The Mound of Down

I'm looking forward to what's become a Wednesday afternoon tradition for Charlie and me.

Elaine teaches drama in Downpatrick most Wednesdays, and we go for a walk around the Mound Of Down.

This is a spectacular earthwork, and least 2,000 years old situated right next to the town behind the Down Museum and near to the Cathedral.

There are deep ditches surrounding the site, and what could be a Motte inside. Great views can be had of Downpatrick, The Mournes, the Quoile river and Slieve Croob.

Here's some pictures taken last week:

Check out the Guardian's interactive National carbon calculator - can you cut UK emissions? | Environment | guardian.co.uk

The Guardian has produced this fascinating tool to see what drives our carbon emissions, and what the effects of policy lifestyle changes have. It is really worth a look.

Interactive: National carbon calculator - can you cut UK emissions? | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Carlingford - and beyond

Another Sunday in Carlingford

A great day. Carlingford has the feel of a place apart - the natural landscape of mountain and sea, coupled with the historic buildings of old Carlingford creates a special atmosphere. If you've not been before, or not gone back recently, then I really recommend a visit. Even the journey to Carlingford is inspiring.

Coupled with that is the cosy, informal atmosphere of St Michael's Hall where the Food and Craft Fair is Held on the first Sunday of the month (and other 'high days and holidays')

The organisation is great, there's always a selection of good food and craft artisans at their stalls, from whom you can get a nourishing snack (that's us!), that gift that you were always looking for and something to make the night's tea really special.

It's well worth a visit - and that's not just marketing hype.

The next one is on Sunday 6th June 2010 12pm - 6pm

It's all a far cry from the recent news of the continuing debt crisis, which is a big deal for every country and their citizens, but particularly for Greece - the current 'basket case'. Don't be surprised when it is not the only one.

I'm not alone in thinking "We ordinary people have been put into enormous debt by our governments in order to rescue the broken financial institutions. Now they are bouncing back, paying huge bonuses, and 'downgrading' whole countries for being too far in debt"

I know it's far more complicated than that (what would I know, I'm just a craftsperson) But everyone should know - That way madness lies.

It has and will be said far more eloquently by others. I recommend the interview with David Harvey on thinking allowed on BBC radio 4 (always a good listen)

Even more thought provoking material is in his lecture at the LSE given last week.

No pictures for this post except in your head!

Felt Workshop at Down Arts Centre

Saturday was spent with 11 lovely people at the Down Arts Centre creating felt bags.

All but 1 had never made felt before and the results of their labours are stunning.

Great colour combinations and wonderful shapes of bags!

I really enjoyed the day, and I'm pretty sure they did too!

Keep watching for more delightful products made by creative participants to the workshops!

Spring Time, Dundrum

At the foot of the Mourne Mountains lies Dundrum Bay, and on the hill above, is Dundrum Castle.

This is one of the most majestic 12th Century Castles in Ireland, started by John De Courcy, but settle well before that, back into the days of the Red Branch Knights.

Around the castle flanks lies the wood, planted in the 1800's now a semi-native sanctuary for wildlife.

Castlewellan

It's a great joy to be out and about in the Mournes these days!

Travelling around, for work and leisure really brings home the diversity and beauty of the landscape around us; from the dunes at the sea in Murlough, to the gorse clad drumlins on up to the heights of Slieve Donard and Bernagh.

So I'm going back to the original reasons for this blog for this post: showing pictures of the area.

Kate was home for the weekend, here are some of the pictures she shot in and around Castlewellan Forest Park and on the beach in Newcastle

Felt Making Classes start again

Elaine is holding the first of what we hope will be many more 'peripatetic' felt making classes on Saturday 24th April. It will be held at Down Arts Centre in Downpatrick - an altogether great place to hang out.

They say about the course:

Create bags, hats and even flowers, turning wool into felt. This hands on workshop will show you how to create beautiful felt projects you will be amazed at the results.

This course is full, which is great.

There will be more, at other venues also. Watch this space. If you are interested, Elaine can organise a special day for groups of 10 - 12 contact Elaine on elaine@turniphouse.com for more details.

Intimations of Summer

Walking this morning with Charlie the dog in Donard Park; the Mournes stunning against a brilliant blue sky.

Some leaves just beginning to burst out, but the trees still quite bare.

Thinking about summer though - and plans to go to a music festival perhaps?

By inspired synchronicity got an invitation from our old Leeds University friend Roz to go to her Littleborough Music Fest the last weekend in June.

