Kirkcudbright - Harrogate

Pictures taken on our journey from Kirkcudbright to Harrogate, including St. Ninian's cave, Ayr and Housesteads Roman Fort
Rusty Gate An old and somewhat detoriated gate on our way to St. Ninian's Cave : 2013, Holiday, Nokia Pureview 808, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel If you wanna go out in the woods today... Scenes from Car park to St. Ninian's Cave, 1.6 km walk one way : 2013, EOS 5D, Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Walkway to St Ninian's Cave Scenes from Car park to St. Ninian's Cave, 1.6 km walk one way : 2013, EOS 5D, Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel St. Ninian's Cave The cave entrance is large and impressive from a distance but the cave itself is very shallow. Its historical importance is however much greater as this spot was said to have been used as a place of retreat and worship by St Ninian, the first missionary saint to arrive in Scotland and who set up the first church in nearby Whithorn. A plaque gives information on this, and also a photo of the cave in the 1950s when it still contained some impressive celtic cross carvings - these have since been moved to the museum in Whithorn. There are still some crosses on the rock wall on the left, thought to be over 1,000 years old. : 2013, EOS 5D, Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
St. Ninian's Cave The cave entrance is large and impressive from a distance but the cave itself is very shallow. Its historical importance is however much greater as this spot was said to have been used as a place of retreat and worship by St Ninian, the first missionary saint to arrive in Scotland and who set up the first church in nearby Whithorn. A plaque gives information on this, and also a photo of the cave in the 1950s when it still contained some impressive celtic cross carvings - these have since been moved to the museum in Whithorn. There are still some crosses on the rock wall on the left, thought to be over 1,000 years old. : 2013, EOS 5D, Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel St. Ninian's Cave The cave entrance is large and impressive from a distance but the cave itself is very shallow. Its historical importance is however much greater as this spot was said to have been used as a place of retreat and worship by St Ninian, the first missionary saint to arrive in Scotland and who set up the first church in nearby Whithorn. A plaque gives information on this, and also a photo of the cave in the 1950s when it still contained some impressive celtic cross carvings - these have since been moved to the museum in Whithorn. There are still some crosses on the rock wall on the left, thought to be over 1,000 years old. : 2013, EOS 5D, Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel St. Ninian's Cave The cave entrance is large and impressive from a distance but the cave itself is very shallow. Its historical importance is however much greater as this spot was said to have been used as a place of retreat and worship by St Ninian, the first missionary saint to arrive in Scotland and who set up the first church in nearby Whithorn. A plaque gives information on this, and also a photo of the cave in the 1950s when it still contained some impressive celtic cross carvings - these have since been moved to the museum in Whithorn. There are still some crosses on the rock wall on the left, thought to be over 1,000 years old. : 2013, EOS 5D, Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel St. Ninian's Cave Through Physgill Glen, on the Solway shore south of Whithorn, St. Ninian’s Cave is said to have been St. Ninian’s retreat and although no evidence has been found there is no reason to doubt the connection. In 1871 an incised cross was found and excavation in 1884 revealed a number of crosses now removed to the Historic Scotland Museum in Whithorn for safe-keeping. The Catholic Diocese of Galloway annually holds a pilgrimage to St. Ninian's Cave on the last Sunday in August. There are also youth pilgrimages and a Christian Aid walk to the cave. : 2013, Holiday, Nokia Pureview 808, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
St. Ninian's Cave Through Physgill Glen, on the Solway shore south of Whithorn, St. Ninian’s Cave is said to have been St. Ninian’s retreat and although no evidence has been found there is no reason to doubt the connection. In 1871 an incised cross was found and excavation in 1884 revealed a number of crosses now removed to the Historic Scotland Museum in Whithorn for safe-keeping. The Catholic Diocese of Galloway annually holds a pilgrimage to St. Ninian's Cave on the last Sunday in August. There are also youth pilgrimages and a Christian Aid walk to the cave. : 2013, Holiday, Nokia Pureview 808, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel St. Ninian's Cave Through Physgill Glen, on the Solway shore south of Whithorn, St. Ninian’s Cave is said to have been St. Ninian’s retreat and although no evidence has been found there is no reason to doubt the connection. In 1871 an incised cross was found and excavation in 1884 revealed a number of crosses now removed to the Historic Scotland Museum in Whithorn for safe-keeping. The Catholic Diocese of Galloway annually holds a pilgrimage to St. Ninian's Cave on the last Sunday in August. There are also youth pilgrimages and a Christian Aid walk to the cave. : 2013, Holiday, Nokia Pureview 808, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Walkway to St Ninian's Cave Scenes from Car park to St. Ninian's Cave, 1.6 km walk one way : 2013, EOS 5D, Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel St. Ninian's Cave The cave entrance is large and impressive from a distance but the cave itself is very shallow. Its historical importance is however much greater as this spot was said to have been used as a place of retreat and worship by St Ninian, the first missionary saint to arrive in Scotland and who set up the first church in nearby Whithorn. A plaque gives information on this, and also a photo of the cave in the 1950s when it still contained some impressive celtic cross carvings - these have since been moved to the museum in Whithorn. There are still some crosses on the rock wall on the left, thought to be over 1,000 years old. : 2013, EOS 5D, Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
