Nothing can prepare you for Chatsworth House. First though, getting there can be fun. Despite local buses having a timetable, clearly there’s some fiend who considers it fun to give the service a miss on a rainy day, with no warnings on the website. But Bakewell locals are onto it. Stand at the bus stopContinue reading “Nothing can prepare you…”
Tag Archives: travel
Brave boots
Waking up in a palace, then drawing back heavy red drapes to reveal church spires poking skywards from the tree canopy across the valley, feels surreal. Pouring hot water over instant porridge in a cup is a great leveller! So is missing the first bus. Especially when it’s linking up with a train connection youContinue reading “Brave boots”
Not just the end of the line…
According to most maps, the Manchester to Buxton train route passes through towns and villages which dotted between more rural areas, but in truth urban sprawl has absorbed old boundaries, meaning these seperate identities now touch hands. There’s no rural to be seen until just before Middlewood, and the first real farms are even furtherContinue reading “Not just the end of the line…”
To boldly go…
The People’s History Museum, Manchester, takes an unusual look at the city’s humanities journey. I was fortunate enough to visit when Pauline Omoboye was reciting her work. Do watch it on Facebook, (it’s more meaningful hearing her)… it’s on the One Manchester banner. Extraordinary woman. Manchester has strong humanity forces, starting with the arresting sculptureContinue reading “To boldly go…”
Galway
Old meets new (shopping mall in Galway): These doors, so close together, off a main street; what and who for? In Galway’s Eyre Square. Sadly the inscription has worn away… or did he erase it? These look and feel like leather, but are made from recycled cork floor tiles: The ring was a clear signalContinue reading “Galway”
Decisions, decisions.
Decisions; every day, everywhere. Some wise, others less so, but sometimes they are forced upon us… Mallow racecourse, Co Cork, 1983. With just three minutes of fuel left, the captain of a gulf-stream jet put down on the only piece of level ground he could see. And there it sat. Jet aircraft don’t work wellContinue reading “Decisions, decisions.”
Protecting what’s precious.
Dublin Castle, in the centre of town, with a street view so totally underwhelming that even some locals don’t know it exists. The entry reveals a courtyard surrounded by a brick building. But take the tour anyway, since you’re already there. And that’s the best decision you’ll make all day. Beneath the castle lies theContinue reading “Protecting what’s precious.”
Over his dead body.
Passport control stopped the Belfast to Dublin express bus in the middle of nowhere. Three uniforms boarded; passports please! There was only one they couldn’t verify…. guess who! I explained that Dublin was the only place I could vote in the New Zealand elections which were closing the next day, not that my vote madeContinue reading “Over his dead body.”
Land of mystery…
Of all the places to store ammunition during WW1, Carrickfergus Castle… And in WW2 it was the local air raid shelter! Surely they felt like sitting ducks? Heading north, both the Unionists and Nationalists flags hang at half mast. Nobody’s died; the flags are set at the ladder’s maximum reach! Also at maximum reach, thisContinue reading “Land of mystery…”
When strangers become family.
There’s risk in making, or responding to, contact with distant relatives. Whilst it’s unlikely they are actual murderers, differences in character and expectations can be fraught. Thus it was with some trepidation that I reached out to folk in Ireland who share the same ancestors and, amazingly, are on the original farm. From their perspective,Continue reading “When strangers become family.”
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