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Jer Mahon
Jer Mahon

Jer Mahon

war bereits in 22 Ländern Weiterlesen🇨🇦British Columbia
FolgenNachrichtStatistiken
  • European Summer
    Bordoy Island mountain tunnel
    Foggy morning coffeeKlaksvik north harbour socked in by fog and cloudEntrance to second Bordoy Island TunnelHvannasund on Viroy IslandEntering Vidareidi villagePraktfuldt udsigtspunkt, Kirkjugøta, Viðareiði, Færøerne view pointKelp roots in a sea puddleTime laps of clouds disappearing ☁️👍Eysteroyarvegur Ocean tunnel midway lightingNordskala Bridge in OyarbakkiFun sweets at the grocery store. Healthiest when not purchased 🙃Home for 5 nights on the top floorGreat view of Tórshavn harbourRetro kitchenGuess the round bottom item?Wall mounted scale! ⚖️Living room. No TV in the 50s!Our room with deck access ❤️👍

    Tunnels to Tórshavn

    6. September 2023 in Färöer ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    Met the day with low clouds and mist rain. As the morning progressed thicker cloud and fog rolled in. Today we had to check out of our Airbnb in Klaksvik to head to Tórshavn. Decided to drive to the most Northshore road access we could.

    The island of Bordoy is quite mountainous, so required us to traverse via a couple tunnels. That said the tunnels were traffic controlled single lane, and very narrow. Thankfully we arrived just in time before the lights changed, which occurs every 15 minutes due counter flow.

    We crossed between Bordoy and Vidoy Island through Hvannasund over a built up Causeway. Another tunnel took us through the mountain to the village of Vidareidi. Thankfully it was clear here as the clouds and fog were trapped on the other side of the mountain! We then headed back on the scenic loop towards Hvannasund and onwards to Tórshavn. Retracing the route we had taken previous days while heading eastwards, decided to take the mountain road over to Tórshavn, but sadly the sights were shrouded in dense cloud...

    The visibility didn't changed much as we descended into town, but we were welcomed with the sound of distant fog horns. We were still early for checking in to our next accomodations, so had a cheese and crackers snack by the harbour front. Delicious smoked Cheddar hand imported from the UK!

    Before long we met up with M&C, our London roommates for the next few days while attending the Atjan Festival. Once stettled, we left to pick up a few groceries and drop off our rental car on the other side of town.

    After a quick dinner of mashed potatoes, sauté veggies, and fried dumplings, we headed out for the festival evening social. The bar was just a short walk from our accommodations, and spanned over three levels. Each level was eccentricly decorated, quite small and fairly tight when occupied.

    We met others from Austria and Norway. After a pint on the middle level we decended to the slightly cooler and less noisy first floor. This area was not busy and we were entertained with a fantastic chat with the bartender. Lots of local stories, including his father and grandfather building church organs.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Morning sun at the boathouseHikingOne of the bigger more flat crossingsChain for crossing slippery crossingFences all the way down to the waterline 👇🐑🐏Friendly horsesWasn't sure how friendly he was going to be following so closely 🙃Pretty colorMonument to the men lostVillage guardianStove partsCauseway to Haraldssund

    Serene Skard

    5. September 2023 in Färöer ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Woke up to such a peaceful and calm day. Although mostly cloudy out, the sun did peak through here and there, and barely a breeze. On occasion we could hear the squeal of women who came down to have a brisk morning swim in the ocean.

    J made a hearty pot of oatmeal. After spending the better part of the day relaxing and enjoying the sounds and view of the ocean, decided to go and explore. A found a hike near by to an abandoned village, Skard. Quiet a sad story of love and lose that caused the villagers to leave thier home, roughly a century ago...

    We arrived at the trailhead around 2pm, and trekked through the sloped fields along the fjord coastline. A had read that it was a 6km total trip, inclusive of the high pass to the village on the other side of Kunoy Island. But, we found that was not the case and hiked the 6km just to get to the village of Skarð 😨 We navagated the multiple runoff crossings, and two and a quarter hours later we finally arrived. The area was both serene and rugged with walls a rock, grass and moss covered slopes, and the muffled noise of sheep grazing.

    After enjoying a picnic beer and light snack, we made our way back to the car. We also counted all the water crossings, 140! Stopping briefly at one of the grocery stores, we picked up a frozen seafood mix to go with our pasta dinner.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Relaxing in our boathouse accommodation
    KlaksvikKyrjasteinur (1937), built in Denmark. towed into Fuglafjørður bay for restoration, but sank.KyrjasteinurFuglafjørður sandy beachWater falling near OyndarfjørðurView of Slættaratindur from Oyndarfjørður trailSummer only road around Slættaratindur from EiðiAbove OyndarfjørðurOn Oyndarfjørður trailRam relaxingWe're the blue oneLofty livingModern and minimalBeach ArtAfternoon on the deckLast rays of the day

    Kaleidoscopic Klaksvik

    4. September 2023 in Färöer ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Enjoyed our final breakfast spread at the hotel in Gjogv before checking out, and then headed east to the North Islands. The day was looking to be a gorgeous one. Would have been nice if the pervious day weather had been as stable on our hikes...

    Noticed the majority of the buildings were painted black with grass roofs. Found out traditional Faroeses architecture used tar on the exterior to help trap heat inside with the doors being an colour.

    Decided to take a more leisurely pace and explore the islands as we made our way to Klaksvik. Our first stop was the nearby Gongutúrur / Hvithamar Trailhead. We opted not to hike the steeper section, just out to the view point. The start of the trail was very soggy from the pervious day's rain percolating down the hillsides.

    Our next stop on the island of Eysturoy was in the village of Oyndarfjørður where J had located an easy historical trail through a saddle between Oyndarfjørður and Elduvik villages. Onwards we drove to Fuglafjørður where A had spotted a large ship on the beach, so decided to explored a small section of the harbour. There was even a small strip of black-grey sandy beach we walked along. Realizing how gorgeous the weather was A suggested we check into our next accommodation as it was located next to the ocean.

