World Stone Skimming Championships

The World Stone Skimming Championships are a real thing. Once a year on the Easdale Island near Oban people from across the world come to skim stones the furthest. It was impressive. Though I don't know if the Australian team understood it was Scotland (i.e. cold) as they did theirs in speedos. I am not complaining. But seriously it was miserable and wet and rainy and cold.

 

Arundel Castle

I have been really bad and lazy keeping this up to date. So here goes.

On the second day of our holiday we went to Arundel caste on the way down to our first stop on Hayling Island, near Portsmouth. 

I have been wanting to go here for a long time - it is amazing. It is still lived in - the Earl is the highest member of the Queen's household and the one who organises royal funerals and coronations.

It was a medical castle and is still, thanks to renovations, largely complete.

The drive was a nightmare thanks to torrential rain and I think I ran at least one red light accidentally in the chaos.

But we all made it alive. Though shaky.

Arundel castle.

This castle has 2 different sections, the medieval part and the newer chambers.

In the medical part you have where King Stephen has besieged by Empress Matilda (he had stolen her throne). And it was a hold out for the royalist army during the civil war.

The portcullis.

The tower.

They are still doing up parts of the medical tower. But the view from the top was great. (Thankfully it had stopped raining at this point though we missed the gardens when it started again.)

Inside the tower.

From the top

The newer section

We were very impressed with the armoury.

They have their own church. Obviously.

That is a ceiling

A sledge.

There was one part I nerded out over. They have the rosary Mary Queen of Scots held when she was beheaded. She was Queen Elizabeth I's cousin and a pretty tragic figure. She was killed mainly because she had a claim to the throne and she was catholic. Though her son ended up getting the throne so in the long run she kind of won.

The rosary.

Family dining room table

Queen Elizabeth II bedroom when she visited. 

Blue sky!

So many paintings everywhere. 

And they had an amazing library. I want one!

The death warrant.

I highly recommend visiting if you have a chance. It is one of the best castles I have ever been too. So full of history and so complete.

Trelissik and Trerice

The weather was rubbish on Tuesday so we hit some National Trust houses. We headed to Trelissik first but I think the best part of it was the gardens. We didn't feel like seeing them in the rain. The house needed some work. They only took it over recently so have strict it back and you can only go into about 4 rooms.

Still I would not complain if I had this view.

View from the front room.

Conservatory

Great view over the estuary.

Frankly after about 30 minutes, we were done. Though we did enjoy a very nice coffee and cake break.
So we headed to another one called Trerice, another house and gardens.

They had a really cool display of armour which you could pick up and look at.

The weather improved a little towards to the end and we had a wonder around the gardens. The wild flowers were very pretty, though mom and dad did 'borrow' some seeds. They are trying a wild flower garden out the front at home and are constantly looking for more seeds.