tacototheworld
Well-known member
Thanks for the kind words. We are indeed very much enjoying ourselves. After a three month hiatus we have reunited with our truck and are now checking out southern England and Wales.
Our Round-the-World adventure
- Thread starter tacototheworld
- Start date
Thanks for the kind words. We are indeed very much enjoying ourselves. After a three month hiatus we have reunited with our truck and are now checking out southern England and Wales.
tacototheworld
Well-known member
Wales
After nine days in Wales we became true fans of the fierce, proud and hospitable people and culture and landscape of this small UK country. With castles populating the skylines, wide open expanses of moors, stone wall lined sheep pastures, and the mountainous Snowdonia country, Wales was a delight to explore.
Our nine day drive across Wales (and using some of the motorway in England)
In our first history lesson we learned that when the Saxons arrived (after the Romans but before the Normans), they successfully pushed the native Britons west and south, basically into Wales. King Offa from Mercia sealed the separation by building a huge dyke between what is now England and Wales in the 700’s AD. Battles ensued back and forth until King Edward I from England finished the conquering, establishing a series of castles in Wales to maintain control and purloined the title “Prince of Wales” to denote the successor to the English throne and the controller of the Welsh territory. (Prior to that the “Prince of Wales” had referred to the largest land owner, or most powerful person in Wales, the default leader.) But the Welsh did not give up fighting back for autonomy and retain a strong sense of national identity today. And though she be but little she is fierce.
The Celtic Welsh language harks back to the days when the Britons lived in England (before they were pushed out), and there has been a recent resurgence and national effort to popularize it’s use. It is once again taught uniformly in schools and all public signs are in both languages. The one sign we figured out was Dim Parcio. No Parking. We managed to spend our time in Wales without learning how to pronounce anything successfully (there are sounds our aged vocal chords will never learn how to make) and basically butchering place names with our hilarious American accents. One young child told Andy he sounded like Kermit the Frog. Haha.
Tintern Abbey - beautiful abbey ruins on the bank of the river Wye, dating back to 1131.
We hit the ground running, exploring historic sites. We admired the stately ruins and sense of history at Tintern Abbey then made our way to the Caerleon Roman Fortress ruins. Although one of the largest and most important Roman settlements in Britain, we found it more difficult to connect with the history here. Because the original fortress is so large, the excavated sites are spread around the modern village. Our ignorance of the impact of what we were seeing led to a rather lackluster visit for us. If we had taken the time to do more reading and research or booked a tour we likely would have gotten more out of it. But some days we are just tired.
Roman barracks remains - back to being tired, Andy resting
After a restful night we were ready to be inspired again and drove to Caerphilly. The biggest castle in Wales, it is surrounded by an impressive water defense system.
Caerphilly Castle, dating back to 1286
Park4Night continued to be a great resource for us in Wales, but we still had challenges. It is technically not legal to wild camp in Wales, but with discretion you can find places. More so than any other country where we had used the app, there were repeated references to locals being upset with campers parking at roadside spots, parks and laybys. We have sympathy for the concerns so tried to find places that were not populated or more out of the way. We stayed away from any land that looked like it was in active agricultural use (most of Wales).
Next stop on the Welsh tour, the thriving capital city of Cardiff.
Main pedestrian shopping thoroughfare ending at Cardiff Castle.
Norman Keep in the middle of Cardiff Castle.
We found that much of the driving in Wales, once you left the main motorways, involved wending your way through small roads and scenic villages with stone houses and slate rooves. With the villages and roads having been built before cars, two way streets were usually only wide enough for one lane of traffic (especially after people parked on one side or the other, in front of their houses or making deliveries) so people courteously waited their turn. The villages were fun to explore, people warm and friendly and each town seemed to have its own hero or villain story with historic signage and public walking paths. Many of these involved the exploits of Owan Glyndwr, the legendary Welsh leader in fighting the English in the 14th century. He had many hide outs, friends and victories across the land.
Camping at Brecon Beacons National Park - one of our favorite places in Wales. Despite the fact that the winds blew so hard that it blew our stairs off. Twice.
We found our happy place in Brecon Beacons with its endless expansive views, beautiful hiking and, of course, castles. Castle Carreg Cennen was one of our favorites, high atop a windswept hill. Although mostly in ruins, you could feel its former grandeur. And of course it was at one point taken control of by Edward I when he made his move to conquer Wales for England, and later the scene of a battle when Owan Glyndwr tried unsuccessfully to take it back for the Welsh.
Castle Carreg Cennen, built over the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries.
Endless vistas on top at Brecon Beacons National Park
Ruins of Llanthony Priory in Brecons Beacons. One of our favorite camp spots, paid 5 GBP a person to camp on the grounds
Classic country road, one lane, twisty, tall hedges. We rarely even made it up to the speed limit. Very thankful we’re not driving a full size pickup!
Conwy Castle - our favorite in Wales
We visited the series of King Edward’s castles along the northern edge of Wales (Conwy, Beaumaris, Harlech and Caernarfon) and Conwy was by far the most magnificent. We began our visit by walking the medieval town walls and ended by climbing the spiral staircases and battlements of the castle and exploring the king’s residential chambers. Built the late 1200’s, Owain Glyndwr’s agents managed to take charge of it in the early 1400’s, but only briefly.
Satiated with history, we sought out some nature in Snowdonia National Park. Gorgeous mountains (we did not climb Snowdon), lakes, rivers and more historic villages.
Snowdonia National Park - popular, easy 5 mile hiking loop to and around Llyn Idwal.
Last stop in Wales - the village with the longest name in Europe (second longest place name in the world to a place in New Zealand).
Final night on the northern Welsh coast on the island of Anglesey
View out the back window as we ate dinner
Hello Ireland! Ferry from Holyhead
After nine days in Wales we became true fans of the fierce, proud and hospitable people and culture and landscape of this small UK country. With castles populating the skylines, wide open expanses of moors, stone wall lined sheep pastures, and the mountainous Snowdonia country, Wales was a delight to explore.
Our nine day drive across Wales (and using some of the motorway in England)
In our first history lesson we learned that when the Saxons arrived (after the Romans but before the Normans), they successfully pushed the native Britons west and south, basically into Wales. King Offa from Mercia sealed the separation by building a huge dyke between what is now England and Wales in the 700’s AD. Battles ensued back and forth until King Edward I from England finished the conquering, establishing a series of castles in Wales to maintain control and purloined the title “Prince of Wales” to denote the successor to the English throne and the controller of the Welsh territory. (Prior to that the “Prince of Wales” had referred to the largest land owner, or most powerful person in Wales, the default leader.) But the Welsh did not give up fighting back for autonomy and retain a strong sense of national identity today. And though she be but little she is fierce.
