Snowdonia, or Eryri is a mountainous region and national park in North Wales. It contains all 15 mountains in Wales over 3000 feet high, including the country's highest, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), which is 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) tall. These peaks are all part of the Snowdon, Glyderau, and Carneddau ranges in the north of the region. The shorter Moelwynion and Moel Hebog ranges lie immediately to the south.

 

The national park has an area of 823 square miles (2,130 km2) (the fourth-largest in the UK), and covers most of central and southern Gwynedd and the western part of Conwy County Borough. This is much larger than the area traditionally considered Snowdonia, and in addition to the five ranges above includes the Rhinogydd, Cadair Idris, and Aran ranges and the Dyfi Hills. It also includes most of the coast between Porthmadog and Aberdyfi. The park was the first of the three national parks of Wales to be designated, in October 1951, and the third in the UK after the Peak District and Lake District, which were established in April and May 1951 respectively. The park received 3.89 million visitors in 2015.

 

The name Snowdon means 'snow hill' and is derived from the Old English elements snāw and dūn, the latter meaning 'hill'. Snowdonia is simply taken from the name of the mountain.

 

The origins of Eryri are less clear. Two popular interpretations are that the name is related to eryr, 'eagle', and that it means 'highlands' and is related to the Latin oriri ('to rise'). Although eryri is not any direct form of the word eryr in the meaning 'eagle', it is a plural form of eryr in the meaning 'upland'.

 

Before the boundaries of the national park were designated, "Snowdonia" was generally used to refer to a smaller upland area of northern Gwynedd centred on the Snowdon massif. The national park covers an area more than twice that size, extending south into the Meirionnydd area.

 

This difference is apparent in books published before 1951. In George Borrow's 1907 Wild Wales he states that "Snowdon or Eryri is no single hill, but a mountainous region, the loftiest part of which is called Y Wyddfa", making a distinction between the summit of the mountain and the surrounding massif. The Mountains of Snowdonia by H. Carr & G. Lister (1925) defines "Eryri" as "composed of the two cantrefs of Arfon and Arllechwedd, and the two commotes of Nant Conwy and Eifionydd", which corresponds to Caernarfonshire with the exception of southwest Llŷn and the Creuddyn Peninsula. In Snowdonia: The National Park of North Wales (1949), F. J. North states that "When the Committee delineated provisional boundaries, they included areas some distance beyond Snowdonia proper".

 

Snowdonia National Park, also known as Eryri National Park in English and Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri in Welsh, was established in October 1951. It was the third national park in the United Kingdom, following the Peak District and Lake District in April and May of the same year. It covers 827 square miles (2,140 km2) in the counties of Gwynedd and Conwy, and has 37 miles (60 km) of coastline.

 

The park is governed by the Snowdonia National Park Authority, which has 18 members: 9 appointed by Gwynedd, 3 by Conwy, and 6 by the Welsh Government to represent the national interest. The authority's main offices are at Penrhyndeudraeth.

 

The park authority used Snowdonia and Snowdon when referring to the national park and mountain in English until February 2023, when it resolved to primarily use the Welsh names, Eryri and Yr Wyddfa. There will be a transitional period of approximately two years in which the authority will continue to use the English names in parentheses — for example "Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)" — where the context requires.

 

Unlike national parks in other countries, national parks in the UK are made up of both public and private lands under a central planning authority. The makeup of land ownership in the national park is as follows:

 

More than 26,000 people live within the park, of whom 58.6% could speak Welsh in 2011. While most of the land is either open or mountainous land, there is a significant amount of agricultural activity within the park.

 

The national park does not include the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, which forms a unique non-designated enclave within the park boundaries. The town was deliberately excluded from the park when it was established because of its slate quarrying industry. The boundaries of the Peak District National Park exclude the town of Buxton and its adjacent limestone quarries for a similar reason.

 

The geology of Snowdonia is key to the area's character. Glaciation during a succession of ice ages, has carved from a heavily faulted and folded succession of sedimentary and igneous rocks, a distinctive rocky landscape. The last ice age ended only just over 11,500 years ago, leaving a legacy of features attractive to visitors but which have also played a part in the development of geological science and continue to provide a focus for educational visits. Visiting Cwm Idwal in 1841 Charles Darwin realised that the landscape was the product of glaciation. The bedrock dates largely from the Cambrian and Ordovician periods with intrusions of Ordovician and Silurian age associated with the Caledonian Orogeny. There are smaller areas of Silurian age sedimentary rocks in the south and northeast and of Cenozoic era strata on the Cardigan Bay coast though the latter are concealed by more recent deposits. Low grade metamorphism of Cambrian and Ordovician mudstones has resulted in the slates, the extraction of which once formed the mainstay of the area's economy.

 

The principal ranges of the traditional Snowdonia are the Snowdon massif itself, the Glyderau, the Carneddau, the Moelwynion and the Moel Hebog range. All of Wales' 3000ft mountains are to be found within the first three of these massifs and are most popular with visitors. To their south within the wider national park are the Rhinogydd and the Cadair Idris and Aran Fawddwy ranges. Besides these well-defined areas are a host of mountains which are less readily grouped though various guidebook writers have assigned them into groups such as the 'Arenigs', the 'Tarrens' and the 'Dyfi hills'.

 

Snowdon's summit at 1085 metres (3560 feet) is the highest in Wales and the highest in Britain south of the Scottish Highlands. At 905 metres (2970 feet) Aran Fawddwy is the highest in Wales outside of northern Snowdonia; Cadair Idris, at 893 metres (2930 feet), is next in line.

 

Rivers draining the area empty directly into Cardigan Bay are typically short and steep. From north to south they include the Glaslyn and Dwyryd which share a common estuary, the Mawddach and its tributaries the Wnion and the Eden, the smaller Dysynni and on the park's southern margin the Dyfi. A series of rivers drain to the north coast. Largest of these is the Conwy on the park's eastern margin which along with the Ogwen drains into Conwy Bay. Further west the Seiont and Gwyrfai empty into the western end of the Menai Strait. A part of the east of the national park is within the upper Dee (Dyfrydwy) catchment and includes Bala Lake, the largest natural waterbody in Wales. A fuller list of the rivers and tributaries within the area is found at List of rivers of Wales.

 

There are few natural waterbodies of any size in Wales; Snowdonia is home to most. Besides Bala Lake, a few lakes occupy glacial troughs including Llyn Padarn and Llyn Peris at Llanberis and Tal-y-llyn Lake south of Cadair Idris. Llyn Dinas, Llyn Gwynant, and Llyn Cwellyn to the south and west of Snowdon feature in this category as do Llyn Cowlyd and Llyn Ogwen on the margins of the Carneddau. There are numerous small lakes occupying glacial cirques owing to the former intensity of glacial action in Snowdonia. Known generically as tarns, examples include Llyn Llydaw, Glaslyn and Llyn Du'r Arddu on Snowdon, Llyn Idwal within the Glyderau and Llyn Cau on Cadair Idris.

 

There are two large wholly man-made bodies of water in the area, Llyn Celyn and Llyn Trawsfynydd whilst numerous of the natural lakes have had their levels artificially raised to different degrees. Marchlyn Mawr reservoir and Ffestiniog Power Station's Llyn Stwlan are two cases where natural tarns have been dammed as part of pumped storage hydro-electric schemes. A fuller list of the lakes within the area is found at List of lakes of Wales. In 2023, the park standardised its Welsh language lake names, to be also used in English.

 

The national park meets the Irish Sea coast within Cardigan Bay between the Dovey estuary in the south and the Dwyryd estuary. The larger part of that frontage is characterised by dune systems, the largest of which are Morfa Dyffryn and Morfa Harlech. These two locations have two of the largest sand/shingle spits in Wales. The major indentations of the Dovey, the Mawddach and Dwyryd estuaries, have large expanses of intertidal sands and coastal marsh which are especially important for wildlife: see #Natural history. The northern tip of the national park extends to the north coast of Wales at Penmaen-bach Point, west of Conwy, where precipitous cliffs have led to the road and railway negotiating the spot in tunnels.

 

There are only three towns within the park boundary, though there are several more immediately beyond it. Dolgellau is the most populous followed by Bala on the eastern boundary and then Harlech overlooking Tremadog Bay. More populous than these is the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, which is within an exclave, that is to say it is surrounded by the national park but excluded from it, whilst the towns of Tywyn and Barmouth on the Cardigan Bay coast are within coastal exclaves. Llanrwst in the east, Machynlleth in the south and Porthmadog and Penrhyndeudraeth in the west are immediately beyond the boundary but still identified with the park; indeed the last of these hosts the headquarters of the Snowdonia National Park Authority. Similarly the local economies of the towns of Conwy, Bethesda, and Llanberis in the north are inseparably linked to the national park as they provide multiple visitor services. The lower terminus of the Snowdon Mountain Railway is at Llanberis. Though adjacent to it, Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr are less obviously linked to the park.

 

There are numerous smaller settlements within the national park: prominent amongst these are the eastern 'gateway' village of Betws-y-Coed, Aberdyfi on the Dovey (Dyfi) estuary and the small village of Beddgelert each of which attract large numbers of visitors. Other sizeable villages are Llanuwchllyn at the southwest end of Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid), Dyffryn Ardudwy, Corris, Trawsfynydd, Llanbedr, Trefriw and Dolwyddelan.

 

Six primary routes serve Snowdonia, the busiest of which is the A55, a dual carriageway which runs along the north coast and provides strategic road access to the northern part of the national park. The most important north–south route within the park is the A470 running from the A55 south past Betws-y-Coed to Blaenau Ffestiniog to Dolgellau. It exits the park a few miles to the southeast near Mallwyd. From Dolgellau, the A494 runs to Bala whilst the A487 connects with Machynlleth. The A487 loops around the northwest of the park from Bangor via Caernarfon to Porthmadog before turning in land to meet the A470 east of Maentwrog. The A5 was built as a mail coach road by Thomas Telford between London and Holyhead; it enters the park near Pentrefoelas and leaves it near Bethesda. Other A class roads provide more local links; the A493 down the Dovey valley from Machynlleth and up the coast to Tywyn then back up the Mawddach valley to Dolgellau, the A496 from Dolgellau down the north side of the Mawddach to Barmouth then north up the coast via Harlech to Maentwrog. The A4212 connecting Bala with Trawsfynydd is relatively modern having been laid out in the 1960s in connection with the construction of Llyn Celyn. Three further roads thread their often twisting and narrow way through the northern mountains; A4085 links Penrhyndeudraeth with Caernarfon, the A4086 links Capel Curig with Caernarfon via Llanberis and the A498 links Tremadog with the A4086 at Pen-y-Gwryd. Other roads of note include that from Llanuwchllyn up Cwm Cynllwyd to Dinas Mawddwy via the 545 metre (1788') high pass of Bwlch y Groes, the second highest tarmacked public road in Wales and the minor road running northwest and west from Llanuwchllyn towards Bronaber via the 531 metre (1742') high pass of Bwlch Pen-feidiog.

 

The double track North Wales Coast Line passes along the northern boundary of the park between Conwy and Bangor briefly entering it at Penmaen-bach Point where it is in tunnel. Stations serve the communities of Conwy, Penmaenmawr, Llanfairfechan and Bangor. The single-track Conwy Valley Line runs south from Llandudno Junction, entering the park north of Betws-y-coed which is served by a station then west up the Lledr valley by way of further stations at Pont-y-pant, Dolwyddelan and Roman Bridge. After passing through a tunnel the passenger line now terminates at Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station. Prior to 1961 the route continued as the Bala and Ffestiniog Railway via Trawsfynydd to Bala joining another former route along the Dee valley which ran southwest via Dolgellau to join the still extant coastal Cambrian Line south of Barmouth. The Pwllheli branch of the Cambrian Line splits from the Aberystwyth branch at Dovey Junction and continues via stations at Aberdovey, Tywyn, Tonfanau, Llwyngwril, Fairbourne and Morfa Mawddach to Barmouth where it crosses the Mawddach estuary by the Grade II* listed wooden Barmouth Bridge, a structure which also provides for walkers and cyclists. Further stations serve Llanaber, Tal-y-bont, Dyffryn Ardudwy, Llanbedr, Pensarn and Llandanwg before reaching Harlech. Tygwyn, Talsarnau and Llandecwyn stations are the last before the line exits the park as it crosses the Dwyryd estuary via Pont Briwet and turns westwards bound for Pwllheli via Penrhyndeudraeth, Porthmadog and Criccieth.

 

Many sections of dismantled railway are now used by walking and cycling routes and are described elsewhere. The Bala Lake Railway is a heritage railway which has been established along a section of the former mainline route between Bala and Llanuwchllyn. Other heritage railways occupy sections of former mineral lines, often narrow gauge and are described in a separate section.

 

The national park is served by a growing bus network, branded Sherpa'r Wyddfa (formerly Snowdon Sherpa). Together with the TrawsCymru network of buses this provides a car-free option to tourists and locals wishing to travel across the National Park.

 

The network was relaunched in July 2022 with a new brand, Sherpa'r Wyddfa, to reflect the National Park's new push for the promotion of Welsh place names. As such the publicity and websites for the newly branded service only use these Welsh names, even for English language users.

 

Snowdonia is one of the wettest parts of the United Kingdom; Crib Goch in Snowdonia is the wettest spot in the United Kingdom, with an average rainfall of 4,473 millimetres (176.1 in) a year over the 30-year period prior to the mid-2000s. (There is a rainfall gauge at 713 metres, 2340' on the slopes below Crib Goch.)

 

The earliest evidence for human occupation of the area dates from around 4000–3000 BCE with extensive traces of prehistoric field systems evident in the landscape. Within these are traces of irregular enclosures and hut circles. There are burial chambers of Neolithic and Bronze Age such as Bryn Cader Faner and Iron Age hillforts such as Bryn y Castell near Ffestiniog.

 

The region was finally conquered by the Romans by AD 77–78. Remains of Roman marching camps and practice camps are evident. There was a Roman fort and amphitheatre at Tomen y Mur. Roads are known to have connected with Segontium (Caernarfon) and Deva Victrix (Chester) and include the northern reaches of Sarn Helen.

 

There are numerous memorial stones of Early Christian affinity dating from the post-Roman period. The post-Roman hillfort of Dinas Emrys also dates to this time. Churches were introduced to the region in the 5th and 6th centuries. Llywelyn the Great and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd had various stone castles constructed to protect their borders and trade routes. Edward I built several castles around the margins including those at Harlech and Conwy for military and administrative reasons. Most are now protected within a World Heritage Site. Some of Snowdonia's many stone walls date back to this period too. In the Middle Ages, the title Prince of Wales and Lord of Snowdonia (Tywysog Cymru ac Arglwydd Eryri) was used by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd; his grandfather Llywelyn Fawr used the title Prince of north Wales and Lord of Snowdonia.

 

The 18th century saw the start of industrial exploitation of the area's resources, assisted by the appearance in the late part of the century of turnpike trusts making it more accessible. The engineer Thomas Telford left a legacy of road and railway construction in and around Snowdonia. A new harbour at Porthmadog linked to slate quarries at Ffestiniog via a narrow gauge railway. At its peak in the 19th century the slate industry employed around 12,000 men. A further 1000 were employed in stone quarrying at Graiglwyd and Penmaenmawr. Mining for copper, iron and gold was undertaken during the 18th and 19th centuries, leaving a legacy of mine and mill ruins today. Ruins of the gold industry are found at Cefn Coch on the Dolmelynllyn estate.

 

The Snowdonia Society is a registered charity formed in 1967; it is a voluntary group of people with an interest in the area and its protection.

 

Amory Lovins led the successful 1970s opposition to stop Rio Tinto digging up the area for a massive mine.

 

The park's entire coastline is a Special Area of Conservation, which runs from the Llŷn Peninsula down the mid-Wales coast, the latter containing valuable sand dune systems.