Mull of Galloway lighthouse The lighthouse, known as a Stevenson Tower, was built by Robert Stevenson. It took 2 years to build, work commencing in 1828 and was first lit in 1830. The tower stands 26 metres high, and the actual light is 99 metres above sea level. On a clear night the light can be seen for some 28 miles distance. In 1971 the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse was converted to electricity with a sealed-beam light, mounted on a gearless revolving pedestal. New technology meant that the cleaning of the lighthouse became much easier, with no lenses to polish and no machinery to oil. The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse became automatic in 1988 and is now remotely monitored from the Northern Lighthouse Board's Headquarters in Edinburgh. The lighthouse is open to the public at weekends from April to October. The three cottagesat the mull, former homes of the lighthouse keepers are now holiday rentals via the National Trust of Scotland. : 2013, EOS 5D, Holiday, Mull of Galloway, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Seashells Seashells have found a nice environment at the lighthouse : 2013, Holiday, Nokia Pureview 808, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Gas tanks I am not sure what was/is actually stored in these, but they look like gas tanks to me. : 2013, Holiday, Nokia Pureview 808, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Steep cliff A dangerous but nice view, steep cliffs at Mull of Galloway : 2013, EOS 5D, Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
2013-08-12 808 (75) Killantringan Lighthouse is a lighthouse located near Portpatrick in Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. The light came into operation in 1900, and served as a waypoint in the North Channel of the Irish Sea. The name Killantringan is derived from 'Cill shaint Ringain' - St Ringan's chapel; Ringan is a mediaeval variation of Ninian. It was constructed by David Alan Stevenson. The engineer's report specified a powerful fog signal was also required at the site. The lighthouse entered service on 1 October 1900. The light gave a flashing signal of two flashes in quick succession every ½ minute. When used, the fog signal was 3 blasts: low, low, high in quick succession every 1½ minutes. The light was automated in 1988, with the fog signal having been discontinued the previous year. Following a comprehensive review of services by the UK's three General Lighthouse Authorities in 2005, it was decided that Killantringan was surplus to requirements - serving primarily as a waypoint. The light was permanently discontinued in January 2007, with the light and lenses being removed and donated abroad, and the property sold. : 2013, Holiday, Nokia Pureview 808, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Ailsa Craig The island is located approximately 16 km west of Girvan. 3 km in circumference and rising to 340 m, the island consists entirely of the volcanic plug of an extinct volcano that might have been active about 500 million years ago. It is part of the administrative district of South Ayrshire, in the ancient parish of Dailly. The lighthouse on its east coast faces the Scottish mainland, and a ruined keep, built by the Hamilton Family to protect from the threat of invasion from King Felipe II of Spain, is perched on the hillside above. : 2013, EOS 5D, Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Port William harbour Boats on dry during low tide at Port William harbour : 2013, Holiday, Nokia Pureview 808, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Portpatrick Portpatrick village is on the south-westerly coast of the Scottish mainland, cut into a cleft in steep cliffs. Anciently known as Portrie (Port Rhin), its quay was protected by the baron of Dunskey Castle (from dun meaning castle; key meaning quay) and his local men. When being invaded, the fishermen and their families probably scrambled up the cliffs to Dunskey for protection. Dating back some 700 years and built adjacent to the ruins of nearby Dunskey Castle, Portpatrick's position on the Rhins of Galloway affords visitors views of the Northern Irish coast 21 miles (34 km) to the west, with cliff-top walks and beaches both north and south. The Gulf Stream, flowing in from the north, gives the coastline a pleasant climate, in which subtropical plant life can flourish. Population 960 (2001) : 2013, Holiday, Nokia Pureview 808, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
The West Kirk This former Free Church was built in 1845. Known as the West Kirk, it closed in 1981, but its name lives on in this Wetherspoon pub. Until 1929, the building was the Ayr Free Church (originally Ayr and Wallacetown); from then until its closure in 1981, it was known as Sandgate Church. Built in 1845, the building has its origin in the great Disruption of the Church of Scotland, when almost half of its clergy and laity left to form the Free Church : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Sweenie's Sweenie's barber shop. Not likely related to Sweeney Todd. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Sandgate Sandgate houses : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Newmarket Street Shops along Newmarket Street : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel
