A mild day, taste of Spring. Walking from the nature reserve at Caerlaverock on the Solway Firth to the castle, famously besieged by Edward 1 in 1300, then blown up in 1640 at the beginning of the Civil War. Caerlaverock's a Welsh word, a relic of the area being part of the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde. In the background over the estuary of the Nith is Criffel (named by the Norse Vikings- Crow Mountain). And on the other side the iron age fort of Wardlaw. This was a major crossing point from the English side of the Solway, so there's a Roman harbour here, too.
Caerlaverock is beautiful. I once went (don't laugh) on a guided 'badger watch' there one lovely twilit evening, all for less than the price of a year's Artist's Residency at the Crichton loony bin. And what did I get? An incomprehensible leaflet made from recycled corncrake spoor, annoyingly phlegmatic Sassenach tourists & no replacement batteries for my Mag-Light. Oh, & no badgers, who were obviously holed up in a nearby B&B & chortling heartily at dubbed Gaelic re-runs of Springwatch. Still, the bluebells were everywhere, like......
8 comments:
Wow, all the pictorial elements for a fairy tale: 2 cute little princesses, a charming Queen and a castle! Man, is my life boring. :)
Nice photos. And as always, I like the stories that accompany them.
Lovely pics, looks like a very nice walk.
I am so shallow...all I can wonder is...does Shug have his gloves attached to his coat too?
doesn't everyone?
You always make me laugh. Hurray for laughing.
x
Happen to come across your Blog. I sure would like to snoop around that ole' Castle. Wonder what stories it could tell?
Nice to meet you and hope you stay well. - Les
Caerlaverock is beautiful. I once went (don't laugh) on a guided 'badger watch' there one lovely twilit evening, all for less than the price of a year's Artist's Residency at the Crichton loony bin. And what did I get? An incomprehensible leaflet made from recycled corncrake spoor, annoyingly phlegmatic Sassenach tourists & no replacement batteries for my Mag-Light. Oh, & no badgers, who were obviously holed up in a nearby B&B & chortling heartily at dubbed Gaelic re-runs of Springwatch. Still, the bluebells were everywhere, like......
My dad grew up in Mouswald but I've never seen Caerlaverock. Thanks for the view.
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