Ashley’s Corner 🌻

[Stottie Girl]

Beautiful, Ash!

And quite lovely, Stottie Girl.

Like Lori, I love the Rockies, but it's also important to explore other beautiful places.

Yeah, don't be fooled, I'm not sure I've ever seen the castle that tranquil! I'm always either freezing my tits off or it's blowing a hoolie! Still a beautiful sight though. Never been inside to this date, might have to remedy that this year!

[Lori Dee ✅]

Never been inside to this date, might have to remedy that this year!

When I lived in Germany, my roommate and I had a Summer Saturday ritual. We had a large map of Germany on the wall. We would throw three darts at it. Wherever the darts stuck, we had to visit those three places that day. If a castle was nearby, we had to tour it. And we could not go home until we stopped at a pub and had a local beer before leaving. Each beer came with a paper coaster with the logo printed on it, so we brought them back as proof.

When I returned stateside, I pinned all of the coasters on a living room wall. It covered the wall! I wish I still had all of the photos. Some of the castles were really cool and had a very interesting history.

[ChrissyRyan]

I agree that there are many cool castles in Germany.  There may still be more castles in Germany than McDonald's restaurants. 

There are also many beers in Germany.  Also, much sauerkraut and brats.  Although there are many sausages in appropriately named Vienna, Austria.

[ChrissyRyan]

I like the Pacific coast.

[Stottie Girl]

When I lived in Germany, my roommate and I had a Summer Saturday ritual. We had a large map of Germany on the wall. We would throw three darts at it. Wherever the darts stuck, we had to visit those three places that day. If a castle was nearby, we had to tour it. And we could not go home until we stopped at a pub and had a local beer before leaving. Each beer came with a paper coaster with the logo printed on it, so we brought them back as proof.

When I returned stateside, I pinned all of the coasters on a living room wall. It covered the wall! I wish I still had all of the photos. Some of the castles were really cool and had a very interesting history.

Now you're talking! I love the randomness of that.

Germany has a lot of great castles (a lot of very beautiful fairytale type ones too). The UK ones tend to be less ornate and more defensive due to all the fighting that went on.

Becasue of how close we are to the border and those pesky Scottish marauders and also the fearsome Border Reivers, my county has 75 castles though most are in ruins now. There is a reason our county capital is called Morpeth (translated as murder or death path!) The number of castles is rivalled only by Wales but then again that is a country. We also have a lot of Bastles (fortified farm houses) and Pele Towers which are interesting in their own right.

We often get bypassed on the tourist trails but it is an interesting place to explore.

[davina61]

I love a beach walk as long as its not windy but just as much fun is a mooch in an old castle/ruin.

[Gina P]

Such beautiful beach scenes Ashley. At 2 F here in WV, a good beach photo is warmer than a cup of coffee. 

[MaryT]

Lovely photos, Ashley.

Ashley, your coastline looks a lot like my area (northumberland coast), throw a few castles on there and it could be!

Except mine is currently 3 degrees feeling like 0 with the wind chill! (Not my pic!)

I think that Bamburgh has probably the most picturesque setting of any English castle.  It is the one I remember most even though I only visited it in 1966 when I was about ten (and a half, as kids say).  One of my memories was stuffed crocodiles hanging from the ceiling of a grim-looking room, presumably near the dungeons.  If you visit, let us know whether they are still there.  Bamburgh Castle was also used in the filming of the Harry Potter movies.  It is still actually the most northerly part of the British Isles that I have ever visited, even though I am seventy.  In the same year, I visited the ruins of Richmond castle, much less fascinating, at least to a child.  For some reason, Robertson's Wild Bramble Jelly always makes me think of Bamburgh Castle.

It made me try to remember other English castles I had been inside.  The most recent was Skipton which is well preserved but, unlike Bamburgh, has no furnished rooms.  The only other one as an adult was the Tower of London.  In 1961 I visited the ruins of Berry Pomeroy castle in Devon, which I had almost forgotten about until today's reminder.  I think that all of the other English castles I have seen were just from the outside.  Today's Nottingham Castle was built long after Robin Hood's time unfortunately.  (In any case, the Lyttel Geste makes it clear that Robin lived in Barnsdale near Wentbridge, West Yorkshire but visited Nottingham for the archery contest and to cold-bloodedly murder the sheriff.)  Pontefract ("O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison, Fatal and ominous to noble peers!"), Carlisle, Bolsover and Dover I have also only seen from outside.  In Africa I visited the Castle of Good Hope and saw the romantic German castles on the ridges of Windhoek.  None of them match Bamburgh's setting, though.

[ChrissyRyan]

The bridges on California 1, such as one in the Big Sur area, are cool to look at.

[ChrissyRyan]

I liked the bakery there in the Big Sur area too.

[Lori Dee ✅]

I loved driving the PCH.

When my grandparents were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, I flew in from Germany for a family reunion. I flew into San Francisco, rented a car, and spent 3 weeks driving the coast.

I drove from SF to San Diego, then turned north and cut through the Mojave Desert. I visited my brother's grave in Barstow, drove past our old ranch near Hinkley, then headed up to Bishop for the family reunion.

