Tag Archives: Travel

The story of Betty Corrigall, Hoy, Orkeny Islands

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The story of Betty Corrigall is sad and so fitting of Hoy.

Hoy a small wind swept island in the Orkney Islands and is home to a very sad story of love and despair. In the late 1700s a girl, just 27, fell in love with a sailor and became pregnant too him. It was a time when such a thing was shunned, particularly in such a religious place.

Betty was alone for her lover on learning she was pregnant returned to the sea, never to be seen by her again. What was she to do? She would be shunned by all and sundry. She would have no means to support her soon to be born child. For her it was a hopeless situation.

Tragically she felt she had no alternative but to take her own life. Continue reading →

A Short Stop in the Eternal City, Rome, Italy

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As generally happens over an extended holiday, some days are better than others and I would have to say the latter few days in the UK and Ireland were not the best of our trip. Pouring rain to greet and farewell us in The Lake District, high winds in Wales, a cancelled ferry and then no cabs at the ferry terminal in Dublin when we eventually arrived had made for a less than ideal few days, but that was all about to change!

As we flew along the Italian Coast, I felt an uplift in spirit and a regret that we had not scheduled more time in Rome before going home, but getting bathroom renovations completed before Christmas and my PhD meant we needed to be home.

With only a couple of days in Rome, all we could do was enjoy a coffee or two, some gelato, pasta an Aperol Spritz (perhaps more than one) and the chaos that is Rome. Just wonderful.

The weather was bright for our arrival. Flying into Rome the country side was so different to what we’d seen in the previous  6 weeks. The patchwork quilt of green replaced by the grey browns of a countryside that has experienced a Mediterranean Summer and a bright blue big sky.

Once on the ground we were through immigration in no time Continue reading →

Time to take it slowly, Edinburgh to York

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    Durham Cathedral

After a few days walking the streets of Edinburgh it was into the hire car and off to York.

We’ re just over halfway into our trip and I was feeling like I had sensory overload.

I’d packed so much into our time in Scotland. There was so much I wanted to see, that I’d broken with the vow of Slow Travel. Our arrival in Edinburgh and our decision to rent an Airbnb apartment rather than stay in a hotel or B&B meant we could go at our own pace. Continue reading →

The Diary of a Slow Traveller – Walking in Edinburgh, Scotland

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Walking around Edinburgh is the best way to see it. It’s narrow streets and closes. It’s history, galleries museums, houses and pubs. These are not seen from the top level of a double decker bus or car. They are seen by walking, stopping and looking, not cruising by. For us walking makes it our own journey of discovery, not someone else’s pre-packaged highlights reel.

If we hadn’t been walking in Edinburgh, we would not have seen the wonderful textile exhibition at the Dovecot Gallery. The Dovecot Gallery and coffee shop are in a side street,  a short walk from the Royal Mile.

Dovecot Gallery

Dovecot Gallery

We stumbled on the Museum, sure, it was on our list but Continue reading →