 

The park's natural forests are of the mixed deciduous type, the commonest tree being the Welsh oak. Birch, ash, mountain-ash and hazel are also common. The park also contains some large (planted) coniferous forested areas such as Gwydir Forest near Betws-y-Coed, although some areas, once harvested, are now increasingly being allowed to regrow naturally.

 

Northern Snowdonia is the only place in Britain where the Snowdon lily (Gagea serotina), an arctic–alpine plant, is found and the only place in the world where the Snowdonia hawkweed Hieracium snowdoniense grows.

 

One of the major problems facing the park in recent years has been the growth of Rhododendron ponticum. This fast-growing invasive species has a tendency to take over and stifle native species. It can form massive towering growths and has a companion fungus that grows on its roots producing toxins that are poisonous to any local flora and fauna for a seven-year period after the Rhododendron infestations have been eradicated. As a result, there are a number of desolate landscapes.

 

Mammals in the park include otters, polecats, feral goats, and pine martens. Birds include raven, red-billed chough, peregrine, osprey, merlin and the red kite. The rainbow-coloured Snowdon beetle (Chrysolina cerealis) is only found in northern Snowdonia.

 

Snowdonia has a particularly high number of protected sites in respect of its diverse ecology; nearly 20% of its total area is protected by UK and European law. Half of that area was set aside by the government under the European Habitats Directive as a Special Area of Conservation. There are a large number of Sites of special scientific interest (or 'SSSIs'), designated both for fauna and flora but also in some cases for geology. Nineteen of these sites are managed as national nature reserves by Natural Resources Wales. The park also contains twelve Special Areas of Conservation (or 'SACs'), three Special Protection Areas (or 'SPAs') and three Ramsar sites. Some are wholly within the park boundaries, others straddle it to various degrees.

 

There are numerous SSSIs within the park, the most extensive of which are Snowdonia, Migneint-Arenig-Dduallt, Morfa Harlech, Rhinog, Berwyn, Cadair Idris, Llyn Tegid, Aber Mawddach / Mawddach Estuary, Dyfi, Morfa Dyffryn, Moel Hebog, Coedydd Dyffryn Ffestiniog and Coedydd Nanmor.

 

The following NNRs are either wholly or partly within the park: Allt y Benglog, Y Berwyn (in multiple parts), Cader Idris, Ceunant Llennyrch, Coed Camlyn, Coed Cymerau, Coed Dolgarrog, Coed Ganllwyd, Coed Gorswen, Coed Tremadog, Coedydd Aber, Coedydd Maentwrog (in 2 parts), Coed y Rhygen, Cwm Glas Crafnant, Cwm Idwal, Hafod Garregog, Morfa Harlech, Rhinog and Snowdon.

 

The twelve SACs are as follows: Snowdonia SAC which covers much of the Carneddau, Glyderau, and the Snowdon massif, Afon Gwyrfai a Llyn Cwellyn, Corsydd Eifionydd / Eifionydd Fens (north of Garndolbenmaen), the Coedydd Derw a Safleoedd Ystlumod Meirion / Meirionydd Oakwoods and Bat Sites - a series of sites between Tremadog, Trawsfynydd, and Ffestiniog and Beddgelert and extending up the Gwynant. It also includes many of the oakwoods of the Mawddach and its tributaries. Afon Eden – Cors Goch Trawsfynydd, Rhinog, Cadair Idris (in 2 parts), Migneint-Arenig-Dduallt, River Dee and Afon Dyfrdwy a Llyn Tegid (Wales), Mwyngloddiau Fforest Gwydir / Gwydyr Forest Mines (north of Betws-y-Coed) and a part of the Berwyn a Mynyddoedd De Clwyd / Berwyn and South Clwyd Mountains SAC. The Pen Llyn a'r Sarnau / Lleyn Peninsula and the Sarnau SAC covers the entire Cardigan Bay coastline of the park and the sea area and extends above the high water mark at Morfa Harlech, Mochras and around the Dovey and Mawddach estuaries.

 

The three SPAs are Dovey Estuary / Aber Dyfi (of which a part is within the park), Berwyn (of which a part is within the park) and Migneint-Arenig-Dduallt.

 

The three designated Ramsar sites are the Dyfi Biosphere (Cors Fochno and Dyfi), Cwm Idwal and Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake).

 

The area's economy was traditionally centred upon farming and from the early 19th century increasingly on mining and quarrying. Tourism has become an increasingly significant part of Snowdonia's economy during the 20th and 21st centuries.

 

The extensive farming of sheep remains central to Snowdonia's farming economy.

 

Significant sections of the park were afforested during the 20th century for timber production. Major conifer plantations include Dyfi Forest, Coed y Brenin Forest between Dolgellau and Trawsfynydd, Penllyn Forest south of Bala, Beddgelert Forest and Gwydyr (or Gwydir) Forest near Betws-y-Coed which is managed as a forest park by Natural Resources Wales.

 

The region was once the most important producer of slate in the world. Some production continues but at a much reduced level from its peak. The park boundaries are drawn such that much of the landscape affected by slate quarrying and mining lies immediately outside of the designated area.

 

Construction of a nuclear power station beside Llyn Trawsfynydd began in 1959 with the first power produced in 1965. The site was operational until 1991 though it continues as an employer during its decommissioning phase. Pumped storage hydroelectric schemes are in operation at Llanberis and Ffestiniog.

 

Research indicates that there were 3.67 million visitors to Snowdonia National Park in 2013, with approximately 9.74 million tourist days spent in the park during that year. Total tourist expenditure was £433.6 million in 2013.

 

Many of the hikers in the area concentrate on Snowdon itself. It is regarded as a fine mountain, but at times gets very crowded; in addition the Snowdon Mountain Railway runs to the summit.

 

The other high mountains with their boulder-strewn summits as well as Tryfan, one of the few mountains in the UK south of Scotland whose ascent needs hands as well as feet are also very popular. However, there are also some spectacular walks in Snowdonia on the lower mountains, and they tend to be relatively unfrequented. Among hikers' favourites are Y Garn (east of Llanberis) along the ridge to Elidir Fawr; Mynydd Tal-y-Mignedd (west of Snowdon) along the Nantlle Ridge to Mynydd Drws-y-Coed; Moelwyn Mawr (west of Blaenau Ffestiniog); and Pen Llithrig y Wrach north of Capel Curig. Further south are Y Llethr in the Rhinogydd, and Cadair Idris near Dolgellau.

 

The park has 1,479 miles (2,380 km) of public footpaths, 164 miles (264 km) of public bridleways, and 46 miles (74 km) of other public rights of way. A large part of the park is also covered by right to roam laws.

 

The Wales Coast Path runs within the park between Machynlleth and Penrhyndeudraeth, save for short sections of coast in the vicinity of Tywyn and Barmouth which are excluded from the park. It touches the park boundary again at Penmaen-bach Point on the north coast. An inland alternative exists between Llanfairfechan and Conwy, wholly within the park. The North Wales Path, which predates the WCP, enters the park north of Bethesda and follows a route broadly parallel to the north coast visiting Aber Falls and the Sychnant Pass before exiting the park on the descent from Conwy Mountain. The Cambrian Way is a long-distance trail between Cardiff and Conwy that stays almost entirely within the national park from Mallwyd northwards. It was officially recognised in 2019, and is now depicted on Ordnance Survey maps.

 

The use of the English names for the area has been divisive, with an increase in protests against their use since 2020; these led to the national park authority deciding to use Welsh names as far as legally possible in November 2022. An early example of pressure to deprecate Snowdon and Snowdonia was a 2003 campaign by Cymuned, inspired by campaigns to refer to Ayers Rock as Uluru and Mount Everest as Qomolangma.

 

In 2020 an e-petition calling for the removal of the English names was put forward to the Senedd, but rejected as responsibility lies with the national park authority. In 2021 an e-petition on the same topic attracted more than 5,300 signatures and was presented to the national park authority.

 

On 28 April 2021 Gwynedd councillor John Pughe Roberts put forward a motion to use the Welsh names exclusively, calling this a "question of respect for the Welsh language". The motion was not considered and delayed, as the national park authority already appointed a "Welsh Place Names Task and Finish Group" to investigate the issue. The park authority however cannot compel other bodies and/or individuals to stop using the English names, with the proposals facing some criticism.

 

In May 2021, following the dismissal of the motion, YouGov conducted a poll on Snowdon's name. 60% of Welsh adults supported the English name Snowdon, compared to 30% wanting the Welsh name Yr Wyddfa. Separating by language, 59% of Welsh speakers preferred the Welsh name, but 37% of these still wanted Snowdon to be used as well. 69% of non-Welsh speakers firmly supported Snowdon as the Mountain's name. The proposals to rename Snowdon are usually accompanied with proposals to rename Snowdonia.

 

On 16 November 2022, Members of the Snowdonia National Park Authority committee voted to use the Welsh names Yr Wyddfa and Eryri to refer to the mountain and the national park, rather than the English names, in materials produced by the authority. The national park authority described the decision as "decisive action" and the authority's head of culture heritage stated that Welsh place names were part of the area's "special qualities" and that other public bodies, English-language press and filming companies have used the Welsh-language names. Before the decision the park had already prioritised the Welsh names by using them first and giving the English names in parentheses. The name "Snowdonia" cannot be abandoned entirely, as it is set in law and so must be used in statutory documents. The authority announced a review of the authority's branding in 2023 to adapt to the new approach to Welsh place names.

 

Gwynedd is a county in the north-west of Wales. It borders Anglesey across the Menai Strait to the north, Conwy, Denbighshire, and Powys to the east, Ceredigion over the Dyfi estuary to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. The city of Bangor is the largest settlement, and the administrative centre is Caernarfon. The preserved county of Gwynedd, which is used for ceremonial purposes, includes the Isle of Anglesey.

 

Gwynedd is the second largest county in Wales but sparsely populated, with an area of 979 square miles (2,540 km2) and a population of 117,400. After Bangor (18,322), the largest settlements are Caernarfon (9,852), Bethesda (4,735), and Pwllheli (4,076). The county has the highest percentage of Welsh speakers in Wales, at 64.4%, and is considered a heartland of the language.

 

The geography of Gwynedd is mountainous, with a long coastline to the west. Much of the county is covered by Snowdonia National Park (Eryri), which contains Wales's highest mountain, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa; 3,560 feet, 1,090 m). To the west, the Llŷn Peninsula is flatter and renowned for its scenic coastline, part of which is protected by the Llŷn AONB. Gwynedd also contains several of Wales's largest lakes and reservoirs, including the largest, Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid).

 

The area which is now the county has played a prominent part in the history of Wales. It formed part of the core of the Kingdom of Gwynedd and the native Principality of Wales, which under the House of Aberffraw remained independent from the Kingdom of England until Edward I's conquest between 1277 and 1283. Edward built the castles at Caernarfon and Harlech, which form part of the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd World Heritage Site. During the Industrial Revolution the slate industry rapidly developed; in the late nineteenth century the neighbouring Penrhyn and Dinorwic quarries were the largest in the world, and the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales is now a World Heritage Site. Gwynedd covers the majority of the historic counties of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire.

 

In the past, historians such as J. E. Lloyd assumed that the Celtic source of the word Gwynedd meant 'collection of tribes' – the same root as the Irish fine, meaning 'tribe'. Further, a connection is recognised between the name and the Irish Féni, an early ethnonym for the Irish themselves, related to fían, 'company of hunting and fighting men, company of warriors under a leader'. Perhaps *u̯en-, u̯enə ('strive, hope, wish') is the Indo-European stem. The Irish settled in NW Wales, and in Dyfed, at the end of the Roman era. Venedotia was the Latin form, and in Penmachno there is a memorial stone from c. AD 500 which reads: Cantiori Hic Iacit Venedotis ('Here lies Cantiorix, citizen of Gwynedd'). The name was retained by the Brythons when the kingdom of Gwynedd was formed in the 5th century, and it remained until the invasion of Edward I. This historical name was revived when the new county was formed in 1974.

 

Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th century, when it was conquered by England. The modern Gwynedd was one of eight Welsh counties created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the entirety of the historic counties of Anglesey and Caernarfonshire, and all of Merionethshire apart from Edeirnion Rural District (which went to Clwyd); and also a few parishes of Denbighshire: Llanrwst, Llansanffraid Glan Conwy, Eglwysbach, Llanddoged, Llanrwst and Tir Ifan.

 

The county was divided into five districts: Aberconwy, Arfon, Dwyfor, Meirionnydd and Anglesey.

 

The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 abolished the 1974 county (and the five districts) on 1 April 1996, and its area was divided: the Isle of Anglesey became an independent unitary authority, and Aberconwy (which included the former Denbighshire parishes) passed to the new Conwy County Borough. The remainder of the county was constituted as a principal area, with the name Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire, as it covers most of the areas of those two historic counties. As one of its first actions, the Council renamed itself Gwynedd on 2 April 1996. The present Gwynedd local government area is governed by Gwynedd Council. As a unitary authority, the modern entity no longer has any districts, but Arfon, Dwyfor and Meirionnydd remain as area committees.

 

The pre-1996 boundaries were retained as a preserved county for a few purposes such as the Lieutenancy. In 2003, the boundary with Clwyd was adjusted to match the modern local government boundary, so that the preserved county now covers the two local government areas of Gwynedd and Anglesey. Conwy county borough is now entirely within Clwyd.

 

A Gwynedd Constabulary was formed in 1950 by the merger of the Anglesey, Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire forces. A further amalgamation took place in the 1960s when Gwynedd Constabulary was merged with the Flintshire and Denbighshire county forces, retaining the name Gwynedd. In one proposal for local government reform in Wales, Gwynedd had been proposed as a name for a local authority covering all of north Wales, but the scheme as enacted divided this area between Gwynedd and Clwyd. To prevent confusion, the Gwynedd Constabulary was therefore renamed the North Wales Police.

 

The Snowdonia National Park was formed in 1951. After the 1974 local authority reorganisation, the park fell entirely within the boundaries of Gwynedd, and was run as a department of Gwynedd County Council. After the 1996 local government reorganisation, part of the park fell under Conwy County Borough, and the park's administration separated from the Gwynedd council. Gwynedd Council still appoints nine of the eighteen members of the Snowdonia National Park Authority; Conwy County Borough Council appoints three; and the Welsh Government appoints the remaining six.

 

There has been considerable inwards migration to Gwynedd, particularly from England. According to the 2021 census, 66.6% of residents had been born in Wales whilst 27.1% were born in England.

 

The county has a mixed economy. An important part of the economy is based on tourism: many visitors are attracted by the many beaches and the mountains. A significant part of the county lies within the Snowdonia National Park, which extends from the north coast down to the district of Meirionnydd in the south. But tourism provides seasonal employment and thus there is a shortage of jobs in the winter.

 

Agriculture is less important than in the past, especially in terms of the number of people who earn their living on the land, but it remains an important element of the economy.

 

The most important of the traditional industries is the slate industry, but these days only a small percentage of workers earn their living in the slate quarries.

 

Industries which have developed more recently include TV and sound studios: the record company Sain has its HQ in the county.

 

The education sector is also very important for the local economy, including Bangor University and Further Education colleges, Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor and Coleg Menai, both now part of Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.

 

The proportion of respondents in the 2011 census who said they could speak Welsh.

Gwynedd has the highest proportion of people in Wales who can speak Welsh. According to the 2021 census, 64.4% of the population aged three and over stated that they could speak Welsh,[7] while 64.4% noted that they could speak Welsh in the 2011 census.

 

It is estimated that 83% of the county's Welsh-speakers are fluent, the highest percentage of all counties in Wales.[9] The age group with the highest proportion of Welsh speakers in Gwynedd were those between ages 5–15, of whom 92.3% stated that they could speak Welsh in 2011.

 

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Gwynedd declined between 1991 and 2001,[10] from 72.1% to 68.7%, even though the proportion of Welsh speakers in Wales as a whole increased during that decade to 20.5%.

