Category: history

Riding the Wild Atlantic Way – Ireland

Mizen Head is the most southern most point of mainland Ireland

As good as place as any to start the Wild Atlantic Way

They even give you a starting line

The route winds up the west coast

Through foggy Irish mist

Bantry Bay

Mizen Head

Over mountains with wonderous views

Mountains where Irish legends such as Finn Mc Cool sat.

A coast where there are fishing villages both small

And big

With cliffs towering out of the sea

Relics of stone age and Celtic history dating back 5000 years

Quintessential Irish pubs

Sandy beaches

And then at the end

After 6 days of challenging riding

At Malin Head the most northern point of mainland Ireland

They provide a finish line

Brittany – Last stops on the continent for 2018

Jutting out into the Atlantic

Brittany has much in common with the Celtic cousins in Cornwall and Ireland

The quaint seaside ports also along the coastline

Reflecting the Brittany’s place as Frances finisterre (lands end)

Brest it’s major city

With its ancient citadel apon the hill

A long maritime history

And beautiful beaches

On to Carcassonne

A hot run across the Spanish border

Roads lined this plane trees in the Midi Pyrenees

And on to Carcassonne

Medieval citadel

Relic of the Cathar Dream

Survivor of the Cathar Wars.

Bastion of the past

Standing on the hill

Survivor of centuries

Weathered wall the keepers of secrets through the ages

The ancient citadel on the hill

Carcasonne

The citadel dressed up for the Tour d’ France

It well hold its secrets to the sun sets over it for the last time.

Cornwall: coast culture and the celts

Cornwall

A Celtic nation

Adding to Scotland last year

Gallicia, Brittany, Ireland and Wales to come this.

Cornwall is a long finger of coast and culture

The coast is breathtaking

From the beaches and headlands

To the small fishing and trading harbours

St Ives

Saint Michael’s Mount

The culture

The sculpture of Barbara Hepworth

Rowena Cade’s Minach theatre

The historical grandure of Saint Michael’s Mount

Saint Michael’s Mount castle

The history of the Celts

And of course Lands End

Canals of the English midlands

Canal passing through Stone a canal town in the English midlands

The canals wind like watery snakes across the English countryside

The narrow boats once work horses now leisure craft

Wending their way across the country side

Marvels of engineering the locks using the power of water to life the boats, their crew and in times past heavy cargo over hill.

Canal locks
Narrow boat exiting a lock

I’m back in the English midlands staying in the pretty canal town of stone.

Staying with friends

Getting the mighty breva II ready for chapter 3 of my European adventure.

Mighty Breva in distinguished company of a Ducati 900ss and Moto Guzzi 850 Eldorado