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I've been out of WI-FI range for a week, so it'll take a while to catch up.
It's Friday the 3rd of August and I'm leaving the Mountains of Mourne..
There's a short road on the Spelga Dam I've got to take a look at on the way though.
There's already quite a few videos of this optical illusion on Youtube, and my short clip isn't much good, but here it is anyway.
There was no one around, and my wee car picked up speed too quickly, hence the brevity of the clip.
Like I said there's a few already on Youtube.
My favourite would be this one by Shanna on 'There and back again'
It's a dreich day as I head westwards.
Once on the shores of Upper Lough Erne I decide to take a look at the Crom Estate
There's a deal on National Trust membership so I join and get my £4.50 entrance fee back.
It's a large estate so I get my walking boots on.
There's a fair variety of mature trees.
The Crom yews are thought to be 800 years old.
Crom Old Castle
Look out for colourful dragonflies they said.
There were much bigger ones, but I couldn't get a picture of them.
It's worth a visit
The National Trust doesn't own Crom Castle though.
It's still in the Crichton family, the hereditary Earl Erne
His lordship is keen to share his sumptuous home for a price.
The deer are a little shy
There's lots to see and do. As I arrived back a wedding party had just arrived.
More guests were arriving by boat.
Now I'll have a moan.
Having just joined the National Trust, I thought I'd ask about a roof over my head for the night in one of the holiday cottages. There were eight of them and not all were occupied. The young lady who'd signed me up was helpful, but couldn't do anything but telephone the cottages booking office. Booking was for a minimum of two nights at a cost of £300. It was late afternoon and the chances of letting the remaining rooms must have been remote at that time of day. I decided against the expense. I also decided against pitching a tent with a minimum price for two ! Am I the only single person around.
My next stop was Lisnaskea where I inquired about a single room in the hotel there. Again I was quoted a silly price.
Lisnaskea needs it's drainage system upgraded. The weather hadn't been brilliant, but now the heavens opened and soon the drains were erupting in fountains of water.
The rain also blocked the road to Derrylin, so I made me way to Carrybridge where I'd dined nicely on my 2011 Trip.
At last a very reasonable price for Bed and Breakfast I got the one room left.
It's a popular place with the boat people.
I get a good night's sleep.
After a lovely breakfast I've time to look at something happening in the water.
It's a swim to Enniskillen. I'm not sure if this was a charity swim, or a training run for the Irish Long Distance Swimming Championships which take place here on Sunday. It's nearly eleven miles !
Enniskillen comes next for me
And now I'm a member of the National Trust, I can take a look around Florencecourt
The ancestral home of the Cole Family, the Earls of Enniskillen
I get a tour guide all to myself as the previous tour is already underway.
As with all these period houses, photography is prohibited inside.
This is the mother tree of all Irish yew trees.
Here's it's history on Rural NI
It's hard to believe that after coming to this area for 40 plus years this is the first time I've visited Florencecourt.
My last car journey of the day takes me over to Belcoo and the
Here I'm meeting up with my four daughters and their families.
We've hired these two cottages for a week.
Let the fun begin.