    We left Eysturoy through another tolled under ocean tunnel to the Island of Bordoy, and right into Klaksvik. The larger town of Klaksvik straddles a slender bridge of land creating a narrow valley surrounded by ocean and mountains.

    Once settled in, and partially unpacked, we enjoyed the ebb and flow of the ocean over the rocky beach, and wafts of brine and seaweed scented air. Before it got too late decided an easy run was needed, and to explore some of the area.

    Taking advantage of our wonderful kitchen, A made another locally procured salmon dinner, and enjoyed local Brews. A also made an Asian Noodle coleslaw salad using a conehead cabbage we found in the grocery store; forgot to get vinegar, so used sweet pickle🥒 brine instead. It was delicious 😋    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Top of Slættaratindur
    Lake Eiði on left, a reservoirStarting the hike from GjogvThe sun is amazing when it appearsBugvin rock. Where birds were harvested back in the dayGorgeous meadow towards BugvinTown of Gjogv from aboveGjaargardur Guesthouse Gjogv, our hotelLocal brews 🍻Local fish of the day, salmon!Burger. Mmm 😋We think this was a great skua, that buzzed us many times 🙃

    Stunning Slættaratindur

    3. September 2023 in Färöer ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    After filling up on a wonderful breakfast spread at the hotel, we decided to head out for a hike. We drove back up the road about 13 minutes before finding the parking for the trailhead up Slættaratindur. Apparently Slættaratindur is the highest peak in the Faroe Islands at 840m, however, we "only" accended 584m from trail head to the summit.

    It was very windy and gusty at the start of the hike. About mid-way it started to lightly rain. The footing wasn't too bad and we accended a mostly vertical trajectory before eventually leveling off a bit. The wind was getting increasingly stronger until we managed to get around the point on to the backside of the ridge. It was a bit disappointing that the clouds hung so tightly to the peak, but it was still neat to be at the top of it all. Surprisingly, the top was very flat with quite a bit of open area. As we descended, we were pelted with driving rain, and despite the rain gear, got wet. Our footing on the way down was a lot more slippy with the rain sodden pathway.

    Decided to return to our room in Gjogv to dry off and warm up. But by mid-afternoon we were being teased out of our room with filtered sunlight. At this point the local trail seemed a perfect option to trek. Of course, no sooner had we made it part way up, the rains returned 😕. Luckily the rain didn't last long, leaving a mostly sunny clear sky; but the wind gusts remained which helped to dry us off while we walked. We did our best to follow the map the hotel provided us, but there was very little indication of the path, so we navigated with the few visible landmarks. We succeeded in getting to the end of the trail and seeing the rock where they used to harvest sea birds 🐦 🍽️. On the walk back a large bird, maybe a great skua, buzzed us many times flying straight at us and very low 🦤

    Made it back to the hotel by late afternoon, then cleaned up and headed to Ljosa for dinner at Rose's Cafe and Restaurant. The drive back along the single track road was stunning with the sun illuminating rock crops and hillsides. Why didn't it appear during our earlier trek to the summit? The ocean was quiet turbulent and the wind was dispursing the crashing wave's spray.

    The restaurant was very cozy, and the proprietor was very friendly and welcoming. Apparently we got the best seat in the house with great views of the coastline. Dinner was very delicious, and much better than the hotel restaurant in Gjogv; J went with the daily catch and A ordered the spicy hamburger with a side salad.

    The drive back to Gjogv was just as spectacular with the sun still shining in its pre-sunset brilliance.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Sandavágur
    Walk on the rocksFuzzy rocksWitch's Finger in a cloud1Waterfall leaving SandavágurVagartennelen entranceTorrential falls by HvalvicWaterfall on Streymoy Island, across from LjosaFinal decent towards GjogvWindyAmazing blue waterRibbon of rock, evidence of the youngest volcanic activity on the islandsTomato saladOrange and fennel saladMinimal Lamb chop meal 😕Halibut and Risotto

    Genuine Gjógv

    2. September 2023 in Färöer ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    After an enjoyable stay in Midvagur, it was time to pack up and move on to Gjogv for a couple nights. We stopped just down the road in Sandavágur to hike and see the "Witch's Finger", a spire of rock that jut up from the ocean.

    We found a place to park and set off to find the trail. Part of the adventure is trying to comprehend the published instructions... 🤓 We did make a "wrong turn" and followed the rocky edge near the ocean before turning around and walking further up the road. As it was a pretty gray day, with low clouds and a splattering of rain, we weren't able to see the fingers ☁️😕

    On the way back we noticed a finish line set up with a bright digital clock timer display near the church. We remembered there was a road running half marathon ending there.

    We carried on driving east, and into the tolled sub-sea tunnel that links Vagur and Streymoy islands. Once we emerged on Streymoy, we took a detour to explore the town of Vestmanna. Along the way A found a view point to stop at for a picnic. It was at this point the wind and rain picked up, so we stayed in the car to eat 🚙🥪😋

    Vestmanna is a fairly large town, and spread out along the shore line. We did a quick tour of the town by car, and made a couple stops for local beer and snacks before heading out. The government liquor store was very minimal and drab 😏

    Retracing our way back but turning east instead through another tunnel. We followed along a very wide open valley to the coast line again. As we rounded a bend by Hvalvic, we noticed a water fall with a torrent of water falling from the heavy rains! Impressive!

    We eventually came to the bridge and crossed over to Eysturoy Island, and heading north along the coast before heading east to Gjogv. The single lane road boasted some amazing views, but were pretty obscured by the heavy rain. We were a bit confused by the large sign indicating a road closure, but realize it was seasonal between October to May due to snow. Onwards!

    The town of Gjogv was very quaint and built up close together along the narrow valley leading to the ocean. We arrived at our accommodations around 5, and decided to have a quick walk around before dinner. Thankfully the rains had stopped, but a few of the exposed areas were quite muddy.

