This is coming to you from the Emerald Isle! After a few enjoyable days spent in and around Bath, I flew over here to Belfast on Wednesday. Monday, Sam and I popped out to have lunch with Nathalie where she works: Hartham Park, which is an old country manor which, along with all its associated buildings, has been converted into office space. It would have to be one of the most idyllic work environments I've ever seen - much of the old stately home is still intact: library, ball-room, sweeping staircase, grounds and gardens. Sam then very kindly dropped me off in Chippenham where I popped in to see Andy and Tracey, their almost 3-year-old son Joseph and their wee newborn Matthew.
Tuesday was a magnificent sunny day which Sue and I spent exploring some lesser known parts of Somerset. After lunch in Glastonbury (very well known!), we continued on in search of the Isle of Athelney, which was a place of great significance in King Alfred's life. With my studies over the past 18 months in Anglo-Saxon/Old English, I've crossed paths with Alfie many times - he personally translated many Latin works into Old English during the 9th century (CE). Athelney is where he was holed up with a small band of retainers when the Vikings/Danes had overrun the whole of the rest of England and the Danish King Guthrum had camped his army in nearby Wiltshire for the winter. From Athelney, Alfred relaunched a guerrilla war on the Danes and eventually defeated them and regained England for the English. Unfortunately, my camera's memory card died during this trip and I don't have any photos. The Somerset Levels are magnificent countryside - mostly flat with occasional tors rising out of what used to be impenetrable marshland. It's now lush green fields, punctuated by drainage systems and dotted with charming old villages.
I managed to get another memory card in Belfast and spent an hour or two wandering the city while John was at work. The highlight of the day was the Church of St. Patrick and especially it's triptych painting by John Lavery, Madonna of the Lakes in classic pre-Raphaelite style. The Madonna looks very much like an image of the Irish Mother Goddess and has saints Patrick and Brigit kneeling on either side of her. Wandering around Belfast and popping into shops in search of a memory card, I was reminded just how amazingly friendly and warm the Irish are - regardless of which side of the border they've ended up on. Truly hospitable people.
Yesterday we drove up around the Antrim coast which is magnificent in all weather, all possible kinds of which we experienced! Beautiful sunshine and tranquillity was periodically replaced by lashing rain, hail, thunder and lightening. We passed along the mouths of the nine Glens of Antrim and ventured up into Glenariff to admire its waterfalls (raging torrents at the moment). Further along, there were fine views across North Channel to the Mull of Kintyre which, at the closest point, is a mere 12 miles away. I'm tempted to return and kayak it sometime!
In a few minutes we're off down into the Republic to Carlingford for the rest of the day and tomorrow before I fly out tomorrow afternoon for Edinburgh.
