UK – TRAVEL WORDS

A – Z of Locations: S is for St Bride’s Bay

During this year I shall be posting photographs from places around the UK, many of which have not been published before. Where I have previously blogged about a location I will provide a link to the post, though you won’t be able to comment on it as I restrict comments to six months.

S is for St Bride’s Bay and Skomer and Skokholm Islands

Another one from Wales, this time in Pembrokeshire.

Lying in the Celtic Sea two miles off the southwest Pembrokeshire coast, Skokholm has its own charm and sense of remoteness with tall, sandstone cliffs and a wild landscape

In the warmer months Skokholm is colonised by tens of thousands of nesting seabirds. By day there is frenetic activity among the puffins, razorbills, guillemots and gulls – and by night there is more commotion from the Manx shearwaters and storm petrels! (Source: Welsh Wildlife Trust)

Skomer Island is less than a mile off the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast.

Between April and July, Skomer is well known for its puffins, but there is so much more to this National Nature Reserve – including Manx shearwaters, dolphins, seals, razorbills, and so much more! You can visit for just a day or even stay overnight in a hostel. (Source: Welsh Wildlife Trust)

Incredible views from the top of Wooltack Point

Our visit was on the last day of our family Christmas holiday in Wales in 2011. We stayed in a former pub near Rosebush and well remembered for being absolutely freezing cold all week with rain and/or fog every day bar this one! Whilst the children and grandchildren went off to visit Pembroke Castle, the OH and I decided to have a little road trip around the Pembrokeshire coast first to Fishguard then on to St David’s (the smallest city in Wales) before following the coast down to Marloes and St Brides.

We parked at Martin’s Haven close to the Deer Park for a walk and to get a glimpse of the islands. Although it was a dry and sunny day the wind was fierce so it was a very quick walk.

The car park at Martin’s haven (the end of the road)

From here we returned to Marloes for some lunch and then a quick drive to Dale which is on the Milford Haven Waterway, an estuary forming a natural harbour that has been used as a port since the Middle Ages, before dashing back north to catch the sunset at the Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber in the Preseli Hills.

If you haven’t already visited Pembrokeshire then I recommend that you do. It has an amazing landscape with towering cliffs, pristine beaches, rolling moorlands rich with wildlife and history, beautiful coastal towns like Tenby (equivalent to Cornwall’s St Ives) and Britain’s smallest city, St Davids with its Cathedral and the ruin of The Bishops Palace.

A – Z of Locations: N is for North Berwick

N is for North Berwick

On our road trip to Scotland in 2016 we drove up the eastern side of England stopping off every couple of days to explore the surroundings. After leaving Alnwick in Northumberland our next destination was Edinburgh, but instead of driving along the A1 the whole way, we diverted onto the coastal route through Eyemouth, stopping at St Abbs, then Dunbar and Tantallon Castle and finally North Berwick.

Pretty terraced cottages off Melbourne Place (leading to the harbour and beaches)

Quirky shop in the Melbourne Place car park.

North Berwick is a seaside resort, only 30 minutes from Edinburgh, with a range of eclectic shops, cafes, fish and chip shops and bars and home to the Scottish Seabird Centre where you can learn about puffins, razorbills and more.

St Andrew’s Auld Kirk ruins. Built in the 12th century the church collapsed into the sea in the 17th century. There is a more detailed history inside the shell of the old porch .

Life size bronze sculpture by Kenny Hunter called The Watcher. Dressed in outdoor wear, typical of a bird watcher or naturalist, who is gazing out towards Bass Rock through binoculars. Commissioned by the Scottish Seabird Centre through the Gateway Project.

The aim was to visit the Lobster Shack for lunch and we were looking forward to a steaming bowl of chowder. Alas as so many plans fail, the shack was only open at the weekends and our arrival was a Thursday.

Another unusual event was that after weeks of hot weather we drove the entire journey from Alnwick in fog! Thick fog. So thick that we could not see the huge Bass Rock which is, according to the latest bird count, home to the world’s largest colony of Northern Gannets nor the steep conical hill known as “Berwick Law” , actually a volcanic plug that erupted from the landscape over 300 million years ago, which overlooks the town.

We had a wander around the old pier, despite not being able to see very much.

In fact we struggled to even see the beaches!

We eventually gave up and retired to the Seabird Café for a warming cup of coffee and some excellent cake. Still no views though.

Arctic tern sculpture by Geoffrey Dashwood at Scottish Seabird Centre

I’m sure North Berwick is a lovely place to visit in better weather and I am glad that we stopped by despite the fog and lack of chowder.

A – Z of Locations: F is for the Falls of Bruar

F is for the Falls of Bruar

The Falls of Bruar are a series of at least three pretty significant waterfalls on the Bruar Water in Scotland, about 8 miles from Pitlochry in the council area of Perth and Kinross. The start of the trail is behind the House of Bruar, Scotland’s most prestigious independent store and shopping outlet.

One of the Falls most famous visitors was Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, who wrote a poem about them. “The Humble Petition of Bruar Water to the Noble Duke of Atholl” was a plea to the landowner to plant trees along the banks as Burns was not impressed by the lack of trees and shrubs.

“Would then my noble master please
To grant my highest wishes
He’ll shade my banks wi’ tow’ring trees
And bonnie spreading bushes
Delighted doubly then my Lord
You’ll wander on my banks
And listen mony a grateful bird
Return you tuneful thanks”.

It is a pleasant walk through the larch and Scots pine trees alongside the river though we turned around at the middle falls as signs to the upper falls suggested it was rather precarious and we didn’t fancy a broken ankle or worse.

“This path is steep and rough in places with severe exposed drops into the gorge.”

When Burns died the duke created the forest in his memory, and landscaped the area with decorative bridges and paths.

A – Z of Locations: E is for Edinburgh

E is for Edinburgh

The capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh lies on the east coast just north of the Border country with England on the Firth of Forth. Renowned for its heritage, culture, and festivals it is a compact city with a medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian ‘New Town’.

Panoramic Views over Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth from the Argyle Battery on Edinburgh Castle.

Edinburgh castle looms over the city and from there you have fantastic 360 degree views.

Panoramic Views from the Argyle Battery (Edinburgh Castle). The new Queensferry Crossing can be seen in the far distance on the left. The 1.7 miles (2.7km) structure is the longest 3-tower, cable-stayed bridge in the world. It is also by far the largest to feature cables which cross mid-span.

Arthur’s Seat is an ancient volcano which is the main peak of the group of hills in Edinburgh and you can find several monuments on Calton Hill – Nelson Monument (built in memory of Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson) and The National Monument of Scotland (inspired by the Parthenon of Athens) which has never been completed.

Arthur’s Seat on the right and Calton Hill on the left with its range of monuments.

The city is full of things to do with historic places to visit, galleries, museums, restaurants, pubs, a Botanic Garden, the famous Princes Street Gardens, the unusual Hortus Custodiorum (Archivists’ Garden) shops and theatres. Definitely a city that you could easily spend a week and not be bored.

The Alpine House in the Royal Edinburgh Botanic Garden

A – Z of Locations: A is for Aberdovey

Let’s start with A for Aberdovey/Aberdyfi.

Aberdyfi is a thriving little harbour resort set within the Snowdonia National Park, where the river Dyfi meets the blue waters of Cardigan Bay.

I didn’t know very much about Wales before I met the OH and moved to live with him in Shrewsbury in 2002. Weekends saw us popping over the border on many occasions. This was on a very cold February day and I recall having a lovely lunch in the picturesque Dovey Inn overlooking these stunning views of the estuary.