Green Jacket Guy

Familiar faces Josie and Geoff at the end of eight days in Wales seeing 4 castles at Caernarfon Conwy Harlech and Beaumarais which make up the set included as a World Heritage series of sites. We also visited the famous Tintern Abbey, the very special medieval Church at Kilpeck, with it famous corbel carvings. The early Christian site of St Govan hanging precipitously from the cliffs overlooking the Bristol Channel. Wales has dozens of Neolithic burial sites and we managed to squeeze several into a busy program.

The Green Jacket Guy wishes everyone a Happy Christmas from Dublin

Happy 4th of July everyone from Ireland

So farewell Nancy Pam Dave and Rusty. Wonderful people and a pleasure to tour with them.

On our last day Nancy Pam Dave and Rusty visit Kelvingrove museum and art gallery, a quick look at the Georgian Square in the centre of the city and then to Glasgow Cathedral

Nancy Pam Dave and Rusty continue their action packed tour of Scotland with s cruise on Loch Ness and then to beautiful Oban to take the 'Three Isles' tour to Mull, Iona and Fingal's Cave on Staffa.

Nancy and Dave, Pam and Rusty at the 5000 year old Clava Cairns and the now world famous 'Outlander' standing stone before a visit to the Culloden battlefield.

Nancy Dave Pam and Rusty on the iconic Swilcan Bridge at St Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Club and lunch in the clubhouse. Then on to Balmoral Castle, where Queen Elizabeth died last year.

Nancy Pam Dave and Rusty at the Palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh Scotland to begin their tour. We visIt historic Edinburgh Castle and go out and about in the sun drenched Grassmarket area, where the public gallows once stood!

So farewell to Noelle Pete Diana and Alix. Hope we meet again

Touring beautiful County Donegal, Noelle Pete Diana and Alix visit the 1900 feet Sliabh Líg Cliffs, one of the gorgeous beaches on the Western Seaboard and the Assaranca Waterfall. As requested by US Navy veteran Pete, we include a visit to Fort Dunree which overlooks Lough Swilly and was the safe haven for the British Grand Fleet during WW1

Back in Ireland Noelle Pete Diana and Alexandra visit Carrickfergus Castle where King William landed to meet the deposed King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, and to the Guildhall in Derry to learn the history of the late Sixteenth and early Seventeenth Century Plantation of Ireland which led in due course to that very historic and pivotal battle. The mural is of the recent TV series Derry Girls which has become a huge Netflix hit.

On our last day in Scotland before heading to Ireland Noelle Pete Diana and Alexandra are in Glasgow visiting the Cathedral of St Mungo and surveying the pictures at Kelvingrove

A Movie/TV theme today as Noelle risks transportation back in time at the famous standing stone at Clava as seen in Outlander while Pete examines the interior of a 4000 year old burial cairn. Then on to Loch Ness to cruise on the Jacobite Maverick, followed by the Jacobite Steam Train now more familiar as the Harry Potter Express. This is always a highlight of my tours in Scotland, with a steam train trip through dramatic mountains, over the famous viaduct brilliantly assisted by wonderful staff.

At the gates of Balmoral with Noelle and Pete, Alexandra and Diana, visiting the Castle and the estate so beloved of the late Queen, and where she died last year.

Back to Scotland with Noelle and Pete with daughters Diana and Alexandra to visit Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh Castle the tomb of Robert the Bruce in Dunfermline.

Last day in Wales for Debie Adele Gloria and Rick before the ferry to Dublin we stay in the historic medieval walled town of Caernarfon with its inevitable castle, this one a World Heritage Site. Then on to the island of Anglesey to visit two Neolithic sites, Bodowyr Burial Chamber (Dolmen) and Barclodiad y Gawres passage tomb.

Wandering into England briefly to visit Liverpool, the city of two cathedrals, one a little older than the other, the Roman city of Chester and back in Wales the monster castle of Conwy.

Adele Gloria Debie and Rick in the magnificent St Davids Cathedral, originally a 13th century church with most of the present building from the 15th century.

On to the medieval walled town of Tenby in South Wales with its gorgeous little port and beach. Adele Gloria Debie and Rick visit St Mary's 15th century church and tour the walls with its 5 arches.

Adele Gloria Debie and Rick on tour in Wales, so lots of Castles to see. Her we are in Caerphilly, Cardiff and Carmathen.

Debie, Adele. Gloria and Rick in the medieval university city of Oxford visiting Christ Church, Baliol. Magdalen and Trinity colleges and arriving in the middle of the Oxford Folk Festival. Then through the beautiful Cotswolds countryside to the Roman city of Bath and a visit to the Abbey.

So farewell Josie and Geoff on their way back to Glastonbury CT USA

Josie and Geoff continuing their tour of ancient sites visit Dysert Abbey and Castle with its fabulous Romanesque door (stronghold of the O'Dea clan), on to Aughnanure Castle (ancestral home of the O'Flaherty clan). Enthroned at the wonderful Abbeyglen Castle Hotel and touring through Connemara (on the only rainy day of the tour) and finally to the Carrowmore Megalithic Graveyard in County Sligo.

Josie is a sculptor and like to spend time among 5000 year old Neolithic stone circles and this Wedge Tomb on Lough Gur in County Limerick. We also visited St Mary's Cathedral in Limerick city.

Josie and Geoff visiting another stone circle in Kenmare then through the Black Valley to the FitzGerald Castle in Newcastle West base for the 16th Century Desmond Rebellion againt Queen Elizabeth 1st. Note the restored Great Hall with the Irish Oak roof

On a gorgeous Spring day we tour the entire Beara Peninsula, in West County Cork surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and featuring several stunning Neolithic Standing Stone Circles and traversing the Healy Pass

Old friends Josie and Geoff back to Ireland again. This time visiting the ruins of The Rock of Dunamase. Destroyed by Oliver Cromwell in 1650 on his way to besiege Kilkenny Castle. We explore St Canice's Cathedral in the city and the famous Black Abbey, headquarters of the Irish Confederation which threatened the English Colonial power and brought Cromwell to Ireland. The gorgeous stained glass windows are a treat to see. Finally we visit Cahir Castle one of the finest and best preserved medieval castles on the island.

The Green Jacket Guy wishes all of his friends Happy St Patrick's Day