 

The Annual Population Survey estimated that as of March 2023, 77.0% of those in Gwynedd aged three years and above could speak Welsh.

 

Notable people

Leslie Bonnet (1902–1985), RAF officer, writer; originated the Welsh Harlequin duck in Criccieth

Sir Dave Brailsford (born 1964), cycling coach; grew up in Deiniolen, near Caernarfon

Duffy (born 1984), singer, songwriter and actress; born in Bangor, Gwynedd

Edward II of England (1284–1327), born in Caernarfon Castle

Elin Fflur (born 1984), singer-songwriter, TV and radio presenter; went to Bangor University

Bryn Fôn (born 1954), actor and singer-songwriter; born in Llanllyfni, Caernarfonshire.

Wayne Hennessey (born 1987), football goalkeeper with 108 caps for Wales; born in Bangor, Gwynedd

John Jones (c. 1530 – 1598), a Franciscan friar, Roman Catholic priest and martyr; born at Clynnog

Sir Love Jones-Parry, 1st Baronet (1832–1891), landowner and politician, co-founder of the Y Wladfa settlement in Patagonia

T. E. Lawrence (1888–1935), archaeologist, army officer and inspiration for Lawrence of Arabia, born in Tremadog

David Lloyd George (1863–1945), statesman and Prime Minister; lived in Llanystumdwy from infancy

Sasha (born 1969), disc jockey, born in Bangor, Gwynedd

Sir Bryn Terfel (born 1965), bass-baritone opera and concert singer from Pant Glas

Sir Clough Williams-Ellis (1883–1978), architect of Portmeirion

Owain Fôn Williams, (born 1987), footballer with 443 club caps; born and raised in Penygroes, Gwynedd.

Hedd Wyn (1887–1917), poet from the village of Trawsfynydd; killed in WWI

Style for 12/12/2021

Highest position to date - 219

HIGHEST FLICKR EXPLORE RANKING: 477

 

One of the most iconic supercars of all time - a Mercedes-Benz 300SL 'Gullwing' Coupe - awaits its next driver during the Brooklands Motoring Festival press launch at Brooklands racing circuit, near Weybridge, Surrey, England. Taken on April 4, 2008.

View On Black

Highest Explore Position #488 ~ On January 5th 2008.

 

Squirrel - Lincoln Inn Fields Park - Holborn, London, England - Thursday December Thirteenth 2007.

Taylor Williams

Ancient Pisidia Antioch.......Seventeen ancient cities in Turkey were named Antioch, but only two are remembered by any but scholars today. One is Antakya (the ancient Antioch in Syria) and the other is Antioch in Pisidia, Asia Minor. Both figure largely in ancient and early Christian history, and the latter in particular is celebrated for its architecture. Pisidian Antioch is located 1 km north of Yalvac in the province of Isparta in southern Turkey. The first excavations were carried out here in 1913-14 and 1924 by the archaeologists W. Ramsay and D. M. Robinson, revealing that there had been a settlement here since the Neolithic age. According to written sources and archaeological finds, the city was founded by Antioch I in 280 BC. The city proper, or polis, covers an area of 14 sq km, but the lands which belonged to it stretched from Sultan Dagi to the southern shore of Lake Egirdir, and southwest as far as Gelendost. It stood at a junction of two main roads stretching from west to east and from north to south, and this strategic importance combined with its fertile lands meant that it was an important settlement in the region for many centuries. In 25 BC Antiocheia became a Roman military colony known as Colonia Caesareia Antiocheia. Of all the other colonies cities such as Olbasa, Komama, Kremna, Parlais, and Lystra, Pisidian Antioch was the oldest, largest and most Romanised. It was appointed the second Roman capital in Anatolia by the Emperor Augustus, and three thousand veterans from Rome were brought to settle here. Its districts were named after those of Rome, and the discovery of the important Latin inscription known as the Res Gestae on the site illustrates the importance attached to Pisidian Antioch as a sister city of Rome. Antioch became one of the first Anatolian cities to accept Christianity. St. Paul came to Antioch in the 1st century AD and chose it as a centre for his missionary activities. Having proclaimed the Christian religion in the city, St. Paul gave his first sermon to the congregation of a synagogue, on the site of which the first and largest church dedicated to St. Paul was later constructed. Antioch was founded in the 3rd century BC as the metropolis of the province of Pisidia, and from coins minted around that time and contemporary buildings it is evident that the city rose to a pinnacle of economic prosperity. The population of the city at that time has been put at over one hundred thousand. The city was razed by the Arabs in the year 713, and although attempts were made to rebuild it, its former splendor had gone never to return. Its walls were rebuilt to surround a smaller area, and the deterioration in quality of the building materials, is further evidence of decline. The city can be traced up to the end of the 12th century AD, but was finally abandoned entirely when the settlement of Yalvac was established in the second half of the 13th century. In those last years of its existence two important events put Pisidian Antioch on the map of history once more. The first was the arrival of the crusader army, which took refuse here after its defeat by the Seljuks at Eskisehir in 1097. The second was the battle of Miryakefalon between the Byzantines and Turkish Seljuks, which took place just outside the city in 1176. Excavations at Pisidian Antioch were resumed in 1979, and revealed the remains of many important buildings dating from the Roman and subsequent eras of this important Christian and commercial centre. One of these finds was the foundations of the city portal built as a monument commemorating the victory of the Roman emperor Septimus Severus over the Parthians. This was a triple gate with four pylons, one at either side and two in the centre. On a rocky outcrop at the highest point of the city Emperor Augustus built the Augustus Temple which was dedicated to the mother goddess Cybele (Kybele). This remarkable building with unique architectural features was used as an open air church around 400 AD. The church dedicated to St. Paul stands on the west side of the city and was its largest church. Most of the walls have disappeared, but the superb mosaics and inscriptions which entirely cover the floor are worth seeing. Other buildings include a theatre seating fifteen thousand, a Roman bath, monumental fountain, well built aqueducts, a horseshoe shaped stadium seating thirty thousand, and the Men sanctuary. On the nearby Limenia Island in Lake Egirdir is a temple of Artemis, rock tombs and St. Mary's Monastery. Pisidian Antioch, which is mentioned in the bible, is one of the places sought out by Christians interested in the early history of their faith in Anatolia. Although only ten percent of the city has so far been revealed, this once magnificent ancient capital city in the centre of Anatolia is a fascinating place to visit.

 

Men, moon god worshiped widely in Asia Minor during Roman times and also in Attica from the 3rd century bc. Little is known of his origin, but he may have been connected with the Persian moon god Mao. His name was usually written together with a cult title, often an adjective denoting a locality, and his most frequent attributes were the pine cone, bucranium (ox skull), and chicken. He was represented as a male figure with a crescent moon behind his shoulders. A temple of Men has been excavated at Antioch in Pisidia (modern Yalvaç, Turkey).

Prior to the opening of Bank Street, Lady Stair's Close, the first below Gladstone's Land, was the chief thoroughfare for foot passengers, taking ad-vantage of the half-formed Earthen Mound to reach the New Town. It takes its name from Elizabeth Countess Dowager of Stair, who was long looked up to as a leader of fashion in Edinburgh, admission to her select circle being one of the highest objects of ambition among the lesser gentry of her day, when the distinctions of rank and family were guarded with an angry jealousy of which we have but little conception now. Lady Stair's Close is narrow and dark, for the houses are of great height; the house she occupied still remains on the west side thereof, and was the scene of some romantic events and traditions, of which Scott made able use in his "Aunt Margaret's Mirror," ere it be-came the abode of the widow of the Marshal Earl of Stair, who, when a little boy, had the misfortune to kill his elder brother, the Master, by the accidental discharge of a pistol; after which, it is said, that his mother could never abide him, and sent him in his extreme youth to serve in Flanders as a volunteer in the Cameronian Regiment, under the Earl of Angus. The house occupied by Lady Stair has over its door the pious legend-- " Feare the Lord and depart from evill," with the date 1622, and the initials of its founder and of his wife--Sir William Gray of Pittendrum, and Egidia Smith, daughter of Sir John Smith, of Grothall, near Craigleith, Provost of Edinburgh in 1643. Sir William was a man of great influence in the time of Charles I.; and though the ancient title of Lord Gray reverted to his family, he devoted himself to commerce, and became one of the wealthiest Scottish merchants of that age. But troubles came upon him; he was fined 100,00 merks for corresponding with Montrose, and was imprisoned, first in the Castle and then in the Tolbooth till the mitigated penalty of 35,000 merks was paid. Other exorbitant exactions followed, and these hastened his death, which took place in 1648, Three years before that event, his daughter died, in the old house, of the plague. His widow survived him, and the street was named Lady Gray's Close till the advent of Lady Stair, in whose time the house had a terraced garden that descended towards the North Loch.

 

Lady Eleanor Campbell, widow of the great marshal and diplomatist, John Earl of Stair, was by paternal descent related to one of the most celebrated historical figures of the seventeenth century, being the grand-daughter of the Lord High Chancellor Loudon, whose talents and influence on the Covenanting side procured him the enmity of Charles I.

In her girlhood she had the misfortune to be united to James Viscount Primrose, of Castlefield, who died in 1706 a man of dissipated habits and intolerable temper, who treated her so barbarously that there were times when she had every reason to feel that her life was in peril. One morning she was dressing herself before her mirror, near an apen window, when she saw the viscount suddenly appear in the room behind her with a drawn rapier in his hand. He had softly opened the door, and in the mirror she could see that his face, set white and savage, indicated that he had nothing less than murder in his mind. She threw herself out of window into the street, and, half-dressed as she was fled, with great good sense, to Lord Primrose's mother, who had been Mary Scott of Thirlstane, and received protection; but no attempt was made to bring about a reconciliation, and, though they had four children, she never lived with him again, and soon after he went abroad.

 

During his absence there came to Edinburgh a certain foreign conjuror, who, among other occult powers, professed to be able to inform those present of the movements of the absent, however far they might be apart; and the young viscountess was prompted by curiosity to go with a lady friend to the abode of the wise man in the Canongate, wearing over their heads, by way of disguise, the tartan plaid then worn by women of the lower classes. After describing the individual in whose move-ments she was interested, and expressing a desire to know what he was then about, the conjuror led her before a large mirror, in which a number of colours and forms rapidly assumed the appearance of a church with a marriage party before the altar; and in the shadowy bridegroom she instantly recognised her absent husband ! She gazed upon the delineation as if turned to stone, while the ceremonial of the marriage seemed to proceed, and the clergyman to be on the point of bidding the bride and bridegroom join hands, when suddenly a gentleman in whose face she recognised a brother of her own, came forward, and paused. His face assumed an expression of wrath; drawing his sword he rushed upon the bridegroom, who also drew to defend himself; the whole phantasmagoria then became tumultuous and indistinct, and faded com-pletely away. When the viscountess reached home she wrote a minute narrative of the event, noting the day and hour. This narrative she sealed up in presence of a witness and deposited it in a cabinet. Soon after this her brother returned from his travels abroad--which brother we are not told, and she had three: Hugh the Master of Loudon, Colonel John Campbell of Shankeston, and James, who was Colonel of the Scots Greys, and was killed at Fontenoy. She asked him if he heard aught of the viscount in his wanderings. He answered, furiously, "I wish I may never again hear the name of that detestable personage mentioned !" On being questioned he confessed to " having met his lordship under very strange circumstances." While spending some time at Rotterdam he made the acquaintance of a wealthy merchant who had a very beautiful daughter, an only child, who, he informed him, was on the eve of her marriage with a Scottish gentleman, and he was invited to the wedding as a countryman of the bridegroom. He went accordingly, and though a little too late for the commencement of the ceremony, was yet in time to save an innocent girl from becoming the vic-tim of his own brother-in-law, Viscount Primrose

Though the deserted wife had proved her willing-ness to believe in the magic mirror, by having committed to writing what she had seen, yet she was so astonished by her brother's tidings, that she nearly fainted; but something more was to be learned still. She asked her brother on what day the circumstance took place, and having been informed, she gave him her key, and desired him to bring to her the sealed paper. On its being opened, it was then found, that at the very moment when she had seen the roughly-interrupted nuptial ceremony it had actually been in progress.

 

Primrose died, as we have said, in the year before the Union. His widow was still young and beautiful, but made a resolution never again, after her past experience, to become a wife; but the great Earl Stair, who had been now resident some twenty years in Edinburgh, and whose public and private character was irreproachable, earnestly sued for her hand, yet she firmly announced her intention of remaining unwedded; and in his love and des-peration the Earl bethought him of an expedient indicative of the roughness and indelicacy of the age. By dint of powerfully bribing her household he got himself introduced over-night into a small room where she was wont to say her prayers--such private oratories being common in most of the Edinburgh houses of the time--and the window of which overlooked the High Street. Thereat he showed himself, en déshabillc, to the people passing, an exhibition which so seriously affected the reputation of the young widow, that she saw the neces-sity of accepting him as her husband.

 

Lady Eleanor was happier as Countess of Stair than she had ever been as Viscountess Primrose; but the Earl had one failing--a common one enough among gentlemen in those days--a dispo-sition to indulge in the bottle, and then his temper was by no means improved; thus, on coming home he more than once treated the Countess with violence. Once--we regret to record it of so heroic a soldier--when transported beyond the bounds of reason, he gave her a blow on the face with such severity as to draw blood; and then, all unconscious of what he had done, fell asleep. Poor Lady Stair, overwhelmed by such an insult,and recalling perhaps much that she had endured with Lord Primrose, made no attempt to bind up the wound, but threw herself on a sofa, and wept and bled till morning dawned. When the Earl awoke, her bloody and dishevelled aspect filled him with horror and dismay. " What has hap-pened ? How came you to be thus ?" he exclaimed. She told him of his conduct over-night, which filled him with shame--such shame and compunction that he made a vow never again to take any species of drink, unless it had first passed through her hands; and this vow he kept religiously till the day of his death, which took place on the 9th April, 1747~ at Queensberry House in the Canon-gate, when he was in his seventy-fifth year. He was General of the Marines, Governor of Minorca, Colonel of the Greys, and Knight of the Thistle. He was buried in the family vault at Kirkliston, and his funeral is thus detailed in the Scots Maga-zine for 1747:--

" 1 Six baton men, two and two. 2. A mourn-ing coach with four gentlemen ushers and the Earl's crest. 3. Another mourning coach with three gentlemen ushers, and a friend carrying the coronet on a velvet cushion. 4. Six ushers on foot, with batons and gilt streamers. 5. The corpse, under a dressed canopy, drawn by six dressed horses, with the Earl's achievement, within the Order of the Thistle. 6. Chief mourners in a coach and six. 7. Nine mourning coaches, each drawn by six horses. 8. The Earl's body coach empty. 9. Carriages of nobility and gentry, in order of rank."

A sky-rocket was thrown up in the Canongate when the procession began, as a signal to the garrison in the Castle, when the flag was half hoisted, and minute guns fired, till the funeral was clear of the city.

 

With much that was irreproachable in her charac-ter, Lady Stair was capable of ebullitions of temper, and of using terms that modern taste would deem objectionable. The Earl of Dundonald had stated to the Duke of Douglas that Lady Stair had expressed her doubts concerning the birth of his nephew-- a much-vexed question, at this time before the House of Lords and Court of Session. In support of what he stated, Dundonald, in a letter to the Lord Justice Clerk, gave the world leave to deem him " a damned villain " if he spoke not the truth. Involved thus unpleasantly with the ducal house of Douglas, Lady Stair went straight to Holyrood Palace, and there, before the Duke, the Duchess, and their attendants, she said that she " had lived to a good age, and never, until now, got entangled in any scandal." She then struck the floor thrice with her cane, each time calling the Earl of Dundonald " a damned villain," after which she withdrew, swelling with rage; but Lady Mary Wortley Montagu mentions in her " Letters," that the Countess of Stair was subject to hysterical fits--the result perhaps of all she had undergone as a wife. After being long the queen of society in Edinburgh, she died in November, 1759~ twelve years after the death of the Marshal. She was the first person in the city, of her time, who had a black domestic servant. Another dowager, the Lady Clestram, succeeded her in the old house in the close. It was advertised for sale, at the upset price of £250, in the Edinburgh Advertiser of 1789; and is described as "that large dwelling-house, sometime belonging to the Dowager Countess of Stair, situated at the entry to the Earthen Mound. The sunk storey consists of a good kitchen, servants' rooms, closets, cellars, &c.; the second of a dining and bed rooms; the third storey of a dining and five bed rooms." It has long since been the abode of the humblest artisans.

