Had a good few days in London despite the weather which is slightly improved today – generally has not been cold though. We have nearly mastered the Tube – did pretty well today except for when a fire alarm elsewhere messed up the timetable and we got on the wrong train – only for one station so pretty good. Certainly the Oyster cards are a great cheap way to travel though being all that way underground in a packed train is not my favourite mode of travel.
All weathers
A mixture of all weathers today- brilliant sunshine and the bluest sky and white clouds to pouring rain with thunder and lightening.
Nevertheless we were out and about after mastering the intricacies of the tube. What a bustling and busy place with a maze of streets!! Visit to Tower Bridge – great views and fascinating operational detail. Lots of walking, viewing etc and more great sights on the Hop-on Hop-off and some good photo opportunities.
London is wet too!
Great run into London today thanks to Google directions! Lots of traffic of course and interesting to see various styles of apartments etc. Our hotel (bags were searched) is in the Kensington/Notting Hill area so we had a good walk in early afternoon around Kensington Palace Gardens and Park – even a few tributes to Diana on the fence again.
Then onto the Hop-on Hop-off bus for a guided tour round London’s key spots. Very good, some good views and commentary until it started to rain, then pour down at which point picture taking became too much of a challenge and life on the open top deck was decidedly unpleasant even with the complimentary plastic raincoats! We abandoned bus at about 6.45 and hope to catch up again tomorrow.
Lots of water
We have finally really caught up with the wet weather and there is lots of water around- literally as we have also just travelled through the Lakes District. Very picturesque despite heavy rain -unfortunately not good for photo taking! Experienced the M6 at all speeds too on our way to the Oxford area where we spent the night in an old Elizabethan House – now a pub/lodge built in 1560.
Glens, Lochs, and Castles
Great variety of scenery and history over the last 2 days. Have had 2 contrasting days of weather too yesterday brilliant sun and today solid rain most of the time.
From Inverness it was down through the Great Glens and lots of Lochs all formed along a faultline. The fascinating Caledonian Canal running the length of the Glens links 5 Lochs to allow launches and leisure boats through using a number of swing bridges – the road bridge rotates to the side to open up the waterway. The most well known Loch in this group is Loch Ness running for some 24 miles – we travelled it’s length – no Nessie in sight!! Rather a brooding loch so one can see how the “rumours” might come about. However beautiful lush trees covered with moss, and bushes line the sides of the Loch roads before the hills rise steeply away.
In the Scottish Highlands
A quiet start to the day and left Edinburgh to the strains of the bagpipes downtown – saw a few men wandering about in their kilts too. The buildings in Edinburgh central city are of course all old stone – weathered and coloured and intensely clustered along the streets – a real maze to drive round.
We headed north over the Forth Bridge, past Loch Leven where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned before making a dramatic escape. There are castles and ruins everywhere in Scotland – some of the castles are beautiful! and all are very different in style and settings. Bypassed the good looking Scone Palace, then after lunch in Perth stopped at the delightful towns of Birnum and Dunkeld – Big Tree Country. Dunkeld has a beautiful old cathedral – part still in use and part in ruins – the grounds are stunning, huge trees and beautiful lawns running down to the River Tay. Loved it.
Edinburgh
A bit of a travel and transition today as we left Ireland for a couple of days in Scotland.
Has been really great to spend time with Matt and Kat and sad to say goodbye again, however we are all moving on with the next part of our journeys. Not sure when/where we will all meet up next but it’s exciting to ponder that! An exciting day today for Kat too as she started her new job in Dublin.