Giant’s Causeway – The Loveliest Day

Soaking wet after the dog walk tonight, I desperately long for a lost summer. When in Ireland (a rainy country they say…) this May,  we had sunshine, 20 degrees C and no wind on the north coast. I just have to go back for the photos…think I will show you just How…lucky we were, and what a glorious day we had at Giant’s Causeway. Our landlord told us the weather had not been this beautiful any day this year, 2017.

The walking distance makes this trip a half day tour, but in full sun, everything is just amazing and you can walk any distance… There was even the possibility, for elderly or disabled people, of using a van.

The Giant’s Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. (Although legend has it built by the Irish Giant Fionn…)It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland.

The area was declared a World heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986. According to Wikipedia, there was a poll in 2005, where Radio Times’ readers voted the Giant’s Causeway as the fourth greatest natural wonder in UK.

 

 

 

The Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast World Heritage Site is today one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northern Ireland. Read about the legend of the two fighting giants from Ireland and Scotland, and the building of the Causeway, here.

A Walk at Lindö – In the Best Company

Every summer we take walks at Lindö in Blekinge – a protected isthmus with lovely flora and fauna. Always windy, and this summer rather cold as well. But Lindö is a must – The Blekinge archipelago is a source of harmony and joy.

 

 

CFFC: Winter – Water

Cee’s challenge this week brings winter back…and lovely memories of a visit to my blogging friend Maria and the frozen waterfall, Tännforsen. For more winter, click here.

Travelling Again…

So, I will have to say goodbye for a while, again. Hopefully I will be back before Christmas. I want to thank you all so very much, readers, followers and friends who come visiting, liking, remarking, discussing – keeping me alive!

This trip will take me far away to a country I have never visited before. I am very excited about it, and I hope to tell you – and show you – more when I come back. Until then – have a great and joyous December!

 

Thursday Thoughts

Empty. Void. The last two days leaves many thoughts, but the feeling is emptiness.

Give me that bridge to walk safely across.

Kina och tågresan till Tibet 2009 430

WPC: Transmogrify

WPC this Friday – Transmogrify.

 

Transmogrify into something distorted and ugly or into a work of art? This house in Bilbao reflects and mirrors a bridge where a red car is passing.

Time For Colours

This time of the year can be absolutely stunning in colours and fresh air- and this year it really was. Even if the wether has not been the best possible, my walks and hikings have truly lifted my spirits.

So, I too, will do some posts on Autumn Colours. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did posting them.

In a previous post I started off in the little village Vittsjö, here in Skåne. This old stone bridge is to be found there as well. Every year I take some photos of it, usually on my way home from work…But, as I do not work now, I do not drive along these roads anymore. Suddenly I felt the urge to see the Vittsjö autumn clothes this year too.

I stopped several times on the road further west, towards the coast. How long would the weather be with me? The promise was for the whole day…

Through the forest and westwards there is a very meandering little road that I love to drive. Maybe not in the winter months though…

If you follow my blog, you know how much I love trees and country roads and paths with grass in the middle. Totti agrees with me in this! We walked this road for half an hour – without reaching the end of it.

Even though I love the smell of newly cut wood, I feel sorry for the fallen trees. On the other hand, we still use much wood when building houses in Sweden – and who does not want a really beautiful floor?

As the evening light was upon us, I turned back and drove homewards. Still some favourite catches though – this stony meadow with its fallen trees and warm and cold colours in a mix.

A drizzling mist was making it even darker, but a stone fence is always a stone fence. I always think of all the hard work behind it. So many hours of heavy and tough gathering first and then also the elaborate work to put the stones together in a sustainable construction. If you tear down a stone fence in Sweden, you will have to rebuild it again. And pay for it yourself.

 

Ansó and the Vultures of Foz de Arbaiun

A gallery of pictures from the little village Ansó – isolated for many years, but rather recently opened up to the world.

On our way back to our hotel, we passed Foz de Arbaiun, a narrow gorge made by the river Salazar, 400 m down. As usual, click to enlarge. (Sometimes needed twice)

On the cliff sides, many vultures have found their homes. We saw at least a dozen coming in. Here they are free to live – nobody can touch them.

Unfortunately we had not brought any pair of binoculars – but the flight of the majestic vultures was still great to watch.  We did not see any of the other species.