 

The parents of Miss Ferrier, the well-known novelist, according to a writer in Temple Bar for November, 1878~ occupied a flat in Lady Stair's Close after their marriage. Mrs. Ferrier (nee Coutts) was the daughter of a farmer at Gourdon, near Montrose, and was a woman of remarkable beauty, as her portrait by Sir George Chalmers, Bart. (a native of Edinburgh) in 1765 attests. At the time of her marriage, in 1767, she had resided in Holyrood with her aunt, the Hon. Mrs. Mait-land, widow of a younger son of Lord Lauderdale; and the flat the young married couple took in the old close had just been vacated by Sir James Pulteney and his wife Lady Bath.

 

When Sir Richard Steele, of the Spectator, visited Edinburgh, in 1717, on the business of the Forfeited Estates Commission, we know not whether he resided in Lady Stair's Close, but it is recorded that he gave, in a tavern there, a whimsical supper, to all the eccentric-looking mendicants in the city, giving them the enjoyment of an abundant feast, that he might witness their various oddities. Richard Sheils mentions this circumstance, and adds that Steele confessed afterwards that he had "drunk enough of native drollery to compose a comedy.''

Information www.royal-mile.com

Highest position on Explorer: 443 on Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Highest position: 29 on Sunday, September 7, 2008

 

Much appreciate for all your warm comments and faves :-)

 

Better View On Black

The Leadhills & Wanlockhead Railway is Britain's highest adhesion railway, reaching 1498 feet above sea level at Hillend summit, it was originally built in 1900 for the Caledonian Railway Company.

 

Clyde, Leadhills and Wanlockhead Locomotive No 6 was built by Hunslet Locomotives , Leeds in 1975, as locomotive number HE6347. This Locomotive has a six cylinder water cooled Perkins diesel engine producing sixty horse power to its four wheels via a torque converter and chain drive.

Liverpool's highest point at 292ft,

 

Woolton,Liverpool,

Highest position: #127 on Friday, July 6, 2007

 

HDR of Trinity Road from Weymouth Town Bridge, about 2pm, Tuesday 2nd January 2007

I've struggled to sleep of late. I've had chest pains stressing over this lack of sleep. Maybe this is due to recent work related events, or simply because i find it hard to relax.

11pm Friday night, and after 20mins tossing and turning- i knew sleep was passing me by... once again. Another 20 minutes and i'm on the road and headed for Cumbria.

Wastwater is a location, i've previously visited, just once, several years ago. Only the intrepid come here, via a long coastal road or over steep mountain passes that will seriously test your car's engine.

I arrived at 3am. It was pitch. This is a darkness few people get to experience in the modern age. As a modern man i found it most unsettling, in simple terms... i was frightened.

I badly needed a pee, that had to wait. i tried to sleep, it was too cold. So i wiped the condensation off the glass and gazed upwards at the mass of stars above. Wintry showers raced over and slowly darkness melted into recognisable shapes.. grass.. rocks.. trees.. mountains and the still, black waters of Wastwater.

From a low rock that jutted out into the lake, i sat myself down and waited for the sun to rise.

When it did, i suppose it was a disappointment- the cloud failed to lift - there wasn't enough snow.

By then however i was past caring, for here i was alongside Englands deepest lake, under Englands highest mountains. Insignificance my friends, is a tremendous burden lifter. Why stress with concerns when they ultimately mean nothing in the greater scheme of things?

Live, love and enjoy your life- that's what it is for.

As for me... burdens lifted.. i went home and slept

"Glory to God in the highest; and on earth Peace to men of good will." ~ Luke 2:14

 

MEDITATION

"...Jesus Christ came to bring us the kingdom of God. He is the true King who offers Peace, Joy, and Everlasting Life for those who accept His kingship. Does the King of glory find a welcome entry in your heart and home? Do your walls echo with the praise of His glory?"

 

PRAYER

"Lord Jesus Christ, may You always be the King of my heart and the Ruler of my home. Let Your Peace reign in my life that I may find Joy in Your presence now and forever."

~ www.dailyscripture.net

 

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I am Honored to have this Image in use at:

~ jesuslovesmeintlministries.com

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Filename - Glory to God - DSC_0799 Ocean Sunset NR ClEC Orton efct - paint Radiance efct Tint blu Bob Vingette efct 2013

 

Following the Son...

Blessings,

Sharon 🌻

 

God's Beauty In Nature is calling us into a deeper relationship with Him...

 

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Bloggers are welcome to use my artwork with, “Image from Art4TheGlryOfGod by Sharon under Creative Commons license”, (next to the image or embedded in it) with a link back to the images you use and please let me know in the comment section below, thank you...

 

Art4TheGlryOfGod Photography by Sharon

 

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Faith, Hope & Love in daily Art meditations...

 

X ~ www.twitter.com/Art4ThGlryOfGod

 

Flickr (complete portfolio) ~ www.Flickr.com/4ThGlryOfGod

 

Fine Art America (canvas, prints & cards) ~ fineartamerica.com/profiles/sharon-soberon

 

Redbubble (canvas, prints & cards) ~ www.redbubble.com/people/4theglryofgod/shop

 

Pixoto (awards) ~ www.pixoto.com/4thegloryofgod/awards

 

Music Videos (from my Art Photography) ~

www.youtube.com/user/4ThGlryOfGod

 

#prints available upon request

highest position in Explore 186

Simien Mountains National Park is one of the national parks of Ethiopia. Located in the Semien (North) Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, its territory covers the Simien Mountains and includes Ras Dashan, the highest point in Ethiopia. It is home to a number of endangered species, including the Ethiopian wolf and the walia ibex, a wild goat found nowhere else in the world. The gelada baboon and the caracal, a cat, also occur within the Simien Mountains. More than 50 species of birds inhabit the park, including the impressive bearded vulture, or lammergeier, with its 10-foot (3m) wingspan.

 

The park is crossed by an unpaved road which runs from Debarq, where the administrative headquarters of the park is located, east through a number of villages to the Buahit Pass, where the road turns south to end at Mekane Berhan, 10 kilometers beyond the park boundary.

 

The Semiens are remarkable as being one of the few spots in Africa where snow regularly falls. First mentioned in the Monumentum Adulitanum of the 4th century AD (which described them as "inaccessible mountains covered with snow" and where soldiers walked up to their knees in snow), the presence of snow was undeniably witnessed by the 17th century Jesuit priest Jerónimo Lobo. Although the later traveler James Bruce claims that he had never witnessed snow in the Semien Mountains, the 19th century explorer Henry Salt not only recorded that he saw snow there (on 9 April 1814), but explained the reason for Bruce's failure to see snow in these mountains – Bruce had ventured no further than the foothills into the Semiens.

 

Despite their ruggedness and altitude, the mountains are dotted with villages linked by tracks. Historically they were inhabited by Ethiopian Jews (the Beta Israel), who after repeated attacks by the zealous Christian Emperors in the 15th century withdrew from the province of Dembiya into the more defensible Semien mountains.

 

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Six days of hiking in the area of Simien mountains, Ethiopia, was an unforgettable experience - I have enjoyed plenty of trekking trips in the past, however this one has been the most versatile and diverse of them all.

 

The plateau lies at the altitude of around 4000m, and the views from the escarpment are incomparable. Grand Canyon is awesome, but this place adds African moods and vibe into the overall picture. Unique, spectacular, unexpected, unknown. Definitely worth visiting.

 

This is a shot taken during our second day in the area - we hiked from Sankaber camp to a camp called Geech, from which we made a short trip to a viewpoint called Kadavit where we enjoyed a truly magical sunset.

The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, separating Southern from Central and Western Europe and stretching approximately 1,200 kilometres across eight Alpine countries: France, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia

The City of *Paris is much smaller than the urban agglomeration that is associated with it, and has distinct demographic trends. The population of the City of Paris was 2,125,246 at the 1999 census and an estimated total of 11.6 million inhabitants for 2005 Paris metropolitan area. The City of Paris is the most densely populated area in the western world after the island of Manhattan in New York City.

 

Toits de Paris, France. (2002 Archives)

 

PixQuote:

"Une photographie, c'est un arrêt du coeur d'une fraction de seconde.

-Pierre Movila

  

PixNote:

1.This shot was taken looking to the north where is Montmartre, the highest area in Paris, topped by the Church of Sacré-Cœur.

2. This is a "digital painting" of an original picture which means that I have post-process image in order to look a bit like a painting. I do so in Photoshop, using filters and a graphic pen on a Wacom Tablet.

  

Vorobyovy Gory, known as 'Lenin Hills' 1935–99, is one of the highest points in Moscow, reaching 85 m above the Moskva River, which is hidden by the trees in the foreground, and 200 m above sea level. It's the site of the Moscow State University main building (well, 800 m back from this observation platform above the steep slope), 5 km from the city centre.

 

The overall impression from this panoramic view is of a fairly low-rise city, but it's more that most buildings in view tend to be moderately high-rise – 10 storeys or more – with only a few exceptionally tall buildings standing out. The most striking are the 'Seven Sisters', Stalin's answer to the USA landmark skyscrapers of the 1930s, which were built at key points around Moscow, to maximise their impact.

 

Each was designed according to Stalin's specifications, in a distinctive 'wedding-cake' style featuring a horizontally-extensive building drawing the eye to a central tower, with patriotic decorations and mouldings. Stalin also insisted that each be given a spire, in order to distinguish them from their American counterparts: 'super buildings for a super people'.

It's also worth remembering that, like London, Moscow has a distinct skyscraper district, Moscow International Business Center, off the left of this image, That contains 3 of Europe's 5 tallest buildings (7 of the top 10) and Moscow overall has 13 of the top 20.

 

Luzhniki Stadium ('The Meadows') is in the foreground, a kilometre away. Opened in 1956 as the 'Grand Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium', it was the main venue of the 1980 Olympic Games and, with a capacity of 81,000, remains the national (football) stadium, hosting the 2018 World Cup. To the left, the large, pillared, rectangular building is the 8,700-seat Malaya Sportivnaya Arena Luzhniki ('Luzhniki Small Sports Arena'), self-evidently part of the same complex, 1.1 km from here.

 

The only other obvious building in the foreground is the white building with a Classical facade: the SOHO restaurant, 720 m away on the far bank of the Moskva River.

 

Starting from the left of the background, the first landmark is one of the 'Seven Sisters', the Hotel Ukraina (now the Radisson Royal Hotel), 5 km away inside the tip of another meander. At 206 m and 34 storeys, it was the world's tallest hotel 1957–76.

 

The striped chimneys are at the Tets-12 power station, 3.1 km away. Almost hidden by the left chimney is Ostankino Television Tower, 13 km away, whilst behind the right chimney is the Russian Federation Government House, the 'Russian White House', 5.4 km away, site of key events in 1991 and 1993.

 

To the right is another 'Seven Sister', the Kudrinskaya Square Building, 6 km away, half-hidden behind the Kontrol'no-Schetnaya Palata Moskvy government offices 5.4 km away.

 

Further to the right and rather nearer is the Novodevichy Convent, 2 km away on the near side of another meander in the Moskva. Built in the 1520s, it remains famous for its 5-domed cathedral and ornate bell tower.

 

The next 'Seven Sister' is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, ~5 km away at the western end of the Arbat and hence the edge of the tourist-friendly pedestrianised city centre.

 

This viewpoint and the stadium lie on a planned axis, starting beyond Lomonosovskiy Prospekt, 700 m south-west of the vast Moscow State University building (as mentioned, that's ~900 m directly behind the camera), on across the river to the stadium then across a plaza to the Third Ring Road, ~700 m further away; in total, a 3½ km straight line through symmetrical landscaping and buildings.

From there, the street plan is less regimented, but the axis points straight towards the very centre of Moscow: precisely through the onion dome of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour 5½ km away and the midline of the Kremlin; the Ivan Velikiy ('the Great') bell tower is therein, 6.6 km from here.

 

To the immediate left of the Cathedral's gilded dome, a fourth 'Seven Sister' is just visible on the skyline: the Red Gate Building, 9½ km away. Barely distinguishable to its left is another, the Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya hotel, 10 km away beside the railway station to St Petersburg (which isn't visible!).

 

Behind the flat top of the stadium, 5¼ km away one can see the mast of the much-loathed 98m-tall riverside statue honoring Peter the Great and the 300th anniversary of the Russian Navy. Essentially it's a statue of Christopher Columbus aboard ship, which the sculptor couldn't sell abroad so repurposed it after a head swap!

 

Finally, above the right of the stadium is a sixth 'Seven Sister', the Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building 7½ km away.

And the seventh? As mentioned (twice), that was behind me: the Moscow State University main building is the biggest of them all.

World’s highest palace @Lhasa, Tibet. Lhasa (Grounds of the Gods), at 3700m is a vibrant, fast-changing city with a mix of ascendant Chinese modernity set side by side with ancient Tibetan traditions. In the midst of Lhasa city, the gold-clad roofs of the Potala Palace greet you from afar. A palace built by Songstsen Gampo stood on Marpori, the Red Mountain, in the 7th Century. In the 17th Century the 5th Dalai Lama extended the palace to its present size. At this time, it also succeeded in becoming the Dalai Lama's residing place and truned the main political and religious affair. The main construction is divided into two sections, The Red and White palaces. It includes living rooms, temples, funerals stupas and monk dormitories. The countless cultural relics in the palace are images, murals, sutras etc.- important Tibetan cultural relics specially protected. The most splendid and valuable vault is for the 5th Dalai Lama, decorated with four tons of gold, and innumerable diamonds, turquoise, corals and pearls.

 

Ones has to go thru similar airport x-ray security procedure before allowed entry to the palace. Lighter is a definite no no! - understandably so (fire hazard). Unfortunately, picture is also not allowed once inside.

EXPLORE: Highest position: 346 on Tuesday, May 26, 2009

 

This dragon is sitting on a fountain in the garden of a restaurant at the german north sea island Föhr. The 31st of december was pretty cold, so the water trickling down the fountain froze and it just looked so great when it was lighted in the dark.

Grade I listed historic cathedral.

 

"The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the third-highest office of the Church of England (after the monarch as Supreme Governor and the Archbishop of Canterbury), and is the mother church for the Diocese of York and the Province of York. It is run by a dean and chapter, under the Dean of York. The title "minster" is attributed to churches established in the Anglo-Saxon period as missionary teaching churches, and serves now as an honorific title. Services in the minster are sometimes regarded as on the High Church or Anglo-Catholic end of the Anglican continuum.

 

The minster, devoted to Saint Peter, has a very wide Decorated Gothic nave and chapter house, a Perpendicular Gothic quire and east end and Early English North and South transepts. The nave contains the West Window, constructed in 1338, and over the Lady Chapel in the east end is the Great East Window (finished in 1408), the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world. In the north transept is the Five Sisters Window, each lancet being over 53 feet (16.3 m) high. The south transept contains a rose window, while the West Window contains a heart-shaped design colloquially known as The Heart of Yorkshire.