The Celtic Welsh language harks back to the days when the Britons lived in England (before they were pushed out), and there has been a recent resurgence and national effort to popularize it’s use. It is once again taught uniformly in schools and all public signs are in both languages. The one sign we figured out was Dim Parcio. No Parking. We managed to spend our time in Wales without learning how to pronounce anything successfully (there are sounds our aged vocal chords will never learn how to make) and basically butchering place names with our hilarious American accents. One young child told Andy he sounded like Kermit the Frog. Haha.
Tintern Abbey - beautiful abbey ruins on the bank of the river Wye, dating back to 1131.
We hit the ground running, exploring historic sites. We admired the stately ruins and sense of history at Tintern Abbey then made our way to the Caerleon Roman Fortress ruins. Although one of the largest and most important Roman settlements in Britain, we found it more difficult to connect with the history here. Because the original fortress is so large, the excavated sites are spread around the modern village. Our ignorance of the impact of what we were seeing led to a rather lackluster visit for us. If we had taken the time to do more reading and research or booked a tour we likely would have gotten more out of it. But some days we are just tired.
Roman barracks remains - back to being tired, Andy resting
After a restful night we were ready to be inspired again and drove to Caerphilly. The biggest castle in Wales, it is surrounded by an impressive water defense system.
Caerphilly Castle, dating back to 1286
Park4Night continued to be a great resource for us in Wales, but we still had challenges. It is technically not legal to wild camp in Wales, but with discretion you can find places. More so than any other country where we had used the app, there were repeated references to locals being upset with campers parking at roadside spots, parks and laybys. We have sympathy for the concerns so tried to find places that were not populated or more out of the way. We stayed away from any land that looked like it was in active agricultural use (most of Wales).
Next stop on the Welsh tour, the thriving capital city of Cardiff.
Main pedestrian shopping thoroughfare ending at Cardiff Castle.
Norman Keep in the middle of Cardiff Castle.
We found that much of the driving in Wales, once you left the main motorways, involved wending your way through small roads and scenic villages with stone houses and slate rooves. With the villages and roads having been built before cars, two way streets were usually only wide enough for one lane of traffic (especially after people parked on one side or the other, in front of their houses or making deliveries) so people courteously waited their turn. The villages were fun to explore, people warm and friendly and each town seemed to have its own hero or villain story with historic signage and public walking paths. Many of these involved the exploits of Owan Glyndwr, the legendary Welsh leader in fighting the English in the 14th century. He had many hide outs, friends and victories across the land.
Camping at Brecon Beacons National Park - one of our favorite places in Wales. Despite the fact that the winds blew so hard that it blew our stairs off. Twice.
We found our happy place in Brecon Beacons with its endless expansive views, beautiful hiking and, of course, castles. Castle Carreg Cennen was one of our favorites, high atop a windswept hill. Although mostly in ruins, you could feel its former grandeur. And of course it was at one point taken control of by Edward I when he made his move to conquer Wales for England, and later the scene of a battle when Owan Glyndwr tried unsuccessfully to take it back for the Welsh.
Castle Carreg Cennen, built over the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries.
Endless vistas on top at Brecon Beacons National Park
Ruins of Llanthony Priory in Brecons Beacons. One of our favorite camp spots, paid 5 GBP a person to camp on the grounds
Classic country road, one lane, twisty, tall hedges. We rarely even made it up to the speed limit. Very thankful we’re not driving a full size pickup!
Conwy Castle - our favorite in Wales
We visited the series of King Edward’s castles along the northern edge of Wales (Conwy, Beaumaris, Harlech and Caernarfon) and Conwy was by far the most magnificent. We began our visit by walking the medieval town walls and ended by climbing the spiral staircases and battlements of the castle and exploring the king’s residential chambers. Built the late 1200’s, Owain Glyndwr’s agents managed to take charge of it in the early 1400’s, but only briefly.
Satiated with history, we sought out some nature in Snowdonia National Park. Gorgeous mountains (we did not climb Snowdon), lakes, rivers and more historic villages.
Snowdonia National Park - popular, easy 5 mile hiking loop to and around Llyn Idwal.
Last stop in Wales - the village with the longest name in Europe (second longest place name in the world to a place in New Zealand).
Final night on the northern Welsh coast on the island of Anglesey
View out the back window as we ate dinner
Hello Ireland! Ferry from Holyhead
tacototheworld
Well-known member
Ireland
We landed in The Republic of Ireland on Easter weekend, in the 100th year of the country’s independence. We were instantly steeped in the history of this small but storied land. Despite centuries of struggle for political and religious independence, enduring the rages of Oliver Cromwell and famine, losing half of their population as a result, the people of Ireland were some of the most welcoming and cheerful we have encountered.
Our 18 day route in Ireland
We were enchanted by the patchwork of green fields lined by hedges and stone fences, rugged coastlines, sprinkled with elegantly crumbling medieval abbeys, priories and castles. The villages are brightly painted with a variety of hues (we were told this was to combat the Irish grey weather.) We were pleasantly surprised by the additional bonus of mountainous inland passes, windswept moors with the gorse in bloom and the vast limestone swaths of the Burren which added variety and interest. Maybe we were blessed with luck but during our three weeks we were granted many a sunny day and very little rain. It was hard for us to see why the early Romans spurned settling the island, dubbing it “Hibernia,” or eternal winter.
On our first day our ferry arrived in the early evening, so we opted to stay in a campground (it was also laundry time). Camac Valley Camping is not usually our style - big developed grass parking lot for caravans, but it was convenient - a 30 minute direct bus ride to the city center, and the tourist bus stopped right at campground registration so it couldn’t have been any easier.
Visiting Dublin on the anniversary of the 1916 Easter uprising, the city was alive with celebration. Here the presidential motorcade passes us. Our walking tour guide quoted Yeats, who said on that day “a terrible beauty is born.” On this day the final phase of fighting with the British began again, finally resulting in the establishment of an independent Republic of Ireland in 1922.
