UK, Ireland, and Paris 2025

This trip marks our retirement and has been in the planning stage for the past six months. D'Arcy has spent many hours planning, and we have selected a range of places to visit and stay across England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and in Paris, France. Read more

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Trip start
May 18, 2025
UK, Ireland, and Paris 2025
Planes, Airports and Lounges
May 18–19 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
"Travel far enough, you meet yourself." David Mitchell
Today, D'Arcy and I spend the day (and night) travelling to London. Townsville - Brisbane - Singapore - London. This is one of our retirement year trips... the big one we've imagined, talked about, gathered suggestions about, planned, dreamed about, budgeted for, and now we are on our way.
Six weeks in the UK and Ireland 🇮🇪 starting with five nights in London, self driving through England to Wales, car ferry to Ireland, up to Northern Ireland, across on another ferry into Scotland, back down to London, and across to Europe via the Eurostar to spend the last five days in Paris, France.
For today, though, it's three flights, security checkins, lounge visits, lots of sitting and waiting in queues and being alert to signage, systems, announcements and fellow travellers.Read more
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UK, Ireland, and Paris 2025
Grand Royale, Hyde Park, London
May 19 in England ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Our first accommodation of the trip is the Grand Royale, Hyde Park in London. With its Edwardian heritage (commissioned by Edward VII), we were delighted at the intimate common areas and the grandeur of the furnishings, marble fireplaces, and chandeliers. We decided to spend some of our wait time by enjoying one of their wonderful afternoon teas they offered in the bar area.Read more
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Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace
May 19 in England ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
Arriving early into London we took the Heathrow Express from the airport to Paddington Station, then a taxi to drop off our bags at our accommodation, Grand Royale Hyde Park (adjacent to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens).
We sourced a great cafe, Les Filles Cafe, followed by a walk through the Kensington Palace and surrounding gardens and parkland.
Kensington Palace, initially built in 1605, then expanded in 1689, had been a royal residence for over 300 years, home to prominent members of Britain's royal family such as Queen Victoria and Princess Diana.Read more
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Hop-on, hop-off Big Bus tour of London
May 20 in England ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
We had such beautiful weather today with mostly clear skies and temperatures up to 20 degrees. After coffee at Les Fille Cafe and breakfast at our accommodation, the day was mostly spent sightseeing from the Hop-on Hop-off Bus and River tours. We also took the opportunity to go into the London Dungeon to enjoy the dramatics of the interactive experience and hear some of the stories of characters such as Jack the Ripper and Steeney Todd.
Some of the sights included:
📷 Marble Arch
📷 Monopoly Streets: White Hall, Regent, Travalgar Square, Oxford, Kings Cross and Euston Road.
📷 Piccadilly Circus
📷 Tower of London
📷 London Bridge
📷 London Eye
📷 Harrods and Madam Tussauds
📷 Lancaster Gate
📷 Westminster Abbey
📷 St Paul's Cathedral
📷 Big Ben /Elizabeth Tower
📷 Houses of Parliament
📷 PaddingtonRead more
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The War of The Worlds & Just For One Day
May 21 in England ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Back to Les Fille for coffee and breakfast this morning, then onto the train from Bayswater to Aldgate, where the performance is located in Leadenhall St.
Based on HG Wells The War of The Worlds novel, it promises to bring the 1978 multi-platinum album Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds to life, transporting us back to 1898 to experience escaping a Martian-occupied Victorian England. The experience incorporates live theatre and virtual reality technology and interactive sets.

In the evening, we went to "Just For One Day" at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Just For One Day" is a musical that tells the story of the 1985 Live Aid concerts, focusing on the events leading up to the concerts and their impact. It's a jukebox musical featuring music from iconic artists like Queen, U2, David Bowie, and more, which recreated the memorable moments of the concerts we remember.Read more
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Chelsea Flower Show, London
May 22 in England ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
We spent the morning at the Chelsea Flower Show admiring garden designs and floral arrangements and inhaling the fragrances of so many stunning flowers. 💐
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OXO Restaurant & Sunset over the Thames
May 22 in England ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Tonight, we met up with Richard and Penny, Haydn's first cousin on his dad's side. Richard commutes to London for work, 4 days a week, and Penny travelled in from Beaconsfield. We ate at the OXO Restaurant on the Thames and enjoyed the excellent company, conversation, and sunset over London's iconic city sights.Read more
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UK, Ireland, and Paris 2025
A Night at the Theatre
May 23 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
This evening, we went to the Wyndhams Theatre on Charing Cross Road in London to watch the play "My Master Builder" starring Ewen Macgregor and Australian Elizabeth Debicki. We really enjoyed the performances of the cast, and the script was reflective of modern-day topics visible within our society.Read more
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Travel - Leicester & The Wood Norton
May 24 in England ⋅ 🌬 18 °C
Today was a travel day. We left London and caught the train to Leicester, where we were met by Craig and Estelle, Haydn's first cousin on his mum's side. After picking up the hire car and having lunch at a Turkish restaurant (Lara's Restaurant) with Craig and Estelle, we drove to Evesham, Worcestershire.
The Wood Norton is a country house hotel, former hunting lodge, and French Royal retreat. It overlooks the Vale of Evesham to the nearby Cotswold Hills. The ornate gardens are full of roses, iris' and typical country flowers 💐. With small intimate spaces to sit both inside and outside, the views are stunning.Read more
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Evesham, Stonehenge & Bath
May 25 in England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Driving from our accommodation, near Evesham, we passed through the greenery of the Cotswolds to head towards Stonehenge after we called into Evesham for coffee.