 

A bishop of York was summoned to the Council of Arles in 314 indicating the presence of a Christian community in York at this time; however, archaeological evidence of Christianity in Roman York is limited. The first recorded church on the site was a wooden structure built hurriedly in 627 to provide a place to baptise Edwin, King of Northumbria. Moves toward a more substantial building began in the decade of the 630s. A stone structure was completed in 637 by Oswald and was dedicated to Saint Peter. The church soon fell into disrepair and was dilapidated by 670 when Saint Wilfrid ascended to the See of York. He repaired and renewed the structure. The attached school and library were established and by the 8th century were some of the most substantial in Northern Europe.

 

In 741, the church was destroyed in a fire. It was rebuilt as a more impressive structure containing thirty altars. The church and the entire area then passed through the hands of numerous invaders, and its history is obscure until the 10th century. There were a series of Benedictine archbishops, including Saint Oswald of Worcester, Wulfstan and Ealdred, who travelled to Westminster to crown William in 1066. Ealdred died in 1069 and was buried in the church.

 

The church was damaged in 1069 during William the Conqueror's harrying of the North, but the first Norman archbishop, Thomas of Bayeux, arriving in 1070, organised repairs. The Danes destroyed the church in 1075, but it was again rebuilt from 1080. Built in the Norman style, it was 111 m (364.173 ft) long and rendered in white and red lines. The new structure was damaged by fire in 1137 but was soon repaired. The choir and crypt were remodelled in 1154, and a new chapel was built, all in the Norman style.

 

The Gothic style in cathedrals had arrived in the mid 12th century. Walter de Gray was made archbishop in 1215 and ordered the construction of a Gothic structure to compare to Canterbury; building began in 1220. The north and south transepts were the first new structures; completed in the 1250s, both were built in the Early English Gothic style but had markedly different wall elevations. A substantial central tower was also completed, with a wooden spire. Building continued into the 15th century.

 

The Chapter House was begun in the 1260s and was completed before 1296. The wide nave was constructed from the 1280s on the Norman foundations. The outer roof was completed in the 1330s, but the vaulting was not finished until 1360. Construction then moved on to the eastern arm and chapels, with the last Norman structure, the choir, being demolished in the 1390s. Work here finished around 1405. In 1407 the central tower collapsed; the piers were then reinforced, and a new tower was built from 1420. The western towers were added between 1433 and 1472. The cathedral was declared complete and consecrated in 1472.

 

The English Reformation led to the looting of much of the cathedral's treasures and the loss of much of the church lands. Under Elizabeth I there was a concerted effort to remove all traces of Roman Catholicism from the cathedral; there was much destruction of tombs, windows and altars. In the English Civil War the city was besieged and fell to the forces of Cromwell in 1644, but Thomas Fairfax prevented any further damage to the cathedral.

 

Following the easing of religious tensions there was some work to restore the cathedral. From 1730 to 1736 the whole floor of the minster was relaid in patterned marble and from 1802 there was a major restoration. However, on 2 February 1829, an arson attack by Jonathan Martin inflicted heavy damage on the east arm. An accidental fire in 1840 left the nave, south west tower and south aisle roofless and blackened shells. The cathedral slumped deeply into debt and in the 1850s services were suspended. From 1858 Augustus Duncombe worked successfully to revive the cathedral. In 1866, there were six residentiary canonries: of which one was the Chancellor's, one the Sub-Dean's, and another annexed to the Archdeaconry of York.

 

During the 20th century there was more concerted preservation work, especially following a 1967 survey that revealed the building, in particular the central tower, was close to collapse. £2,000,000 was raised and spent by 1972 to reinforce and strengthen the building foundations and roof. During the excavations that were carried out, remains of the north corner of the Roman Principia (headquarters of the Roman fort, Eboracum) were found under the south transept. This area, as well as remains of the Norman cathedral, re-opened to the public in spring 2013 as part of the new exhibition exploring the history of the building of York Minster.

 

York is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in North Yorkshire, England. The population of the council area which includes nearby villages was 208,200 as of 2017 and the population of the urban area was 153,717 at the 2011 census. Located at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss, it is the county town of the historic county of Yorkshire. The city is known for its famous historical landmarks such as York Minster and the city walls, as well as a variety of cultural and sporting activities, which makes it a popular tourist destination in England. The local authority is the City of York Council, a single tier governing body responsible for providing all local services and facilities throughout the city. The City of York local government district includes rural areas beyond the old city boundaries. It is about 25 miles north-east of Leeds and 34 miles north-west of Kingston upon Hull. York is the largest settlement in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire.

 

The city was founded by the Romans as Eboracum in 71 AD. It became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior, and later of the kingdoms of Deira, Northumbria and Jórvík. In the Middle Ages, York grew as a major wool trading centre and became the capital of the northern ecclesiastical province of the Church of England, a role it has retained. In the 19th century, York became a major hub of the railway network and a confectionery manufacturing centre, a status it maintained well into the 20th century. During the Second World War, York was bombed as part of the Baedeker Blitz. Although less affected by bombing than other northern cities, several historic buildings were gutted and restoration efforts continued into the 1960s.

 

The economy of York is dominated by services. The University of York and National Health Service are major employers, whilst tourism has become an important element of the local economy. In 2016, York became sister cities with the Chinese city of Nanjing, as per an agreement signed by the Lord Mayor of York, focusing on building links in tourism, education, science, technology and culture. Today, the city is a popular tourist attraction, especially for international visitors from America, Germany, France and China. In 2017, York became UK's first human rights city, which formalised the city's aim to use human rights in decision making." - info from Wikipedia.

 

Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.

 

Now on Instagram.

 

Become a patron to my photography on Patreon.

Blinman.

Blinman has some distinctions in its story. It is the highest surveyed town in South Australia at 615 metres and the first town settled in the Flinders Ranges and the only town within the Flinders Ranges and not on the edge like Hawker, Beltana, Leigh Creek etc. It is located in the Hundred of Carr which was declared in 1877. The first white settlement in this region began in the early 1850s when a pastoral leasehold called Angorichina was taken out by Mr Boord but that soon passed to the Hayward brothers. It was one of his shepherds Robert Blinman who discovered some copper in December 1859. Blinman, Frost, Mole and Alfred got a mining lease in January 1861. A year later they sold their mine, at great profit, to the Yudanamutana Mining Company which carted the ore through the Ranges to Port Augusta. Cobb and Co coaches travelled from Burra to Blinman for travellers and miners. In 1864 the government surveyed a town named Blinman and another called North Blinman in 1867. By 1868 Blinman had a

school, hotel, Post Office, stores, a water supply and houses for 1,500 residents. The town had its own smelters to reduce the ores to copper which was lighter for the long transportation haul through the Ranges. This was shortened when the mine reopened in 1882 as ore could then be carted to the railway at Parachilna via Angorichina Gorge. Copper mining continued until 1918 when the international price for copper slumped causing Blinman to cease operations as did Moonta and other mines around 1920. In the five years before 1918 Blinman had a population of around 2,000 people but that quickly dropped with the closing of the mine. The copper mine was successful and profitable in its day. Apart from the old mine entrance the town has a heritage listed mine manager’s house. There is a stone police station as built in 1874, a quaint pine and pug miner’s cottage erected in 1862, the Blinman Hall built in 1896 and an historic cemetery. Around 1880 a new stone school was built and it closed in 1980. The old galvanised iron Methodist Church closed around 1943 and became the library. The first Wesleyan church services began in 1874. A minister was based here from 1911 and marriages were solemnised between 1914 and 1943. It has been reclad and is now the Information Centre. The town now has a population of about 25 adults and no children.

 

The highest waterfall along Big Branch, a tributary of the New River. Unsure of the name of the small flowers.

Dirt covered Kennicott Glacier below in Wrangell-Saint Elias national park, Alaska. Volcanic Mt. Blackburn is the fifth highest peak in the United States.

IMG_3008

The highest point in Girraween at 1267 metres, Mt Norman provides a great views of the park.

(I used the polarizing filter for landscape shots, but something went not right with white balance - a bit pinkish tone here, I could not fixed it completely... nevertheless, l shows landscape allright)

Highest position: 152 on Tuesday, May 29, 2007

 

Karangantu, Serang - Banten

We hiked up and then camped on top of Cerro Blano, the most elevated sand dune in the world at 2,078 meters (over 6,800 feet) above sea level. As the sun lowered, I made my way to the very top and used the peak as a leading line to the horizon, which started to light up in a purple glow. Cerro Blanco is also flanked by hundreds of small badland mountains seen thousands of feet below.

-Cerro Blanco in the Sechura Desert, Nazca, Peru

 

Portfolio: www.lucascometto.com/

Highest Explore Postion: #493 (7th July 2009)

on black

 

I have climbed highest mountain

I have run through the fields

Only to be with you

Only to be with you

 

I have run

I have crawled

I have scaled these city walls

These city walls

Only to be with you

 

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

 

I have kissed honey lips

Felt the healing in her fingertips

It burned like fire

This burning desire

 

I have spoke with the tongue of angels

I have held the hand of a devil

It was warm in the night

I was cold as a stone

 

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

 

I believe in the kingdom come

Then all the colors will bleed into one

Bleed into one

Well yes I'm still running

 

You broke the bonds and you

Loosed the chains

Carried the cross

Of my shame

Of my shame

You know I believed it

 

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for...

 

u2

Highest Explore Position #458 ~ On January 15th 2008.

 

Squirrel - Hyde Park, London, England - Saturday January 12th 2008.

For the best part of the last year, I have been posting shots of Kent churches on Twitter, to break up the torrent of horrible news relating to COVID, Brexit and our Dear Leader, and in doing so, I have discovered many churches I visited at the start of the project, needed to redone.

 

Goudhurst, is, apparently, the highest point in Kent, or so Jools tells me. I will just check that with Wikki: Hmm, it seems not. That is Betsom's Hill north of the M25 near to the border with London. Goudhurst is not even in the top ten.

 

I can confirm we approached the village along a long hill from a river valley, finally climbing up the narrow high street, getting round the parked cars and finding a space nearly big enough for the car near to the church.

 

On the other side of the road from the church, a series of very Kent houses and buildings, all decorated with pegtiles, in the Kent fashion, and to the south, the imposing structure of The Star and Eagle Hotel.

 

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Seen from afar Goudhurst is Kent's answer to Rye - a small hilltop village over which broods the lovely church. Its west tower, dating from the seventeenth century, is rather low, but the honey-coloured sandstone is particularly beautiful here. We enter the church through the tower, and are impressed by the way in which the width and height of the nave and its aisles combine to make such a noble structure. There are two remarkably fine wooden effigies dating from the sixteenth century, carved and painted and set into a purpose-built bay window. Nearby, in the south chapel, the walls are crammed with monuments and there are three brasses, one of which is covered by a stone canopy - not particularly grand but unexpected and functional.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Goudhurst

 

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GOUDHURST

LIES the next parish southward from Marden. The northern part of it, as far southward as the stream formerly called Risebridge river, which flows from Bedgebury to Hope mill, and a smaller part likewise on the other side of it, adjoining to the rivulet called the Bewle westward, is in the hundred of Marden, and lower division of the lath of Scray; the rest of the parish southward of the first-mentioned stream, is in the hundred of West, alias Little Barnefield, and lath of Aylesford, comprehending the whole of that hundred. So much of this parish as is within the borough of Faircrouch, is in the hundred of Cranbrook; as much as is in the boroughs of Pattenden, Lilsden, Combwell, and Chingley or Bromley, is in the same hundred of West, alias Little Barnefield; and the residue is in the hundred of Marden. It lies wholly within the district of the Weald, and in the division of West Kent.

 

The borsholders of the boroughs of Highamden, Pattenden, and Hilsden, in this parish, are chosen at the court-leet holden for the manor of East Farleigh, and the inhabitants owe no service but to that manor; only a constable for the hundred of West Barnefield may be chosen out of such parts of them as lay within it for that hundred. The manor of Maidstone likewise extends into this parish, over lands as far southward as Rise-bridge.

 

THE PARISH OF GOUDHURST is very pleasantly situated, being interspersed on every side with frequent hill and dale. The trees in it are oak, of a large size, and in great plenty throughout it, as well in the woods, as broad hedge-rows and shaves round the fields. The lands are in general very fertile; the soil, like the adjoining parishes, is mostly a deep stiff clay; being heavy tillage land, but it has the advantage of a great deal of rich marle at different places, and in some few parts sand, with which the roads are in general covered; and in the grounds near Finchcocks, there is a gravel-pit, which is the only one, I believe, in this part of the county. There is much more pasture than arable land in it, the former being mostly fatting lands, bullocks fatted on them weighing in general from 120 to 130 stone. It is well watered with several streams in different parts of it, all which uniting with the Teis, flow in one channel, along the western side of this parish, towards the Medway. The eastern and southern parts of it are much covered with thick coppice wood, mostly of oak. The turnpike road from Maidstone over Cocksheath through Marden, leads through the upper part of this parish southward, dividing into two branches at Winchethill; that to the left goes on to Comborne, and leaving the town of Goudhurst a little to the right, joins the Cranbrooke road a little beyond it. That to the right, having taken into it a branch of the Woodgate road from Tunbridge, near Broadford-bridge, goes on to the town of Goudhurst, and thence eastward to Cranbrooke and Tenterden; and the great high road from Lamberhurst through Stonecrouch to Hawkhurst, and into Sussex, south-east, goes along the southern bounds of this parish.

 

The parish is about eight miles long and four broad. There are about three hundred houses in it, and somewhat more than five inhabitants to a house. It is very healthy; sixty years of age being esteemed, if not the prime, at least the middle age of life; the inhabitants of these parts being in great measure untainted with the vices and dissipation too frequently practised above the hill.

 

There are two heaths or commons here; the one called Pyles-health, and the other Killdown, in West Barnefield hundred.

 

THE TOWN, or village of Goudhurst, stands in the hundred of Marden, about half a mile within the lower or southern bounds of it, on an hill, commanding an extensive view of the country all around it. It is not paved, but is built on the sides of five different roads which unite at a large pond in the middle of it. The houses are mostly large, antient and well-timbered, like the rest of those in this neighbourhood, one of them, called Brickwall, belongs to the Rev. Mr. Thomas Bathurst. Within memory there were many clothiers here, but there are none now. There is some little of the woolstapling business yet carried on.

 

On the summit of the hill, on which the town stands, is the church, a conspicuous object to the neighbouring country, and near it was the marketplace, which was pulled down about the year 1650, and the present small one built lower down, at the broad place in the town near the pond. The market was held on a Wednesday weekly, for cattle, provisions, &c. till within memory; it is now entirely disused, there is a fair held yearly in the town, upon the day of the assumption of our lady, being August 26, for cattle, hardware, toys, &c. This market and fair were granted in the year of king Richard II. to Joane, widow of Roger de Bedgebury, the possessors of which estate claim at this time the privilege of holding them, by a yearly rent to the manor of Marden.

 

At the hamlet of Stonecrouch is a post-office of very considerable account, its district extending to Goudhurst, Cranbrooke, Tenterden, Winchelsea, Rye, and Hastings, and all the intermediate and adjoining places, to which letters are directed by this Stonecrouch bag.

 

ALMOST adjoining to the town eastward, on the road leading to Tenterden, there is A HAMLET, called LITTLE GOUDHURST, in which there is an antient seat, called TAYWELL, which for many generations was possessed by a family of the name of Lake, who bore for their arms, Sable, a bend between six crosscroslets, fitchee, argent. In the north isle of this church, under which is a vault, in which this family lie buried, there is a marble, on which is a descent of them. The last of them, Thomas Lake, esq. barrister-at-law, resided here, but dying without issue male, his daughters and coheirs became possessed of it; one of whom married Maximilian Gott, esq. and the other Thomas Hussey, esq. whose son Edward Hussey, esq. of Scotney, now possesses the entire see of this estate, which is demised for a long term of years to Mr. Olive, who has almost rebuilt it, and resides in it.

