Photos and the City

Category: In The Movies

  • Ballintoy Harbour

    ballintoy harbour, game of thrones, northern ireland, uk, causeway coast, roadtrip, ursula schmitz

    Somewhere I read that one should go to the Harbour Café in Ballintoy and have some breakfast there as it is such lovely place and I love a good breakfast at any time. To my surprise, there was almost a little traffic jam while I passed by a  beautiful white church and then went down the narrow road to the bottom of the cliffs. The café must be really fabulous when so many people are here!

    After I snatched one of the few parking spaces I suddenly knew where all these people came from (or came for…)

    ballintoy harbour, game of thrones, northern ireland, uk, causeway coast, roadtrip, ursula schmitz

    Balinntoy harbour was used in the second season of “Game of Thrones” as “Lordsport in the Isle of Pyke” and also as the Iron Isles. Still getting some food was more interesting at that very moment. And I definitely will recommend the café in the harbour, you won´t miss it – there is only one!

    And afterwards a nice walk around the harbour!

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    View of Sheep Island. In the summertime, sheeps were taken to the island per boat to spent the summer there and enjoy the grass. Today it is an Area of Special Scientific Interest due to its cormorant (an aquatic bird) population.

    ballintoy harbour, game of thrones, northern ireland, uk, causeway coast, roadtrip, ursula schmitz

    View towards Scotland.

    ballintoy harbour, game of thrones, northern ireland, uk, causeway coast, roadtrip, ursula schmitzballintoy harbour, game of thrones, northern ireland, uk, causeway coast, roadtrip, ursula schmitz

     

     

     

     

  • In the footsteps of giants…

    Welcome back to Ireland! After Venice and the English winter wonderland, it´s time to finish my road trip along the Causeway Coast.

    giant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffs

    The basalt columns might be the most known part of the Giant´s Causeway, but there is more to explore!

    giant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffsgiant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffs

    When Finn fled from the wrath of Scottish giant, Benandonner, he left his boot in this bay – also know as Port Noffer. In the back, you see the Whishing Chair – until some years ago only ladies were allowed to sit on the chair.

    giant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffsgiant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffs

    There are two possible trails – the one on top of the cliffs, which takes you about 5 miles from the Giant´s Causeway to ruins of Dunseverick Castle and another kind of the mid of the cliffs taking you around them for some may half a mile. There used to be a longer trail but it got buried some years ago.

    giant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffsgiant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffs

    The Whishing Chair from above.

    giant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffs

    View of the “Organ” and the buried former pathway.

    giant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffsgiant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffsgiant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffs

    Hello Scotland! I spot you! And would love to do a little cruise on that sailboat!

    giant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffs

    View in direction of the basalt columns and Finn´s “camel” in the back.

    giant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffsgiant´s causeway, ireland, northern ireland, uk, unesco, nature, landscape, sea, ocean, cliffs

     

  • Oxford

    it was already dark when I had arrived at my last Airbnb, a stunning and still super cosy cabin next to the River Thames, so I was already looking forward to waking up to an amazing snow-dusted view. But in the morning it was all gone… Good bye winter wonderland!

    oxfordshire, oxford, cotswolds, england, uk, ursula schmitz, roadtrip, winter, airbnb

    The view was still beautiful! I just have to come back and stay longer, maybe do the Thames Walk or write a book or both!.

    oxfordshire, oxford, cotswolds, england, uk, ursula schmitz, roadtrip, winteroxfordshire, oxford, cotswolds, england, uk, ursula schmitz, roadtrip, winter, airbnb

    It was hard to leave, even more as it was raining, but Oxford was waiting for me. There are quite a few park & rides all around Oxford, which is the cheapest and easiest way to get into the city centre.

    oxfordshire, oxford, cotswolds, england, uk, ursula schmitz, roadtrip, winter

    Back to city life and people and lots of people feel always a little bit strange after a few quiet days, but Oxford was a lovely place to get back to busier times. It wasn´t possible to visit the universities but I had a long walk around town and enjoyed my last cream tea (still missing those).

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    Divinity Hall at the Bodleian Library – or like Harry Potter fans know it: the Gryffindor Infirmary and also used for the Goblet of Fire and other scenes.

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    My sanctuary from the rain: The Grand Café – the site of the very first coffee house in England, serving great cream tea!

    oxfordshire, oxford, cotswolds, england, uk, ursula schmitz, roadtrip, winteroxfordshire, oxford, cotswolds, england, uk, ursula schmitz, roadtrip, winter