Driving the Wye Valley — A Very Different Landscape from the Cotswolds
We began the next leg of our journey with a drive from the Cotswolds to Cardiff, where we would return our rental car and continue our venture into Wales.
The route was not without its challenges. Road construction and a few unexpected detours sent us on several U-turns, crossing the same bridge over the Severn river three times in Wales.
Our first stop was Tintern Abbey (Abaty Tyndyrn) on the River Wye.
Founded in 1131, Tintern Abbey was once one of the great Cistercian monasteries of Wales. Although much of the complex now stands in ruins, the surviving Gothic architecture still conveys the scale and craftsmanship of the medieval monastery. It fell into ruin in the 16th Century.
Visiting the remains, it was easy to imagine the Abbey in its prime. The soaring walls, graceful arches, and weathered stone are a remarkable reminder of the skill and ambition of those who built it many centuries ago.
Tintern Abbey was an unexpected discovery along the road to Cardiff. Its weathered stone, dramatic arches, and quiet surroundings made it a place worth stopping for—and one we were glad to have visited.
A HOUSE BUILT FOR DISCOVERY With hours before check-in, we went looking for another piece of old London. We found it in the former home of famed London architect, Sir John Soane. Sir. John Soane’s Museum house is almost overwhelming. Rooms lead into rooms. Narrow passages disappear around corners. Sculpture, paintings, architectural fragments and antiquities…
A Working Sheep Farm near Clifden Ireland. Killary Sheep Farm is in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The drive itself is part of the experience. The road narrows to a ribbon of pavement winding between stone walls and the countryside, with only an occasional place to pass another vehicle. Upon arrival, we met a couple from…
A Taste of the Wild Atlantic Way Seafood has long been an important part of Irish life, and oysters hold a particularly special place in the culinary traditions of the country. Along Ireland’s rugged western coast, the pristine waters of Connemara National Park provide an ideal environment for producing some truly exceptional oysters. DK’s Connemara…
Westminster Abbey is such a rewarding photographic experience. London — Day Two Seeing Westminster Abbey Differently. We weren’t simply trying to photograph a famous building. We were trying to see it differently. To look beyond the obvious. To find the overlooked. And, perhaps most importantly, to slow down long enough to notice what was already…
A night in Wales After a long travel day — and a rather unexpected change of plans — we finally arrived in Goodwick, where the little harbor town beside Fishguard would be our home for the evening before the ferry to Ireland the following afternoon. We were especially glad to have arrived. By the time…
We squeezed into Winchcombe’s narrow streets, learning to pull over in a drive or onto a sidewalk, so another car can pass. Then almost suddenly, the buildings fall away. The road opens. Fields stretch toward the horizon. Hedgerows line the lanes. Rolling hills appear in the distance. We have left the village behind. Then we…
