factor

Despite the terrible weather caused by the remnants of Hurricane Bertha we pressed on after breakfast and explored Crail.  We walked along the path below the village to the harbour and explored the paths around the village. 

The monument with a unicorn atop in the old market place dates from medieval times when Crail commanded an important trading position with northern Europe. 

 Crail Harbour - tide's out!

 

Our 'local'!

On the way to the local kirk (church) we laughed as the wind was so strong it wouldn’t allow us to move forward.  We spent some time at the local church and searched the headstones for ancestors’ names but we couldn’t find any at this stage.  Although the weather is quite bad Crail still manages to charm the visitor with its little streets, harbour and many little specialty shops.

The old Crail church .... very lovely with its summer growth.

 

To get away from the gusting winds and chilly day we retreated to a lovely little coffee shop and art gallery near the harbour (the one we noticed yesterday) which overlooked the ocean to the Isle of May.  We definitely deferred to comfort food today with Scotch pancakes, maple syrup and bacon!

After lunch we set off exploring the beautiful coastline of East Nuek.  Kilrenny, a tiny village, was only a short distance away from Crail and we wandered around the very old churchyard.  I felt compelled to visit as my 5 times great grandmother was born there in 1728.

The Kilrenny church in a very tiny village.  It's surrounded by very old headstones.

 

Many little fishing villages dot the coastline with their manmade harbours.  Anstruther was blowing a gale and along with many others we enjoyed viewing the Fisheries Museum for a couple of hours.

Anstruther.....in full flight!

 

We drove through Pittenweem to St Monans where my four times great grandfather was born.  There is a wonderful looking church sitting on the headland overlooking the village and ocean.  It was one of the few churches open however the entire interior has been painted white, tiled in modern terracotta on the floor and no artwork or memorials exist.  It was quite a disappointment.  The church is obviously very old and the headstones are testimony to this, but unfortunately only the exterior seems to have retained its position in architectural history.

Position, position, position!  The old St Monans Church has commanding views.



The weather maintained its rage all day and we eventually called it a day and headed back to our lovely accommodation.  It’s only 50 metres to the pub and we’d booked as The Golf Hotel Inn was very busy the evening before.

We accomplished a lot today – the area is very beautiful – I just wish we could have seen it in sunshine!  Maybe tomorrow?