Stonehenge, located on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, is classified as a World Heritage Site. It was built as a temple - a place of ceremony, burial, and celebration. Initially, about 5000 years ago, in the period of Neolithic or New Stone Age, it was a circular ditch and bank. By 2500 BC, both larger sarsen stones and smaller bluestones from west Wales were used over 800 years to construct a temple with standing stones arranged to mark the passage of the sun and changing seasons.
On the surrounding hilltops, burial mounds were clustered, and ceremonial sites were built.

Bath, Somerset, England is home to Roman Baths (hot spring waters), which are said to be one of the world's most preserved baths in the world. The baths are nestled within the Abbey grounds. Bath is a popular town for tourists and was bustling when we were there. We walked the city area to admire the buildings before heading back to The Wood Norton,Read more
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Wales: Monmouth, Barry and Lampeter
May 26 in Wales ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Today was the day I was expecting to reconnect with several of Haydn's family in Wales, after many years, the annual Christmas card and Facebook posts.

Our first stop was Monmouth to meet up for coffee with Andrew and Julia (and Julia's dog Scrumpy). We did a short walk up part of the main street before saying our farewells and driving onto Barry to have lunch with Susan and Paul, Catherine and Eddie and their daughter Ruth, and Barbara and Bob. Barbara's daughter Lucy and her four girls joined us afterwards. Barbara put on a tasty Ploughman's lunch, and Ruth made a stunning cheesecake for dessert, which also included traditional Welsh cakes.