Ayr Town Hall Ayr Town Hall was built in 1827 incorporating a magnificent steeple rising 225 feet which still dominates the skyline of Ayr Town Centre. The Town Hall can hold up to 700 people and is now used as a regular fantastic venue for many shows and events. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Ayr Town Hall Ayr Town Hall was built in 1827 incorporating a magnificent steeple rising 225 feet which still dominates the skyline of Ayr Town Centre. The Town Hall can hold up to 700 people and is now used as a regular fantastic venue for many shows and events. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Loudoun Hall Loudoun Hall is one of the oldest buildings in Ayr, dating from the late 1400's and is situated in the Boat Vennel, which almost directly opposite the bottom of the High Street. It was built for James Tait, a wealthy merchant who traded with European countries. Later, in the 16th Century, it became the townhouse for the Campbells of Loudoun, the heridary sheriffs of Ayr. In the first half of the 20th Century it lay neglected for some time until the 4th Marquis of Bute stepped in to rescue it from demolition and had it restored. It is now home to a variety of societies, such as the Ayrshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, Ayrshire Philatelic Society and Ayr Photographic Society. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Loudoun Hall Loudoun Hall is one of the oldest buildings in Ayr, dating from the late 1400's and is situated in the Boat Vennel, which almost directly opposite the bottom of the High Street. It was built for James Tait, a wealthy merchant who traded with European countries. Later, in the 16th Century, it became the townhouse for the Campbells of Loudoun, the heridary sheriffs of Ayr. In the first half of the 20th Century it lay neglected for some time until the 4th Marquis of Bute stepped in to rescue it from demolition and had it restored. It is now home to a variety of societies, such as the Ayrshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, Ayrshire Philatelic Society and Ayr Photographic Society. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel
River Ayr A view of river Ayr : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Borderline Theatre 3-bay, gabled, rectangular-plan church with turreted SE angle tower and hall to rear. Coursed, squared sandstone. Lancet windows. Leaded windows. Grey slate roof (banded fish-scale work to tower); stone skews. Converted from a church to a theatre, formerly the Darlington Church. Occupies a prominent siting at the N section of the New Bridge. Building Dates: 1860; additions 1897 Architects: Clarke and Bell, additions John Arthur : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel The Auld Brig Before this was built in the 15th Century, in 1470, a wooden bridge had served as the the only built crossing over the river to the town. Further downstream was a ford and in 1788 at this spot the New Brig was opened. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel The New Bridge In 1788 a "New Bridge" was opened on the line of the original ford. This first New Bridge was washed away in flooding in the 1870s and the Auld Brig once more became the main crossing until a replacement New Bridge could be built in 1878. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel
Fisherman statue On the site of the old fish market, fisherman statue. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Wallace Tower Built in 1833 to replace the previous structure in which Sir William Wallace is said to have been imprisoned for setting fire to a barn with 500 English soldiers inside. This is a Neo-Gothic clock tower, 113 ft high, with a statue of William Wallace carved in the facade. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Wallace Tower Built in 1833 to replace the previous structure in which Sir William Wallace is said to have been imprisoned for setting fire to a barn with 500 English soldiers inside. This is a Neo-Gothic clock tower, 113 ft high, with a statue of William Wallace carved in the facade. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Growth Plants are forever trying to conquer back the land buildings have taken. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel
Fresh Beer - Tasty Sandwiches Nice old sign in Ayr : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Newmarket Street Nice-looking buildings with stores : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Iron thingies Strange iron thingies inside the gate of Auld kirk : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Auld kirk The building itself dates from 1654 but there had been a church in Ayr since medieval times, indeed, the remnants of what was once a mighty church, dedicated to St John The Baptist are to be found in the town. Cromwell took over this area and built a fort, demolishing all of the church but retaining the tower. He gave 1000 merks sterling to the town for the purposes of building a new kirk, and this was to be built in an area long associated with religious works. Here the Black Friars had set themselves up in the 1250's, later in the 1480's the Grey Friars settled here and they lasted until the Reformation in 1560 when they fled the town. Sadly their buildings (reputedly with a fine stained window) were sacked and then looted by locals. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel
