Wednesday, March 13, 2013

WOTTON, SURREY

This the church of St John the Evangelist in the village of Wotton in Surrey overlooking a broad sweep of the North Downs.
This isolated church, sitting below the North Downs, has parts dating from the 11th century. The church also contains the Evelyn Chapel where there are some magnificent monuments and the tomb of John Evelyn, the diarist.

Friday, February 15, 2013

GLENFINNAN, SCOTLAND


This small, beautiful village has sat comfortably among the hills of Glen Finnan for centuries. The village is located within a lovely u-shaped valley that follows a north-east to south-west route with Loch Shiel in the centre of the glen. This unique site at the head of Loch Shiel is to the memory of the Jacobite Uprising of 1745. Erected in 1815 the monument is a tribute to the clansmen who fought and died in the Jacobite cause.

Friday, January 11, 2013

DUBLIN, IRELAND


The Liffey (An Life in Irish) is a river in Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac. The river supplies much of Dublin's water, and a range of recreational opportunities.
The song about Seamus Rafferty refers to the "bowsies on the quay" - However, recent years have seen much development on the quays, with the addition of linear parks, and overhanging boardwalks which give the river banks renewed life.
There are quays on the North bank and the South bank of the Liffey, extending from the weir at Islandbridge to Ringsend bridge over the river Dodder, just before the East Link Toll bridge.

Friday, December 07, 2012

AVEBURY, WILTSHIRE


Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles, around the village of Avebury in Wiltshire, in southwest England. Unique amongst megalithic monuments, Avebury contains the largest stone circle in Europe, and is one of the best known prehistoric sites in Britain. It is both a tourist attraction and a place of religious importance to contemporary Pagans.
Constructed around 2600 BC, during the Neolithic, or 'New Stone Age', the monument comprises a large henge that is, a bank and a ditch. Inside this henge is a large outer stone circle, with two separate smaller stone circles situated inside the centre of the monument. Its original purpose is unknown, although archaeologists believe that it was most likely used for some form of ritual or ceremony.

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER, KENT



This is an iconic place bringing back sweet memory to all of US who took the ferries to come to England. For almost 1,000 years, Dover Castle, perched on top of the white cliffs, has stared back at those who may have cast an envious eye at England from only 20 miles away.
But why are the cliffs so white? Well they are made up of billions of the crushed shells of tiny sea creatures. A hundred and fifty million years ago in the Cretaceous period, these organisms gradually settled in shallow seas.The sediments built up were gradually lifted to form the chalk cliffs.
These are eroded by the sea, keeping them white.
But where the sea cannot reach the cliffs because of beach and sea defences, then erosion stops and the cliffs become vegetated with trees and shrubs.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

PORT ISAAC, CORNWALL



Port Isaac in Cornwall is where the ITV comedy drama Doc Martin has been filmed and also where the BBC’s Poldark series was filmed in the ’70s.  It is a beautiful Cornish harbour town with good pubs, restaurants and gift shops.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

THE GIANTS CAUSEWAY, NORTHERN IRELAND


For centuries countless visitors have marvelled at the majesty and mystery of the Giants Causeway. At the heart of one of Europe’s most magnificent coastlines its unique rock formations have, for millions of years, stood as a natural rampart against the unbridled ferocity of Atlantic storms. The rugged symmetry of the columns never fails to intrigue and inspire the visitors. To stroll on the Giants Causeway is to voyage back in time.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

THE OLYMPIC STADIUM, LONDON


July is the perfect time to post a picture of The Olympic Stadium in London. It is the centrepiece of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the last stop in the 2012 Olympics torch relay, and the venue of the athletic events as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.
It is located within the Olympic Park in Stratford, in the Lower Lea Valley of east London. The stadium has a capacity of 80,000, making it the third-largest stadium in England behind Wembley and Twickenham.
Land preparation for the stadium began in mid-2007. The stadium will also host the 2017 World Championships in Athletics.

Monday, June 11, 2012

GLENDALOUGH, COUNTY WICKLOW, IRELAND



Glendalough or Glendaloch (/ˌɡlɛndəˈlɒx/ GLEN-də-LOKH; Irish: Gleann Dá Loch, meaning "glen of two lakes") is a glacial valley in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is renowned for its Early Medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin, a hermit priest, and partly destroyed in 1398 by English troops. Every time I visit Ireland, I'll spend some tome there... Definitely my favourite place.

Friday, May 11, 2012

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND



Edinburgh is one of Europe's most beautiful cities, draped across a series of rocky hills overlooking the sea. It's a town intimately entwined with its landscape, with buildings and monuments overshadowed by cliffs. From the Old Town's picturesque jumble of medieval tenements piled high along the Royal Mile, its turreted skyline strung between the black, bull-nosed Castle Rock and the russet palisade of Salisbury Crags, to the New Town's neat grid of neoclassical respectability, all columns and capitals, porticoes and pediments, the city offers a constantly changing perspective. And it's all small enough to explore easily on foot.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

SALT CELLAR, DERWENT EDGE, DERBYSHIRE


Derwent Edge is a Millstone Grit escarpment that lies above the Upper Derwent Valley in the Peak District National Park in the English county of Derbyshire. The highest point of the Edge is at Back Tor at a height of 538 metres (1765 feet). North of Back Tor the edge extends into Howden Edge and enters the county of South Yorkshire.