Of course we took advantage of the Dublin free walking tour to get grounded in Irish history - troubled and bloody. We had not been aware that the Vikings moved in and settled Dublin in the 700’s. They were followed by the Normans from England and Wales in the 12th century who pushed the Danes out and took over, parceling out land to loyal Anglo Normans and beginning centuries of oppressive rule. Apparently the Irish were moved out into the wildlands which became known as “beyond the pale,” where the pale Irish were banished. So much to learn. We walked the scenes of the 1916 Easter uprising, hearing the tales of some of Ireland’s revolutionary heroes, including the iconic Michael Collins.
With both of our relatives harkening back to England, we were much better versed in English history and it was good to get more perspective. Here follows our over-simplified takeaways: following the establishment by Henry VIII of the Church of England (because Rome would not allow him to divorce his wife), and the ensuing civil war in England, relations between the Roman Catholic Irish and their British conquerors went south quickly, especially with the arrival of Oliver Cromwell. On behalf of the Commonwealth of England (which had just executed Charles I and replaced the monarchy with parliamentary rule), Cromwell arrived in Ireland in 1649 to take control. He is reputed to have killed about a third of the population in the process. Almost every historic abbey, monastery, castle and walled town has a tragic story to tell in relation to Oliver Cromwell, Ireland’s most infamous historic villain.
Our Dublin pub of choice, the beautiful old Long Hall (reputedly Bruce Springsteen’s favorite, so how could you go wrong?)
Then we made our way to Brú na Bóinne, site of stone age passage tombs. Visits are controlled, you start at the visitor center and are bussed to the two tomb sites, Knowth and Newgrange. The sense of history of humankind is staggering, people struggling to eke out a living yet still capable of incredible ingenuity and creating beauty, treating the dead with respect and dignity. A man can die but once.
Entrance to Newgrange passage tomb. 5,000 years old it pre-dates both Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids
Incredibly, Newgrange is designed so that on the morning of the winter solstice, the sun enters the entrance and lights up the whole interior burial chamber. We were able to walk inside and see the original structure and the amazing roof, still in tact and waterproof! But no inside pictures allowed.
Leaving the Boyne valley, we passed sites for the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Following Oliver Cromwell’s ravages, 45 years later the endless fight for control in Britain continued and this valley was the site of the resounding victory of Dutch William of Orange over Roman Catholic James I in James’s final bid for the throne. Protestant William of Orange won and the colors orange and green still figure hugely in today’s Northern Ireland politics (orange for Unionists (pro being part of the United Kingdom, mostly Protestant and able to trace roots back to Britain, green for Nationalists, mostly Catholic and pro Ireland being a one-island country without any British rule).
Our first real hike in Ireland, Dawn learns the treachery of hiking on bog land. Bright green moss is not solid ground. Full leg immersion
Our overnight spot in the Wicklow Mountains - perched with a lake view
The next day’s hike went much better, starting in the the beautiful Glendalough valley.
T
Spinc hike out of Glendalough -8.5 mile beautiful hike climbing up the valley
Next stop on the route (Andy planned this trip around Ireland to include 65 points of interest and 45 driving hours, don’t worry, only giving the highlights here), was Kilkenny. Rooted in medieval history with a lively shopping center, we decided to spend a night and explore the town.
Kilkenny castle & cathedral - with round tower - this became a theme in Ireland
.
Our favorite castle! Rock of Cashel
Steeped in the history of Saint Patrick arriving in Ireland in the 5th century, leading the country’s conversion to Catholicism, the first site of the castle on the hill is magical. The hill itself is supposed to be a rock bit out of a nearby mountain by the the devil then spit out in ire at St. Patrick. The Rock of Cashel rises above the town, the traditional seat of the Irish Kings of Munster prior to the Norman arrival in the 12th century
Speaking to Overlanders about what to see and do in Ireland, The Wild Atlantic Way always comes up as a must. This 2,500 km route winding its way along every peninsula and inlet of the western Atlantic coast is a commitment to incredible scenery and slow driving days. We did much of it, but not every bit. We came in and out of the route to see inland areas, and sometimes took a short cut. We have been continuing our commitment to walking at least 5 miles a day and trying to keep driving time to well under three hours daily (ideally 1-2).
Then, our last big city in Ireland. Galway was fantastic, teaming with life, street musicians, colorful art, the Saturday market, and pedestrian shopping streets. One young Irish woman we talked to said that Dublin was the old and serious city, Cork was middle aged (she thought of it as people in their 30’s) and Galway was the young thriving place mostly populated by people in their 20’s. The city felt happy and upbeat, the only downside was our camping spot - 24 hour parking at the port. Not beautiful but highly convenient for a rare and welcome night out having dinner at a pub.
The stunning Cliffs of Moher - walked the edge for hours - who says it rains all the time in Ireland?
Time to leave the Republic of Ireland and make our way to Northern Ireland. Saying goodbye to a beautiful country with more scenic diversity than we ever expected. (We were a little afraid of days on end of green fields and sheep, not at all!). Grateful for our time here, thank you for reading!
We landed in The Republic of Ireland on Easter weekend, in the 100th year of the country’s independence. We were instantly steeped in the history of this small but storied land. Despite centuries of struggle for political and religious independence, enduring the rages of Oliver Cromwell and famine, losing half of their population as a result, the people of Ireland were some of the most welcoming and cheerful we have encountered.
Our 18 day route in IrelandWe were enchanted by the patchwork of green fields lined by hedges and stone fences, rugged coastlines, sprinkled with elegantly crumbling medieval abbeys, priories and castles. The villages are brightly painted with a variety of hues (we were told this was to combat the Irish grey weather.) We were pleasantly surprised by the additional bonus of mountainous inland passes, windswept moors with the gorse in bloom and the vast limestone swaths of the Burren which added variety and interest. Maybe we were blessed with luck but during our three weeks we were granted many a sunny day and very little rain. It was hard for us to see why the early Romans spurned settling the island, dubbing it “Hibernia,” or eternal winter.
On our first day our ferry arrived in the early evening, so we opted to stay in a campground (it was also laundry time). Camac Valley Camping is not usually our style - big developed grass parking lot for caravans, but it was convenient - a 30 minute direct bus ride to the city center, and the tourist bus stopped right at campground registration so it couldn’t have been any easier.
Visiting Dublin on the anniversary of the 1916 Easter uprising, the city was alive with celebration. Here the presidential motorcade passes us. Our walking tour guide quoted Yeats, who said on that day “a terrible beauty is born.” On this day the final phase of fighting with the British began again, finally resulting in the establishment of an independent Republic of Ireland in 1922.
