Five years have past; five summers, with the length

Of five long winters! and again I hear

These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs

With a soft inland murmur.

William Wordsworth

This time a beautiful journey starting from wild Atlantic Ocean Road and ending at the Scottish highlands awaits you!

So, this time we had started from Belfast which is a beautiful city of eastern Ireland.

  • Titanic Belfast – It is a visitor attraction opened in 2012 , a monument of Belfast’s maritime heritage on the site of the former Harland and Wolff shipyard in the city’s Titanic Quarter where the RMS Titanic was built. It tells the stories of the Titanic, which hit an iceberg and sank during her maiden voyage in 1912, and her sister ships RMS Olympic and HMHS Britannic . The building contains more than 12000 square meters (130,000 square ft) of floor space , most of which is occupied by a series of galleries, private function rooms and community facilities.
  • Belfast City Hall – It is the civic building of Belfast City Council located in Donegall Square, Belfast,Northern Ireland.It faces North and effectively divides the commercial and business areas of the city centre.

The Belfast City Hall is used the meeting place of Belfast City Council and for other local government needs.

  • Memories and status
  • Royale Irish Rifles Memorial.- A memorial to the officers and men who died in the South African War ( 1899-1902)
  • Titanic Monument..
  • Titanic Memorial Garden and Plaques..
  • Pirrie Memorial..
  • Sir Edward Harland ..
  • Eliza Ward Plaque ..
  • Sir James Haselett..
  • USA Expeditionary Force Memorial..

Belfast Castle -It is a castle on the slopes of Cavehill Country Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in a prominent position 400 ft above sea level.Its location provides unobstructed views over the City of Belfast and Belfast Lough.The current castle is a Victorian structure, built between 1867 and 1870.

  • Between 1945 and the 1970s , Belfast Castle was a popular venue for wedding receptions , dances and afternoon teas.

The Wild Atlantic Way – It is a tourism trail on the west coast , and on parts of the north and south coasts of Ireland. The 2500 km driving route passes through nine counties and three provinces, stretching from County Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula in Ulster to Kinsale, County Cork, in Munster , on the Celtic Sea coast.

The route is broken down into five sections,

  • County Donegal
  • County Donegal to County Mayo
  • County Mayo to County Clare
  • County Clare to County Kerry
  • County Kerry to County Cork

Cliffs of Moher -One of the Ireland’s favourite visitor experiences , the cliffs of Moher tower over the rugged west County Clare coast. All roads lead to the Cliffs of Moher which a natural gateway to one of the most enchanting and captivating coastal driving routes in the World – Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way .

In most parts , the Wild Atlantic Way covers the same route as the ring , but only the Ring of Kerry passes Killarney National Park.

Not only are the Cliffs of Moher Ireland’s most-visited natural attraction, they are also the filming location for a scene in Harry Potter and The Half -Blood Prince. The cliffs are featured in a scene where Harry and Dumbledore apparat on the shore of some sea cliffs and enter a cave to find a horcrux .

It is called the Wild Atlantic Way because the Ocean’s force has carved a coast of wild , raw beauty. Huge Atlantic rolling waves crash and churn , shaping jagged ocean crags , archipelagos and inlets, sea loughs , surfing strands , and the sheer granite walls of cliffs that are amongst some of the highest in Europe.

Doolin cave – It is a limestone cave near Doolin in County Clare , Ireland, on the western edge of The Burren.

The cave’s most notable feature is the Great Stalactite.This is one of the world’s longest free hanging stalactites, reported to be 7.3 m in length. It is the longest known free – hanging stalactite in Europe and the three largest in the world.

Places to visit at Dingle .

A visit to Dingle Peninsula in Ireland is an absolute must for anyone who loves stunning scenery and wants to experience nature at its most awesome.

  • Dingle Ocean-world Aquarium
  • Coumeenoole Beach
  • Conor Pass
  • Gallarus Oratory
  • Check out the Beehive Huts

Dingle is so popular as because, the place is Bohemian , artistic and genuinely friendly. Dingle is framed for its hardware pubs but push out beyond the town and you are faced with an incredible 6,000 years of history and the Kerry coastline with its pounding waves , salty winds , dramatic cliffs and wide racing skies .

Skellig Micheal in Ireland is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, but there has been a huge spike in overseas visitors since it was used in Star Wars:The Force Awakens.