    Our room was very minimalistic, but comfortable. The dinning area was simple, but had an air of sophistication. The premium priced menu was simple as well, so we went with a couple of salads to start, and A ordered the Lamb chops while J ordered the Halibut and risotto. It was a surprise to see the Lamb served with a separate bowl of French fries rather than roasted potatoes and some vegetables...    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Mulafossur Waterfall
    Trying the new running backpackDon't have a Cow, man.The woolie quartetA stroll along the ridge of KnukanirBuilt up runway & light towers facing Sørvágur1Knukanir summitGasadalurThese sheep go to great lengths to get the best viewsMountain flowerOld cable & stairs down to the ferryMulafossur WaterfallMulafossur Waterfall with a tour boat for size comparisonThe Nix sculpture on Lake Leitisvatn21Sweet potatoes, carrots, fish and salad 🥗🐠🥔🥕😋

    Glorious Gásadalur

    1. September 2023 in Färöer ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Another fabulous morning: caffeination, morning run, breakfast!

    A recalled seeing a trail posted near by, so we headed there for the run. The trail head wasn't well marked, but we eventually found it. Initially the trail was steep, but eventually leveled out a bit. This time the ground was a lot more uneven and rocky, and occasionally we were observed by curious sheep chewing a cud.

    Finally got organized around noon, and headed off to explore the northwest portion of Vágur Island. Drove past the airport, and through a couple villages, then stopped for cattle on the road, and finally finding our way to the trail head leading over a steep mountainside. Apparently this "trail" was the main route used to walk between Gásadalur and Bøur; with the village of Gásadalur finally being accessible by road in 2004 when the tunnel was drilled. A ferry had been used previously, but the village isn't easily accessible by sea.

    The weather was prefect for the adventure with a high cloud ceiling and periodic sun bursting through. On the way up we passed a number of grazing sheep, all quite diverse in their markings and wool texture. At the peak we ran into a couple from Sweden, otherwise, no one else on the trail. The short section down to Gásadalur was steep with zig-zagging switch backs all the way. After a quick picnic, we returned to the car the way we came.

    Our next stop was through the tunnel to the village of Gásadalur, where many visit to see the gorgeous Múlafossur Waterfall. Once parked we followed along the fenced path to explore around the village and see the falls.

    On the way back we pulled in to see the "Nix" sculpture on Lake Leitisvatn, then to the other grocery store. Here we found a large chunk of locally raised salmon to go with dinner. It is processed within a few hours of harvest and then frozen. It was amazing taste with good juicy oils.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    The Queensferry Crossing
    The Firth of Fourth bridgesEdinburgh Airport delayOur A3201Archimedes screws at airportDeparture from EDI airportPretty castleEdinburgh bridgesMúlafossur WaterfallSkardi mountainPlane uses full runway length and then does a uturn at the end 👍Sunshine to greet us at FAE airportFancy stairs with cover for deplaningEvening walk view of MiðvágurTown sheepPoniesNice view from stay location, though not direct out window as it was at street level & frosted 😕

    Modest Miðvágur

    31. August 2023 in Färöer ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    We woke up early to finalize our packing in preparation for our flight to the Faroe Islands. After a quick tidying of the room, and a bit of reshuffling to optimize the 23kg checked bag limit, we were on our way.

    The drive to Edinburgh was quite leasurely and quick. The sun was out yet again, and the landscape vibrant. The ease of our day just seemed too easy... J had read about flight delay issues over the Bank Holiday weekend due to a glitch with the UK Air Traffic control system, but we hadn't been prepared for the organized chaos that ensued at the Edinburgh airport. While walking to the terminal we saw quiet a long line extending a fair distance out the door and down the walkway. Apparently the security screening system had a failure of some sort, and was causing quite the back up with processing.

    We cautiously entered the departure hall for check in, but our kiosk wasn't open yet. When it opened we were third in line. Surprisingly the security line seemed longer than it was as A timed the full waiting and screening process to be 46 minutes. We even reacquainted with L, from Australia, whome we met in Pitlochry on top of Ben Vrackie mountain.

    Due to various baggage and other terminal delays our flight was 30 minutes late leaving. The flight north was a quick 1.25hrs and uneventful; always a good thing when flying. Getting through customs was just as speedy, the agent didn't even say a peep 😶. We grabbed some beer and wine from the duty free area, then off to fetch the rental car. A comfortable Honda CRV for six days 🚙👍

    Miðvágur was just a short drive down the road from the airport, and our accommodation easily located on the main road through town. Once settled, we decided a short walk around town was needed. On our way back we stopped at one of the local grocery stores to get a couple things for dinner. The accommodation was clean, but very minimalistic, however, the kitchen was abysmally stocked. It was furnished from randomly selected second hand stores, a few things matched, and very few were even useful... 🤣

    Dinner was a scrumptious beef and rice stirfy 😋

    Being on the main road we were entertained by a local teen or two in the early eve. Ripping up and down the main strip on scooters with vocal exhausts: revving the throttle on and off 🛵 💨 🔛📴🔛📴🔛📴    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Can you spot J in our room? He's wearing red
    Afternoon cake and tea... Yeah, it's like tea 😂. The beer we bought in Durham1Dinner on the grassVenison stewFalafel BurgerMost of the stage rotated, including the spiral stairs

    Fabulous Faskally

    30. August 2023 in Schottland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Once dosed with a cup of coffee ☕ we headed for the local trails along the river for our "easy run." We found our way back to the Pitlochry event grounds, but continued on over the suspension bridge to the west side of River Tummel. We first passed the large Pitlochry Festival theatre, and soon afterwards the fish ladders and dam. The trail meandered along the reservoir, then up near the A9, towards Inverness. Before long we crossed another pedestrian bridge. The forested trail wove through the Faskally forest, a section of the Tay forest park. We did a couple loops around the divergent trails, and back along the forested pond. Eventually we emerged into a more cultivated area, and ran along the River Gerry before looping back towards Pitlochry. We finally reached the hostel 13km and an hour and a bit later😀

    After freshening up, and a simple but hearty breakfast we headed out to explore the local shops. We decided to buy some food items in case prices in the Faroes are nuts!

    Later, we stopped for dinner at The Auld Smitty. It was a magical sunny evening and the patio was full. One of the sunny tables on the grass area had two empty seats at the picnic table. A asked if we could join the ladies. They were happy to share as they were departing soon after a half-pint.

