Good Afternoon-----

Better late than never! here I am to join in with Annies smiles.......
I have just had a wonderful 5 days holiday. I was going to go next year for a significant birthday....... but not being able to see into the future, I decided to go now.!!
I went to stay at Corsewall Lighthouse on the West coast of Scotland, near Stranraer, we came upon it last year when on holiday with my Grandson and his girlfriend. I said if I won the pools or the lottery, I would be going, but by not doing either, my luck was not going to be in!
The location of course is stunning,

A small private hotel that was all I had been hoping for and more.

I spent hours wathching the waves crashing around the rocks, discovering where an iron age stttlement was built, finding the slipway that was used many years ago......

Idecided to stay in a stone cottage with a HUGE conservatory, facing the lighthouse ,just about 300 metres walk away, but I have magnificent views at night of the light, which is now automated, the ferries coming and going from Cainryan to Larne and Belfast.Frome the right I could see Ayr, Isle of Arran, The Isle Of Mull and to the left was Ireland. Blue skies all week but chilly and windy some days. A 5 course meal each evening, a very large breakfast every morning, and the odd glass of red, put W/W through the window lol............

How colse do they Come !!

I went to visit Port Patrick which is a charming small village, of course all fishing long gone, it has it,s own small lighthouse , I sat outside for lunch watching the sun shining like diamonds on the water

Could believe that down the road they were having rain and snow!!!! And the sunsets were wonderful

Then I moved to Dumfries for two nights in a Victorian Terrace Guest house which still has some lovely original features, including a super winding staircase.

I was up early and after a big breakfast of creamy porridge, and full Scottish breakfast with toast and marmalade to follow ( I could not find anything with W/Watcher points so had to make a guess lol!)

I went to visit Robert Burns House, His Mausoleum, the suspension bridge over the river. I went to the old corn mill about 5 miles away which is closed for renovation, and to Sweetheart Abbey, which has such a sad story. ( most will have given up the will to live by now so won't go into it ) so much letf to see as it was built in the 1200's

her tomb and efigy are still standing, open to the elements

I can't seem much of our buildings lasting so long or being so beautiful

As I made my way home, I visited the Devils Porridge Museum near Gretna, a facinating history from WW1 when a factory, 2 towns, infrastcture and road and rail were built to produce bombs and shells for the men fighting for us. The girls came from all over the country to do this war work, because of the chemicals used, they lost thier teeth, the skin turned yellow and the hair turned orange. Without them, we would have lost the war. Finally, I called in a t Gretna Green, there had just been a wedding and the piper was coming out of the chapel.

 Sorry it has been such a long post !!!!

Hugs Tilly x