Afterwards, I drove through Yosemite and worked my way back to SF, turned in the rental, and flew back to Germany. That was a fun month-long vacation.

[Stottie Girl]

Lovely photos, Ashley.

I think that Bamburgh has probably the most picturesque setting of any English castle.  It is the one I remember most even though I only visited it in 1966 when I was about ten (and a half, as kids say).  One of my memories was stuffed crocodiles hanging from the ceiling of a grim-looking room, presumably near the dungeons.  If you visit, let us know whether they are still there.  Bamburgh Castle was also used in the filming of the Harry Potter movies.  It is still actually the most northerly part of the British Isles that I have ever visited, even though I am seventy.  In the same year, I visited the ruins of Richmond castle, much less fascinating, at least to a child.  For some reason, Robertson's Wild Bramble Jelly always makes me think of Bamburgh Castle.

It made me try to remember other English castles I had been inside.  The most recent was Skipton which is well preserved but, unlike Bamburgh, has no furnished rooms.  The only other one as an adult was the Tower of London.  In 1961 I visited the ruins of Berry Pomeroy castle in Devon, which I had almost forgotten about until today's reminder.  I think that all of the other English castles I have seen were just from the outside.  Today's Nottingham Castle was built long after Robin Hood's time unfortunately.  (In any case, the Lyttel Geste makes it clear that Robin lived in Barnsdale near Wentbridge, West Yorkshire but visited Nottingham for the archery contest and to cold-bloodedly murder the sheriff.)  Pontefract ("O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison, Fatal and ominous to noble peers!"), Carlisle, Bolsover and Dover I have also only seen from outside.  In Africa I visited the Castle of Good Hope and saw the romantic German castles on the ridges of Windhoek.  None of them match Bamburgh's setting, though.

I'll let you know about the crocodiles Mary!

I think the Harry Potter Castle you are thinking of is Alnwick Castle (also stunning, and well preserved) it's just down the road from here. Bamburgh is the real site of Bebbanburg (home of Utrecht from The Last Kingdom tv series on Netflix) and has also appeared in Indiana Jones and weirdly one of the transformer movies.

Theres also Lindisfarne and it's castle which can be seen in 28 years later (the island refuge) Most of that film was filmed in Northumberland.

I've been to so many castles I couldn't list them but Skipton has peaked my interest, never been there.

[tgirlamg]

I loved driving the PCH.

When my grandparents were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, I flew in from Germany for a family reunion. I flew into San Francisco, rented a car, and spent 3 weeks driving the coast.

I drove from SF to San Diego, then turned north and cut through the Mojave Desert. I visited my brother's grave in Barstow, drove past our old ranch near Hinkley, then headed up to Bishop for the family reunion.

Afterwards, I drove through Yosemite and worked my way back to SF, turned in the rental, and flew back to Germany. That was a fun month-long vacation.

Lori!

That was a fine tour of the state indeed!... I love the whole vibe of the area around Bishop and all the Eastern Sierras along 395...the SoCal desert etc...

There is a channel (Desert Trails) that I follow on YouTube that you probably have seen but,  if not... I think it would be very much up your alley!

Onward Brave Sister!

A 💕

[Lori Dee ✅]

I hadn't seen this before.

I hope he checked whether it is actively claimed. "Unpatented" does not mean the same as "Closed". Since he has been there before, I am sure he checked.

But he broke every rule about mine exploration.

1) Never go inside alone. Always have someone who can go for help.
2) Abide by warning signs that say "Keep Out!" Especially if it is barred. (Don't sneak in.)
3) Never assume the air is breathable (could be dangerous or explosive gases).
4) Never touch any old wooden timbers, they could be rotted, and especially
5) Never climb wooden ladders up or down shafts. Even metal ladders can come loose.

I love seeing the insides of old mines, but people like this send the wrong message.

But thanks for sharing!

[Dances With Trees]

Thanks, Lori!

I'm glad my spelunking days ended long ago. (I'm sure there's a different word for manmade spelunks such as mine shafts but I'm sure you catch my drift).

If there was a hole in the ground, my dad couldn't resist going inside it. He always made me and my younger brother wait outside. Although, at 10 and 12 years old I'm not sure what we could have done in the days before cell phones and not being able to drive (it's not like he left the truck keys with us).

My dad was a very a smart man and knew almost as much about prospecting as you do. But I am not surprised that curiosity has killed a great many cats.

[Lori Dee ✅]

In South Dakota, I was lucky to know a mining engineer who worked at the South Dakota School of Mines. If he were available, I would have him come with me to look over the walls, supports, and stopes for any sign of instability. He brought a "sniffer" that checked for gases, too.

After he had checked it out, I would come back later to explore. I would tie a rope around me and have my mining buddy wait outside. Her job was simple. If the rope goes tight, tie it off and go get help! Fortunately, nothing happened.

I offered to let her go in and explore, but she declined when I told her to stay low so she wouldn't disturb all the bats sleeping on the ceiling.