Of course we took advantage of the Dublin free walking tour to get grounded in Irish history - troubled and bloody. We had not been aware that the Vikings moved in and settled Dublin in the 700’s. They were followed by the Normans from England and Wales in the 12th century who pushed the Danes out and took over, parceling out land to loyal Anglo Normans and beginning centuries of oppressive rule. Apparently the Irish were moved out into the wildlands which became known as “beyond the pale,” where the pale Irish were banished. So much to learn. We walked the scenes of the 1916 Easter uprising, hearing the tales of some of Ireland’s revolutionary heroes, including the iconic Michael Collins.
With both of our relatives harkening back to England, we were much better versed in English history and it was good to get more perspective. Here follows our over-simplified takeaways: following the establishment by Henry VIII of the Church of England (because Rome would not allow him to divorce his wife), and the ensuing civil war in England, relations between the Roman Catholic Irish and their British conquerors went south quickly, especially with the arrival of Oliver Cromwell. On behalf of the Commonwealth of England (which had just executed Charles I and replaced the monarchy with parliamentary rule), Cromwell arrived in Ireland in 1649 to take control. He is reputed to have killed about a third of the population in the process. Almost every historic abbey, monastery, castle and walled town has a tragic story to tell in relation to Oliver Cromwell, Ireland’s most infamous historic villain.
Our Dublin pub of choice, the beautiful old Long Hall (reputedly Bruce Springsteen’s favorite, so how could you go wrong?)Then we made our way to Brú na Bóinne, site of stone age passage tombs. Visits are controlled, you start at the visitor center and are bussed to the two tomb sites, Knowth and Newgrange. The sense of history of humankind is staggering, people struggling to eke out a living yet still capable of incredible ingenuity and creating beauty, treating the dead with respect and dignity. A man can die but once.
Entrance to Newgrange passage tomb. 5,000 years old it pre-dates both Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids Incredibly, Newgrange is designed so that on the morning of the winter solstice, the sun enters the entrance and lights up the whole interior burial chamber. We were able to walk inside and see the original structure and the amazing roof, still in tact and waterproof! But no inside pictures allowed.
Leaving the Boyne valley, we passed sites for the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Following Oliver Cromwell’s ravages, 45 years later the endless fight for control in Britain continued and this valley was the site of the resounding victory of Dutch William of Orange over Roman Catholic James I in James’s final bid for the throne. Protestant William of Orange won and the colors orange and green still figure hugely in today’s Northern Ireland politics (orange for Unionists (pro being part of the United Kingdom, mostly Protestant and able to trace roots back to Britain, green for Nationalists, mostly Catholic and pro Ireland being a one-island country without any British rule).
Our first real hike in Ireland, Dawn learns the treachery of hiking on bog land. Bright green moss is not solid ground. Full leg immersionOur overnight spot in the Wicklow Mountains - perched with a lake viewThe next day’s hike went much better, starting in the the beautiful Glendalough valley.
T
Spinc hike out of Glendalough -8.5 mile beautiful hike climbing up the valleyNext stop on the route (Andy planned this trip around Ireland to include 65 points of interest and 45 driving hours, don’t worry, only giving the highlights here), was Kilkenny. Rooted in medieval history with a lively shopping center, we decided to spend a night and explore the town.
Kilkenny castle & cathedral - with round tower - this became a theme in Ireland.Our favorite castle! Rock of Cashel
Steeped in the history of Saint Patrick arriving in Ireland in the 5th century, leading the country’s conversion to Catholicism, the first site of the castle on the hill is magical. The hill itself is supposed to be a rock bit out of a nearby mountain by the the devil then spit out in ire at St. Patrick. The Rock of Cashel rises above the town, the traditional seat of the Irish Kings of Munster prior to the Norman arrival in the 12th century
Speaking to Overlanders about what to see and do in Ireland, The Wild Atlantic Way always comes up as a must. This 2,500 km route winding its way along every peninsula and inlet of the western Atlantic coast is a commitment to incredible scenery and slow driving days. We did much of it, but not every bit. We came in and out of the route to see inland areas, and sometimes took a short cut. We have been continuing our commitment to walking at least 5 miles a day and trying to keep driving time to well under three hours daily (ideally 1-2).
Then, our last big city in Ireland. Galway was fantastic, teaming with life, street musicians, colorful art, the Saturday market, and pedestrian shopping streets. One young Irish woman we talked to said that Dublin was the old and serious city, Cork was middle aged (she thought of it as people in their 30’s) and Galway was the young thriving place mostly populated by people in their 20’s. The city felt happy and upbeat, the only downside was our camping spot - 24 hour parking at the port. Not beautiful but highly convenient for a rare and welcome night out having dinner at a pub.
The stunning Cliffs of Moher - walked the edge for hours - who says it rains all the time in Ireland?
Time to leave the Republic of Ireland and make our way to Northern Ireland. Saying goodbye to a beautiful country with more scenic diversity than we ever expected. (We were a little afraid of days on end of green fields and sheep, not at all!). Grateful for our time here, thank you for reading!
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YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
"(Andy planned this trip around Ireland to include 65 points of interest and 45 driving hours, don’t worry, only giving the highlights here)".....
Actually I would love it if you posted more often so my worries are just the opposite. I look forward to reading everyone of your posts, always anxious for the next post, and am always left wishing that you'd post more pictures as well. 18 days of your travels is worth 18 posts in my mind.....thank you for posting these awesome trip reports.....
Actually I would love it if you posted more often so my worries are just the opposite. I look forward to reading everyone of your posts, always anxious for the next post, and am always left wishing that you'd post more pictures as well. 18 days of your travels is worth 18 posts in my mind.....thank you for posting these awesome trip reports.....
tacototheworld
Well-known member
Sure thing, we enjoy posting our travels and thanks for the kind words. I wish Expedition Portal allowed for more photos as I’m always trying to cut text ( maximum of 10,000 characters) and photos (now restricted to 10). I also wonder if the public would be really interested in anotherof us standing in front of another ruined monastery/priory/castle/church.
Maybe it’s just me but I find publishing here on the Ex Po site not the easiest to work with, probably just showing my age! We also have a website www.roguewanders,com where we have lots more photos and writeups.
We also publish quite frequently on Instagram at 2roguewanderers
Here’s some more photos in Ireland that I trimmed out.
Ancient monument Lia Fail, associated with the inauguration of the kings of Tara, and yes probably meant to represent exactly what it looks like.
