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I’ve just returned from a ten day trip to southwest Ireland and one of the main intentions was to tour the Ring Of Kerry. To be honest I was a bit disappointedly with my first impression when driving from Killarney (Lake Hotel €115). It starts along a fairly uninteresting stretch of main road through Killorglin. It continues on with the mountains a distant view before the road really gets to become interesting somewhere before Cathersiveen. From there on it is picturesque and even spectacular in places until Sneem when it again becomes quiet nondescript to Kenmare. The final return over Molls Gap down to the lakes and in to Killarney is however spectacular. That was my first impression, however looking at the map I figured that there must be a more interesting route to travel, one that I’ve named the Figure Of Eight Of Kerry. We started at Kenmare, a nice traditional town where the buildings are painted in outstanding colours that in other situations would seem garish. It’s as though the town had been given the end of lines at a B&Q each wall is a different bold colour. Leaving Kenmare Bay Hotel (€89) we drove to Molls Gap but instead of continuing along the Ring road, turned left and then right towards the Black Valley, a narrow but traffic free road through the valley bottom. We were able to get to Lord Brandon’s Cottage at the foot of the Purple Mountains on the far side of the lough in the National Park. From there we drove up and over the Dunloe Gap avoiding the jaunting cars ferrying people from the tour buses over the gap to be ferried across the lake to Killarney. At the far end of the gap we emerged from the mountains at Kate Kearney’s Cottage where we turned left along a road hugging the north of Carrauntuohill, Ireland’s highest mountain. Turning left again the road cuts through some close-up mountain views and on through a wide valley floor then up through the Ballaghisheen Forest on to Waterville where we stayed at the Smugglers Inn (€50 + €75 for dinner). The next section went against the flow as it were heading north out of Waterville for a few kilometres to a left turn along the Skellig Ring with fantastic coastal views to the Skelligs on to Portmagee where we drove over the bridge to Valentia Island. We drove around the island and took the tiny vehicle ferry (€5) from Knightstown to Reenard Point then rejoined the “Ring Road” at Cathersaveen. Drove north to Glenbeigh where we turned right, off the main road, and followed the narrow road alongside a Lough Caragh to Blackstones Bridge. After that we crossed over our previous route at Glencar and headed up and over the pass between Mullaghanattin and Knocklomena mountains to Sneem where we overnighted at the Sneem Hotel (€119) with dinner at at Sacre Coeur Restaurant (€75). The final leg of this made-up Tours Of The Ring was along the north shore of the Bay Of Kenmare back to our start point and had a fabulous meat at An Leath Phingin Eile restaurant. If you are not restricted to having to “do the ring” on a bus tour I’d highly recommend touring on the interior roads for a true taste of the spectacular Kerry mountains.

The drive along the Amalfi coast is spectacular and not to be missed, but I’d suggest that it’s not for the feint-hearted, nervous or unconfident driver. The road twists, turns, dives and climbs continually and is extremely narrow especially the stretch between Amalfi and Praiano. We drove this in the quiet season (March) I think it must be stressful, frustrating and dangerous in the summer.
I think that a much more pleasant and in some parts equally scenic road is a bit further down the coast from Santa Maria Di Castellabate to Marina Di Camerota in the Cilento region. Far, far less traffic.

It looks beautiful. I will be going in March spending time on the Sorrento peninsular and the remaining time in the Cilento National Park.

Just wander around the narrow streets and alleys.

A real fantasy palace, the result of a fantastic imagination and plenty of money to indulge it. It’s a long hike up from the town, though you can drive to the gates. There’s then plenty of walking to do to reach the palace proper but it’s worth the effort. There is one spot where you can see this view, in fact a 360 degree view all round; terrific.

Allez les Anglais.
Having just beaten France in Paris we are now on our way to winning/retaining the Rugby World Cup.
Here in the middle of England the town, which is the birthplace of the game, is flying the flags high. If you enjoy this sport you should visit this small market town and it’s museum dedicated to the game, and the home of the official “Gilbert” balls which have been made here since 1823.

I wonder how many people know of the important developments that took place in the UK town of Rugby which enabled our ability to now fly all over the world.
Sir Frank Whittle developed his design for a jet engine at Rugby. The BTH company (now Alstom Power) build his first experimental jet engine, a “WU” (Whittle Unit). The very first runs of his jet engine were at Rugby in April 1937. The “WU” was a direct forerunner of the engines that now power all the jet planes that takes us around the planet.

Baddesley Clinton is just north of Warwick. The large fortified manor house was established sometime in the 13th century. The house as it now exists has extensive gardens and ponds, with many of the farm buildings dating back to the 18th century. St. Michael’s church, which shares much history with the house, and is wonderful to visit in its own right, is just a few hundred yards up a lane. Inside the house are a beautiful great hall, parlour and library, amongst other rooms, and there is a great deal of 16th century carving and furniture to be seen, as well as the 19th century accessories the later inhabitants used. The stained glass throughout is also a nice feature.

was in 1969, before it became famous for the summer festival. It was a very different place then; a sleepy market town. Many places had notices in their windows saying “no men with long hair, no hippies”, how times change, it’s now hippy nirvana.

If you are tempted to swim in any of the harbours in the Cinque Terre take care. The water appears clear and warm but in the smaller villages the sewerage outfalls discharge very close by and a unhealthy looking brown scum with identifiable waste floats on the surface of the water. Vernazza and Monterosso seemed to be the least effected, Corniglia was the worst as the harbour is more enclosed.