Road Trip!

Although Matthew and I have still not braved driving on the opposite side of the road, we have more daring friends than us, and so on a crisp, Autumn day we set off for a road trip through Dumfries to take in the scenery and the sites.

Our first stop was Sweetheart Abbey, a former Cistercian Monastery. It gets its poetic name from a love story -  Dervorguilla of Galloway funded it in memory of her husband, John de Balliol (father of the future  John Balliol, King of Scotland, puppet king to Edward I of England) and had his heart buried on the grounds.  At her death she was buried beside her husband's heart.

Sweetheart Abbey

The many arches in the nave.

Long view of the nave.

The wooden doors mystified me - a modern security precaution?

The ruined rose window.

The Abbey grounds.  I liked that the stonework around the doorway still exists.

The abbey has a really interesting graveyard just beyond it.

A small glimpse of the autumnal foliage in the background.

After poking around Sweetheart Abbey, we were off to Caerlaverock Castle - my new favourite Historic Scotland site (along with Linlithgow Palace, Dirleton Castle, and Inchcolm Abbey which I have also blogged about!). Why is it my new favourite site, you ask? BECAUSE IT HAS A MOAT!!!!!!  I don't know why we are fed the image of moated castles so much as children because for the most part if castles have moats, they are dry.  So to encounter a ruined castle with its moat still intact was enchanting.  It made me very aware that I am living in a very ancient country filled with the stuff of magical, fantastical, storybook goings-on.

Our first view of Caerlaverock Castle. Note that you cannot yet distinguish the moat.

Matthew in his tour guide mode as we prepare to cross over the moat.

Matthew highlights key features in the stonework of the aristocracy's apartments.

The back of the castle is largely in ruin.

Living quarters of the nobility (the Maxwells), stables to the left.

The pictures of the moat begin.  Brace yourself, I went a little crazy.

The moat being moaty.

Did I mention that the castle is a triangle?  Another reason this site is so fantabulous.

Matthew with the moat.

A good shot of the ruinous nature of the castle.

The ruins (and the moat!) from a different angle.

Yet another view of the moat and the ruins.

The adventuring did not stop there.  After this it was a race against the sun to get to the Ruthwell parish church to see their early medieval standing cross.  It is carved with images of Christ and the apostles with a poem written in runes.  Runes, people. Like in Lord of the Rings only real and old. If that wasn't cool enough, to gain entry to the church, you walk a few yards to the manse to obtain the church key which is kept in a mounted briefcase-type box.  I think I love small towns.  :)

Ruthwell Parish Church

The honour system is in place for visitors to let themselves in.

Matthew does the honours. (Ha!)

Matthew, Nathan with Hattie, and Bethany admiring the Ruthwell Cross.  It sits in a pit, so it is about 3 feet taller than it looks here.

With daylight fading fast, we made one more stop at Banks East Turret on Hadrian's Wall before driving home.

Matthew and Nathan walk the wall.

A view across Northumberland with the requisite sheep.

Me atop the ruins of Banks East Turret.

All in all, a very excellent day of adventuring through the monument-dotted landscape of the south of Scotland and the North of England.