Dromberg Stone Circle - incredible to be on your own in such an ancient place. A Bronze age mystery
Sheep’s Head Peninsula - our first real taste of the Wild Atlantic Way
Any trip to Ireland must include driving at least a portion of the Wild Atlantic Way; spectacular scenery
Knowth passage tombs - 5,000 years ago, not open for entry but visitors can climb on the mounds and enjoy the megalithic stone art placed around the edges as decoration
Back to Wild Atlantic Way - Inch Beach - the first place since Baja we could drive on the beach! A little colder though
Beautiful town of Dingle. Somehow the rows of brightly colored houses never got old
Gallarus Oratory - church from the 11th or 12 century, incredible engineering with stone
ITTOG
Well-known member
I agree, more pics would be great. Luckily, there is no limit on how many posts you make.
mccolganm4
New member
This looks like an amazing trip. Love the detail in the posts and the pictures are incredible.
Were you in Scotland a couple of weeks ago? I passed a Tacoma with a pop up camper in the City of Dundee and thought "don't see many of them about!".
Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
Were you in Scotland a couple of weeks ago? I passed a Tacoma with a pop up camper in the City of Dundee and thought "don't see many of them about!".
Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
tacototheworld
Well-known member
tacototheworld
Well-known member
Northern Ireland
Giant’s Causeway - hexagon shaped rocks and towers formed by successive lava flows hitting the ocean
We entered Northern Ireland from The Republic of Ireland with no fanfare or signs. Despite the historically troubled relationship between the two, and the added complications of Brexit, the island is boundary-free for travel back and forth. But our phones notified us that we had entered the UK so we duly swapped out our EU currency for GBP in our wallets and were ready to greet a new country.
Our six-day driving route through Northern Ireland
The countryside felt familiar after our time in The Republic of Ireland, covered with lush green fields divided by carefully built stone walls. People were still friendly and cheerful and curious about how we ended up there in our American truck.
Our first stop was an amazing site - caves and a beautiful mountain hike from the same place. We signed up for a tour of the caves (required about an hour) at Marble Arch later in the day and then set off to walk up Cuilcagh Mountain - a full day for the two activities that we would highly recommend.
Marble Arch Caves, exploring the caverns and formations with our knowledgeable guide who had got lost in them as a boy
Stairs up Cuilcagh Mountain, a stunning 7 miles roundtrip hike, including boardwalk across the bog (Dawn was grateful) and steps
Growing up in the US in the 60’s to 90’s, we had a sense of the violence and conflict that had beleaguered this small area of the UK. But our knowledge was incomplete and colored with early memories of bombings and riots, and an impression of randomized victims across both sides. But having just steeped ourselves in Irish history in The Republic of Ireland we had a much greater understanding. It also helped that we spent 17 hours listening to a treatise on Northern Ireland written by native professor of political conflict.
Once again we arrived at a historic moment. Elections were being held and for the first time the Sinn Féin party, representing the Nationalist voters who want a united Ireland without any British rule (mostly Catholic and associated with the Irish Republican Army) won control. We asked our walking tour guide in Belfast about his thoughts on this development. He shrugged and said that it was inevitable, due to population demographics. Although Northern Ireland was created in 1921 with boundaries purposefully designed to ensure a majority Unionist (pro remaining part of the United Kingdom and mostly Protestant) population, over time the Catholic population has grown at a much greater rate and people expect that it will not be long before the tides turn and the population of the country vote to leave the UK and join with the Republic of Ireland (predominantly Catholic). Brexit has also led to an increase in pro Nationalism as younger generations are less likely to philosophically align themselves with a particular religion and see opportunity and advantage in being part of the EU.
However, the realities of an island nation split in two were very much present when we travelled to the urban areas. We found that in Londonderry and Belfast, neighborhoods were still divided along sectarian lines and children still went to schools based on their family’s religion, in many cases with few opportunities to meet or interact with peers on the other side.
One of the Bogside Murals in Londonderry - “The Death of Innocence” depicting 14 year old Annette McGavigan, the 100th civilian to be killed in the fighting between the British soldiers and the Irish Republican Army
We wandered the Bogside area of Londonderry, site of Bloody Sunday (13 demonstrators killed by British paratroopers). The area still felt haunted by the suffering of the past, an eerie blend of murals commemorating events up until the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement in 1998, and posters, slogans and graffiti from recent years.
Back on the road, we couldn’t visit Northern Ireland without a stop at Bushmills, the oldest distillery in the world and a classic. This was another great two-event day, easy to visit the distillery and the renowned Giant’s Causeway in one stop. We booked our tour then drove a mile down the road to park at a trailhead and walk to Giant’s Causeway - a beautiful 7 mile roundtrip walk that avoided the crowds and fees at the Causeway Visitor’s Center.
Bushmills Distillery Building
Fantastic tour at Bushmills with a guide that explained the whole process, from barley harvest to aging, and culminating with a tasting
View from the cliff above down on Giant’s Causeway
Fascinating rock formations
In Northern Ireland, we also used Park4Night to find overnight spots. It was a little more challenging, and we primarily found ourselves at parking lots for public walking areas.
Typical overnight spot in Northern Ireland - we did not see many other campers there in May
Stopped at Navan Fort, site of the prehistoric kingdom of Ulster. Believed to be built as a sanctuary, you can still see the basic mound and ditches
Our final stop before Belfast was our favorite place in Northern Ireland, the Mourne Mountains. We climbed Slieve Binnian, absolutely stunning
A moment to geek out at Castle Ward - a large rambling estate, fun to explore the grounds and castle and this fortified keep which was the site for Winterfell in Game of Thrones
Our final stop - Belfast. We spent two nights here, rare for us but we were in need of a bit of a break. We found a big budget hotel right out of town (Balmoral) with a huge outdoor parking lot and a bus line straight to downtown.
Belfast pleasantly surprised us, we had no expectations but ended up enjoying the city. It has gone through significant renovation and economic growth in the last 20 years and it felt like it was on the edge of prosperity. We had a great pub dinner at McHughs, did our standard historic walking tour, and wandered aimlessly.
Opera House - Belfast
Crown Liquor Saloon -originally a Victorian gin bar, now operated by the National Trust, but you can still drink there
Sights and sounds of Belfast
Europa Hotel - dubious distinction of being the most bombed hotel in the world
Visiting the peace walls of Shankill Road, one of the longest and largest peace walls standing in Europe. Another area that felt haunted by the past. The walls were erected to protect neighborhoods from each other and are mostly still standing today. Shankill road is a predominantly Protestant area adjacent to predominantly Catholic area.
We welcome any comments or questions, still new to this blog idea and searching a little for what the purpose is. Of course, having the record for ourselves is fun, but we want to be useful and informative to other travelers - either the in person or armchair version. As always, thank you for reading!
