RING OF KERRY
This trip enabled me to enjoy the thoughts of that lovely melody entitled " If you ever go across
the sea to Ireland". This was my FIRST visit to the Emerald Isle, - and THAT music constantly entered
and played on my mind all the way across the waters from Pembroke to Rosslare on the bright
afternoon of 9 April 1995.
Having reached Rosslare, my transport (a hired coach from way down south) arranged, by contract,
our overnight stop in the little town of Dungarvon in Co Waterford, where we arrived at about 8.30pm.
The following morning, after a fine breakfast, we headed off for Tralee and stopped at the Jameson Whiskey
Heritage Centre ( for a wee dram!), the Cobh (pronounced Cove!) Heritage centre - and - wait for it -
BLARNEY CASTLE. More about these visits in a later instalment!!
We stayed in Killarney for a few days, at the KILLARNEY TOWERS hotel.
although more details will be forthcoming in later editions, I'll reveal, now, that key visits on my trip to
the emerald isle included:-
THE DINGLE PENINSULA
THE RING OF KERRY
The Waterford Crystal Works
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MOTOR SPORT
My trip to Little Rissington (only my second) went unrecorded, unphotographed -
so I'm afraid there are no 'shots' to include for this visit! On reflection, I suppose,
this might have been due to the fact that I was midway between lady-friends and
without a permanent escort. My impressions of the venue were a bit sombre (like
it was an old RAF airfield!)Later that same month, I visited as part of a 'regular' pattern, my nearest motor- sport venue at Castle Donington (a great little circuit - revamped from its condition from decades earlier). This circuit showed great potential - and could have replaced SILVERSTONE and BRANDS HATCH for our Formula One venue.
Alas, it was not to be!! Sorry, - no photos taken on this occasion either!
RUSSIA
This was, for me in May '95, the first chance to see the 'forbidden planet' for us Civil Servants!!
It was indeed FAR DIFFERENT (and much better) than the adverse UK denigrations had led us to believe!!
I refer you here to the link for Fabulous Russia!!
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N.E.C. BIRMINGHAM
The reason for going to this EXHIBITION CENTRE was to attend the "NETWORKS 95" event to gather more information before I set up my own web in the following year.
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SANTAPOD RACEWAY Reasons for going on this occasion were to witness some TOP FUEL ACTION and also to see the JET FUNNY CAR "FireForce".
The driver of this vehicle obviously had an 'extreme sense of humour' with his rocket-like engine firings, before the start, to smash the windows on the overhead gantry where visiting dignitaries were waiting!
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SOUTHPORT
The reason for my voyage to Southport was to 'research into' the LAND-SPEED RECORD RUNS of Henry Segrave in his Sunbeam(Tiger), the Petrol(V12)Supercharged beast, on 16/03/1926.
Sir Henry achieved the speed of 152.33mph - and I wished to see WHERE he did that!!
Later, he had used the SUNBEAM 'SLUG' to reach 203.792mph before moving on to the very impressive GOLDEN ARROW (for 231.446mph).
'DAYTONA BEACH' was his venue for these later records as 'we Brits' had to go elsewhere when even PENDINE SANDS wasn't good enough!!
My first problem to solve was HOW he did it with a PIER halfway along the beach!! Did he go to the North or South of the pier?
I quickly established, on the pier, that it indeed dated back to the 19th Century (like most UK piers) - and that Sir Henry was LATER. I was worried by the lack of length of track (and its condition) both sides of the pier.
Meanwhile, ON THE PIER, I was indulging in one of my other PASSIONS as there was a wonderful 'Country-Singer' performing there. I put in some requests and had some chats with her (GILL ST.CLAIR) and also brought one of her 'tapes' back with me.
Sitting at an adjacent table was an older man (looking official and important) who was also enjoying Gill's singing - so I had a chat with HIM too! He, with his age, could "fill me in" with my Speed-Research quest. He told me about 'speed on the beach' (past and current) - and said it isn't at Southport really. It was a few miles SOUTH at AINSDALE BEACH. It proved to be a wonderful 'firm' beach on which I parked my Ford Sierra - along with hundreds of others - in this useful carpark (no records TODAY).
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ROCKIES
The tales from this trip are beginning to appear in "Canadian Adventure"
and the trip summary is as follows:-
CANADIAN ROCKIES TRIP
1995
(Roy S. Peters)
Day Movements Accommodation
Date
Thurs
3 Train to London(return ticket)
13.30 Flew to Seattle
(BA083) arrived 15.40 hr
HOTEL CAMLIN
Fri
4 Seattle at Leisure
WorldFairSite(photos),
Mono Rail, Space Needle Ditto
Sat
5 via Leavenworth
to Kelowna LODGE HOTEL
Sun
6 Glacier National Park via Rogers
Pass to BANFF. Banff National Park. VOYAGER INN
Mon
7 BANFF at leisure, Hiking Trail Ditto
Tues
8 via Lake Louise to JASPER
National Park..
Columbia Icefields & Snowcoach.
(some did Raft trip on Athabasca River!)
Lake Louise JASPER Nat.Park
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ENGLISH LAKES
I departed on the coach owned by CYRIL EVANS (yes, it comes from Wales!) at 8.45am on 5th October '95, making my way North, towards the Lake District, for our Hotel at Great Clifton. On route, we stopped for a little while at both Lake Windermere and Lake Thirlmere.
On the 2nd day, we made an extensive tour of Crummock Water, Buttermere, Derwent Water and the Whinlatter Pass. After spending a little while in Keswick we passed into the surrounds of Bassenthwaite Lake.
On day three, we included in our explorations, Dalegarth, the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway (had a run on this delightful train in its lovely lakeland settings), Muncaster Castle and Cockermouth.
On the way back towards home on the following day, after a good breakfast, we called on Grasmere and Coniston Water. 'Twas there that I was photographed by the Donald Campbell memorial plaques.
[His mechanic, Leo Villa, also has his memorial there.They were well-liked by the local community, when Donald attempted, and sometimes made, new World Water Speed Records.] Sir Malcolm Campbell, his father, also had a great relationship with the people of Coniston.
Cheers Folks!!
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