 

AT A SMALL DISTANCE southward from the abovementioned seat, is another, called TRIGGS, which was for several descents the residence of the Stringers, a family of good account in the different parts of this county. John Stringer, esq. son of Edward Stringer, of Biddenden, by Phillis his wife, daughter of George Holland, gent. resided here in king Charles I.'s reign, and married Susanna, daughter of Stephen Streeter, of Goudhurst, by whom he had Stephen, of Goudhurst; John, gent. of Ashford, who left a daughter and heir Mary, married to Anthony Irby, esq. Edward and Thomas, both of Goudhurst; the latter left two sons. Thomas and Edward, and a daughter Catherine, who married William Belcher, M. D. by whom the had Stringer Belcher, and other children. The Stringers bore for their arms, Per chevron, or, and sable, in chief two eagles displayed of the second, in the base a fleur de lis of the first.

 

Stephen Stringer, the eldest son of John, resided at Triggs in the reign of king Charles II. and was succeeded in it by his second son Stephen Stringer, esq. who kept his shrievalty here in the 6th year of queen Anne. He died without male issue, leaving by Jane his wife, daughter of John Austen, esq. of Broadford, four daughters his coheirs, Jane, married to Thomas Weston, of Cranbrooke; Hannah to William Monk, of Buckingham. in Sussex, whose eldest daughter and coheir married Thomas Knight, esq. of Godmersham; Elizabeth married Edward Bathurst, esq. of Finchcocks, and Anne married John Kirril, esq. of Sevenoke. (fn. 1) This seat was afterwards alienated to Francis Austen, esq. of Sevenoke, whose son Francis Mottley Austen, esq. of Sevenoke, is the present owner of it.

 

THE MANOR OF MARDEN claims over the greatest part of this parish; part of it, being the dens beforementioned, are within the manor of East Farleigh, and the remaining part, called Wincehurst-den, is within the manor of Gillingham, near Chatham. Although that part of this parish which lies within the hundred of West Barnefield, being the most southern part of it, contains those places which are of, by far, the greatest note in it, yet, for the sake of regularity in my description, I shall begin with those in the hundred of Marden, partly already described, and having finished that, proceed next to the hundred of West Barnefield, and the matters worthy of notice in it.

 

BOKINFOLD is a manor of large extent, situated in the hundred of Marden, having formerly a large park and demesnes belonging to it, which extended into the parishes of Brenchley, Horsemonden, Yalding, Marden, and Goudhurst, the house of it being situated in that of Yalding, in the description of which parish the reader will find an ample account of the former state and possessors of it. (fn. 2) It will, therefore, be sufficient to mention here, in addition to it, that the whole of this manor coming at length into the possession of Sir Alexander Colepeper. He in the 3d year of queen Elizabeth levied a fine of it, and three years afterwards alienated that part of this manor, and all the demesnes of it which lay in Brenchley, Horsemonden, Yalding, and Marden, to Roger Revell, as has been mentioned under the parish of Yalding, and THE REMAINDER OF IT in this parish, held of the manor of Marden, to Sharpeigh, whose descendant Stephen Sharpeigh passed that part of it away in 1582, to Richard Reynolds, whose son and heir John Reynolds, about the 41st year of queen Elizabeth, conveyed it to Richard Eliot, and he, about the year 1601, alienated it to Thomas Girdler, who the next year sold it to John Reynolds, and he, in the 5th year of king James, transmitted it to John Beale, who, about 1609, passed it away to John Harleston, of Ickham, and he settled it by will on Richard Harleston, who in like manner devised it to his kinsman Richard Bishop, and he, soon after the death of king Charles I. sold it to Mr. Stephen Stringer, of Triggs, in Goudhurst, whose son, of the same name, was sheriff anno 6 queen Anne, and left five daughters his coheirs, of whom Elizabeth, the third, married Edward Bathurst, esq. of Finchcocks, and on the division of their inheritance, he, in her right, became possessed of this manor. He died in 1772, upon which this estate came to his son, the Rev. Thomas Bathurst, rector of Welwyn, in Hertfordshire, the present owner of it. A court baron is regularly held for this manor.

 

In 1641 the archbishop collated Richard Amhurst, clerk, to the free chapels of Bockinfold and Newsted annexed, in the archdeaconry of Canterbury, then vacant and of his patronage. (fn. 3)

 

COMBORNE is an estate, situated in the northernmost part of this parish, adjoining to Winchet-hill, in the hundred of Marden likewise; which place of Winchet-hill was antiently the original seat in this county, of the family of Roberts, of Glassenbury.

 

An ancestor of this family, William Rookherst, a gentleman of Scotland, left his native country, and came into England in the 3d year of king Henry I. and had afterwards the surname of Roberts, having purchased lands at Winchet-hill, on which he built himself a mansion, calling it Rookherst, after himself. This place came afterwards to be called Ladiesden Rokehurst, alias Curtesden, and continued the residence of this family till the reign of king Richard II. when Stephen Roberts, alias Rookherst, marrying Joane, the daughter and heir of William Tilley, of Glassenbury, removed thither, and the remains of their residence here are so totally effaced, as to be known only by the family evidences, and the report of the neighbourhood.

 

But their estate at Winchet-hill continued several generations afterwards in their descendants, till it was at length alienated to one of the family of Maplesden, of Marden, in whose descendants this estate, together with that of Comborne adjoining, continued down to Edward Maplesden; esq. of the Middle Temple, who died in 1755, s. p. and intestate. Upon which they descended to Alexander Courthope, esq. of Horsemonden, the son of his sister Catherine, and to Charles Booth, esq. the grandson of his sister Anne, as his coheirs in gavelkind, and on a partition of those estates between them, Winchet-hill was allotted to Charles Booth, esq. afterwards Sir Charles Booth, of Harrietsham-place, who died possessed of it, s. p. in 1795, and his devisees, for the purposes of his will, are now in the possession of it; but Comborne was allotted to Alexander Courthope, esq. since deceased, whose nephew John Cole, esq. now possesses it.

 

FINCHCOCKS is a feat in this parish, situated within the hundred of Marden, in that angle of it which extends south-westward below Hope mill, and is likewise within that manor. It was formerly of note for being the mansion of a family of the same surname, who were possessed of it as early as the 40th year of Henry III. They were succeeded in it by the family of Horden, of Horden, who became proprietors of it by purchase in the beginning of king Henry VI.'s reign, one of whom was Edward Horden, esq. clerk of the green cloth to king Edward VI. queen Mary, and queen Elizabeth, who had, for some considerable service to the crown, the augmentation of a regal diadem, added to his paternal coat by queen Elizabeth. He left two daughters his coheirs, Elizabeth, married to Mr. Paul Bathurst, of Bathurst-street, in Nordiam, and Mary to Mr. Delves, of Fletchings, who had Horden for his share of the inheritance, as the other had this of Finchcocks. He was descended from Laurence Bathurst, of Canterbury, who held lands there and in Cranbrooke, whose son of the same name, left three sons, of whom Edward, the eldest, was of Staplehurst, and was ancestor of the Bathursts, of Franks, in this county, now extinct, (fn. 4) of the earls Bathurst, and those of Clarenden-park, in Wiltshire, and Lydney, in Gloucestershire; Robert Bathurst, the second, was of Horsemonden; and John, the third son, was ancestor of the Bathursts, of Ockham, in Hampshire. Robert Bathurst, of Horsemonden above-mentioned, by his first wife had John, from whom came the Bathursts, of Lechlade, in Gloucestershire, and baronets; and Paul, who was of Nordiam, and afterwards possessor of Finchcocks, from whose great-grandson William, who was a merchant in London, descended the Bathursts, of Edmonton, in Middlesex. By his second wife he had John, who was of Goudhurst, ancestor of the Bathursts, of Richmond, in Yorkshire. In the descendants of Paul Bathurst before-mentioned, this seat continued down to Thomas Bathurst, esq. who by his will devised this seat and estate to his nephew Edward, only son of his younger brother William, of Wilmington, who leaving his residence there on having this seat devised to him, removed hither, and rebuilt this seat, at a great expence, in a most stately manner. He resided here till his death in 1772, having been twice married, and leaving several children by each of his wives. By his first wife Elizabeth, third daughter and coheir of Stephen Stringer, esq. of Triggs, he had three sons, Edward, who left a daughter Dorothy, now unmarried, and John and Thomas, both fellows of All Souls college, in Oxford, the latter of whom is now rector of Welwyn, in Hertfordshire. Before his death he conveyed this seat and estate by sale to his son by his second wife, Mr. Charles Bathurst, who on his decease in 1767, s. p. devised it by will to his brother, the Rev. Mr. Richard Bathurst, now of Rochester, the present possessor of it. This branch of the family of Bathurst. bore for their arms the same coat as those of Franks, in this county, and those of Cirencester, Lydney, and Clarendon, viz. Sable, two bars, ermine, in chief three crosses pattee, or, with a crescent for difference; but with a different crest, viz. Party per fess, and pale, a demi wolf argent, and sable, holding a regal crown, or; which I take to be that borne by Edward Horden, whose heir Paul Bathurst, their ancestor, married, and whose coat of arms they likewise quartered with their own.

 

¶AT NO GREAT DISTANCE from Finchcocks, in the same hundred, lies a capital messuage, called RISEDEN, alias GATEHOUSE, which formerly belonged to a family named Sabbe, one of whom, Simon Sabbe, sold it, before the middle of the last century, to Mr. Robert Bathurst, from whom it descended down, with an adjoining estate, called TRILLINGHERST, to another Robert Bathurst, who died in 1731, and lies buried in this church, whose daughter Mary sold them both to Sir Horace Mann, bart. the present possessor of them.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol7/pp64-73

Spotted at Montreux main station, this Portuguese plate! I usually don't take pictures of Portuguese plates, as there are many of them in Switzerland (there is a strong Portuguese community in Switzerland), but this one is my personnal highest!

 

Distance from home: 1935 km.

This photo appeared in the following ideotrope albums:

 

Southern Kerala and Tamil Nadu - February 2008 - On the road in India

At Thanksgiving Rudi reminded me of a grim statistic regarding Indian traffic: India has 4% (or is it 5?) of the world's motor vehicles and 25% of the world's traffic fatalities. Even having visited India once before, I couldn't imagine the chaos and frequent danger of being on the road. Of course the conditions we encountered ran the gamut from smooth, quiet country lanes where our tandem was the fastest on the road to unbelievable chaos where it felt like a bit of a miracle to make it through the day.

By the end of five weeks though, we never crashed, and except for one goat I can't even recall that we ran into anything. As in the U.S. the traffic law in India seems to be that if you get there first, you have the right to the road. This law is taken to its logical extreme such that there's really no reason to ever look behind you. Pay attention to what's in front, be ready to brake and avoid sudden turns. In this sense I could see order to it all and certainly enjoyed heavy, slower traffic to the far too common high-speed chicken matches with buses which left us more than once bouncing off the edge of the tarmac. It's no surprise that fatal bus accidents are reported almost daily in the newspaper.

Coastal Kerala

We arrived at the Thiruvananthapuram airport at about 4am and cycled out of the "city" 26 hours later. The city hardly ended. During our first three days of pedaling, I'm not sure that we were ever out of sight of people and buildings. Perhaps we shouldn't have found this surprising. Kerala has the highest population density of any state in India. And within the state the highest density is found in the southern half of the state on the flat strip of land between the sea and the hills - exactly where we rode the first three days. We mostly avoided the fast traffic of the main road, usually riding a road closer to the coast. The network of paved roads is dense. There are many possibilities.

It wasn't always easy to follow these roads, and I can think of three funny incidents from these first three days:

We were on a narrow road with a fair bit of bus traffic. We noticed lighter traffic. Suddenly the road ended, and we looked across 100m of water with no bridge. Thinking we had missed a turn, we backtracked and quickly came to the spot where the buses turn around. Locals directed us back to the water and down a sandy single track where we loaded onto an oversized canoe with a motorcyclist and another bicyclist. Two men poled the craft across, and soon we were on our way again.

Further north on a similar narrow road we somehow managed to miss the main fork. The road continued to narrow and narrow until we were on a three-foot wide dirt track between two walls. Still we continued and cycled right into someone's yard! All found it amusing.</li?

In another section we had been warned that the coastal road was a bit broken in places and we'd have to push the bike so we weren't surprised to come upon a sandy single track. It was surprising to come upon a mahout on his elephant traveling in the opposite direction on this track. It was very sandy off the track and thinking the elephant would have an easier time of it than we would I kept on the track. The mahout hollered at us, and we were quite close before we ducked out of the way!

Cardamom Hills

After three days of riding to Alappuzha we were ready to try anything besides the Kerala coastal strip so we headed east into the hills. In less than 10km we came to the most peaceful, beautiful riding that we'd seen up to that point. Of course it all wasn't like that, but we had made a good choice.

We rode for three days to get to the Kumily/Thekkadi/Periyar tourist area and two more to get to more beautiful, more touristy, and higher Munnar. We climbed a lot on four of those days, but the roads were well-graded and simply by luck rather than any planning we only had a couple climbs that lasted more than 15km. On the other hand after climbing out of Munnar, we descended about 70km down to Kurichikottai. That would have been a brutal climb.

Through the hills and mountains we pedaled in misty, forested areas where all we could hear was the sounds of monkeys and birds. I thought of Jack Zuzack and the sounds he recorded on his 'round the world trip. We also rode through cardamom (these are the Cardamom Hills after all), rubber, tea, coffee, pepper, jackfruit, and coconut. The tea plantations were particularly beautiful as they seem to glow a translucent green.

The Tamil Nadu plains

Along the road from Munnar we met David who invited us to stay with his family in Kurichikottai, our first night in Tamil Nadu. David's from Kerala but came to Tamil Nadu to help the locals with basic health care and sanitation. He explained that most people don't have toilets in their houses in Tamil Nadu and we'd see many people using the side of the roads as a toilet in the morning. We spent the next two weeks riding in Tamil Nadu and indeed that's one thing I'll remember from our early morning riding there.

In spite of that, the riding in Tamil Nadu was more enjoyable than coastal Kerala. There were lots of wide-open spaces, beautiful agriculture areas, good roads, light traffic, compact cities. Also the weather was more comfortable since it was drier than Kerala. (Overall the weather on the whole trip was good. We never wanted a/c at night. Most of the day was warm, but it felt pretty hot from 1-4pm. We'd try not to be riding then.)

We visited a number of temple towns in Tamil Nadu: Palani, Madurai, Sivakasi, Tirunelveli, Tiruchchendur, Kanniyakumari. These places are on the Hindu pilgrimage circuit and except for Sivakasi and Tirunelveli were crowded with pilgrims.

Any place that's popular for Indians to visit is absolutely chaotic on the weekends. We experienced this in Munnar and Kanniyakumari, both places that we stayed a few days. Once the weekend crowds went home, we enjoyed the relative tranquility of these towns.

Sivakasi is famous for being a production center for fireworks. We ended up visiting the city because we met Jack Reed on the grounds of the Ghandi Museum in Madurai. He invited us to Sivakasi. Jack's friend, Sami, managed to arrange a tour of a cracker factory for the four of us. Seeing the workers and the working conditions was the most moving experience of the trip. The "factories" - though there's nothing automated about them - are scattered out on the hot plain away from the city and away from each other. The factory we visited consisted of about 20 small (4mx4mx4m), widely-spaced buildings. Each building has at least four doors which are always opened during work hours. There's no electricity. The design - good ventilation, many escape routes, widely-spaced buildings - is to prevent accidents. The workers are paid by the piece and earn about $3/day for this boring, repetitive, dangerous work. They're in constant contact with the chemicals in the fireworks - though some jobs looked much worse than others - and must fully wash before leaving the premises (to keep the unhealthy, volatile chemicals out of their homes). It was the closest thing I've seen to a sweat shop. Two women asked me to take them to my home, the only time that happened during this trip. That said, the workers appeared to genuinely return our smiles, and I'm afraid they're paid more than the average wage in India, perhaps even double (?).