Giant’s Causeway - hexagon shaped rocks and towers formed by successive lava flows hitting the ocean
We entered Northern Ireland from The Republic of Ireland with no fanfare or signs. Despite the historically troubled relationship between the two, and the added complications of Brexit, the island is boundary-free for travel back and forth. But our phones notified us that we had entered the UK so we duly swapped out our EU currency for GBP in our wallets and were ready to greet a new country.
Our six-day driving route through Northern Ireland
The countryside felt familiar after our time in The Republic of Ireland, covered with lush green fields divided by carefully built stone walls. People were still friendly and cheerful and curious about how we ended up there in our American truck.
Our first stop was an amazing site - caves and a beautiful mountain hike from the same place. We signed up for a tour of the caves (required about an hour) at Marble Arch later in the day and then set off to walk up Cuilcagh Mountain - a full day for the two activities that we would highly recommend.
Marble Arch Caves, exploring the caverns and formations with our knowledgeable guide who had got lost in them as a boy
Stairs up Cuilcagh Mountain, a stunning 7 miles roundtrip hike, including boardwalk across the bog (Dawn was grateful) and steps
Growing up in the US in the 60’s to 90’s, we had a sense of the violence and conflict that had beleaguered this small area of the UK. But our knowledge was incomplete and colored with early memories of bombings and riots, and an impression of randomized victims across both sides. But having just steeped ourselves in Irish history in The Republic of Ireland we had a much greater understanding. It also helped that we spent 17 hours listening to a treatise on Northern Ireland written by native professor of political conflict.
Once again we arrived at a historic moment. Elections were being held and for the first time the Sinn Féin party, representing the Nationalist voters who want a united Ireland without any British rule (mostly Catholic and associated with the Irish Republican Army) won control. We asked our walking tour guide in Belfast about his thoughts on this development. He shrugged and said that it was inevitable, due to population demographics. Although Northern Ireland was created in 1921 with boundaries purposefully designed to ensure a majority Unionist (pro remaining part of the United Kingdom and mostly Protestant) population, over time the Catholic population has grown at a much greater rate and people expect that it will not be long before the tides turn and the population of the country vote to leave the UK and join with the Republic of Ireland (predominantly Catholic). Brexit has also led to an increase in pro Nationalism as younger generations are less likely to philosophically align themselves with a particular religion and see opportunity and advantage in being part of the EU.
However, the realities of an island nation split in two were very much present when we travelled to the urban areas. We found that in Londonderry and Belfast, neighborhoods were still divided along sectarian lines and children still went to schools based on their family’s religion, in many cases with few opportunities to meet or interact with peers on the other side.
One of the Bogside Murals in Londonderry - “The Death of Innocence” depicting 14 year old Annette McGavigan, the 100th civilian to be killed in the fighting between the British soldiers and the Irish Republican Army
We wandered the Bogside area of Londonderry, site of Bloody Sunday (13 demonstrators killed by British paratroopers). The area still felt haunted by the suffering of the past, an eerie blend of murals commemorating events up until the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement in 1998, and posters, slogans and graffiti from recent years.
Back on the road, we couldn’t visit Northern Ireland without a stop at Bushmills, the oldest distillery in the world and a classic. This was another great two-event day, easy to visit the distillery and the renowned Giant’s Causeway in one stop. We booked our tour then drove a mile down the road to park at a trailhead and walk to Giant’s Causeway - a beautiful 7 mile roundtrip walk that avoided the crowds and fees at the Causeway Visitor’s Center.
Bushmills Distillery Building
Fantastic tour at Bushmills with a guide that explained the whole process, from barley harvest to aging, and culminating with a tasting
View from the cliff above down on Giant’s Causeway
Fascinating rock formations
In Northern Ireland, we also used Park4Night to find overnight spots. It was a little more challenging, and we primarily found ourselves at parking lots for public walking areas.
Typical overnight spot in Northern Ireland - we did not see many other campers there in May
Stopped at Navan Fort, site of the prehistoric kingdom of Ulster. Believed to be built as a sanctuary, you can still see the basic mound and ditches
Our final stop before Belfast was our favorite place in Northern Ireland, the Mourne Mountains. We climbed Slieve Binnian, absolutely stunning
A moment to geek out at Castle Ward - a large rambling estate, fun to explore the grounds and castle and this fortified keep which was the site for Winterfell in Game of Thrones
Our final stop - Belfast. We spent two nights here, rare for us but we were in need of a bit of a break. We found a big budget hotel right out of town (Balmoral) with a huge outdoor parking lot and a bus line straight to downtown.
Belfast pleasantly surprised us, we had no expectations but ended up enjoying the city. It has gone through significant renovation and economic growth in the last 20 years and it felt like it was on the edge of prosperity. We had a great pub dinner at McHughs, did our standard historic walking tour, and wandered aimlessly.
Opera House - Belfast
Crown Liquor Saloon -originally a Victorian gin bar, now operated by the National Trust, but you can still drink there
Sights and sounds of Belfast
Europa Hotel - dubious distinction of being the most bombed hotel in the world
Visiting the peace walls of Shankill Road, one of the longest and largest peace walls standing in Europe. Another area that felt haunted by the past. The walls were erected to protect neighborhoods from each other and are mostly still standing today. Shankill road is a predominantly Protestant area adjacent to predominantly Catholic area.
We welcome any comments or questions, still new to this blog idea and searching a little for what the purpose is. Of course, having the record for ourselves is fun, but we want to be useful and informative to other travelers - either the in person or armchair version. As always, thank you for reading!
mccolganm4
New member
That's the 1. Great looking rig. Shame the pickups over here are really too small for a decent set up like that.
Happy travels
Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
It is a great trip and thanks for writing such a nice blog. We have been traveling in Europe, the Americas, East Asia, Africa and Australia /New Zealand with our own or rented campers since 2012 but are too lazy to write a blog.
Being European/Canadian I appreciate your well researched and thoughtful comments. Unfortunately very few North American travelers venture outside North America for extended road trips and take the time to explore the world like you do. When traveling through Africa, Australia, New Zealand or Europe we never met North American overlanders, in Latin America very few. Hopefully your example will inspire others. Have fun and maybe we will meet somewhere on the road.