The word “Skellig” derives from the old Irish word sceillec ,which translates as “Small or steep area of rock” .

A clochán or beehive hut is a dry stone hut with a corbelled roof, commonly associated with the South – Western Irish seaboard.The precise construction date of most of these structures is unknown with the buildings belonging to a long established Celtic tradition, though there is at present no direct evidence to date the surviving examples before c.700 CE.

Killarney National Park -It is situated, near the town of Killarney, County Kerry , was the first national park in Ireland, created .The park has since been substantially expanded and encompasses over 102.89 km2 of diverse ecology , including the lakes of Killarney, oak and yew woodlands of international importance, the mountain peaks.

It has the only red deer herd on mainland Ireland and the most extensive covering of native forest remaining in Ireland. The park is of high ecological value because of the quality, diversity and extensiveness of many of its habitats and the wide variety of species that they accommodate, some of which are rare .The park was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1981. The park forms part of a Special Area Conservation and a Special Protection Area.

Kilkenny Castle – It is a castle in Kilkenny , Ireland built in 1195 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several route-ways.It was a symbol of Norman occupation and in its original thirteenth century condition it would have formed an important element of the defences of the town .

The name Kilkenny has its origins in the Irish language.Cill Chainnigh translates to “ Church of Cainnech”.It is named after the 6th century Irish priest St.Cannieach , also known as Canice , whose memory is honoured in St.Canice’s Cathedral in Kilkenny City.

The Kilkenny Castle tour is very informative, the grounds are amazing and the castle is definitely worth a visit.

Moving on to Dublin, it has got a wide variety of attractions to offer as well.

  • Trinity College Dublin – Trinity College , officially The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin , is the sole constituent college of the University of Dublin, a research university in Dublin, Ireland in the year 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I.
  • Widely considered one of Europe’s elite institutions, Trinity is Ireland’s most prestigious university.
  • The university has educated many of Ireland’s most successful poets , playwrights and authors, including Oscar Wilde , Jonathan Swift , Bram Stoker , Percy French , William Trevor , John Millington Synge , Sally Rooney , Oliver Goldsmith, Thomas Moore and William Congreve.
  • Trinity College Dublin became the first and only Irish University to enter the top Fifty rankings of both the QS World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education in 2009, when it was ranked 43rd in the world.
  • The Book of Kells – The Book of Kells ( 800 CE) is an illuminated manuscript of the four gospels of the Christian New Testament, currently housed at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.The work is the most famous of the medieval illuminated manuscripts for the intricacy, detail and majesty of the illustrations.
  • The Library of Trinity College Dublin , serves Trinity College and the University of Dublin. It is a legal Deposit or “ copyright library” under which publishers in Ireland must deposit a copy of all their publications there , without charge.
  • The main chamber of the Old Library is the Long Room; at nearly 65 meters in length, it is filled with 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books and one of the most impressive libraries in the world.

Now , it’s time for looking at Scottish Highlands .

  • Caernarfon Castle- ( Welsh: Castell Caernarfon Welsh pronunciation: – often anglicised as Carnarvon Castle or Caernarvon Castle is a medieval fortress in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, north – west Wales cared for by Cadw , the Welsh Government’s historic environment service.
  • This place is worth visiting and it is part of the World Heritage Site “Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd”.
  • Although the castle appears mostly complete from the outside, the interior buildings no longer survive and many of the building plans were never finished.The town and castle were sacked in 1294 when Madog ap Llywelyn led a rebellion against the English.Caernarfon was recaptured the following year.
  • It would be best to allow two hours to visit the castle and the exhibitions inside.
  • The building can be described as having a figure of eight or hourglass design, creating two big symmetrical courtyards.It also features an incredible 12 towers to indicate this castle was the mightiest of all his castles.
  • Today , Highclere is home to George Herbert and his wife Fiona , the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon ( Lord and Lady Carnarvon), owners of the ‘real’ Downtown Abbey house.

Snowdonia National Park – Snowdonia is a region in northwest Wales concentrated around the mountains and glacial landforms of massive Snowdonia National Park.The Park’s historic Snowdon Mountain Railway climbs to the summit of Wale’s highest mountain, Mount Snowdon , offering views across the sea to Ireland.The park is also home to an extensive network of trails , over 100 lakes and craggy peaks like Cader Idris and Tryfan.