     The theatre was our destination for the evening production of "A Streetcar Named Desire." The theatrical production was very well done. They had a very dynamic stage setup on a rotary platform for quick scene changes. Neither of us had seen the play and found it was a very dark and violent show.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    River Tummel & Pitlochry Dam in the morning sun
    Pedestrian suspension bridgeStart of the hike on the trailSheepSummit 👍Here comes the rain...Creative water control device on the right"Best view in Pitlochry", the guy walking past us said 👍Therapeutic G&T in the afternoon sun

    Bold Ben Vrackie

    29. August 2023 in Schottland ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Another fresh and beautifully sunny morning. Decided to do our stride repeat running training after our first coffee. Our training session took us back to the recreation grounds were we watched the Highland Night. The perimeter trail was perfect for the interval sprinting 🏃💨

    On the way back to the hostel, we stopped into the visitor center to obtain local hiking information. The fellow happily provided a few helpful suggestions.

    With breakfast done, we geared up to tackle Ben Vrackie, a somewhat intermediate hike with lots of elevation gain; 840m to be exact. It was close to noon by the time we walked to the trailhead from the hostel in town, and very warm. By midway it was starting to cloud over, and at the top the wind was gusting and a wall of rain was headed our way ☔🙃 The friendly lady we swapped photography services with at the top is Australian, and will be on the same flight to the Faroe Islands on Thursday with us! Small world 🌍😀

    While still dry, we found shelter from the wind for a quick lunch snack before descending the trail steps. The rain came upon us like a wave, and eventually ebbed into a splattering of sun and cloud. Maybe that's what the locals mean when they say "it's a bit scottish out"... A little of everything happening in succession. J was glad he grabbed his new rainproof jacket. While A was warm, he was looking pretty damp, but with a constant breeze we were dry by the time we reached the bottom.

    We decided to take a right at the lake and loop around for the return trip. The detour route took us along a narrow and fairly muddy track through the Heather. Along the way J spotted blueberries amongst the Heather; very tasty and perfectly tart.

    Still needing a few more items for dinner, we stopped at the grocery store on the way back to the hostel. For dinner, A made a very tasty stir-fry. After the extensive day's activities we decided on a quiet night in.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Pitlochry Monday Highland nights
    River Tummel crossing to PitlochryTay Forest Park vistas from AberfeldyFalls of Dochart near KillinRuins on Loch DochartSun dappled vista near DalmallyHighland Cattle in CrinanCattle near Crinan feasting on estuary grass barFish of a feather school togetherHostel grandiose stair caseComfortable twin roomFabulous view from our roomStunning evening sky at the highland nightHighland dancersMini pipesCountry DancersMarching band fellows invited audience ladies down for this dance 💃

    Picturesque Pitlochry

    28. August 2023 in Schottland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We enjoyed another delightful breakfast with Great Uncle-D, then tried to help him with troubleshooting an issue with his solar voltaic energy system. We weren't able to fix anything, but we did help verify a couple of items to look into.

    In short order we rearranged our luggage, leaving the motorcycle gear behind, and freeing up space for the items we need in the Faroes.

    For our route to Pitlochry, we decided to avoid the busier narrow coastal roads, and take the middle road just passed Kilmartin. The road was single track with multiple passing areas, luckily we only needed to stop for a few oncoming vehicles. The drive north was quite relaxing with stunning views of Loch Awe and surroundings hills. Large sections had been logged, but lots of pockets of old Oak groves dotted the way. You know it's a wet area when thick moss is growing on the Oak, which has ferns growing from the moss too...

    Eventually we reached the A85 just east of Tynuilt. Heading further east, passing along the northern end of Loch Awe, we came upon a gorgeous old church. St Conan's Kirk was only built in the 1880s and expanded in the early 1900s. The exterior architecture appeared more Medieval, and apparently it's interior is quite eclectic in a multitude of styles.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Conan's…

    Continuing on, we eventually passed through the town of Kenmore at the top end of Loch Tay. The sun was magnificent, so we stopped for a walk across the single track multi-arch stone bridge. Another quick stop just up the road in Aberfeldy to get a few grocery items. The town was very orderly, and the buildings were either rough or blocked stone. We also passed the Dewar's Distillery as we left the town.

    Finally arriving in Pitlochry we settled into our hostel room. It was quite unique and colourful, literally. This is our first hostel stay this trip. We were motivated by the amazingly high prices for last minute bookings in this tourist area. We benefited from the use of the kitchen area too 😋

    Needing to stretch the legs after a long day of driving, we went for a walk to explore town, stumbling upon a marching bagpipe band! Turns out they have a Highland Night every Monday during the summer. We paid our admission for the 1.5hr show, hoping to win a bottle of scotch with our lucky number in the Program. A hotdog snack tied us over until a later dinner. The bagpipe marching band won third place in the World Championships this year! What a treat! We were entertained with a variety of dances, folk songs, and of course bagpipe music. We weren't the lucky winners of the bottle, but enjoyed supporting their club.
    https://thevale.org/highland-nights/

    Luckily we found an Indian restaurant that was still serving, for our later than expected dinner. It was scrumptious!    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Lussa Bay on Jura for a boat picnic
    Crinan harbourCrinan harbourCrinan harbourRed Stag on JuraSome moos having a beach afternoonCastle SweenSeals being sealsHeather topped hillsPretty shorelineAshfieldSwan couple and at least two young6 knots on superspeedySailor for the day1Yummy cheeses

    Cozy Crinan

    27. August 2023 in Schottland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    It was a much more casual start to the day, and a hearty traditional scottish oatmeal breakfast. Not as sunny as the previous day, but calm and warm out. Decided it was perfect weather for a boat trip around to Loch Sween!

    It was close to noon by the time we had everything ready and head out of the harbour. Great Uncle D was thoroughly in his happy place behind the helm. He plotted the course over to Lussa Bay on the Isle of Jura. We dropped anchor and savoured a simple picnic in the quiet shallow sandy bay. A even spotted a buck with an impressive rack. Before long we were heading across the way towards Loch Sween.

