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2-4 Gateforth Street, London NW8 8EH
ardrigh17
am 11.04.2008
Always good to have a great value place for lunch when in London sightseeing Ardrigh
Durham, Durham
ardrigh17
am 02.04.2008
Derwent Reservoir is the second largest reservoir in the North East at 404.9 hectares. The south-western area of the reservoir has been managed as a nature reserve since 1967 on account of its breeding birds and wildfowl interest. A diverse range of species are found roosting and feeding here, including mallard, teal, coot, moorhen, tufted duck, pochard, goldeneye, goosander and greylag geese. Occasionally pink-footed, white-fronted, barnacle geese, pintail and scaup may be seen.
Red-throated diver, gadwall, whooper swan and smew are uncommon visitors to the site. There have been rare sightings of notable species such as black-necked grebe, Bewick’s swans, bean goose and common scoter. The reservoir is also an important site for wigeon with the highest counts recorded in the winter.
The surrounding farmland is used as breeding grounds by a host of waders. These are a group of birds that are so called because of the way they wade around in the shallows and grassland, probing the soft mud for insects and worms. Species such as lapwing, redshank, curlew, oystercatcher and snipe can regularly be seen.
The large areas of mud which are exposed by late summer also attract migrating waders. Spring and autumn are the best times to see these birds, which form large flocks that appear as huge clouds. Look out for the bright red beak of the oystercatcher and the green metallic sheen of lapwings as their plumage catches the light. Another name commonly used for lapwing is pee-wit and the reason for this will become obvious when their call is heard…peeee…witt!
Redshanks are small black and white birds with bright red legs that can be clearly be seen when caught by the light. They are sometimes referred to as the wardens of the marsh because of their rather nervous nature and habit of being flushed up into the air and sounding off a loud, piercing panic call at the slightest of disturbances.
Derwent Reservoir is situated 2 km (just over a mile) north of Edmundbyers on the B6306 Blanchland road and approximately 33 km (20.5 miles) by road from Durham City Centre. It is north east of the B6278 Consett to Stanhope road.
Free parking is available at the eastern end of the reservoir, as are toilets, although these are not suitable for wheelchair users. From April to November, access is permitted to the shores of the reservoir where there is a path and a number of benches overlooking the water. In the winter months this path is closed to prevent disturbance to roosting birds. An excellent view of the reservoir can be obtained from the lay-by on the Blacklaw road or from Pow Hill Country Park
The reservoir is stocked with rainbow and brown trout. There is also a sailing club on the northern side of the reservoir.
You will have to take your own refreshments …......
Its a great Family Day out including the dog or dogs remember to take your poop bags
Many hot air balloons take off from the park…....
In the surrounding area are many inns and hotels offering first class food
Although this is in County Durham you are quite close to Northumberland and North Yorkshire
and there are many self catering properties in the area and it is a good central base to enjoy the whole area….
Enniskillen BT94 1PP
ardrigh17
am 01.04.2008
Castle Archdale Country Park
Castle Archdale Country Park is situated about 10 miles north west of Enniskillen and extends to cover 230 acres along the shores of Lower Lough Erne. The region is abundant in historical features, with many monastic sites such as Devenish and White Island. Castle Archdale is based on the demesne of the Archdale Manor House, which was built in 1773, of which now only the courtyard buildings remain.
Boats are available for hire for those wishing to explore the nearby islands, some of which are National Nature Reserves. Pony trekking and bicycle hire are also available.
Features within the Park include a red deer enclosure, wildfowl ponds, nature trail, butterfly garden and wildflower meadow. To make the most of your visit, be sure not to miss the Archdale Centre, which is in the corner of the main courtyard. Here you can see various exhibitions which will help you to understand our efforts to conserve this beautiful part of Fermanagh.
Evidence of the 1939-45 War can also be found throughout the park in flying-boat docks, ammunition dumps, Slit trenches, etc. This is because Lough Erne played an important role as the most westerly flying-boat station, from which aircraft protected the allied convoys from the U-Boat threat in the North Atlantic. Castle Archdale was the main base from which they flew and this is highlighted in an exhibition within the Centre entitled “Castle Archdale at War”
Castle Archdale Country Park has its own Countryside Centre with:
Displays of local wildlife and geographical/historical aspects of the park
Toilets.Car and coach parking
Tea rooms (seasonal opening)
“Castle Archdale at War” Exhibition and Farm Machinery Display
Varied habitats within easy reach of the centre.
