It’s difficult to TOP West Cork

When the weather is as nice as it is now, there’s nowhere like West Cork. Rolling hills and beautiful countryside, trees heavy with leaves and flowers in bloom, friendly people, and loads of things to do.

One way is Bantry, Ballydehob is the other way. We were headed to Ballydehob when I stopped for a few quick photos.


Apertureƒ/6.3
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/400s

The Wild Beauty of Coumeenoole Beach

Coumeenoole Beach at the end of the Dingle Peninsula is a favourite spot on a drive around that headland. It’s dangerous to swim there, but it’s such a picturesque area we always end up there every time we visit the area.

Coumeenoole Beach gained international fame after being featured in the 1970 film “Ryan’s Daughter,” directed by David Lean, which showcased its dramatic cliffs and sweeping scenery to audiences around the world


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/100s

A Monkey Attraction

A man walks through Jemaa el-Fnaa in Marrakesh with a monkey on a chain, looking for tourists who will have their photo taken with his companion.

We humans don’t treat animals well.


Apertureƒ/5.6
CameraCanon EOS 40D
Focal length179mm
ISO500
Shutter speed1/200s

Lifebuoy on Duty

It’s reassuring to see lifebuoys at the beach, especially when the sea is rough. Unfortunately, not every person in distress in the water can be saved, as has happened at this beach in Youghal in the past.


Apertureƒ/6.3
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length106mm
ISO160
Shutter speed1/500s

Curiosity in the Old Town

We were wandering up the Royal Mile in Edinburgh when I spotted these two women looking up. At what, I’m not sure, there wasn’t anything special in the building they were looking at. Is there such a thing as “Edinburgh Neck”?


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/640s

The Tranquil Waters of Robert’s Cove

Robert’s Cove in Co. Cork looked particularly spectacular this afternoon when I visited. We arrived to a sudden shower of rain, but it soon stopped, and we wandered up the path alongside the cliff away from the beach.

Panoramas really don’t post well online. I need to do something like they do on Instagram where they break it up into 3 identical sized images and the gallery allows you to scroll from left to right smoothly. An idea for a new WordPress block?

Two podcast episodes you might like:


Apertureƒ/4.5
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/640s

A Quiet Walk on Cape Clear

Two people walking along the road by the south harbour on a pleasant, warm day in 2013. I haven’t been back there in a long time, but hopefully, I’ll make a return this summer.


Apertureƒ/6.3
CameraCanon EOS 6D
Focal length105mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/250s

The Sandal Seller of Athens

Off Monastiraki Square, Athens, along a narrow street filled with small shops, I found a man leaning on the door of his shoe shop.


Apertureƒ/2.8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO800
Shutter speed1/500s

A Tartan Souvenir Moment

A woman inspects a set of playable junior bagpipes that her husband bought in a nearby tourist store near Edinburgh Castle, Scotland.

She smiles, but I’m not sure if she’s happy. 😉

Did you know, the bagpipes, often considered Scotland’s national instrument, actually have ancient origins that trace back to the Middle East before finding their iconic home in the Highlands?


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length16mm
ISO200
Shutter speed1/500s

A Selfie with Deacon Brodie

What! You’re looking at your phone! I imagine Deacon Brodie would be amazed at technology today.

Apparently he was a “respected cabinetmaker by day and a burglar by night, making him one of Edinburgh’s most notorious historical figures”


Apertureƒ/3.5
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO640
Shutter speed1/500s

Visitors in The Great Hall

The Great Hall in Edinburgh Castle is a popular part of the castle, with visitors milling around throughout the day.

Here’s some info about the hall that I got from Perplexity. Sources are linked and makes for an interesting read. I was surprised it didn’t mention that Oliver Cromwell preserved the roof when he had it plastered over. That was something the guide mentioned.

History of the Great Hall in Edinburgh Castle

The Great Hall at Edinburgh Castle is a remarkable structure completed in 1511 for King James IV of Scotland.236 This medieval wonder measures 29 by 12.5 metres (95 by 41 ft) and served as the chief place of state assembly within the castle.5 While historians have occasionally disagreed about its exact dating, it is generally attributed to the early years of the 16th century during James IV’s reign.5

Architectural Features

The hall’s most distinctive feature is its magnificent wooden roof, considered one of the most superb in Britain.236 It features giant beams resting on stones carved with heads and symbols such as the thistle, a national badge of Scotland.236 This is one of only two medieval halls in Scotland that still retains its original hammerbeam roof.5 The decorative carved stone corbels supporting the roof display Renaissance detailing comparable to works at Blois, France, from around 1515, indicating that Scottish arts were relatively advanced for the time.5

Historical Timeline

James IV had little opportunity to enjoy his new grand hall, as he was killed just two years later at the Battle of Flodden in 1513, fighting against the forces of his brother-in-law, King Henry VIII of England.236

During its early years, the Great Hall hosted grand banquets and state events, though there is no evidence that the Scottish Parliament ever met here, despite some common misconceptions.2356

A significant change came in 1650 when Oliver Cromwell’s army captured Edinburgh Castle and began transforming the Great Hall into a military barracks.2356 By 1737, the hall was subdivided into three storeys to accommodate 312 soldiers.5

Following the construction of New Barracks in the 1790s, the Great Hall was converted into a military hospital.5 It continued in this function until the troops finally left in 1886/1897 (sources vary slightly on the exact date).2356

After its military use ended, the Great Hall was restored to its medieval splendour by architect Hippolyte Blanc, who worked according to contemporary Victorian ideas of medieval architecture.5 Today, the hall displays weapons and armour that reference its military past, including distinctive pole arms like the feared Lochaber axe.236

In modern times, the Great Hall is still occasionally used for ceremonial occasions and has served as a venue for BBC Scotland’s Hogmanay Live programme.5


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length16mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/2s

Architectural Waves by the Sea

It’s been a few years since I’ve been in Malaga. This one is from November 2018 on a lovely sunny day. I love the “Palmeral de las Sorpresas” pergola is an eye-catching structure along the promenade.


Apertureƒ/9
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO125
Shutter speed1/400s