    As we rounded the point into Loch Sween, we were greeted by a herd of cattle cooling their feet in the ocean. We also noticed a fishing boat darting around checking their equipment for the daily catch. Before long we were passing the ruins of Castle Sween, apparently one of the oldest built in Scotland.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Sween

    We soon arrived back at Ashfield where we had left a vehicle the night before for our return journey. We were met at the dock, and graciously offered tea and treats.

    Back home Great Uncle D made us a scrumptious dinner of stuffed fish cakes, home grown beans and freshly dug potatoes! Lovely wines to enjoy too. A splash of scotch for a night cap 🥃🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Cally Woods Run. So sunny 😑
    Mmmm 😛Galloway Coastal view near Kirkdale House A75Galloway Coastal view near Carsluith A75Southern Ayrshire hills near Smyrton A77Girvan Beach breakwaterGirvan BeachGirvan Beach. Spot J?Loch Long near Arrochar Argyll A83Loch Fyne near Inverary Argyll A83Stunning view from Uncle D'sBuddy Sue.Dinner sunset viewAnnadale fun pack from yesterday

    Authentic Ashfield

    26. August 2023 in Schottland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Started our day with a run along a local forest road near the hotel. It was a bright and fresh start to the day. The gravel road we were following eventually turned into an over grown path where we startled a deer grazing deep in the forest.

    After a quick stretch and shower we made it down for the buffet breakfast. A delicious spread it was 😋

    By eleven we were on our way, heading along the rolling Galloway Costal route as we traversed northwest towards Crinan. Eventually we headed inland to cross the hills into the more rugged terrain of Ayrshire, where we stopped to stretch our legs in the coastal village of Girvan. More inland travel took us on a route to skirt Glasgow, and into the multitude of Lochs making up Argyll & Bute.

    Late afternoon we arrived in Crinan at Great-Uncle-D's. We then all headed east over to Ashfield for a wonderful social evening, and amazing home cooked dinner.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Four poster 👍. Fourteen foot ceilings, grand!
    Longest bathtub ever! You could fit a whole family in there 🤣Puzzle completeGourmet avo toast to fuel us for the long driveAnnadale DistilleryDepiction of what it looked like originallyExcavation showing old foundations for the coal fired cooper stillsBarrels stored outdoors for something or another2Belted Galloway cattleFull frontal fresh floral 🌻🌼🌷🪷@GretnaSunset walkStunning end to the dayFeeling a bit royal with all the spaceBeetroot falafel 😋Lamb rump with delicious wild mushroomsSticky Toffee pudding! 😛

    Classy Cally

    25. August 2023 in Schottland ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Another travel day! Got the day started with a 7km run setting out on the usual local trails. Once things were tidied and packed up, we were off to Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

    Our route took us along A689 through the North Pennines (AONB - Area of Natural Beauty) as we traversed through Northumberia and into Cumberia. Earlier on we saw a number of signs posted for a fair in Walsingham, that we did pass through. Apparently the Agricultural Fair is one of the oldest in Britain, or maybe a local claim to fame. 🤷‍♂️

    The route followed various valleys, sometimes paralleling a creek, and sometimes through denser forest. Mostly, the hillsides were open and carved up by rock walls (fences) and dotted with sheep or cattle. As we drove further in to the nature reserve we climed higher into the moors, covered in blooming purple heather, and dappled in sun and intermittent showers.

    We passed through a number of quaint villages where the buildings were mostly made of rough or chiseled rock with slate tile roofs; a big change from the red brick in Yorkshire and eastern Durham county. Driving through the market town of Stanhope, we passed the Stanhope Castle, built in the 18th Century, that is now a hotel! https://stanhopecastle.co.uk/

    And just a bit farther up the road we passed the Kilnhope Lead Mining Museum. https://killhope.org.uk/

    We took a number of slower side roads to enjoy the scenery, and avoid the congested motorway exchanges as we got closer to Scotland. Our first stop in Scotland was in Annan at the Annandale Distillery. The distillery was only recently revived in 2014, but was originally built in the 1830s, only to be abandoned in the early 1900s. Too many delicious choices in the store. We shyed away from the top, triple digit option 😲Thankfully they had a wee sampler pack of six flavours.
    https://www.annandaledistillery.com/

    We finally arrived at our evening accommodation, The Cally Palace Hotel. Originally called Cally House, it was initially built in 1766 for James Murray. The hotel has warm personality including gently creaking floors, thick walls, and the Bow Lounge with its magnificent gilt cuppola ceiling. We enjoyed the pool area, though it is certainly in need of a refresh past the 90s!
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cally_Palace    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Sanctuary Knocker
    2Breakfast stare downMeowwwww 😵‍💫Durham Coffee RoastersDurham Gin DistilleryMini still ❤️Market square monumentLovely installation... Though the street still got wet when it rained 🤣Great reuseCathedral naiveCathedral EntranceDurham CathedralDurham Castle🏰 Now used for the university 🎓Beautiful colours 🌈

    Delightful Durham

    24. August 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Had a relaxing start to the day with A working on his puzzle, and J pacifying Spike with lap cuddles. She's the most vocal cat we've ever heard! Today planned to visit cousins in Wylam mid-afternoon, so decided to make a day of it: a stop and explore Durham on the way.

    Our first stop was slightly north of Durham, in Sacriston, to pick up locally roasted coffee from Durham Coffee Roasters! Their industrial warehouse shop is nicely done up. Multiple roasting machines, lounge area, coffee machines and a large selection of coffee! Needing to stock up for a few weeks, we couldn't turn down the deal on three small bags 🛍️

    We then returned to Durham to explore the historical downtown area near the Castle and Cathedral. We wandered down High Street and found Durham Gin Distillery, sampling a few of thier products. The staff member was very helpful, including generously offering samples 🤪 we supported local and purchased some delicious spirits to enjoy later 🍸

    Eventually found our way over to the Cathedral. The interior was quite spectacular between the gilding, the grandiose pillars, and layers of history. This is a very revered location due to St Cuthbert's shrine and the Venerable Bede's tomb.

