Glasgow and Home

We had a quick overnight in Glasgow after a train ride along the North Sea shore through Edinburgh.

Dinner, breakfast, then Cottonwood. Thanks Claire and Silas for picking us up in Spokane at midnight.

Dinner at the top of the hotel. We are still not skilled at the selfie.

The Anchor Line Pub for breakfast.  A surprising treat for Blue due to its association with the Tuscania ocean liner. Beautiful building.

Aboard Iceland Air. Love the Icelandic words. 

Newcastle Upon Tyne

We spent an afternoon and a morning in Newcastle. Quite a bustling place after the quiet places we've been. 

Our hotel.

Stained glass in a nearby church. 

Eldon Square - a shopping mall.

Extinct Irish Deer at the Hancock Museum.

Street scene. 

Street art.

The bridges over the river Tyne and views of the city,  castle,  etc.

Stairs down to and up from the river.

Lion in another church - thought of Ariel, Lion of God.

Whitley Castle or Epiacum

Roman fort near Alston called Epiacum from 122 to 450. In the intervening years it became Whitley Castle. Figured we should see it.

Getting lost on the way to Alston from Epiacum. At least it was pretty.

Another Celtic High Cross on the South Tyne River.

Our hotel room in Haltwhistle was once the stables of the great house. 

Skinny dog leg stairs to the bed loft.

Street view in Haltwhistle.

Hadrian's Wall

Today we walked along the remains of Hadrian's wall, a failed attempt by the Romans to keep the barbarians out of the Empire and to mark the end is their domain. Circa AD122.

The view of Holy Cross Church and an old house along the public footpath.

The Black Bull Pub, built in 1653 for the monks to drink in.

CARLISLE

Today we did Carlisle Cathedral, Carlisle Castle, and Tullie House Museum.

Our beautiful hotel front stairs, and the back stairs to our room. LOL!

The Cathedral from our back stairs room.

The square outside the hotel.

The castle.

Some skinny stairs in the keep.

Blue standing in a window of the great hall.

It is Mothering Sunday England. Menu at our Haltwhistle Hotel.

Travel Day

Left Islay today on the ferry. It was a 2.5 hour awe inspiring trip. The Atlantic was smooth and the sun shining.

Islay

Paps of Jura on the right.  Islay on the left. 

Mainland Scotland

Waiting for the bus to Glasgow at Kennacraig. A tanker truck carrying whisky disembarks.

A castle from the bus at Inveraray.

Loch Lomond from the 3.5 hour long bus ride.

Glasgow's Central Train station.  After a 1.5 hour long ride we arrived in Carlisle England. 

ISLAY The Oa

Meet some locals ...

Blue at the American Monument.

We went through several "kissing gates".

At Kildalton. Celtic Cross carved approx CE 700. Other Celtic symbols on graves. Stunning.

We wanted to visit one distillery. It was closed.