Being European/Canadian I appreciate your well researched and thoughtful comments. Unfortunately very few North American travelers venture outside North America for extended road trips and take the time to explore the world like you do. When traveling through Africa, Australia, New Zealand or Europe we never met North American overlanders, in Latin America very few. Hopefully your example will inspire others. Have fun and maybe we will meet somewhere on the road.
tacototheworld
Well-known member
Haha! Yes, writing a blog takes a lot more work than you think. But we’re hoping to inspire people follow their travel dreams.
I wonder if the USA being so big and lucky enough to have amazingly diverse areas that it satisfies most of its citizens travel urges. With us, we like to stretch our legs and here a lion roar outside the campsite or experience exotic cultures. This year we’re continuing to explore Europe and late this fall head to NW Africa
I'm sure that's part of it. One of the things I've always loved about living in Washington is that within a couple of hours I can be at the mountains, desert, rainforest, ocean, or in a big city . My yearning to travel overseas has little to do with nature and more to do with historic structures, which we are obviously lacking here on the west coast.
tacototheworld
Well-known member
Scotland - part one
Scotland was a feast for the eyes and its vast landscapes filled our souls. It was a country both familiar and wild. Dawn’s mom was Scottish and there was a sense of coming home as we visited the places we heard her mom speak of over the years and re-visited some places we had been with her. At the same time, we were stretching beyond previous visits to the outer reaches of the country where some of the greatest beauty lies.
Our 13 day driving route through Scotland - definitely could have been longer- especially up in the northern Highlands
We did not really explore the history of the country as we have in other places, but focused more on outdoor adventures and scenic drives. Highlights for us were:
As soon as we hit the Scottish highlands we took big expansive breaths and relaxed. Then hiked five miles.
Hiking in Glencoe valley
Clouds and sunbeams playing on the mountains
One of our Park4Night sites
Although wild camping is legal in Scotland, we had a difficult time finding sites that were off the beaten path, public, and weren’t posted prohibiting parking or overnight camping. We sensed that the explosion of van, camper and caravan travel in recent years has pushed many local communities to the limits of endurance as their favorite wild spots are overtaken by tourists. As a counter measure, we found a variety of newer areas specifically being set up to consolidate overland travelers into acceptable areas - like the forest park pictured above. But it did not make for a very “wild” experience.
Part of our daily routine - make the lunch, fill the water bottles, pack into a cooler which goes in the cab. Not hard to guess who eats a salad every day and who eats a sandwich.
Another camper life note, we don’t often eat in restaurants. Even though it feels like we are on a satisfying never ending vacation, since we are living this way full time, we make most of our own food. In two months in the UK. we have averaged about $8 a day in restaurant expenses. Given that one pub meal with drinks can run you $50, that works out to one meal out in 6 days. We found restaurants to be expensive across the UK, even the basic pubs, but on the other hand, groceries were cheaper than in the US.
Most of our restaurant budget actually goes to our favorite weakness, bakeries. A stop at a bakery for pastries, happy stomachs for less than $5. Loved this friendly bakery in Inverness named The Bakery
We had planned to hike somewhere near Ben Nevis but the weather didn’t cooperate so we set off up the coast from Inverness on the North Coast 500 scenic drive. Our first stop was the scenic cliffs of Duncansby Head. Having just driven much of the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland, our bar was high for being impressed by a coastal drive. This first part of the NC500 was not our favorite, but later as we drove the far northern tip, the scenery transformed and became everchanging and breathtaking.
Sea Stacks at Duncansby Head
Gills Bay Ferry Terminal - arrived an hour early for our ferry to the Orkney Islands - felt very lonely for the first half hour
Balancing budget with adventure, we decided to ferry out to the Orkney Islands and drive to Isle of Skye for our island trips. We thought about heading to the outer Hebrides as well but by the time we got organized the ferries were full. Driving the scenic areas of Scotland in May, we saw more campers on the road than we have ever seen anywhere. On some sections the only traffic seemed to be big white caravans motoring their way down narrow roads making use of the numerous passing lay-bys. Since we had not run into ferries being fully booked in the past two years of travelling, it was a surprise for us.
Short person’s hack for popping up the camper. Dawn kneels on two dinette cushions to get the leverage she needs to push it up. Very doable, but Andy still does it 99% of the time
Driving the first evening in the Orkney Islands, Mainland
Because of some limited ferry schedules, we left Mainland (name of the main island in the Orkneys) and went the next morning to the Isle of Hoy
Old Man Hoy seastack
Cliff views hiking to Old Man Hoy
So much beauty, cliffs, mountains, stone crofter’s cottages
After thoroughly exploring and enjoying the Isle of Hoy we returned to Mainland. More pastural and less dramatically scenic than Hoy, it had some fascinating historic sites
Earl’s Palace, Kirkwall, Mainland, Orkney Islands, built in the early 1600’s
Skara Brae - pre-historic stone village site buried suddenly (almost Pompeii-like) in the sand and lay covered for centuries until a great storm hit the coast in the 1850’s and exposed it
Neolithic Stone House
Narrow stone streets of Stromness, Orkney Islands
Back to the mainland Scotland to continue the NC 500. Our favorite section - Thurso to the Cape of Wrath. We did a terrible job taking photos - so hard to capture the expansive beauty so we gave up.
More in a bit!
Scotland was a feast for the eyes and its vast landscapes filled our souls. It was a country both familiar and wild. Dawn’s mom was Scottish and there was a sense of coming home as we visited the places we heard her mom speak of over the years and re-visited some places we had been with her. At the same time, we were stretching beyond previous visits to the outer reaches of the country where some of the greatest beauty lies.
Our 13 day driving route through Scotland - definitely could have been longer- especially up in the northern Highlands
We did not really explore the history of the country as we have in other places, but focused more on outdoor adventures and scenic drives. Highlights for us were:
- Driving the far north section of the NC 500 (Thurso to Cape Wrath)
- Hiking the scenic Glencoe Valley
- Visiting the Isle of Hoy in the Orkney Islands
- Isle of Skye
- Hiking in the Cairngorms
- Stirling Castle
- Exploring Edinburgh
As soon as we hit the Scottish highlands we took big expansive breaths and relaxed. Then hiked five miles.
Hiking in Glencoe valley
Clouds and sunbeams playing on the mountains
One of our Park4Night sites
Although wild camping is legal in Scotland, we had a difficult time finding sites that were off the beaten path, public, and weren’t posted prohibiting parking or overnight camping. We sensed that the explosion of van, camper and caravan travel in recent years has pushed many local communities to the limits of endurance as their favorite wild spots are overtaken by tourists. As a counter measure, we found a variety of newer areas specifically being set up to consolidate overland travelers into acceptable areas - like the forest park pictured above. But it did not make for a very “wild” experience.
