Eilean Donan castle

Posted on March 7, 2017 by kathy

Leaving Ben Nevis behind, we drove north through the Highlands, our destination the Isle of Skye. On the way, we stopped to explore Eilean Donan castle.

1.Eilean Donan Castle

The island of Donan, at the meeting point of Loch Duich, Loch Alsh and Loch Long was settled by Irish Saint, Bishop Donan in 634AD. The first fortified castle was built in the mid 13^th century to protect the area from Viking invasion.

2.Eilean Donan Castle

It was partially destroyed in the Jacobite uprising in 1719 and then lay in ruins for nearly 200 years. Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap bought the island in 1911, restored the castle over the next twenty years and added the bridge.

3.Eilean Donan Castle

The scenery was breathtaking, even on an overcast day.

4.Loch Long

Entering through the majestic doorway,

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we spent some time wandering through the restored interior, I photographed these Viking sculptures before realizing photography wasn’t permitted.

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The exterior has been lovingly resurrected, I can see why it took twenty years.

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The castle is still owned by the MacRae family. The Clan MacRae War Memorial commemorates the 423 members of the Clan MacRae who died in World War l, including Lieutenant Colonel John McRae who wrote the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’.

9.Clan MacRae War Memorial & Field Guns

In stark contrast to the castle’s history, there was a sense of serenity about the misty waters.

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The bridge across Loch Long, built in 1990, connects the nearby villages of Dornie and Ardelve.

13.Dornie bridge

Scotland’s national flag, The Saltire, stands proudly at the perimeter of the castle. The patron saint of Scotland, St. Andrew, was apparently crucified on an X shaped cross, hence, the white saltire on a background of azure blue sky.

14.Eilean Donan Castle

Montepulciano

Posted on February 28, 2017 by kathy

It was after siesta before we reached Montepulciano, another town I had longed to visit. Renowned for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a red wine produced in the surrounding vineyards, it is also a major producer of cheese, pork, lentils and honey. Entering at Porta al Prato,

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it wasn’t long before the magic of this ancient town revealed itself.

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The 16^th century Palazzo Avignonesi has a handsome smiling lions head either side of the entrance.

The intricate façade of Palazzo Bucelli is made up of sculptures, added in the early 1700s. Etruscan tombstone fragments, funerary urns and frieze plaques combine to create a magnificent feature.

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Chiesa di Sant’ Agostino was built in 1285AD and was completely renovated in the 15^th century.

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Above the imposing doorway is a beautiful carved portal featuring the Virgin and Child flanked by St. John and St. Augustine.

The shops were enticing

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and the sight of a bus traversing the narrow streets seemed out of place.

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We explored as much as we could in the time we had

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and our final discovery was the oldest shop in Montepulciano.

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It was superbly rustic with fabulous leather goods beckoning from every nook.

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The clock had beaten us and after a last gelati indugence, we made our way back to Il Castagno.

Montalcino

Posted on February 14, 2017 by kathy

Montalcino is another gorgeous hill town in Tuscany, not far from Sant’ Antimo Abbey. Dating back to 814 AD, the town is renowned for its precious Brunello red wine. After parking the car, my first image was this beautiful bell tower.

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The Santa Maria del Soccorso was consecrated in 1330 and the bell tower was added in 1625.

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We wandered through the narrow, stone paved streets,

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occasionally catching glimpses down alleyways of the magnificent countryside.

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The main square of the Piazza del Popolo is watched over by the majestic clocktower of the Palazzo dei Priori, the city’s town hall.

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The loggia houses a statue of Cosimo de Medici, 16^th century warlord and grand duke.

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The shops, cafés and restaurants were enticing

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and some of the doors quite grand.

We enjoyed a late lunch of delicious pizza at Il Grifo Ristorante Pizzeria.

The view across the rooftops from the rear of the restaurant was stunning.

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On the way back to the car, we crossed a lovely park

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with another breathtaking vista of the Val d’Orcia.

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We had to tear ourselves away, time was running out as we made our way to the next objective – Montepulciano.

Argyll & the Isles

Posted on February 7, 2017 by kathy

The inclement weather followed us from Gourock as we travelled north along the western shore of Loch Lomond. Often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands, it is the largest inland stretch of water in Great Britain. We happened upon the village of Luss on the banks of Loch Lomond and through the mist loomed The Lodge on Loch Lomond, a luxury waterfront hotel.

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We walked along the river, the beautiful autumnal hues refused to be dampened by the deluge.

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The path led us to a magnificent Celtic cross, dedicated to St. Kessog who brought Christianity to Luss in 510AD and died a martyr at the hands of Druids in 520AD.

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We left Luss and Loch Lomond,

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our objective, the Island of Seil. We had seen an episode of “Build a New Life in the Country”, featuring a derelict tin church dating back to the early 1900s. The couple who bought it renovated it superbly and created not only their living space, but a self-contained apartment in the old vestry. I was determined to find it. We crossed the 18^th century Clachan Bridge

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and had a pint at the Tigh-An-Truish Inn. The name means ‘house of trousers’ and this was apparently the place where islanders swapped their kilts for trousers after kilts were banned following the 1745 rebellion. For some reason, I don’t have a photo of the Inn but one of the tiny kiosk across the road.

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We drove around the island in search of the tin church. We did find it but again, I have no photos of it, just the rugged scenery of the island.

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We returned to the mainland and our northward course with no real destination in mind. We passed Castle Stalker, built around 1320 and well known for its appearance in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

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Fort William seemed like a good place to spend the night. We found a lovely hotel with spectacular views along Loch Linnhe,

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enjoyed a wonderful dinner and settled in for the night.

Sant’ Antimo Abbey

Posted on February 1, 2017 by kathy

Leaving Asciano, we weaved our way through the beautiful Tuscan countryside to Sant’ Antimo Abbey, not far from Montalcino.

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The Benedictine monastery dates back to the Middle Ages and the abbey was completed in 1260.

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I love the solitary cypress next to the bell tower.

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The landscape of olive trees, vineyards, fields and cypress was an artist’s dream

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and the town of Castelnuovo Dell’ Abate stood guard over the abbey.

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We wandered around the grounds of the monastery

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before entering the abbey to observe the prayers and chanting of the monks.

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We were awed by the light streaming in, accentuating the 13^th century wooden crucifix behind the altar.

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The interior was stunning, the alabaster walls reflected the light

and there was so much detail wherever we looked.

The capitals had intricate carvings,

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the most impressive depicted Daniel in the Lions’ Den.

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The abbey was known for its Gregorian chanting and the monks started at exactly the scheduled time of 12.45pm. Words can’t describe our ethereal experience, surrounded by those exquisite voices with the Tuscan countryside offering a tranquil portrait in the window frame.

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