Castles Galore

by Elizabeth & Gary's Magic Bus Tour

 The title is NOT a misnomer! And, if you come from the US there is a bit of an infatuation as there just aren’t castles in North America?!?! So – before leaving the greater UK and Ireland it is fun to take in just a couple more. Especially Blarney Castle where one has the opportunity to kiss that Blarney Stone and attain “the gift of gab”!

Travel just 5 miles north of Cork to the 500 year old Blarney Castle and the beautiful surrounding grounds. Try to get there as early as possible or you are standing in one of those ‘Disneyland lines’ to climb four stories of narrow, twisting, dark stairwells. The line up the stairs moves slowly so you don’t need to worry about holding things up if you no longer move at the speed of a 20 something;-) Once at the top, there are 360 degree views of the surrounding area, where again you snake around to lie on your back over a sheer drop of 120′ and kiss ‘the Stone’ that is believed to have made its way here in 1314 from Scotland! Don’t worry, today they have installed iron handgrips and there is a LARGE, handsome man to hold on to you while performing this daring act. Don’t miss it – it’s something to say “I DID IT”.

Welcome to Blarney.
Yep – the Blarney Stone is up on the top.
Not kidding about lots of tiny steps up a spiral staircase.
Don’t look down.
Okay, made it to the top.
Enjoy the views.
Again – don’t look down and hold on tight!
That little ‘grate’ at the top of the three windows is the stone;-)

After that exhilarating experience, wander the beautiful grounds. They include a new Blarney House built in 1874 (a private residence still resided in), old stables turned into a cafe, the many gardens and grand ‘climbing trees’.

the Blarney House.
The historic stables have been repurposed.
Frustration at not being able to climb this beauty;-(

Back across the Irish Sea to North Wales, where there was an earlier visit to Portmeirion in the Snowdonia NP. Thankfully, there was another visit to Holyhead to allow the visit to Caernarfon Castle with its distinctive octagonal towers. This place is HUGE! It’s no wonder the locals had a fit as it was being built as a display of the king’s force. It dates back to 1284 and is the site of Edward II’s birth, who was the first given the title of Prince of Wales. This was the King of England’s clear symbol that the English were in charge here. To this day this is the title conferred on the eldest son of the reigning British monarch and the investiture of then Prince Charles took place right here in 1969!

Scale model mock up of what Caernarfon Castle looked like.
Current view outside the main gate.
A view of the grounds from the Eagle Tower, the private quarters of the Royal family. The round platform in the grass at the far end was used for the Investiture of Charles as the Prince of Wales.
The entry at the far end on the right was the original Queen’s entrance.
Exterior view of the Eagle Tower and entrance gate to the city.

Back to reality leaving all the castles and kissing of the Blarney Stone behind – it is time to head the ship west across the Atlantic back to North America. In five days we will have gone through five time zones at a nice leisurely pace and be ready for another land excursion;-) See you all there!

E & G – headed west saying goodbye to Europe (for now)

 

 

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