Part of our daily routine - make the lunch, fill the water bottles, pack into a cooler which goes in the cab. Not hard to guess who eats a salad every day and who eats a sandwich.
Another camper life note, we don’t often eat in restaurants. Even though it feels like we are on a satisfying never ending vacation, since we are living this way full time, we make most of our own food. In two months in the UK. we have averaged about $8 a day in restaurant expenses. Given that one pub meal with drinks can run you $50, that works out to one meal out in 6 days. We found restaurants to be expensive across the UK, even the basic pubs, but on the other hand, groceries were cheaper than in the US.
Most of our restaurant budget actually goes to our favorite weakness, bakeries. A stop at a bakery for pastries, happy stomachs for less than $5. Loved this friendly bakery in Inverness named The Bakery
We had planned to hike somewhere near Ben Nevis but the weather didn’t cooperate so we set off up the coast from Inverness on the North Coast 500 scenic drive. Our first stop was the scenic cliffs of Duncansby Head. Having just driven much of the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland, our bar was high for being impressed by a coastal drive. This first part of the NC500 was not our favorite, but later as we drove the far northern tip, the scenery transformed and became everchanging and breathtaking.
Sea Stacks at Duncansby Head
Gills Bay Ferry Terminal - arrived an hour early for our ferry to the Orkney Islands - felt very lonely for the first half hour
Balancing budget with adventure, we decided to ferry out to the Orkney Islands and drive to Isle of Skye for our island trips. We thought about heading to the outer Hebrides as well but by the time we got organized the ferries were full. Driving the scenic areas of Scotland in May, we saw more campers on the road than we have ever seen anywhere. On some sections the only traffic seemed to be big white caravans motoring their way down narrow roads making use of the numerous passing lay-bys. Since we had not run into ferries being fully booked in the past two years of travelling, it was a surprise for us.
Short person’s hack for popping up the camper. Dawn kneels on two dinette cushions to get the leverage she needs to push it up. Very doable, but Andy still does it 99% of the time
Driving the first evening in the Orkney Islands, Mainland
Because of some limited ferry schedules, we left Mainland (name of the main island in the Orkneys) and went the next morning to the Isle of Hoy
Old Man Hoy seastack
Cliff views hiking to Old Man Hoy
So much beauty, cliffs, mountains, stone crofter’s cottages
After thoroughly exploring and enjoying the Isle of Hoy we returned to Mainland. More pastural and less dramatically scenic than Hoy, it had some fascinating historic sites
Earl’s Palace, Kirkwall, Mainland, Orkney Islands, built in the early 1600’s
Skara Brae - pre-historic stone village site buried suddenly (almost Pompeii-like) in the sand and lay covered for centuries until a great storm hit the coast in the 1850’s and exposed it
Neolithic Stone House
Narrow stone streets of Stromness, Orkney Islands
Back to the mainland Scotland to continue the NC 500. Our favorite section - Thurso to the Cape of Wrath. We did a terrible job taking photos - so hard to capture the expansive beauty so we gave up.
More in a bit!
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tacototheworld
Well-known member
Scotland - Part 2
Stopped to visit Smoo Cave - a great leg stretching walk, bonus was clean industrial laundry facilities in the parking lot
Waterfall inside Smoo Cave
But we did see highland cows!
Attempting to capture the beauty of the Northern Highlands. Plus posing the truck
Loved seeing relics of the past along the way
Eilean Donan Castle near the bridge to Isle of Skye. Scenically perched on an island, worth a visit although heavily restored in the early 1900’s
The Isle of Skye was fantastic and made us more sorry that we didn’t make it to the outer Hebrides, but we felt like we got a taste of the majestic beauty of this coastal island chain. We were surprised by how mountainous and rugged it was.
Hiking in the Cuillin Hills, Isle of Skye
Colorful Portree harbor, Isle of Skye
Crossing the mountainous center
Hiking the famous Fairy Pools trail - found a 5 mile loop
Crossing back over the bridge from the Isle of Skye to the mainland, we began our journey south, driving through the beautiful Glenn Affric
Wild camping spot, just off the road but gorgeous views
Next stop, Cairngorms National Park. We entered through Aviemore, a town with an appealing outdoorsy feel, like so many mountain towns around the world.
Hiked the beautiful Meall a’ Bhuachaille trail - 9 mile loop
Took a moment to remember Dawn’s mom at the top
On to Aberdeen to try to trace some ancestral roots. We failed miserably. Inadequate advance planning (left documents at home, incomplete pre-research) meant we didn’t get very far, but we drove by Dawn’s mom’s childhood home, peeked in the gates, and collected resources and websites for future research.
Spent a day wandering the streets of Aberdeen
Classic grey granite buildings of Aberdeen
More Scotland in a bit!
Stopped to visit Smoo Cave - a great leg stretching walk, bonus was clean industrial laundry facilities in the parking lot
Waterfall inside Smoo Cave
But we did see highland cows!
Attempting to capture the beauty of the Northern Highlands. Plus posing the truck
Loved seeing relics of the past along the way
Eilean Donan Castle near the bridge to Isle of Skye. Scenically perched on an island, worth a visit although heavily restored in the early 1900’s
The Isle of Skye was fantastic and made us more sorry that we didn’t make it to the outer Hebrides, but we felt like we got a taste of the majestic beauty of this coastal island chain. We were surprised by how mountainous and rugged it was.
Hiking in the Cuillin Hills, Isle of Skye
Colorful Portree harbor, Isle of Skye
Crossing the mountainous center
Hiking the famous Fairy Pools trail - found a 5 mile loop
Crossing back over the bridge from the Isle of Skye to the mainland, we began our journey south, driving through the beautiful Glenn Affric
Wild camping spot, just off the road but gorgeous views
Next stop, Cairngorms National Park. We entered through Aviemore, a town with an appealing outdoorsy feel, like so many mountain towns around the world.
Hiked the beautiful Meall a’ Bhuachaille trail - 9 mile loop
Took a moment to remember Dawn’s mom at the top
On to Aberdeen to try to trace some ancestral roots. We failed miserably. Inadequate advance planning (left documents at home, incomplete pre-research) meant we didn’t get very far, but we drove by Dawn’s mom’s childhood home, peeked in the gates, and collected resources and websites for future research.
Spent a day wandering the streets of Aberdeen
Classic grey granite buildings of Aberdeen
More Scotland in a bit!