Park open everyday from 8.30am to dusk
Museum and Countryside Centre opens from Easter to end of June Saturdays and Sundays 10.00pm - 6.00pm
Open May Bank Holidays from 10.00am - 6.00pm
From 1st July to 30th August from 10.00am - 6.00pm
Open in September Saturday & Sundays from 10.00am - 6.00pm
Footnote
My cousin flew from Lough Erne in a Sunderland Flying Boat during WW2 …...sadly his aircraft went down in
the Atlantic …...off the coast of Donegal…. near Tory Island ….along with 7 other members of the crew…they have
no known grave ….one body was recovered and one survivor 2 Days later….
We had a wonderful summer at Castle Archdale ….a few years ago …....I think the young men British and
Canadian mixed crews ….who give there lives would be watching the fun of the children playing …..... in a place
they once saw …......and flew from …and the sunderland flying boats ….....
The place he lies is off Bloody Foreland ….. it is called “Cnoc Fola” in Gaelic.
The museum has many items of those days when Canadian and British RAF were comrades …
It is also a memory of two Leaders of different countries Winston Churchill and Eamon De Valera
Both with american mothers who arranged for there to be what was called the The Donegal Corridor for
without it there would not have been an RAF Castle Archdale…..
Irvinestown has many graves from young men from everywhere in the commonwealth as well as the USA…Poland …France….Dutch …and so many many more….but the peaceful Castle Archdale of today is the best memorial to all those young men…those who died and those who didnt ….....but come back year after year….in Remembrance and to meet old friends among the local people…
Dublin
ardrigh17
am 28.03.2008
I was bit by the bug called genealogy… in the days when you had to travelled to local library’s..My late father was always talking about how he was going to go to see the Hill of Tara when he retired …sadly he died before he retired …he also talked about researching his family tree …if I asked how he knew about all these places he would say from my father who got it from his father and back into the mist of time…It was because of my father I started researching the family tree…
I just thought it was all just stories …now I am not so sure …He said we were descended from the Last ArdRigh (high king) of All Ireland….He called me his little seanachie (a teller of tales)...My tree was coming along OK …..but I just wanted so much to go to the places he had talked about as he hadnt been able to go himself…So we arranged a holiday to see many of the places he had talked about…
We went various places in Ireland but kept what I thought was the best until last….As we travelled over from the West of Ireland to Meath…I longed to see the Hill of Tara….It had a misty beauty about it ….as we drew nigh …Wisely the people of Meath had not attempted to make it into some sort of Theme Park…..of wood and wattle….reconstruction…leThe vistor centre was housed in a wee church with a really good audio visual presentation ….giving full weight to the romantic gend while making sense of the 4000 year old earthworks…which are the only structures to be seen apart from the Lia Fail…the stone of destiny …..on which it is said the Kings of Tara…. were crowned…...and on which my father had wanted to sit…..
The Origins of Tara are lost in the mist of time and as I sat there…thinking of my father ..I glanced down at a leaflet…. I had picked up in the visitor centre which said …...it reached its height in the 3rd Century AD during the reign of Cormac Mac Airt…....
Suddenly the magic story telling of my Father and Tara… all became one ….Just before I had left England for this holiday ….I had recived the marriage certificate for my great grandfather Patrick Quinn to my Great Grandmother Ann McCart …....I hadnt even shown it to my husband….... but was it true…. had my father spoke truly when he said ......we were descended from the last ardrigh of tara…...
On the mundane side there is a little shop and tearoom …the shop sells the nicer quality Irish Goods and they made a nice cup of tea and homebaked scones…..Its just down a wee country road ….it cost nothing to go and see Tara just a donation…..in a box…..From the top of the hill you can see some fabulous views across County MeaThe megalithic tomb called the Mound of the Hostages is the oldest monument on the Hill of Tara dating back to between 2500 B.C. and 3000 B.C. The passage, 4m in length and 1m wide, was subdivided by sillstones into three compartments each containing cremated remains…..A wonderfully decorated stone can be viewed from the entrance gate. The engravings may represent the sun, moon or stars as religious symbols or maybe the stone was used as a prehistoric calendar.
The term passage tomb is disliked by those who consider megalithic mounds to be have been primarily astronomical observatories or sacred temples. In the case of Tara evidence of at least 200 individual cremations were found, so the passage tomb description is appropriate.
The hills at Loughcrew can be seen to the west from the top of the mound.
Long after the megalithic mound was constructed Tara became the seat of the High Kings of Celtic Ireland. The most famous of these was Cormac Mac Airt who reigned in the third century AD. One of the ring forts within the large hill fort known as the Royal Enclosure is known as Cormac’s House. The other ring fort known as the King’s Seat may actually be constructed around a prehistoric tomb
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