We're onto day two now - and it began smartish. After Brekky, we headed North and our first stop was just to the East of Alnwick as we drove off the highway. The aim was to get a beauty shot of the castle (yup - many of those in this area!). Aitch directed me well and we found a perfect park for the Ren.
We only had to walk a short distance to stand on this bridge... NB - SUNSHINE... *ahem*
The River is - wait for it - the Aln. Alnmouth is the fishing village on the coast where the river meets the sea. Alnwick is the town which grew up around the 'wick'... a term meaning 'the outer farm', which used the Aln for its water supply. Said farm would have been the provider of vittals for the castle inhabitants. Getting the gist of place names? This bridge was built 1816. It says so here...
As we were standing working the date outon our fingers with our superior knowledge of Latin numbers, we were approached by some peeps and paws. They were curious as to what we were seeing. The two elder gents were total locals and had never noticed the date stone!
Well, to be fair, you have to hang over the edge and be inquisitive like we too old history nerds.
Anyway, it gave me a chance to get in some luvin' with Dot and Dogget. The latter, it turned out, is not pure Golden Ret... he has one quarter Springer Spaniel in him. It showed. He kept springing...
(Dogget is the one nearest camera...)
Then we remembered we were there for a specific purpose...
Want a closer peek???? This one is a bit hazy, in part due to the full stretch of Fudge's lens and my inability to keep a steady hand these days.
Back into the Ren and off again. Over to the coast and our first stop was a photo op of yet another castle... Bamburgh.
...is it possible to get tired of castles?...
This was the briefest stop - didn't even switch the engine off - as we were actually headed for Seahouses. There's that original naming convention again. It's a little port town with a string of houses along the seaside. My what a pretty and engaging place it is though.
Our purpose there? Geocaching for Aitch, boats and birds and other such things for the YAMster!
What you see on the horizon here are the Farne Islands. It is from Seahouses that one can take many tours offered to go visit the islands - or just sail round them. Great for seabird enthusiasts, for seal-watching and just for those who love the sea. Aitch doesn't really fit into any of those categories. Our time was also limited. YAMster will be back.
As with Alnwick, this geocache had multiple clues, supposedly leading us round the town. Apart from this one, though, and a couple down near the pier, it was yet again a "we'll get it next time" hunt.
Sometimes it is a requirement of the fulfillment of caches, that a photo be taken to prove one's presence. I happily obliged Aitch with such.
Seahouses is still an active fishing port, though much reduced these days. Some more on the history of the place on Monday.
The River is - wait for it - the Aln. Alnmouth is the fishing village on the coast where the river meets the sea. Alnwick is the town which grew up around the 'wick'... a term meaning 'the outer farm', which used the Aln for its water supply. Said farm would have been the provider of vittals for the castle inhabitants. Getting the gist of place names? This bridge was built 1816. It says so here...
As we were standing working the date out
Well, to be fair, you have to hang over the edge and be inquisitive like we too old history nerds.
Anyway, it gave me a chance to get in some luvin' with Dot and Dogget. The latter, it turned out, is not pure Golden Ret... he has one quarter Springer Spaniel in him. It showed. He kept springing...
(Dogget is the one nearest camera...)
Then we remembered we were there for a specific purpose...
Want a closer peek???? This one is a bit hazy, in part due to the full stretch of Fudge's lens and my inability to keep a steady hand these days.
Back into the Ren and off again. Over to the coast and our first stop was a photo op of yet another castle... Bamburgh.
...is it possible to get tired of castles?...
This was the briefest stop - didn't even switch the engine off - as we were actually headed for Seahouses. There's that original naming convention again. It's a little port town with a string of houses along the seaside. My what a pretty and engaging place it is though.
Our purpose there? Geocaching for Aitch, boats and birds and other such things for the YAMster!What you see on the horizon here are the Farne Islands. It is from Seahouses that one can take many tours offered to go visit the islands - or just sail round them. Great for seabird enthusiasts, for seal-watching and just for those who love the sea. Aitch doesn't really fit into any of those categories. Our time was also limited. YAMster will be back.
As with Alnwick, this geocache had multiple clues, supposedly leading us round the town. Apart from this one, though, and a couple down near the pier, it was yet again a "we'll get it next time" hunt.
Sometimes it is a requirement of the fulfillment of caches, that a photo be taken to prove one's presence. I happily obliged Aitch with such.
Seahouses is still an active fishing port, though much reduced these days. Some more on the history of the place on Monday.
Hello, great roadtrip photos. I love the castle, the lighthouse and those cute puppy dogs. Have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteWhat great funs you had!!!! I luffs the castle, I luffs that bridge oh, and I luffs the new furfriends
ReplyDeleteLoves and licky kisses
Princess Leah xxx
Well how awesome is that castle - it still amazes me how they built them by hand
ReplyDeleteWICK = the Outer Farm??? We always learn so much from your posts...
ReplyDeleteWE love Castles... and that one is HUGE and Beautiful...
Those are Grrrrreat Dawgs.
Hari Om
Delete...yes... one of those little tidbits which opens up a whole vision of so many farms around which towns have been built! There are sooooooooooooo many place names in UK with the suffix -wick.... though mostly English of course, when in reference to the lie of land and the farming - Howick is 'high farm', Lowick.... guess !!! Both in N'umbria. There is a Hawick in Scotland, not much over the border, so a 'hangover' from the Angle settlements I suspect. However in Scotland proper, there are very few uses of '-wick' and where they are is up North - Lerwick on the Shetlands, Wick in Caithness - and they are likely to have developed from the Viking "vik", meaning bay or inlet.... There are some interpretations of the English -wick as simply meaning dwelling...but the extension is that such places tended to be external to castle/manor walls and almost certainly farm dwellings.
History lesson over! Are you packed for the BAR yet????? &*<> Yxx
It would be so cool to have castles in our country.
ReplyDeleteMerle........
love castles!
ReplyDeletehugs
Mr Bailey, Hazel & Mabel
One can never see too much of the coastland or too many castles!!
ReplyDeletethe more castles the merrier :o) I wish we could live in a castle... I know who would be locked in the tower hehehehe
ReplyDeleteOMD! Our pawrents (and us too) would have loved to go exploring and discovering like that! And the castles would be fun to check out too! Did you find the one Princess Leah lives in? Oh, mom just told me wrong country. Oops, my bad!
ReplyDeleteHaving never seen a castle (in the flesh so to speak) I doubt I would ever tire of them. When I see them on documentaries etc they take my breath away, even the ruined ones.
ReplyDeleteLove those two pooches but why the muzzles? Here it is only greyhounds that have to be muzzled in public.
What a wonderful trip. Makes me yearn for a holiday....one day perhaps and yet I doubt it now. 15 years since we made it away anywhere.
P.S. Love the blue of that water.
Hari OM
DeleteThose are not muzzles Mimsie - they are 'gentle leaders' - an alternative to wearing full body style - they are great for keeping lively dogs focused without the dangers or hurts of the 'choke chain'! Yxx
What amazing castles! I so love your part of the world. You'll find our Perth quite small, but lovely nonetheless! I'm resting today... xx
ReplyDelete