Snowdonia’s landscape is unique.The nine mountain ranges cover approximately 52% of the Park and include many peaks that are over 3000 feet. Apart from the beauty and charm of its high mountains , Snowdonia is a delightfully varied landscape of steep river gorges , water falls and green valleys .

The best time to visit Snowdonia is between June and August as temperatures are warm and there is usually less rainfall.Snowdonia is a great place to travel to at any time of year so the “best” season to go in largely depends on what kind of holiday one have to spend.

So , my friends our next destination is the very beautiful scenic spot at Southern Scotland .

Loch Lomond – It is a lake in Southern Scotland.It’s part of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park .The Trossachs National Park. The surrounding highlands area is home to red dear and oak woodlands. On the eastern shore , footpaths and cycle trails criss -cross craggy Ben Lomond mountain and the smaller Conic Hill. Across the Loch , Luss Heritage Path winds through rolling countryside and ancient Luss village , with its stone cottages.

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is also famous because it was the very first place in Scotland to be awarded National Park status back in 2002.

The loch contains many islands, including Inchmurrin , the fresh water island in the British Isles . Loch Lomond is a popular leisure destination and is featured in the song “The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond”. The loch is surrounded by hills , including Ben Lomond on the eastern shore, which is 974 meters and the most southerly of the Scottish Murno peaks.A 2005 poll of Radio Times readers voted Loch Lomond as the sixth greatest natural wonder in Britain.

Glassgow – It is famous for

  • Architecture
  • The World Friendliest City
  • Whiskey
  • Historic Second City of the British Empire
  • Shipbuilding
  • The Oldest Football Team
  • The City of Famous Surgeons
  • First National City in the UK

It is the largest city in Scotland, and third largest in the United Kingdom .Historically part of Lanarkshire , it is now one of the 32 council Areas of Scotland. It is situated on the River Clyde in the country’s West Central Lowlands. 

Kelvin grove Art Gallery and Museum – It is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. It reopened in 2006 after a three – year refurbishment and since then has been of Scotland’s most popular visitor attractions. The museum has 22 galleries , housing a range of exhibits, including Renaissance art , taxidermy, and artefacts of ancient Egypt.

So , our next destination will be Isle of Skye which is known for its rugged landscapes , medieval castles , picturesque fishing villages, it’s history and the outstanding scenery .

  • The Storr – The 674m tall landslip features a steep rocky face on one side and grassy slope on the other.
  • Fairy Pools – Multiple waterfalls , seemingly vibrant blue and green in colour , with cold swimmable pools.
  • Quiraing – Ancient landslide along the Trotternish Ridge, featuring unique escarpments and a 6.8 km. hiking loop .
  • Dunvegan Castles and Gardens- It is the oldest continuously inhabited castle,with tours ,gardens and boat -trips to seal colony.
  • Neist Point Lighthouse- Unnamed lighthouse built in 1909, on a rocky cliff top overlooking a causeway and the coastline.
  • Talisker Distillery – It is the waterside whiskey distillery with copper vessels and oak casks plus guided tours and a shop.
  • The Fairy Glen – It is an old landslide gives this hillside , known for its folk tales about fairies , an otherworldly look .
  • Armadale Castle , Gardens and Museums- It is a charming castle ruins, dating from the 18th Century, featuring a museum, gardens and woodlands trails.
  • Kilt Rock – It is famous for it’s natural beauty and having waterfall .There are so many cliffs too.
  • Lock Coruisk – It is a 38 meter deep fresh water lake in the highlands known for it’s vast marine life.

In short , these are the places one must visit while at Isle of Skye.

While returning from Scottish Highlands , we had a short visit to Woolsthrope Manor.

Woolsthrope Manor in Woolsthrope by Colsterworth ,near Grantham, Lincolnshire , England, is the birthplace and was the family home of Sir Issac Newton. He was born there on 25th December, 1642.

Newton returned here in 1666 when Cambridge University closed due to plague, and here he performed many of his most famous experiments, most notably his work on light and optics . This is also said to be the site where Newton, observing an apple fall from a tree , was inspired to formulate his law of universal gravitation.

New areas of the house , once private , were opened up to the public in 2003. One of the former farmyard buildings has been equipped so that visitors can have hands on experience of the physical principles investigated by Newton in the house.

So, my friends, tie your shoes and take your rucksack to explore all these beautiful places always be a traveler with the inquisitiveness in your mind.

Last updated on November 19, 2022