The Glebe in Ireland-Episode 3-Cuilcagh

This will conclude this series of blogs,since i'm now blogging on the 'Stena Caledonia' en route back to Scotland.
There will be supplementary blogs to follow in future.

Tuesday the ninth of June,and i'm meeting up with some of my Irish family.
We're climbing up to the 'Monument' atop Cuilcagh(Binn Chuilceach) Mountain,which is also the border between Cavan and Fermanagh.
There are eight of us as we meet at the original family homestead.

It's a fair climb as some older and younger find it heavy going(me for one),while some older and younger are like gazelles.I've climbed up here many times,but today i made a mistake.I misread an outcrop,and decided the others were wrong.I took the two youngest of the group with me.Sorry guys,but at least you can say you took the most difficult route.I can only blame the alcohol-I'm not used to it anymore.

But we're all soon reunited above 'The Green Stripe',and pictures can be taken.

Now on the rocky plateau that gives Cuilcagh that unique 'Moonscape' look about it.Commis Loch far below makes an interesting backdrop.

The views up here are magnificent.Only a few years ago,it was only the shepherds and smugglers who'd climb Cuilcagh.It's now become so popular with walkers,there was a record group of 150 climbed up last weekend.

Finally we reach the Cairn and Trig Point.The trig point dates from the early 50's,and initials carved in the stone are those of family members who helped erect it.

In decent lighting conditions,i've pinpointed 9 counties from up here.I have it on good authority that thirteen counties have been seen.

It's known that Squire Jonathan Swift started to write Gullivers Travels in Cuilcagh House in County Cavan.It's rumoured that some of his ideas for the Lilliputians came from looking at the wee folk below him as he climbed the Cuilcagh mountains.

Refreshments at the summit...

...are followed by photo calls,including ten second delayed shots to get us all in.That guy in the bright red stands out like a sore thumb.

All good things must come to an end though,and we descend by the easier 'Busen' route.
The forecasted showers have failed to materialize,and the weather and views remain beautiful.I make up for my earlier mistake with a successful little shortcut right at the end of the walk.
Back at the old homestead,a can of liquid refreshment and a clean up...

...then into the cars for a couple more interesting stops,before making a social call at the traditional watering hole...

...where Jessica D,the noted artistic photographer in our group,borrows my camera for this excellent group of pictures.
It's been a great day.

Footnote: the late arrival of this blog is due to Stena cutting off my Wi-Fi without warning.

The Glebe in Ireland-Episode 2

Its Sunday the Sunday the 7th of June and i'm up early.The clean irish air has allowed me a good nights sleep.
After breakfast i'm into the car and heading south.
Through sleepy Dowra,and along the shores of Lough Allen,through Drumshambo and Leitrim village.There's been so much development around the Shannon/Erne waterways lots of places are totally unrecognisable from twenty years ago.Almost everywhere a pleasure craft could pull in,there's now at least one apartment block,and in many cases a four or five star hotel.
Now i'm in Carrick on Shannon,and take a walk along the waterway.I think i mentioned on my last visit here the way Carrick had changed.Lots of hotels and shops.There seems to be lots of tourists about.The Wi-Fi i was looking for was closed,so i headed out south to meet up with the folks from america.

Arriving at Dromod,and Cox's Steak House,i enquired the whereabouts of my people.The landlord then proceeded to give me long winded direction how to get there-upon asking for a slip of paper to write them down-i discovered i was being wound up with some irish humour-they were in the apartment upstairs.

After being reunited with the good folk from over the pond,we took a walk down the harbour.Dromod was another sleepy village you'd pass through on the way to Dublin.Now the motorway by passes it,but it's not short of people.There's lots more new houses here.There's even a gated development.This is all for the pleasure craft people.
In the picture above spot the horse and foal...

...I'm not sure how old the foal was,but the mother was still cleaning her up from her birth-an anxious owner was just leaving.
After refreshments i headed back to Carrick to look for my wi-fi connection,and another look round.It's certainly picturesque-lots of bikers about today.



Later,back at Dromod-i take a tour of the Dromod Narrow Gauge railway and Museum,run by a fellow called Michael.I'll do a feature on this later.A really amazing place.

After some more socialising and feasting on very special 'Tacos',i called it a day and headed back to my holiday home.
I had a lovely day.

The Glebe in Ireland-Episode 1

The weather turned colder as my short trip to the Emerald Isle began....
...i was in Stranraer in plenty of time to snap my ferry,the Stena Caledonia coming in.

It's 6.45 am as i look back at Stranraer.
After a three hour crossing,i'm on my way towards Enniskillen.It's a two and a half hour drive.


Here's where i'll stay for the next few days.
A part climb up the Cuilcagh Mountain for the panorama below.

Panorama of A Cuilcagh View on CleVR.com

Today i'm in Carrick on Shannon,in Murtaghs Bar,i'm using their wi-fi facilities while sipping a slow shandy on a fairly nice day.
Pictures from Carrick and Dromad to follow in Episode 2 (assuming i get further wi-fi access.
Cheerio the noo.

Blairmount Babies-First Pictures

Swans and newly born Cygnets on Blairmount Pond Newton Stewart South West Scotland.
Mother Swan was still sitting on the eggs at 9pm on Thursday the 4th of June 2009.
This clip was recorded at 9am on Friday the 5th of June 2009,which makes these adorable cygnets no more than 12 hours old.

Swans and New Born Chicks on Blairmount Pond

Mother Swan was still sitting on the eggs at 9pm on Thursday the 4th of June 2009...
...as can be seen here.

I took the pictures below around 9am on Friday the 5th of June...
...which makes these lovely wee cygnets no more than 12 hours old.

...hang on..mums gone below !

I've taken a short video clip,which is on my YouTube channel.
Blairmount Babies

Birds of a feather

A couple of pictures i've taken this first week of June 2009.

It was fairly quiet on Glenamour Loch until i heard this whoosh above me.

Even though i was as still as a church mouse,this big fella or lassie circled the loch three times but wouldn't land.I'm thinking this is a heron-the only trouble is those great wings seemed to be moving much faster than a heron's would normally.Am i wrong ?

Meanwhile on Blairmount Pond,mother to be swan sits patiently on her nest where she's been for a few weeks now.
Mother water hen is out and about with her brood.

The Month of May in Galloway

I'm still trying out new flash presentations.This is a picture from my latest one.

The link to it is here
The Month of May in Galloway
swfcabin.com is the name of the provider,and it's certainly a no nonsense,easy to load website.The only problem with them is there's no signing up,and no way of protecting your images from full scale theft.So i'll probably not use them again.