Ace Jet 170

Our back yard

...no, it's not all trees. There's the obligatory big house (complete with boxing squirrels), a very still lake (that powers the water mill down the hill), a symmetrical garden (with trees), an old but working mill (powered by the lake up the hill), the absolutely interesting and beautiful Strangford Lough, a random temple and a castle thrown in for good measure.

And all this was basically our back yard. The campsite is just a little way through the woods and you can stay in the grounds as late as you like so after about six or seven at night it's empty and all your's. This last thought was fuelled further by a largely unfounded but well liked theory that when you join the National Trust and become a "member" you basically become a part owner of all their properties. Bollocks of course, as my wife pointed out, but still, I'm going to stubbornly hold on to that idea and when we go back and take the house tour, will hop over the barrier and park myself on a crusty old chaise lounge to eat my lunch, no matter what the guide says.

Of course, our Castle Ward experience was enhanced greatly by a few days of superb weather but it really was a magical retreat and I can't wait to go back (and make myself at home...must remember to pack my slippers).

   

I've been away

 

It was brilliant. Sleeping in the forest with just the flimsiest fabric between us and the badgers. Brilliant. Castle Ward is an amazing place; with trees everywhere. Very tall trees. But it's not all trees, oh no. There's other stuff too...

The Outdoorist

If you're not from around here, you may not be aware that July 12th is a special day in the NI calendar. Special because we get the day off, or as was the case this year, the next day off, in lieu. Some people like to spend the day dressing up and marching up and down a bit but many of us don't understand what that's all about and do other things. We went to our nearest National Trust property, Mount Stewart. 

It's my age. I'm at that point, with two growing boys, where certain things appeal, when once they didn't. I've been to plenty of NT properties over the years but I feel that it's only really now that I'm appreciating them. They're exceptional. Beautiful. The gardens and grounds are thrilling adventure playgrounds for the boys: with trees grown, it would seem, especially to be climbed, woods grown especially to be scrambled through and lakes designed especially to be fallen into – Seth (3) fell in.

So, blessed by super-fine weather, we had a splendid day outside with the trees and ducks etc. My photos can't capture the real beauty or strength of colour found...out there...but a few things stood out that I wanted to show: There's the pea soup-like pond with it's vivid green (good enough to eat); the leafy magenta carpet (again, the photos don't capture just how vibrant that colour was) and lastly the illuminated canopy.

Next week we're camping at Castle Ward so armed with camera, boots and beard I'm sure I'll be bringing back more crusty outdoorisms.

  

Traffic

Every morning that I go to work I pass the same stretch of water. Belfast Lough leads in from the North Channel of the Irish Sea and brings commercial shipping in to the City's harbour. On a very few special days, early on, when the water is very still and there's a slight haze; when the sun is trying to burn through the low hanging cloud, the view can be astounding, often forcing me to stop. Some days it's hard to tell where the sky meets the sea and there's just a cool blanket of ethereal mist. These days are the best: when the sun pushes through the white curtain to highlight the corporate colours of a shipping company's livery as the freighter cuts through the glassy water.

Having spent most of my life in largely land-locked locations, a daily dose of salt water, I find, nourishes the soul. It's been five years now since we moved here and while there are aspects of English life that I miss, our coastal location goes a large way to compensate me. Working near the harbour means we get to see all sorts of things coming in and going out again and I think I'm unlikely to tire of it.

(There's better pics on Flickr).

The Wellington

Self-proclaimed anti-homogenists, The Bureau is Belfast's finest purveyor of gentleman's apparel. It's a splendid place selling attire well out of my humble pocket but doubtless worth every penny. No 44 Wellington Street is the little shop next door that they'd had lovingly restored from a sad and shabby news agent back to it's beautiful former glory - a 1920's tobacconists. Now, the lease is up and they're not keeping it on. Check out more pics on their blog.

The Pennine Tower

In 1965 Top Rank Motor Inns operated Forton Services (Lancaster) was the second service station to open on the M6. It's jewel being the once super cool/now considerably shabby Pennine Tower which housed a posh restaurant (with waiters and everything) serving cocktails to drivers so they can relax more at the wheel no doubt. It's still quite a site and a terrible shame that it's no longer used. There's more about it here including details of it's untimely demise.