    Before we left Durham we stopped into a pastry shop to grab treats for tea with the relatives.

    We arrived in Wylam just a little passed four. After a quick walk around the garden, we enjoyed a casual visit over tea and pastries in the courtyard ☺️ of their 10th century country home. It was formally a monks summer retreat, but now lives on as a few private dwellings with spectacular gardens.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Crimdon BeachFishy alley 🐟Hmmm? 🤣 Muffins? Maybe icing stuffed cookies 🍪🙃

    Commendable Crimdon

    23. August 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today was our long run day, so decided to run a different route. While A was enjoying his hot air balloon puzzle, J was looking for trails. With the running destination settled upon, we headed off to Crimdon Beach and a portion of the Coast Trail. Most of the trail was fine to run on, but there were sandy sections while running near the dunes. We opted to do a section on the hard packed beach sand, which made a nice loop route. The beach and weather was spectacular!

    By mid afternoon we enjoyed a light lunch of crackers, cheeses, and veggies. Finally rested up and content, we walked towards town again, this time to the mall. Surprisingly, the mall was nicer inside than expected. On the return, we stopped by Cameron brewing, and enjoyed a drink in there visitor center tap room, The Anchor. A half pint tasted great while we watch a horse race on the telly.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Crazy sailorHMS TrincomaleeHMS TrincomaleeOfficers dinning quartersCrew quartersCooking and canon deckA taking the BowImpressive curved timbers for the hullCaptain's quartersOld pub displayLowest deck. StorageNeed any?Dangerous cargoFresh ropeQuite the story!Old lighthouse lens. In today's dollars £14 million! 🤯Fritter on the right.

    Nautical Nostalgia

    22. August 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We had a lazy start to the day, and a rest day scheduled for our half marathon training plan. A was occupied with the puzzle purchased yesterday. J was looking into trip planning for the next move into Scotland.

    By early afternoon, we decided to get out and enjoy the weather. We walked through Hartlepool's downtown area, and over to the National Royal Navy Museum. They had a neat setup recreating the 18th century naval war period where Britain and France duked it out on the high seas for global superiority.

    We wandered through the different shops and their displays depicting life at that time, and the type of skills, materials, and activity you might find at the docks. The highlight was walking around the warship HMS Trincomalee, built in 1817. We even witnessed how rope would have been made in a live demonstration.

    Afterwards we meandered through the associated Hartlepool Museum and learnt more of the local history.

    For dinner, a short walk to Foster's Fish Grill for a heathy 😉takeout fish and chip dinner 🤪. We ordered a fish fritter, not knowing what it was going to be; a piece of fish between two large potato slices, then battered and deep Fried. We were recommended this local place as they authentically only use lard for the cooking 😛. We supplemented with a fresh salad too 🥗👌    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Our backyard for the week.

    Mediocre Middlesbrough

    21. August 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Another gorgeous day, and another training run. We did a similar route to Summerhill, but this time at a much quicker pace.

    For the afternoon adventure, we headed back to Middlesbrough to shop for more required outdoor items for the Faroes. A found an outdoor shop with running packs, so we headed there. Near by was the Middlesbrough shopping, district that we decided to paruse for other deals first. This included a brand new 1000 piece puzzle 🧩!

    Unfortunately, the pack A had set aside at the sport shop was too small, but we found a larger pack that might work. While reading reviews online we found a better deal across the Tees in Stockton: two for the price of one! The outdoor sport store sells annual memberships in order to get sale prices. We were fortunate enough to borrow the one from the lady next to us and save a few quid 🥳

    Not too exciting of a day, but enjoyable nonetheless. A relaxing night at home with leftovers for dinner.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Wynyard Ornamental Garden. Perfect day for the hat from Amsterdam Pride 🌈
    Balefire sauces. Sample them all 😋So many to choose from... We got Smoked Cheddar, brie and blue. All locally made1Fun coffee van! Tasty tooEdible garden map, tucked in the far corner 🗺️🙃VeggiesWynyard Edible Garden1A relaxing on the benchBig flower. Lots of bees feasting on it 🐝🌸💖Artsy wallHorse Memorial sculpture1Entering the lower loop of the Forest GardenWynyard HallGate from BavariaSuper Windy, yet warmWind turbine factory. Masts on left, blades stacked on rightBridal pathRock'n rides at the beach 🤣2Chilling with Spike after a long day

    Wistful Wynyard

    20. August 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    A found a local coffee roaster whom only sells online or at markets, the closest being in Wynyard. On this picture perfect day, we headed out on our latest adventure driven by the need for good coffee!

    An easy 15 minute drive south and west, we found our way to the Wynyard Hall, a privately owned 120 acre country estate.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wynyard_Park,_C….

    Parking near the estate gardens, we entered the market where we were welcomed at the first booth by Claire, who volunteers with the RSPB Charity. We had a wonderful conversation about nature conservation, both locally and internationally. Moving along to paruse the many booths, we successfully found the table selling the coffee, along with fresh baked brownies! Further on we bought some local procured cheeses, vegetables, hot sauce, biltong (South African, like jerky, but not), and a couple bottles of carbonated teas.

    After the market, we decided to explore the gardens.

    The main brick-walled area contained the ornamental plants and fountains. In one corner a little sidedoor next to the old groundskeeper's house took us to the edibles garden and the Glasshouse. The other corner was a large gate leading out to the forest walk, passing the final resting place of the famous race horse, Habeletonian. The forest walk was magnificent as we wove under ancient trees following the waterway. There were others in the forest, but it almost felt like we had it all to ourselves 😊

    After arriving back at the house, we had a late lunch, and enjoyed many of our market purchases. As the day was still young, and weather favourable, we drove to Seaton Carew Beach. Initially, we walked along the beach, then up into the dunes to a concrete structured, installed presumably, as a breakwater for the Tees estuary. We then circled back along the bridal path, that separated Seaton Commons, with sheep out to pasture, and the golf course. As we had a few minutes left on the parking payment, we chose to enjoy the sun and breeze while people watching as they attended the limited amusement rides 🎪

    Once home, we made a quick beef Stir-fry, and settled in for the night.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    St Hilda's Church
    Lots of wind turbinesHeadland War MemorialPilot Pier. Super Windy"Newer" homes from 60sBlack Monkey history signs all around townRelic of 100year old ferry terminalFisherman's Arms pub muralAbandoned building full with resident gulls 😂Peri Peri roasted chicken

    Historical Headland

    19. August 2023 in England ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    A late morning easy run took us out to explore the local trails. Following the general direction using Google Maps, we wove our way through a couple parks to get to the Summerhill Country Park. We managed a full lap around the main Summerhill trail before the return run home. Being a sunny weekend day, there were lots of people about enjoying time with family, friends, or solo.

