Celts in the City - Part 2
Leaving Edinburgh, our journey swept us west across the agricultural center of Scotland and deposited us firmly in the 19th Century on the Ayrshire cliffs. Not surprisingly, we saw a fair number of beautiful stone-fence pastures and fields along the way. A fair number of sheep and cattle dotted the hills. It was as picturesque as the paintings, photos, and guidebooks leads the traveler to expect.
In Ayrshire, the splendid scenery stretched right out to the sea. Fair weather clouds and sunshine cast the Culzean Castle and the Firth of Clyde in a light that Hollywood directors could never reproduce. The current castle was converted from a medieval tower fortress starting in 1777. It was the country home of the Marquess of Ailsa, the head of Clan Kennedy. It is now in the National Trust for Scotland, and used as a park and residence for as many as seven ghosts.
Traveling west across the heart of Scotland, the clouds began to lift, and the sun brought out the brilliant color of the farmland.
Robert Adam, the 1777 architect who oversaw the conversion from defensive tower to county estate created this fake arch ruin to frame the visitor's first glimpse of the property.
Looking across the gardens towards the castle.
In typical Georgian style, the main entrance is equipped to impress and intimidate the visitor.
The dome caps the central stair case.
The stairs curve down to the lowest level of the castle.
The kitchen extends off the north wing of the house at ground level..
In the carriage house, a special wagon awaits the family and guests for a ride to the streams and lakes on the property for a day of fishing.
One of the significant works in the castle is Alexander Nasmyth's painting "Culzean Castle from the Sea."
The castle was lit by "coal gas" until 1940. The gas was produce on site in this "gas house." Coal was delivered to the beach by sea and stored in a dedicated shed. In the gas house, the coal was heated, releasing the gas which was stored in a "gasometer" next to the gas house.
Enjoying a beautiful day overlooking the Firth of Clyde.
The visit to Culzean Castle was capped off with lunch in the visitors center, and then we were off to Loch Ryan Port for the ferry ride across to Belfast, Northern Ireland, the next city on our itinerary. While riding down the coast we got another beautiful view of the sea, specifically the North Channel and Ailsa Craig, an island composed of volcanic magmatic rock.
Ailsa Craig appears to float lightly upon the sea. It is the source of the stones used in the sport of Curling.
Our ride to Ireland, the Stena Superfast VII waiting in its berth.