The culinary journey

During our first trip to India, we spent two months in the north - Rajastan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal - and loved the food. Then we spent a month in the Andaman Islands where there is mostly South Indian food. We were introduced to a whole new Indian cuisine, and we loved it! Indeed both of us prefer South Indian food to North Indian. The South Indian food is lighter, less oily, and less rich. It's food that can be eaten every day - not like what's served at the Indian restaurants in Boulder.

For breakfast we'd order a bread or rice dish - often appam in Kerala, idli or pongal in Tamil Nadu. Both states had dosa, puri, porotha, puttu, ottappam as well. The breads are served with curries and chutneys, and in fancier restaurants different breads were served with different sides. Egg curry was a popular breakfast option in Kerala, and many places would offer omelets as well. All except the most basic restaurants would offer tea (chai) and coffee. There wasn't much difference between dinner and breakfast unless we'd go to a fancier restaurant and order specific made-to-order curries.

Lunch is an all-you-can-eat affair based on rice. In Tamil Nadu banana leafs are used as plates, but I don't think we saw that a single time in Kerala. Silverware is not used. The rice comes with a number of vegetable sides, pickled stuff, papadam, and a pudding for dessert. Waiters come by with dal, sambar, and curd to pour over the rice, and they're constantly dumping more vegetables and rices onto your plate. The food was continually tasty. The one complaint would be that it was somewhat repetitive.

Kovalam and Mumbai

20km before completing our loop in Thiruvananthapuram we spent a couple days at the beach resort of Kovalam. I was impressed. The beaches were beautiful and clean with very mellow waves that were easy and fun to bodysurf. The main beach (Lighthouse) is tastefully developed, and there's still fisherman pulling in their catch. I can see why Europeans fly to India just to visit Kovalam.

On our flight home we took advantage of a 10 hour layover in Mumbai to make a quick dash into the city. We went straight to the Gateway of India and barely caught it in the last light of the day. I had hoped to do a little walking tour, but it's hard to appreciate the architecture in the dark. The most memorable part of this excursion will be the incredibly crowded train coming back from Churchgate to Andheri at 10 on a Saturday night. The doors to the trains don't close, and folks hang out the sides. People carry their bags above their heads because there's no room between the packed bodies. There isn't even enough room for everyone's feet on the floor. People stood on my feet, and I stood on other feet. At the stations it's required to jump off while the train is moving to avoid being pushed back on by the mass attemping to squeeze on. Not being experienced jumping off moving trains, Julie and I were a bit nervous when our stop was approaching. I followed the example of the person in front of me, and a helpful passenger gave Julie an arm to help her balance as she stumbled onto the platform. In spite of the chaos everyone was helpful, good-natured, and polite. Farewell, India.

The route: Thiruvananthapuram, Varkala, Karunagappally, Alappuzha, Kanjirappally, Peerumade, Thekkadi, Nedumkandam, Munnar, Kurichikottai, Palani, Kodaikanal Road, Madurai, Sivakasi, Surandai, Tirunelveli, Tiruchchendur, Kanniyakumari, Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram.

Link to less selective photo album

Kerala and Tamil Nadu - all photos - Link to trip description

  

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Devils Tower

Matȟó Thípila (Lakota)

 

Devils Tower, 2017

Highest point

Elevation 5,112 ft (1,558 m)  NAVD 88[1]

Coordinates 44°35′25″N 104°42′55″WCoordinates: 44°35′25″N 104°42′55″W [2]

Geography

Location Crook County, Wyoming, United States

Parent range Bear Lodge Mountains, part of the Black Hills

Topo map USGS Devils Tower

Geology

Mountain type Laccolith

Climbing

First ascent William Rogers and Willard Ripley, July 4, 1893

Easiest route Durrance Route

Devils Tower National Monument

IUCN category III (natural monument or feature)

Map showing the location of Devils Tower National Monument

Map showing the location of Devils Tower National Monument

Location in the United States

Nearest city Hulett, Wyoming

Coordinates 44°35′26″N 104°43′0″W

Area 1,346 acres (5.45 km2)[3]

Established September 24, 1906[4]

Visitors 496,210 (in 2016)[5]

Governing body National Park Service

Website Devils Tower National Monument

 

Devils Tower (also Bear Lodge Butte[6]) is a laccolithic butte composed of igneous rock in the Bear Lodge Mountains (part of the Black Hills) near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River. It rises dramatically 1,267 feet (386 m) above the Belle Fourche River, standing 867 feet (265 m) from summit to base. The summit is 5,112 feet (1,559 m) above sea level.

 

Devils Tower was the first declared United States National Monument, established on September 24, 1906, by President Theodore Roosevelt. The monument's boundary encloses an area of 1,347 acres (545 ha).

 

In recent years, about 1% of the monument's 400,000 annual visitors climbed Devils Tower, mostly using traditional climbing techniques.[7]

Name

Devils Tower, 1900

 

The name Devil's Tower originated in 1875 during an expedition led by Colonel Richard Irving Dodge, when his interpreter reportedly misinterpreted a native name to mean "Bad God's Tower".[8] All information signs in that area use the name "Devils Tower", following a geographic naming standard whereby the apostrophe is eliminated.[9]

 

Native American names for the monolith include: "Bear's House" or "Bear's Lodge" (or "Bear's Tipi", "Home of the Bear", "Bear's Lair"; Cheyenne, Lakota Matȟó Thípila, Crow Daxpitcheeaasáao "Home of Bears"[10]), "Aloft on a Rock" (Kiowa), "Tree Rock", "Great Gray Horn",[8] and "Brown Buffalo Horn" (Lakota Ptehé Ǧí).[citation needed]

 

In 2005, a proposal to recognize several Native American ties through the additional designation of the monolith as Bear Lodge National Historic Landmark met with opposition from United States Representative Barbara Cubin, arguing that a "name change will harm the tourist trade and bring economic hardship to area communities".[11] In November 2014, one Arvol Looking Horse again proposed renaming the geographical feature "Bear Lodge", and submitted the request to the United States Board on Geographic Names. A second proposal was submitted to request that the U.S. acknowledge the "offensive" mistake in keeping the current name and to rename the monument and sacred site Bear Lodge National Historic Landmark. The formal public comment period ended in fall 2015. Local state senator Ogden Driskill opposed the change.[12][13] The name was not changed.[14][not in citation given]

Geological history

Red sandstone and siltstone cliffs above the Belle Fourche River

Map of Wyoming National Parks and landmarks, showing Devils Tower (upper right) far east of Yellowstone (upper left), north across the state from Cheyenne.

 

The landscape surrounding Devils Tower is composed mostly of sedimentary rocks. The oldest rocks visible in Devils Tower National Monument were laid down in a shallow sea during the mid- to late-Triassic period, 225 to 195 million years ago. This dark red sandstone and maroon siltstone, interbedded with shale, can be seen along the Belle Fourche River. Oxidation of iron minerals causes the redness of the rocks. This rock layer is known as the Spearfish Formation.

 

Above the Spearfish Formation is a thin band of white gypsum, called the Gypsum Springs Formation. This layer of gypsum was deposited during the Jurassic period, 195 to 136 million years ago.

 

Created as sea levels and climates repeatedly changed, gray-green shales (deposited in low-oxygen environments such as marshes) were interbedded with fine-grained sandstones, limestones, and sometimes thin beds of red mudstone. This composition, called the Stockade Beaver member, is part of the Sundance Formation. The Hulett Sandstone member, also part of the Sundance Formation, is composed of yellow fine-grained sandstone. Resistant to weathering, it forms the nearly vertical cliffs that encircle the Tower.

 

During the Paleocene Epoch, 56 to 66 million years ago, the Rocky Mountains and the Black Hills were uplifted. Magma rose through the crust, intruding into the existing sedimentary rock layers.[15]

Theories of formation

 

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Phonolite porphyry, the rock type of which Devils Tower is made

Close-up of the columns

 

Geologists Carpenter and Russell studied Devils Tower in the late 19th century and came to the conclusion that it was formed by an igneous intrusion. Modern geologists agree that it was formed by the intrusion of igneous material, but not on exactly how that process took place. Several believe the molten rock comprising the Tower might not have surfaced; others are convinced the tower is all that remains of what once was a large explosive volcano.

 

In 1907, scientists Darton and O'Hara decided that Devils Tower must be an eroded remnant of a laccolith. A laccolith is a large mass of igneous rock which is intruded through sedimentary rock beds without reaching the surface, but makes a rounded bulge in the sedimentary layers above. This theory was quite popular in the early 20th century, since numerous studies had earlier been done on laccoliths in the Southwest.

 

Other theories have suggested that Devils Tower is a volcanic plug or that it is the neck of an extinct volcano. Presumably, if Devils Tower is a volcanic plug, any volcanics created by it — volcanic ash, lava flows, volcanic debris — would have been eroded away long ago. Some pyroclastic material of the same age as Devils Tower has been identified elsewhere in Wyoming.

 

The igneous material that forms the Tower is a phonolite porphyry intruded about 40.5 million years ago,[16] a light to dark-gray or greenish-gray igneous rock with conspicuous crystals of white feldspar.[17] As the magma cooled, hexagonal (and sometimes 4-, 5-, and 7-sided) columns formed, each about six feet in diameter. As the rock continued to cool, the vertical columns shrank in cross-section (horizontally) and cracks began to occur at 120-degree angles, generally forming compact 6-sided columns. The nearby Missouri Buttes, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to the northwest of Devils Tower, are also composed of columnar phonolite of the same age. Devils Postpile National Monument in California and Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, are also columnar basalt, which are superficially similar, but with columns typically 2 feet (0.61 m) diameter.

 

Devils Tower did not visibly protrude out of the landscape until the overlying sedimentary rocks eroded away. As the elements wore down the softer sandstones and shales, the more resistant igneous rock making up the tower survived the erosional forces. As a result, the gray columns of Devils Tower began to appear as an isolated mass above the landscape.

 

As rain and snow continue to erode the sedimentary rocks surrounding the Tower's base, more of Devils Tower will be exposed. Nonetheless, the exposed portions of the Tower still experience certain amounts of erosion. Cracks along the columns are subject to water and ice erosion. Erosion due to the expansion of ice along cracks and fractures within rock formations is common in colder climates, a prime example being the featured formations at Bryce Canyon National Park. Portions, or even entire columns, of rock at Devils Tower are continually breaking off and falling. Piles of broken columns, boulders, small rocks, and stones, called scree, lie at the base of the tower, indicating that it was once wider than it is today.[15]

Native American culture

 

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A sign informs visitors of the Native American heritage.

 

According to the Native American tribes of the Kiowa and Lakota, a group of girls went out to play and were spotted by several giant bears, who began to chase them. In an effort to escape the bears, the girls climbed atop a rock, fell to their knees, and prayed to the Great Spirit to save them. Hearing their prayers, the Great Spirit made the rock rise from the ground towards the heavens so that the bears could not reach the girls. The bears, in an effort to climb the rock, left deep claw marks in the sides, which had become too steep to climb. Those are the marks which appear today on the sides of Devils Tower. When the girls reached the sky, they were turned into the stars of the Pleiades.

 

Another version tells that two Sioux boys wandered far from their village when Mato the bear, a huge creature that had claws the size of tipi poles, spotted them, and wanted to eat them for breakfast. He was almost upon them when the boys prayed to Wakan Tanka the Creator to help them. They rose up on a huge rock, while Mato tried to get up from every side, leaving huge scratch marks as he did. Finally, he sauntered off, disappointed and discouraged. The bear came to rest east of the Black Hills at what is now Bear Butte. Wanblee, the eagle, helped the boys off the rock and back to their village. A painting depicting this legend by artist Herbert A. Collins hangs over the fireplace in the visitor's center at Devils Tower.

 

In a Cheyenne version of the story, the giant bear pursues the girls and kills most of them. Two sisters escape back to their home with the bear still tracking them. They tell two boys that the bear can only be killed with an arrow shot through the underside of its foot. The boys have the sisters lead the bear to Devils Tower and trick it into thinking they have climbed the rock. The boys attempt to shoot the bear through the foot while it repeatedly attempts to climb up and slides back down leaving more claw marks each time. The bear was finally scared off when an arrow came very close to its left foot. This last arrow continued to go up and never came down.[18]

 

Wooden Leg, a Northern Cheyenne, relates another legend told to him by an old man as they were traveling together past the Devils Tower around 1866–1868. An Indian man decided to sleep at the base of Bear Lodge next to a buffalo head. In the morning he found that both he and the buffalo head had been transported to the top of the rock by the Great Medicine with no way down. He spent another day and night on the rock with no food or water. After he had prayed all day and then gone to sleep, he awoke to find that the Great Medicine had brought him back down to the ground, but left the buffalo head at the top near the edge. Wooden Leg maintains that the buffalo head was clearly visible through the old man's spyglass. At the time, the tower had never been climbed and a buffalo head at the top was otherwise inexplicable.[19]

 

The buffalo head gives this story special significance for the Northern Cheyenne. All the Cheyenne maintained in their camps a sacred teepee to the Great Medicine containing the tribal sacred objects. In the case of the Northern Cheyenne, the sacred object was a buffalo head.[20]

Recent history

Ponderosa pine forest east of Devils Tower

 

Fur trappers may have visited Devils Tower, but they left no written evidence of having done so. The first documented Caucasian visitors were several members of Captain William F. Raynolds' 1859 expedition to Yellowstone. Sixteen years later, Colonel Richard I. Dodge escorted an Office of Indian Affairs scientific survey party to the massive rock formation and coined the name Devils Tower.[21] Recognizing its unique characteristics, the United States Congress designated the area a U.S. forest reserve in 1892 and in 1906 Devils Tower became the nation's first National Monument.[22]

 

The 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind used the formation as a plot element and as the location of its climactic scenes.[23][24] Its release was the cause of a large increase in visitors and climbers to the monument.[25]

Climbing

Main article: Durrance Route

Old climbing ladder on Devil's Tower

 

In recent years, climbing Devils Tower has increased in popularity. The first known ascent of Devils Tower by any method occurred on July 4, 1893, and is accredited to William Rogers and Willard Ripley, local ranchers in the area. They completed this first ascent after constructing a ladder of wooden pegs driven into cracks in the rock face. A few of these wooden pegs are still intact and are visible on the tower when hiking along the 1.3-mile (2.1 km) Tower Trail at Devils Tower National Monument. Over the following thirty years many climbs were made using this method before the ladder fell into disrepair. The man most famous for climbing the tower is Fritz Wiessner, who summited with William P. House and Lawrence Coveney in 1937. This was the first ascent using modern climbing techniques. Wiessner led the entire climb free, placing only a single piece of fixed gear, a piton, which he later regretted, deeming it unnecessary.