    Mid-afternoon we headed to the Hartlepool Headland where the historical village originated, and explored the old seawall. Apparently we didn't study much of World War 1, as we were surprised to learn of the German naval bombardment of Hartlepool on December 1914, which resulted in many fatalities and injuries. We also learnt that much of Victorian buildings were demolished, the port expanded, and much of the "newer" homes along the wall were from the 1960s.

    Unfortunately J missed one of his pins, and we passed the Andy Capp carton statue near the old Pot Pub. 🙃

    A quick grocery shop on the way back took us to ASDA, feeling strangely familiar to Walmart. Only later did we look it up and find out it is owned by Walmart. 🤷‍♂️

    A made a delicious dinner of baked potatoe, salad, and roasted Peri Peri chicken.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    1Mini cave on Marsden Beach
    Marsden beachFabulous dining view. It's the front section, not in the grotto cave itself1Refreshing pints. Warm fire... added afterwards 🫣Calamari appyBaked CodDaily Catch - Harisa Mackrel1Après dinner Beach walk 🌊Mall time fun1Dalton Park Outlet mall

    Gotta Grotto 🦇

    18. August 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Friday began and remained dreary. The air felt heavy with stagnant moisture and low clouds. We decided it was a shopping day!

    While shopping in Wessex, we discovered TK Maxx, a UK version of TJ Maxx/Winner's, where we acquired a really nice rainproof jacket. So headed out to find a similar, but slightly larger one for J. First stop was at the local shop in Hartlepool, then headed south to Middlesbrough. Our trip took us off the motorway through the industrial heartland of the area, which is quite spread out and very flat, with the occational hill or dunes.

    After a couple missed turns and some back tracking, we finally made it to the first mall area. It appears we weren't the only ones with the same idea, the parking access was very slow moving, and the stores were bulging with people. A quick peruse of a couple stores, and we moved in to the next mall complex.

    Not having much luck, we turned our attention farther afield, and found ourselves in the Dalton Park Outlet mall, north of Hartlepool. J found a rain jacket, and A picked up a few more items for the Faroe Islands adventure.

    Driving a bit farther north we found ourselves at Marsden Grotto, just east of Newcastle. The Grotto is one of two European cave-bars. We descended the private lift to the beach level to enjoy a seafood dinner over looking the north sea.
    https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/north-east-engl….    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Woodpeckers love the feederSpike, the 16yr mistress of the house

    Motorway Marathon 🚙💨🏁

    17. August 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Started the day off much earlier than our previous casual mornings. Though we did snooze 1hr after the alarm ⏰😂. Once out of bed, we went for a long run around the local trails. Just over a hour and 10km later, we began our final pack to head north to Hartlepool.

    Saying our final farewell to Tiger and H, we were motorway bound. Two lane motorways are really not enough lanes as the slow lane is always conjested with lorries, and then the slow cars move over and impede the rest in the other lane. Ultimately even three and four lanes get conjested... We pretty much motored in the fast lane the whole 5 hour journey without needing to go much faster than the posted speed limit 🤣. Motorway rest stops are quite small. The one we used only had a fuel station and a Starbucks near Thirsk. The $10cad frappicino seemed a bit overpriced 🙃, but we savour it.

    We arrived at Spike's house and met C. She is set to leave on the morrow to a folk festival for the week, and so we will be looking after Spike.

    C gave us a quick orientation drive around town. For dinner she cooked us a delicious Italian meal: Eggplant Coponata, fresh baguette, and Pasta with Bolognese. For dessert, a fruit salad of strawberry and kiwi.

    Her bird feeders were frequented even by the woodpeckers, along with a Pigeon clean-up the ground.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Distillery Courtyard with Test River running under the old mill buildingStep 1: Grab a glassThe Wall! ONE button press only 🙃, of your choice of three ginsAdd garnishEnjoy the propaganda video 🍸🍹India house stills. No entry, so photo with crazy glare 📸🤣Test River. Water not used in the production of the gin.Fancy glass houses. Displaying plants used for flavoursToasty warm tropics greenhouses 😰High gloss bricks for fun patternsorris root. Looks like bones 🤣. 5years to grow. 5years to dry.Playing with spices. Interactive funBacon and brie paniniPost tour cocktail$, no discount pricing at the source 😊Best copilot for a tour busHerd of calves chilling. Footpath goes through their field 👍Good company: Afternoon napPasta yummyDouble kites dancing in the evening

    💎 Bumping Bombay 💎 🎶

    16. August 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We wanted to enjoy the local experience but almost left it too late! On Monday we were fortunate enough to prebook the last remaining tour time slot for the Bombay Sapphire distillery in Laverstoke, a short 4kms from Whitchurch. As it was such a nice day, decided to walk there for our noon tour time.

    This mill site has been in operation since the 10th century, starting as a corn mill. Later in the 18th century it was bought and repurposed as a paper mill. The site sat unused for many years untill Bacardi bought it. They renovated for 4 years and the Bombay gin operations and tours started here in 2014. This is the only site that produces the Bombay Sapphire gins. After distillation they ship it in tankers to Scotland to be bottled🍼

    Our tour started with mixing our own Gin and Tonic, gin of our choice, then a short video about the Bombay Sapphire brand while we sipped our beverage. Then the walking tour followed, on the production process for the Gin.

    The soundtrack playing in all the buildings was a refreshing chill-lounge, hence the title of this post 🥳 Our tour guide couldn't directly recommend any of the cocktails in bar since she is only 17 🙃, and 18 is the drinking age.

