Oxford
April 20, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F
So many really cool buildings, but I suppose that's to be expected in Oxford. More Harry Potter filming sites, and one of the colleges has a deer park! The plain short-ish tower you see is SaxonRead more
Ashmolean Museum
April 20, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌬 59 °F
Yep, another museum :P I just can't help myself. Bonus: more shots of the city center as I was leaving Ashmolean for the train station. The building with the Labyrinth banners is the actual museum.
Chester
April 21, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Chester is a little like Wells in that it was actually even neater than I expected. The little streets with all the half-timbered buildings are the Chester Rows, a unique shopping area with very old,Read more
Conwy
April 22, 2023 in Wales
The rest of the town is also neat! The views of the quay are from the bridge next to the suspension one. The house featured is Plas Mawr, considered the best-preserved Elizabethan house in Britain.Read more
Conwy Walls hike
April 22, 2023 in Wales
Really cool and well-preserved medieval walls! Lots of gorgeous views as well.
Conwy Castle
April 22, 2023 in Wales
The castle is so evocative, it might be my favorite so far, and I got there early enough that there were very few other people. The estuary is picturesque, too, and the bridge pictured is actually theRead more
Betws-y-Coed + Coed Tan Dinas hike
April 23, 2023 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 46 °F
This was my Snowdonia base, one of two hiking areas I'd planned to tackle (and the only one I actually got to). Beautiful area, even if it is one of the more touristed spots in Snowdonia. The hike wasRead more
Snowdonia scenic bus ride
April 23, 2023 in Wales ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F
I missed one bus, so I had to skip one hike, but the scenic drive made up for it quite a bit.
Caernarfon Castle
April 23, 2023 in Wales ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F
Got another castle in! This one is larger than Conwy, but more touristy and is set up accordingly. Definitely worth going to, especially for all its neat history and expansiveness, but Cowny Castle isRead more
Holyhead and the Irish Sea
April 24, 2023 in Wales ⋅ 🌬 46 °F
Wandered around Holyhead while waiting for my ferry -- which as a "ferry" I expected to be fairly small, but it was a full-size cruise ship (first time for that). Obviously in-between ports out on theRead more
Cliffs of Moher
April 25, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F
I've seen quite a few scenic places on this trip, but this was easily one of the prettiest places I've ever been to 😍
The Burren
April 25, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F
Otherworldly landscape (was a seabed once upon a time) that was one of the inspirations for Middle Earth.
Galway
April 25, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Quirky town that was a lot of fun to walk through. Very artsy type place, with street musicians around every corner. Lots of tasty food!
Dublin
April 26, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F
Very cool vibe to Dublin that's unique to any of the places I've been thus far. It has an interesting mix of old and new as well, including the city's history itself. O'Connell Street, where I'mRead more
Trinity College
April 26, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Another neat campus, this one comes with the famous Long Room and the Book of Kells! I might have discreetly snuck a picture from the side of the book, although you weren't supposed to :P
National Museum of Archaeology
April 26, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Okay, this should be the last big museum I'm doing -- but come on, I couldn't forego an archaeology museum. This one has several iconic items, and is especially renowned for its treasury, includingRead more
Knowth
April 27, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F
The largest neolithic passage tomb in the world, and also the world's biggest collection of megalithic art. Really neat site! And they're a seasonal site that only allows small groups in for tours atRead more
Newgrange
April 27, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Knowth's more famous sister-site. This was also very, very cool. This is the one where at sunrise on the Winter Solstice, light floods the inner passage. I did get to go inside it, which wasRead more
Boyne Valley
April 27, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
Site of the largest battle ever to take place on Irish soil, back in 1690. The cafe at the estate house there also had some pretty gardens.
Monasterboice
April 27, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
10th century monastery ruins with a graveyard still in use. Also the site of a mass grave pit from the Great Famine. The huge Celtic crosses pictured are also from the 900s. The tower is one of theRead more
Killarney and Ross Castle hike
April 28, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
Started off in Killarney itself, then took the scenic route through Killarney National Park. Obviously not as spectacular as some I've done, like Snowdonia or the Lake District for instance, but stillRead more
Inch Beach and Dingle Peninsula
April 29, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F
So much gorgeous scenery on the way to the Slea Head Loop drive!! 😍
Slea Head Loop part 1
April 29, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Parts of this reminded me a lot of Big Sur. I can definitely see why this is a famous drive, plus it's a little less busy and touristed than the Ring of Kerry, despite being similar in a lot of ways.Read more
Slea Head Loop part 2
April 29, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Here's the rest! Some of the islands pictured are the famous Baskets, and one in this set was a filming location for Star Wars.
TravelerLooks like another neat old city for wandering
Back on trip [Gail and Wendy]