On leaving Barry, the weather became wet and blustery, making the next leg of the journey longer than expected. We made our way across to our accommodation in Lampeter (situated on the West Wales coastline), The Falcondale, where we'll spend the next two nights.Read more
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Falcondale, Lampeter, Ceredigion Wales
May 26 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
The Falcondale is an Italian styled, Victorian county house, overlooking a valley and surrounded by woodlands and green fields. It has many ornate common rooms to sit and enjoy the house and views. The restaurant is called glas (meaning blue in Welsh).Read more
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The Pembroke Peninsula, Wales.
May 27 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 11 °C
Driving down to Fishguard, we went through parts of Cardigan, surrounded by lush green and leafy, narrow roads. Our plan was to explore a bit of the Pembroke Peninsula. It was a cool, drizzly day and very gusty. We took refuge in a little cafe for a while until the drizzle stopped and then continued on, driving around the Fishguard coastline.Read more
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Pembroke Peninsula North to Holyhead
May 28 in Wales ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
This morning, we left The Falcondale house and drove along the Pembroke Peninsula north to Holyhead to catch the ferry to Ireland. 🍀 The weather varied from overcast, drizzly, foggy, windy to sunny at Holyhead.Read more
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Dublin, Ireland
May 28–30 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
The Irish Hotel Rui Plaza,The Gresham is located centrally on O'Connell St. Day 1, we jumped on a DoDublin city bus tour and visited the central sites, including St Stephen's Gardens, Irish Stew at the Temple Bar strip, Ha'penny Bridge, and Little Museum of Dublin. We drove past many iconic buildings and sites such as Trinity College, Merrion Square, St Patrick's, St Andrew's, Christchurch Cathedral🛕, Guinness Storehouse, distilleries, sculptures and the Four Courts.
We enjoyed dinner at Mr Fox Restaurant, which was recommended in the Michelin Guide several years running.Read more
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Powerscourt House & Gardens, Wicklow
May 30 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Set on 47 acres, in the Wicklow countryside and overlooking the Sugarloaf Mountain, is this stunning Powerscourt house and gardens. It has been home to only 2 families in 400 years. Today, the estate receives over a million visitors a year and was recognised by National Geographic, as the 3rd most beautiful garden in the world. It also has the longest double herbaceous border in Ireland and is one of Ireland's top ten tourist attractions.Read more
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Lyrath Estate Hotel, Kilkenny
May 30–Jun 2 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
In Kilkenny, we stayed in one of the original rooms of the historic 17th century house, Lyrath Estate Hotel. It also has a modern extension with a combined total of 141 rooms, several bars and restaurants, and a range of sitting areas. The house is set on 170 acres with archery and falconry clubs accessing the property.Read more
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Kilkenny Castle and Parklands, Kilkenny
May 31 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
Kilkenny Castle is a landmark in the city of Kilkenny, Kilkenny County Ireland. It was founded soon after the Norman conquest of Ireland, and had to be rebuilt due to fire and damage from Cromwell's men in 1650, and was extended and adapted to suit changing circumstances and uses over a period of 800 years. The grounds are beautiful and expansive.
Kilkenny city is built on the banks of the River Nore.Read more
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Rock of Cashel, Cashel, Tipperary
June 1 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 16 °C
The Rock of Cashel first came to prominence as a centre of power in the late 4th or early 5th century AD.
The round tower is the oldest surviving building on the Rock and may date to 1101 when the site was handed over to the church. Round towers were free-standing bell towers built between the late 10th and the mid-12th centuries and unique in their shape and form to Ireland.
The cathedral is a large cruciform Gothic church built between c.1230 and c.1270. A 15th-century tower rises from the crossing between the church and the transepts. The cathedral was ingeniously fitted between the round tower, Cormac’s Chapel, and a rock-cut well. An extensive and varied collection of stone heads was used both inside and outside the building.
Today, the Rock of Cashel attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year from around the world and is still the setting for historic events.Read more
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Killarney Plaza Hotel, Killarney
Jun 2–5 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
Killarney is a town on the shores of Lough Leane in southwest Ireland’s County Kerry. It is in an ideal position on the Ring of Kerry scenic drive and a popular destination for golfers. We stayed three nights at the Killarney Plaza Hotel. The weather was cool with some light showers. However, there were enough gaps in the weather to allow us to explore the area. We met up with a distance relative for a drink, Jacqui, and her husband Phil, on holiday from New Zealand.Read more
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Blarney Castle and Stone, Blarney, Cork
June 2 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
From Kilkenny to Killarney, we drove to Blarney in County Cork to see Blarney Castle and Gardens and, of course, to kiss the Blarney Stone. 💋Fable has it that if you kiss the Blarney Stone, you will receive the gift of eloquence, and your troubles will be resolved.
The 100 acres of parkland and gardens are beautifully maintained, and the line to the top of the castle, where the Blarney Stone is located, wound throughout the steep stairwells and rooms. We queued for an hour and a half before finally reaching the top. Approximately 400 000 people visit this landmark annually.Read more
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Ring of Kerry, County Kerry
June 3 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
Today, we put aside the day to drive and explore the places, on and around the 179klm road circuit, incorporating parts of the Iveragh Peninsula, known as the Ring of Kerry. With its impressive landscapes, small towns, and culturally significant structures, the drive didn't disappoint.Read more
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Dingle Peninsula, Dingle, County Kerry
June 4 in Ireland ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
Dingle is a small coastal town situated on the Dingle Peninsula, in the southwest of Ireland. Today, we drove from Killarney to Inch Beach, Slea Head, and onto Dingle before driving further along the Dingle Peninsula to see the Gallarus Oratory.
The Gallarus Oratory is a boat shaped dry stone church that is believed to be over 1000 years old. It is said to be the best preserved ancient church in Ireland and one of the few remaining churches of this type to survive intact today. It overlooks Smerwick harbour and the wild Atlantic ocean to the West and Mount Brandon to the East.Read more
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Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland
June 5 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
On our drive from Killarney to Galway, we visited the Cliffs of Moher. They are sea cliffs located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, and they run for about 14 kilometres (9 miles). At their southern end, they rise 120 metres (390 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head, and, 8 kilometres (5 miles) to the north, they reach their maximum height of 214 metres (702 ft) just north of O'Brien's Tower, a round stone tower near the midpoint of the cliffs, built in 1835 by Sir Cornelius O'Brien.
You can see many bird species at the Cliffs, including Puffins, Gulls, Fulmar and Kittiwake.Read more
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The Hardiman Hotel, Galway
Jun 5–8 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
The Hardiman Hotel, built in 1852, Galway is our base for the next three days. On our way to Galway, we continued to explore parts of the Wild Atlantic Way and visited the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren.
After a late dinner, we sat in the bar at our hotel and listened to a trio play. Coincidentally, the folk festival is in Galway while we're in town, and the trio had played for the festival the night before. It was great to listen to some live Irish music.
One of our days was spent exploring Galway by foot.Read more
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