    We followed a different route back to Whitchurch, the mill path, with a total loop trip of 10km!

    For dinner we kept it simple with pasta, sautéed greens, smoked kipper, and muscles.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Bargate, 12th century gate access to old town Southampton.
    Wall next to WestgateThe Watergate ruin.Tudor HouseMedieval Merchant's HouseWall next to WestgateHMV store. Batman showing his colors56hr beef brisket. Finished on the BBQ 🤪Feast for Five 🖐️😍Fruit and nut bread success 🍞😋

    Southampton Sojourn

    15. August 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    We started the day with a progression run, as part of our training for the half marathon on the Faroe Islands. It was definitely turning out to be a nice day, and quite hot with the sun shining.

    Remember the windmill we toured in the Netherlands? They mill flour these days for bakers. So today was the day to bake up my fruit&nut bread mix! It was a delicious success and a wonderful way to extend the memories; the best souvenirs of all 🧠 🥸

    Decided an afternoon trip to explore Southampton was in order. We weaved our way south in the rental car, and into the old town. The fresh sea air smelled fantastic! Meandering our way along the southwestern section of the old city wall brought us by Tudor House, built in 1491 and became a museum in 1912.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tudor_House_and…

    Eventually we found ourselves at the Bargate, built in 1180, predating the fortified city walls build after the French raid in 1338.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bargate

    This area of Southampton High Street opened up in to a pedestrian only outdoor mall. We found a much larger sporting goods store to find a few items for the Faroe Islands.

    As we were expecting G & S to join us for dinner, we beetled back to Whitchurch to get dinner on the go. The beef brisket A had been slowly cooking was fantastic! We didn't need to order pizza after all 🤣    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Found Vancouver in an Andover thrift shop 🤣
    Xtra Large The Castro Grilled Cheese. (Chicken, cheese, lettuce, sauce, 3 slices bread)Kings Arms backyard seatingEvening skyFSB: mozzarella, garlic, prosciutto, fig, rocket, blue cheese sauce

    Andover Adventures

    14. August 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    The forecasts looked to be a dreary gray day. A figured the time was best used perusing "charity shops" in our quest to acquire items for the Atjan Wild festival on the Faroe Island.

    We started off locally in Whitchurch, but the shop had a very limited selection of items, so we jumped in the car and headed west. Google maps suggested a half dozen shops within a short distance of one another around High Street in Andover.

    Parking was quite inexpensive and close, and a quick walk brought us to the Salvation Army charity shop. It was pretty tight and cramped, but we managed to find a long sleeve sport top that fit J. We browsed the other nearby shops, but without much success. There was a sporting goods store advertising a killer sale, but they too had limited stock.

    After a quick lunch at a grill cheese eatery we headed to the next town over, Basingstoke. The mall and parking complex was pretty disorientating to get around, let alone get in to, but we managed. We meandered through the mall, stopping at a couple sporting good stores. We found some success at one shop; hiking boots! The surprise at the end was paying for the parkade 🤯. Then the craziest most convoluted maze to exit to the street.

    Happy with our purchases, we headed back to Whitchurch for dinner out with H. The local pub has Pizza Mondays. We enjoyed a pint of beer too in their huge backyard area.    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Cat and a coffee, starts the day off right!
    Spices for beef rubSous vide, take 1!View from St. Catherine's HillPriors GateWolvesey CastleThe Black Boy pubView near High streetPROVENCAL LAMB ROULADECHALKSTREAM® TROUT with WHITE WINE Sauce. Amazing crunch on the skin 😋

    Winchester, part II

    13. August 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    A was very excited to use the sous vide cooker with the beef brisket we purchased yesterday. Sunday morning until Tuesday night should be perfect time for it to do its thing! Once the brisket was seasoned, and vacuum sealed, into the pot of 155F water to cook for the next 56 hours 🍖

    Shortly after, we headed to Winchester to meet up with friends whom we met on our Malaga motorcycle tour in June. As the weather was quiet nice, we left a bit early to wander around St Catherine's Hill just southeast of Winchester, near the Itchen River. The path circled up the fairly steep greenery-covered chalk mound. At the top was a corpse of trees and the historical Mizmaze, a rectangular depressed grass mound labyrinthin.
    https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-winches…

    Midafternoon we met up with S, who graciously provided us a private tour of the High street area. Soon after his father G arrived, and we meandered towards The Black Boy pub; apparently a reference relating to King Charles II. The pub is quite eclectic with a variety of weird items and taxidermy animals: giraffe, elephant leg, polar bear head, squirrels, meerkat, warthog, chihuahua....
    https://www.theblackboypub.com/

    Their ladies joined us in the evening and we were treated us to a scrumptious dinner at Brasserie Blanc!    Weiterlesen

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  • European Summer
    Donnington Castle
    Donnington CastleGiving the old tree some hugsSnelsmore CommonFire flapper thingy a ma bobb, or a pony toy? 🤔Heather FieldForest selfie1HeatherLemon pudding cake masterAmazing Local Lamb deliciousness!

    Donnington Dash

    12. August 2023 in England ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    The mornings started off cool, damp, and grey, but we ventured out for a run anyways. We were quite wet by the time we returned to the house from the light intermittent drizzle.

    After a hot shower and breakfast we were ready to explore. A found a castle ruin just north of Whitchurch, in Donnington.

    The Donnington Castle is perched on a hill top, with spectacular views of the area. The ruins mostly comprised of the old foundation, with the gatehouse being the only structure left.

    Our next stop was the Snelsmore Common, a country park reserve. The trails traversed open areas covered in heather, and forested area with pines, birch, ash, and more. Supposedly there was a herd of wild ponies🦄 🦄that had been placed in the reserve, but we didn’t see them.😭

    Shortly after leaving the park, the rains returned. We made a quick stop at a grocery store on the way home for a few dinner items. The seasoned Lamb Shank from the local farm/butcher was world class! We enjoyed sharing another meal with H who ended up staying home with Tiger to write his master's thesis.    Weiterlesen

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