In no particular order, the other things that impressed and amazed me about Scotland. The ubiquitous whisky distilleries (but you knew that). In 2014, there were 98 active distilleries in Scotland. We stopped off at this one to buy a treat for Niall to thank him for looking after the dog during our trip. Lucky …
Monthly Archives: July 2017
One of the most interesting aspects of this trip has been our visits to the places where our ancestors lived. These visits have brought our people to life and put their stories into an historical context. I traced Julian’s branch of his father’s family back to his 4th great-grandfather, Henry, who was born in Grinton, …
When I think of Scotland, I think: rugged mountains, whisky without the ‘e’, men in kilts, haggis and ‘neeps’, Robbie Burns, Highland cows. I don’t think ‘beaches.’ I’d be wrong. On our first night in Scotland, we stayed in Dornoch, which is on the east coast, a few miles down the road from the Glenmorangie …
I always think you can tell a lot about a place from its signs. In the south of England, we were warned to keep to the path and stay in control of our dogs. In North Yorkshire both the tone and the message are gentler. And who can resist a village that allows sheep to …
No, the Jurassic Coast is not a theme park in which hundreds of dinosaurs come to life and terrorize Jeff Goldblum. It’s a 95-mile stretch of English Channel coastline, located in Dorset and East Devon. It’s a World Heritage Site because coastal erosion has exposed millions of fossils from three geological periods, including the Jurassic …
Two of my favourite writers are Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy. I traded Julian a visit to their houses for a trip to the Historic Dockyards in Portsmouth. Two days, 3 ships, 2 museums and a boat-shed later, I think Julian got the better part of the deal. Austen’s house is located in Chawton, Hampshire. …
In south-west England, large swaths of chalkstone lie under the soil. For millenia, people have cut out large figures by digging trenches to reveal the underlying chalk. The chalk contrasts with the surrounding grass, which makes the figures stand out. Because they’re cut into the hillsides, these figures are difficult to see from the ground, …
Fawlty Towers was born of a bad hotel experience. The Pythons booked into a hotel in Cornwall owned by a man who was “the most wonderfully rude man” that John Cleese had ever met. After filming, the other Pythons moved on. Seeing the comic potential, Cleese and his wife at the time, Connie Booth, stayed, …
Elaine was right — there are adders in England! Although the grumpy farmers may pose more of a threat to users of public footpaths: