Old castles by water - Castlebawn

[oceanfroggie]

Castlebawn on the north shore Scarriff bay on Lough Derg. This was a semi heap of rubble in 1995, but a family have painstakingly restored it with hard work, ingenuity and vision. 30% of it had collapsed after sustained cannon fire in 1750.

View northwards of Lough Derg from the castle

Jetty space for four cruisers

Mystical Lough Derg as it must have looked 500 years ago!!!

Froggette signs the visitor book

This castle has been painstaking restored by a couple and their children in only 18 years

A group of eight of us had a guided historical tour by owners Pat and Mary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlebawn
http://homepage.eircom.net/~castlebawn/index.htm

 

[MrB]

I love reading your cruise reports OF.....never stop posting them.:encouragement:

 

[AndieMac]

Hope your cruise is going well OF, great photos of the old castle and scenery of the Lough.

 

[blueglass]

Lovely shots as always. the Irish Tourist board should be paying you commission by now OF!

 

[Wavey]

Broom get-together by the look of that picture at the jetty.

Great pics as always.

 

[scubaman]

Fascinating place and history. I can only imagine the amount of work that has gone into restoring the place.

Great pics, keep them coming, please!

 

[oceanfroggie]

Fascinating place and history. I can only imagine the amount of work that has gone into restoring the place.

Great pics, keep them coming, please!

Thanks guys, here are a few more.

Castlebawn - This entire face of the castle was replaced by hand using the original stone

View from the Gallery of Castlebawn

Master bedroom at Castlebawn

What a view from a four poster bed

Athlone Castle - This about halfway up the 320km of the River Shannon

View from Athlone bridge towards the Lock.

Athlone UDC Marina, Cathedral on right

The Spanish Quarter of Athlone with all its restaurants, cafes and pubs seems more like continental Europe. We had a lovely meal outside on the cobbled street.

There is an Indian Restaurant on the waters edge. The street to the right of the amber building is the entrance to the cutsie restaurant, cafe, bookshop and pub district.

We moored beside the old viking boat quay for the night - had a 50 yard walk to a German breakfast cafe for a great fry up.

 

[FirstMate II]

Cracking Shots again Noel

 

[FishyInverness]

Wow, what a stunning place, fantastic pictures...

 

[scubaman]

Wow, what a stunning place, fantastic pictures...

+1! And so quiet. Wearing my Sherlock Holmes -hat, I'd say that at least some of the pics were taken really early in the morning?

 

[Firefly625]

great pictures, stunning locations

 

[oceanfroggie]

+1! And so quiet. Wearing my Sherlock Holmes -hat, I'd say that at least some of the pics were taken really early in the morning?

Yes - Well observed inspector Clouseau. I like to go for an early walk or to get a few pics in the early morning, or late evening light.