 

In 1941 George Hopkins parachuted onto Devils Tower, without permission, as a publicity stunt resulting from a bet. He had intended to descend by a 1,000 ft (300 m) rope dropped to him after successfully landing on the butte, but the package containing the rope, a sledge hammer and a car axle to be driven into the rock as an anchor point slid over the edge. As the weather deteriorated, a second attempt was made to drop equipment, but Hopkins deemed it unusable after the rope became snarled and frozen due to the rain and wind. Hopkins was stranded for six days, exposed to cold, rain and 50 mph (80 km/h) winds before a mountain rescue team led by Jack Durrance, who had successfully climbed Devils Tower in 1938, finally reached him and brought him down.[26][27] His entrapment and subsequent rescue was widely covered by the media of the time.[28]

 

Today, hundreds of climbers scale the sheer rock walls of Devils Tower each summer. The most common route is the Durrance Route, which was the second free route established in 1938. There are many established and documented climbing routes covering every side of the tower, ascending the various vertical cracks and columns of the rock. The difficulty of these routes range from relatively easy to some of the most challenging in the world. All climbers are required to register with a park ranger before and after attempting a climb. No overnight camping at the summit is allowed; climbers return to base on the same day they ascend.[29]

 

The Tower is sacred to several Plains tribes, including the Lakota, Cheyenne and Kiowa. Because of this, many Indian leaders objected to climbers ascending the monument, considering this to be a desecration. The climbers argued that they had a right to climb the Tower, since it is on federal land. A compromise was eventually reached with a voluntary climbing ban during the month of June when the tribes are conducting ceremonies around the monument. Climbers are asked, but not required, to stay off the Tower in June. According to the PBS documentary In the Light of Reverence, approximately 85% of climbers honor the ban and voluntarily choose not to climb the Tower during the month of June. However, several climbers along with the Mountain States Legal Foundation sued the Park Service, claiming an inappropriate government entanglement with religion.[30]

Highest position: 131 on Friday, March 30, 2012

Highest position: 98 on Thursday, May 24, 2007

large View On Black

 

wish you all a wonderful weekend :)

 

NEW: "i love your work 42"

Highest position: 29 on Friday, June 1, 2007

Highest price of the day.

 

At 01:00 in Video Part 4 of 5 of the five videos I took of the car on stage, Evan starts up the car to the crowd's delight. At 01:25, I say, "I think he's trying to hide a chuckle." At 01:40, I say, "So, I saw this car in the back being pulled by a strap by a Japanese SUV. They were trying to start it." Evan was the guy in tow trying to start the Simplex. Wish I had put my camera on that. Evan certainly had fun with this one, from the back lot to the stage. ☺

 

Evan Ide -- works with Bonhams, has been featured on Wayne Carini's "Chasing Classic Cars" several times, and is an advisor to several major museum collections around the world -- driving the car on stage.

 

*The Eleonora Sears Simplex Purchased new by Harold Vanderbilt for Eleonora Sears, Ex-Charles Chayne*

1912 Simplex 50HP 5 Passenger Torpedo Tourer

Sold for US$4,845,000 inc. premium

 

From the catalog:

Coachwork by JM Quinby and Company

597.2ci T-Head, 4-Cylinder Engine (5.75" bore x 5.75" stroke)

50 horsepower ALAM rated

4-Speed Transaxle With 1.97:1 Final Drive by Dual Chains

Semi-Elliptic Leaf Spring Suspension

Inboard Transaxle Mounted Drum Brakes and Rear Axle Drum Brakes

 

*Unique example of the pinnacle of American pre-war sporting cars

*Owned for over 25 years by Eleonora Sears America's greatest pre-war sportswoman

*Matching numbers, dual-chain drive and desirable short-stroke specification

*Original coachwork with faultless, dramatic styling

*Performance surpassing most cars made decades later

  

SIMPLEX

 

The collector car hobby is now in its ninth or perhaps tenth decade with roots going back as early as the 1920s. Few cars have the distinction of being highly coveted for this entire period of time. Simplex without question is one of the few cars to have remained a great prize of collecting from day one to the present day. No car so completely embodies the romance and excitement of this period better than a Simplex. Possessing all the fleeting features of this charismatic era, massive four-cylinder, T-head engine, with power getting to the rear wheels via prodigious pair of chains all in a svelte and sporty package.

 

The Smith and Mabley Company's beginnings are in the importation of high-end European automobiles. S&M imported Panhard, Renault, Mors and most importantly Mercedes. S&M was the exclusive importer of Mercedes for the US market.

 

After a few years of importing the superb Mercedes products S&M developed their own Mercedes-like car but designed with uniquely American dimensions. S&M based much of the design around the Mercedes Simplex four-cylinder design — the world's finest automobile at the time. In 1908 Smith & Mabley would become the Simplex Automobile Company and focus exclusively on enormous displacement sporting cars. To power the Simplex an enlarged Mercedes type t-head engine of 597ci was designed. Simplex deviated from Mercedes by cleverly matched the bore and stroke at 5.75" to give the engine a combination of brute power and at a surprisingly wide RPM range. The cross flow, t-head design allowed Simplex to fit equally massive valves to aid the voluminous engine flow. Ignition was by Bosch twin-spark dual-magneto and carburetion by a Mercedes type unit by Newcomb. The huge cylinders were mated to a large aluminum crankcase and lubrication was a total loss with copious amounts of fresh oil supplied to the main bearings. S&M used the established high performance chassis configuration of midship mounted transaxle feeding power to the rear wheels through dual chains. This design reduced the cars unsprung weight and allowed for easy final-drive gear ratio changes. Placing the transaxle and brake weight more forward improved the cars balance and handling. Additionally this design allowed for separate braking system inboard at the transaxle as well as in the rear wheel drums helping keep the independent systems cool. This configuration since its development by Panhard et Levassor had become almost universally adopted for racing in this period.

The new 50 horse power Simplex was introduced to the public and despite its breathtaking price tag of $5750 they immediately found favor with sporting car enthusiasts. Unlike some of Simplex's competition the enormous engine was not designed to lug around heavy coachwork this car was designed from the ground up for driving performance. Simplex quickly cemented their reputation with success in motorsports. Unlike many builders Simplex competed with their standard production cars. Wining the Brighton Beach 24 hours and victories at Lowell and Fairmont all bolstered the Simplex reputation.. This was a race car for the street and few cars in the world could rival them for their shear performance.

 

Simplex offered the 50hp several attractive coachwork options for clients including the classic five-passenger toy tonneau and two passenger speedster by Holbrook. Customers could also specify unique coachwork designs by coach builders of their choosing as is the case with this magnificent Quinby example.

 

ELEONORA RANDOLF SEARS

 

Ms Sears born into wealthy family in 1881 would become renowned as one of the finest American sporting figures of the first half of the 20th century. Excelling most notably in international tennis, squash, show jumping, golf among others. She is considered one of the first female motorists in the US as one of the first woman to drive a racing car and the first Woman to contest a speeding ticket. She maintained her sporting prowess for decades even winning the national squash title in 1928 at age 47! She even remained active in competitive in squash at age 73.

 

She began her rise to high level tennis in 1904. She competed in every US tennis championship from 1911 to 1929 and was national doubles champion four time. A three-time competitor at Wimbledon and US Squash champion in 1928. She was not afraid of a public wager and embarked in a much publicized 47 mile walk from Newport, Rhode Island to Boston in 10.5 hours. She frequently caused trouble by wearing trousers and male riding apparel and pushed for allowing more equity in sports and society.

 

She was often in the spotlight of the gossip pages but caused a sensation when she became engaged to Harold Sterling Vanderbilt in 1911. Son of the pioneering motor racer and sportsman William Kissam Vanderbilt, Harold had a similar sporting flair. Most famous for his yacht racing success and ultimately defending the America's cup in Newport Rhode Island three times with the J class yachts Rainbow, Enterprise and Ranger. He maintained excellent taste in high performance motor cars and is remembered for his contribution to the popularity of contract bridge. He and Eleonora made a great celebrity couple with their seemingly compatible sporting interests. Mr Vanderbilt purchased Ms. Sears this Simplex motorcar as a gift for their engagement. Mr Vanderbilt was had several of his own Simplex motorcars including a spectacularly racy v-radiator equipped roadster. The engagement did not last but seemed to have a lasting impact on both. Harold would not marry for another 20 years and Eleonora would keep her beloved engagement gift for at least another 25 years.

 

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

 

Ordered in 1911 this unique coachwork example is arguably the greatest survivor of the marque. Adorned in magnificent sporting coachwork by JM Quinby that is perfectly in harmony with the power and purpose of the Simplex chassis. The deep enveloping, cowl free from the bulk of a windshield with sleek built-in electric side lamps that also act as cockpit ventilators. The rakish fenders hint at the transitional nature of the car with their crisp flat lines and work perfectly with the innovative, torpedo bodywork. The wonderful wooden toolboxes were fitted from new, and the styling is further enhanced by the set of rear mounted spares. Having this sleek and light weight coachwork the Simplex was specified with ultra tall 1.97:1 final drive ratio allowing for 85mph at 1200rpm! There is nothing fussy about the final product pure, un-compromised style.

 

In 1939 Sears herself would drive the car to an early VMCCA at Raceland in Framingham Massachusetts. Ms Sears was awarded a beautiful silver trophy at the event which is still with the car. Original color films survive from this early antique car gathering. Around this time the cars ownership changed for the first time when Ms. Sears sold her beloved Simplex to VMMCA meter Sam Eliott.

 

Eventually the Simplex would find its way to the head of Buick and General Motors chief engineer Charles Chayne. A prolific engineer who developed countless products, Chayne was well known for his collection including the a Bugatti type 57S and most notably the Bugatti Type 41 "Royale" Weinberger roadster. Chayne had GM's full engineering capabilities at his disposal for his restorations. The best talents of GM had their way with Simplex and perfected the operation of the car to the highest standard. The engine was precession balanced and blue printed - to the finest possible standard. The brakes and the steering also received the full GM engineering attention. The Simplex steers light even when not moving and the brakes are shockingly powerful. The light steering and great cornering give enormous confidence during spirited driving. The electric starter installation is probably the crown jewell of the job - a discreet aircraft starter expertly mounted in place of the starting handle. The result is what most agree the finest driving Simplex, bar none.

 

Chayne would gradually disperse his collection many ending up in Museums - the Simplex at Brookline Massachusetts Museum of Transportation (now the Larz Anderson Auto Museum). Eventually the car was sold at auction to The Collings Foundation in the early 1980s. A short time later noted brass era collector Charles LeMaitre would acquire the car where it would reside for the next 20+ years. Of the more than 1000 antique cars Mr. Lemaitre would own this was the one he considers the finest. Mr. LeMaitre would use the car regularly and had the car fully restored starting in the mid 2000s. Trusting the Simplex to the capable hands of noted brass era restorer Fred Gonet in Proctorsville, Vermont. In this time the car was resprayed and new upholstery fitted. The wheels were rebuilt with new wood spokes and fellows. The mechanicals were fully refurbished while keeping the GM engineering that had been done under Chayne's restoration.

 

In 2013 the Sears Simplex was acquired by Seattle collector Craig McCaw. During this time he car was toured with and exhibited in the Simplex celebration at Pebble Beach. Eventually the car made it into the hands of the current owner a passionate collector with a diverse collection of world class automobiles. The Simplex is frequently used and always kept in "on the button" condition.

 

Cars of this quality rarely come to public auction. It has been nearly 17 years since an original bodied Simplex has been offered publicly. This car is among the finest antique cars in America and the opportunity to acquire something of this caliber is truly special.

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It's Bonhams day!

- - -

This year I was able to escape the snow and join Fred in Scottsdale for sunshine, cars, and music! I also drove down to Tucson to meet Doug for lunch and spend a nice evening visting with Richard and Lola.

Left to right: Sahale Mountain, Mount Formidable, Buckner Mountain, and Mount Logan.

Simien Mountains National Park is one of the national parks of Ethiopia. Located in the Semien (North) Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, its territory covers the Simien Mountains and includes Ras Dashan, the highest point in Ethiopia. It is home to a number of endangered species, including the Ethiopian wolf and the walia ibex, a wild goat found nowhere else in the world. The gelada baboon and the caracal, a cat, also occur within the Simien Mountains. More than 50 species of birds inhabit the park, including the impressive bearded vulture, or lammergeier, with its 10-foot (3m) wingspan.

 

The park is crossed by an unpaved road which runs from Debarq, where the administrative headquarters of the park is located, east through a number of villages to the Buahit Pass, where the road turns south to end at Mekane Berhan, 10 kilometers beyond the park boundary.

 

The Semiens are remarkable as being one of the few spots in Africa where snow regularly falls. First mentioned in the Monumentum Adulitanum of the 4th century AD (which described them as "inaccessible mountains covered with snow" and where soldiers walked up to their knees in snow), the presence of snow was undeniably witnessed by the 17th century Jesuit priest Jerónimo Lobo. Although the later traveler James Bruce claims that he had never witnessed snow in the Semien Mountains, the 19th century explorer Henry Salt not only recorded that he saw snow there (on 9 April 1814), but explained the reason for Bruce's failure to see snow in these mountains – Bruce had ventured no further than the foothills into the Semiens.

 

Despite their ruggedness and altitude, the mountains are dotted with villages linked by tracks. Historically they were inhabited by Ethiopian Jews (the Beta Israel), who after repeated attacks by the zealous Christian Emperors in the 15th century withdrew from the province of Dembiya into the more defensible Semien mountains.

 

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Six days of hiking in the area of Simien mountains, Ethiopia, was an unforgettable experience - I have enjoyed plenty of trekking trips in the past, however this one has been the most versatile and diverse of them all.

 

The plateau lies at the altitude of around 4000m, and the views from the escarpment are incomparable. Grand Canyon is awesome, but this place adds African moods and vibe into the overall picture. Unique, spectacular, unexpected, unknown. Definitely worth visiting.

 

This is a shot taken during our fifth day in the area - we hiked from Tsyon village to another lowlands village named Beles.

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EXPLORE : April 15, 2008 # 92

(Highest position)

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And when just the two of us are there...

You won't have to ask if I still care...

Cause as the time turns the page..

My LOVE won't age at all...

 

You are in my though....

You are in my days.....

And in my HEART always....my Dearest!!

 

Have a sweet dream tonight...

I will always send you nice sunshine, sweet smile and warm love from Thailand, my Dearest...

 

Ich liebe dich..I LOVE YOU now and Forever...

J-A-S-M-I-N-E...

 

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DATA: www.ancientcity.com

 

The Phanom Rung Sanctuary, Buri Ram

The Phanom Rung Stone Sanctuary is located in Buri Ram Province, on an extinct volcano. Built in accordance with Hinduism beliefs of the Shiva sect, the sanctuary had been constructed and used as a religious center for years. The construction presumably began around the 10th century A.D. and finished within the 13th century A.D. When King Jayavarman VII adopted Mahayana Buddhism, the function of the Hindu sanctuary had been changed to serve as a Mahayana monastery.

 

The site is approached from the east along the first three-leveled platforms leading to the first passage. Then, there is a causeway lined with blunted stone pillars in parallel rows. The path of stone uprights then leads to the Naga Bridge. Far on the northern side of the cross-shaped passage is a laterite pavilion or Phlabphla called the Elephant Shelter. At the end of the bridge is a terraced staircase with 5 landings leading up to the sanctuary. Beyond the bridge is a vast platform which has a passage that will lead to the Naga Bridge, right in front of the central gate of the gallery. The gate is the first entrance which will direct travellers to the inner courtyard of the prasat, by crossing another Naga Bridge that connects the gate with the main prang.

 

The most important part, the main prang, is situated right at the center of the inner court yard of the sanctuary. The building has a rectangular shape with re-entrant angles at the corners. The square mondop was built adjacent to the main prang. The architectural designs that were carved on the prang such as the posts at the door frame, pillars on the walls, lintels, porticos and pediments, depict designs of floras, leaves, hermits, gods and god desses and characters from religious myths: Vishnu (Narai) resting on Ananta, the Naga king and Shiva dancing, for example.

 

The decorations found on the lintels and frontal pediments of the main prang help indicate the age of the main building together with the staircase and the Naga Bridge; they are believed to have been constructed around the 12th century A.D. On the grounds of the inner courtyard, southwest of the main prang is a small prang with no roof. The carvings, pediments and lintels of this prang express that the minor prang was built before the main prang, around the 11th century A.D.

 

There are remains of the brick base of the prang were also discovered on the northeast of the main prang and dated back to the 10th century A.D. Another structure made of laterite stands on the southeast of the main prang and dated to the 13th century A.D. The laterite structure is con temporary to the building which is known as Rong Chang Phueak (the Elephant Shelter).

 

For more information, please visit www.ancientcity.com

 

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The Phanom Rung Sanctuary (Buri Ram Province), the Ancient City (Muang Boran), Samutprakan, Thailand...