The Edge itself is notable for its unusual gritstone tors and its views of the Derwent Valley and the Dark Peak landscape; these features along with its proximity to Sheffield have made it a popular venue for walkers. Its popularity has led to substantial path erosion and the most affected parts of the edge between The Salt Cellar and Lost Lad Hillend have been paved with natural stone slabs to reduce further damage as part of the Lottery Paths Project.




Wednesday, March 14, 2012

BODNANT GARDEN, NORTH WALES


Bodnant Garden is one of the most beautiful gardens in the UK, spanning some 80 acres and is situated above the River Conwy near Snowdonia in North Wales.

The Garden has two parts. The upper garden around Bodnant Hall consists of the terraced gardens and informal lawns shaded by trees. The lower portion, known as the "Dell" is formed by the valley of the River Hiraethlyn and contains the Wild garden.

An endeavour has been made at Bodnant Garden to grow a wide range of interesting and beautiful plants from all over the world, particularly China, North America, Europe and Japan that are suited to the Welsh climate and soil.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

ROCHESTER CASTLE, KENT


After talking so much about Dickens let's go to Rochester in Kent!! And here is its impressive Castle. The first castle was raised in Rochester at the time of the Norman Conquest and is mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. This early fortification was rebuilt for King William Rufus between 1087-89 by Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester, and was one of the earliest castles in this country to be fortified in stone. Much of the documentation on Rochester survives, along with the many dramatic details of its military history - which saw the castle suffer three major sieges within two centuries of its foundation.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

DROMBEG STONE CIRCLE, CORK, IRELAND

The Drombeg Stone Circle is situated on the Glandore Road, west of Clonakilty, County Cork. It dates back to 150 BC, and is locally known as the Druids Altar. The circle has 17 standing stones, and is approximately 30 feet in diameter. At the winter solstice, the rays of the setting sun fall on the altar stone, which faces the entrance to the circle, marked by two upright stones. The word Drombeg means "the small ridge"

Saturday, September 24, 2011

YARMOUTH PIER, ISLE OF WIGHT

Yarmouth is located on the western side of the Island and the town has grown up as a result of its natural harbour, which is guarded by Yarmouth Castle, a fortification built to protect the Solent from invading forces by Henry VIII in 1547. The Harbour attracts many yachts and motor cruisers which take advantage of the estuary afforded by the River Yar.

The Isle of Wight has reinvented itself in recent years, changing from a tacky mass-market tourist place with little on offer beyond burgers and chips, to a more up-market destination, with good food, good accommodation and its still unspoilt areas, particularly in the west (with maybe the exception of Alum Bay). To walk along the cliff top footpath is unparalleled for isolation. When the sun shines it is a delightful place.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

CORFE CASTLE, DORSET.


Corfe Castle's 1,000 year-old ruins lie in Dorset's rolling, rural Purbeck Hills, just beside the charming little village of Corfe and not far from the start of the 630 mile [1014 kms] South West Coast Path, Studland Nature Reserve, superb beaches at Bournemouth and Studland and pretty good in Weymouth.

Monday, June 20, 2011

KERSEY, SUFFOLK


Here are some nice medieval weavers houses in Kersey.

Kersey is a beautiful village in the Babergh district in Suffolk, in the east of England. The main street has a ford across a stream. A coarse woollen cloth called Kersey cloth takes its name from it. The cloth was presumably originally made there, but later in many other places too. Kersey's church is St Mary's, and the village also contains a primary school. The village is also the filming location to a popular television advert.


Monday, May 16, 2011

AVON GORGE, BRISTOL, SOMERSET


Avon Gorge at Clifton, Bristol.
It's a view of the Suspension Bridge (west side). The cliffs on the left of the photograph are Clifton Down Limestone of Observatory Hill bounded on the north by the Avon Thrust Fault.

Thursday, April 07, 2011

KILCHURN CASTLE, LOCH AWE, SCOTLAND


Kilchurn Castle is located at the northeastern end of Loch Awe in Argyll, Scotland (15th century) . It is one of the most photographed castle ruins in the country because of the picturesque location and the romantic images it evokes, even in its current state of decay. The only access to this castle is by boat, during the summer months. You will have to take the A85 road to Lochawe, from where the boats for the castle leave from the pier. A visit to Kilchurn Castle will entrance you and take you back in time to the days of the clans. Imagine yourself standing on the turret looking out to sea as you stand guard over the castle. Now book your plane ticket at once !!!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

MYSTERY PHOTO (14)

Hello everyone,

I think it is high time to give you the opportunity to find a new place again. This time it is very easy! However, you know why I'm doing this little game: my goal is to answer your questions in English of course. Good luck!