Auld kirk The building itself dates from 1654 but there had been a church in Ayr since medieval times, indeed, the remnants of what was once a mighty church, dedicated to St John The Baptist are to be found in the town. Cromwell took over this area and built a fort, demolishing all of the church but retaining the tower. He gave 1000 merks sterling to the town for the purposes of building a new kirk, and this was to be built in an area long associated with religious works. Here the Black Friars had set themselves up in the 1250's, later in the 1480's the Grey Friars settled here and they lasted until the Reformation in 1560 when they fled the town. Sadly their buildings (reputedly with a fine stained window) were sacked and then looted by locals. : 2013, Ayr, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, Scotland, Skotlanti, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, travel Housesteads Roman Fort Vercovicium, now known as Housesteads Roman Fort, was an auxiliary fort on Hadrian's Wall. In the 2nd century AD, the garrison consisted of an unknown double-sized auxiliary infantry cohort and a detachment of legionaries from Legio II Augusta. In the 3rd century, it comprised cohors I Tungrorum, augmented by the numerus Hnaudifridi and the cuneus Frisiorum. The Tungrians were still there in the 4th century, according to the Notitia Dignitatum. By 409 AD the Romans had withdrawn. The fort was built in stone around AD 124, soon after the construction of the Wall began in AD 122. Vercovicium was built overlying the original Broad Wall foundation and Turret 36B. The fort was repaired and rebuilt several times, its northern defences being particularly prone to collapse. A substantial civil settlement (vicus) existed to the south, outside the fort, and some of the stone foundations can still be seen, including "Murder House", where two skeletons were found beneath an apparently newly laid floor when excavated : 2013, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, kesäloma, matka, travel Bastle house 16th century Bastle house. Locals used old Roman ruins as building material for safe houses as protection against common raids on both sides of the border. : 2013, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, kesäloma, matka, travel Commander's house The commanding officer's house was the biggest one, arranged in two floors and probably had a heated floor. : 2013, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, kesäloma, matka, travel
Barracks Soldiers lived in the barracks : 2013, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, kesäloma, matka, travel Granary Granaries had elevated floors to allow air circulation and kept the vermins out as well. : 2013, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, kesäloma, matka, travel Hadrian's Wall Hadrian's Wall was likely planned before Roman Emperor Hadrian's visit to Britain in 122. According to restored sandstone fragments found in Jarrow that date from 118 or 119, it was Hadrian's wish to keep "intact the empire," which had been imposed upon him via "divine instruction." The fragments then announce the building of the wall. It is entirely possible that, on his arrival in Britain in 122, one of the stops on his itinerary was the northern frontier and an inspection of the progress of the wall as it was being built. Hadrian's Wall was 80 Roman miles (117.5 km) long; its width and height were dependent on the construction materials which were available nearby. East of the River Irthing, the wall was made from squared stone and measured 3 metres wide and 5 to 6 metres high, while west of the river the wall was made from turf and measured 6 metres wide and 3.5 metres high. This does not include the wall's ditches, berms and forts. The central section measured eight Roman feet wide ( 2.4 m) on a 10-foot (3.0 m) base. Some parts of this section of the wall survive to a height of 10 feet (3.0 m). : 2013, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, kesäloma, matka, travel Hadrian's Wall Hadrian's Wall was likely planned before Roman Emperor Hadrian's visit to Britain in 122. According to restored sandstone fragments found in Jarrow that date from 118 or 119, it was Hadrian's wish to keep "intact the empire," which had been imposed upon him via "divine instruction." The fragments then announce the building of the wall. It is entirely possible that, on his arrival in Britain in 122, one of the stops on his itinerary was the northern frontier and an inspection of the progress of the wall as it was being built. Hadrian's Wall was 80 Roman miles (117.5 km) long; its width and height were dependent on the construction materials which were available nearby. East of the River Irthing, the wall was made from squared stone and measured 3 metres wide and 5 to 6 metres high, while west of the river the wall was made from turf and measured 6 metres wide and 3.5 metres high. This does not include the wall's ditches, berms and forts. The central section measured eight Roman feet wide ( 2.4 m) on a 10-foot (3.0 m) base. Some parts of this section of the wall survive to a height of 10 feet (3.0 m). : 2013, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, kesäloma, matka, travel
Hospital The Roman army looked after the sick and wounded and had hospitals in their garrisons. : 2013, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, kesäloma, matka, travel The North Gate The only one of the original gates to open onto the "Barbaric land", outside the wall. : 2013, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, kesäloma, matka, travel A communal latrine The latrine had a deep sewer, covered with wooden floor benches with holes on both sides. The sewer was flushed with rainwater either collected all over in drains or stored in stone tanks. In the centre there was also stone basins and flowing water for washing. : 2013, EOS 5D, Great Britain, Holiday, Iso-Britannia, kesäloma, matka, travel