We're Back!

Not back in Oz of course. Just back on the ethernet. We've been lucky and found the best camping ground in the whole of the British Isles. Tollymore Forest Park. Remember that name. Where the Mountains of Mourne come down to the sea. At Newcastle of all places. County Down, Northern Ireland. The best showers. You don't have to put any more money in or keep pressing the fershlugginer button to keep it going. Hot and strong. The (Northern) Irish could teach the Poms and the Scots a thing or two about showers.

It's pretty weird, but no matter what time of the morning I go to have my shower, I have never seen another guy. There's endless numbers of the fairer sex travelling to and fro for their morning ablutions...

Anyway, this place is great. The old seat of the Magennis' it's now a national park, and has some of the most beautiful forest we've seen yet. The Irish patriot John Parnell used to come here for his meditations. Some fantastic views and rides thru the mountains.

 
The other extraordinary thing which makes the place so special is that it has full strength 3G signal. There's obviously a transceiver up on the mountain which basks us in it's warm radiance. Ahhh...

 

We've had a wonderful full day up on the mountain on our bikes with barely a spot of rain to be felt. There were even a couple of moments of actual sunshine. Praise be!

The last you heard of us, dear reader, was in the forest of Knapdale in Scotland. On a whim we decided to catch the ferry over to Ireland just to ensure that we did in fact go there! Time can get away on one.

The Princess was feeling a bit poorly also, and she does so love ferry rides! Cheered her up no end. We drove down to Stranraer in Galloway, bought a ticket and drove onto the ferry to Belfast. 'Nuff said. Too easy!

 

The Stena Line ferry was packed with Rangers' supporters on their way to the annual match against the Northern Irish team Lindfield. The staff were concerned for our welfare enough to upgrade us to 'Stena Plus' and the Executive bathroom was ours. Also a great view from the Upper upper lounge, with free endless coffee and cake and a breakfast Gran would be proud of. The weather sort of held off for most of the trip and the Rangers' rooters had the bar all to themselves to sing endless verses of songs in accent unintelligible.

We almost got out of Belfast without buying anything, but happened on another TK Max and were tractor beamed inside before we got the shields up... A couple of skirts and a corduroy pants later and we were sucked into a Maplin, where I managed to get hold of a laser that I've been looking for. $45 - bargain!

Our first camp was at Gosford Forest Park, near Markethill. Luckily the rioters in Portadown let us thru without torching the van like the other ones.  The ancient art of Molotov cocktail making hasn't been lost to the youth of Northern Ireland it seems. Nothing like a bit of a march to get them all fired up. 

The Proddys take their parades seriously, and the '12th and the 13th' happened to coincide with our visit. They love to deck out the old town too. Here's a picture of Markethill in all it's glory.

Hmmmm......

Near to Gosford Forest Park is Navan Fort (Emain Macha), which was the ancient capital of Ulster. There's an amazing new centre opened there which incorporates a museum and auditorium which is the best we've come across in Britain so far, altho' the British Museum has to have been one of the highlights if only due to the quantity and quality of the artifacts on display. We spent most of a rainy Sunday at the Navan Centre. No rides unfortunately as it was just too cold and wet.

Next day (Monday) we zoomed off down here to the Mourne Mountains as we saw a rainbow that seemed to end over this way. By the time we got here tho' the Leprechaun had made off with the loot. You've got to be real quick over here. There's plenty of rainbows however, so we haven't given up yet!

That's enough talking. I know you just want the eye candy. Here's one of my favourite shots of a place I've wanted to see for a long time. Ailsa Cragh. Did anyone watch the Curling at the winter olympics? The Scots come over here to Ailsa for the granite boulders to make their curling stones with.