One advantage of not having Turnip House to open every weekend is the freedom to travel! So we'll be there. Denise, also from Leeds days is trying to get a sort of reunion of all our old mates.

So if you remember us from Leeds University 1978 to 1981 (gosh - that long ago?) get in touch!

Easter 2010

We're preparing for the Easter Craft fairs. In the last couple of days Elaine has made 19 big brooches and 6 felt bags. we are doing Castlewellan Forest Park on Saturday and Monday, and Carlingford on Sunday.

As you can see from the pictures, the usual seasonal weather is back!

Happy Days see you there!

Turnip Greens

This is the 4th week away from Trassey.

We're loving the sea, the 'nearness' of everything, and being in the buzz of Newcastle Weekends.

But there is a big hole - we are beginning to miss our country life, and the Turnip House. This is a good thing. Now we begin to form in our minds the next steps; to begin to make solid all the things we thought about over the last couple of years after we decided that we needed a 'new challenge'.

The general consensus is that now is the time that we should settle down, do the sensible thing, and go for comfort and ease (in our declining years!) I must say that the relief of finally getting sold, and then the drama of actually moving out, was so draining, that for a time, it did seem a seductive option.

I am happy to report that that feeling did not last too long, we are settled (and excited) in our determination to proceed with the greening of Turnip House.

Turnip Greens

Our desire is to continue what we set out to do in 1987 -

• to shift the work/life balance so that we work to live not live to work,
• to gain more connection with life, nature and landscape
• to take less and give more
• to focus on life's real priorities

What does this mean in practice? Well, that's the journey!

Sustainability and a small (carbon) footprint are all in vogue now, for obvious reasons. We bought the books 'The Self Sufficient House' by Brenda and Robert Vale, and 'Seeing Green' by Jonathon Porritt 30 or more years ago. Being hopeless romantics we have always been inspired by these ideas, and not embarrassed by that.

When we gave up the rat race in England in the eighties, and moved back to Mourne to found Turnip House, this was our attempt to move towards these principles. It was great, enjoyable, extremely difficult at times, painful, clumsy, imperfect but overall totally rewarding.

Now we have the lucky chance to have another go, older (and wiser perhaps)

So here we go!

We are reading, researching, and planning. We will try and find somewhere where we can put into practice our plan.

Watch this space!

“The truth is that if we all do our bit to go self-sufficient – some doing no more than insulating their homes, others trying to go the whole hog and work towards going off grid – then the country, the world even, will go a long way to solving it’s ever pressing energy needs.”

Alan & Gill Bridgewater

The Self Sufficiency Handbook

New Holland Publishers 2009

Carlingford Food and Craft Fair: Turnip House on Tour

We did the first fair at Carlingford yesterday; in our new format.

Now we both go to Carlingford, and do food outside and craft inside.

We will be 'live cooking' making and cooking food fresh from the stand each month.

This month it was onion bhajis, Lentil and Tomato soup, Broccoli and Leek soup and fresh wheaten bread.

Our next event in Carlingford is the

Carlingford National Leprechaun Hunt

on 28th March 2010

(Yes it is legal)

So we will be inventing something that a Leprechaun would like!

Watch this space.

4th March 2010 Settling Down

Charlie and I are really enjoying the easy access to the beach (and just occasionally The Anchor Bar and O'Hare's)

We are beginning to talk about what we are about and where we want to be going.

Now that we have 'cast off' our old life, it seems that more possibilities are presenting themselves and cropping up in our minds, which are currently running in overdrive!

The plan is to reflect over the next few weeks, look at what's about, and do a bit of rational thinking, setting out our objectives and ambitions, and then seeing how they might be met by what we do next.

Townies

We are now residents of Newcastle County Down - Charlie gets his morning walk on the beach, and I get a coffee and breakfast from The Strand Cafe - life in style!

The mountains display all their grandeur in the snow today

These next few days we will spend acclimatising to our new life, and recovering from the move (after 22 years in one place we've forgotten how stressful it is and totally underestimated just how much 'stuff' we had accumulated).

We'll be doing Carlingford Food and Craft Fair on Sunday, the first of the year. This is a great opportunity for us to develop our Turnip House at Large strategy, we will be doing both food and craft at the Fair - Elaine and I will be there (as no-one needs to man The Turnip House Workshop any more) and we will have expanded, freshly cooked food offering - hopefully outside and all our craft products - with a few new things inside. More to follow...

Settling In 28 February 2010

After an unbelievably hectic week of moving out, with the snow against us - it snowed 3 inches or more three times last week, we finally finished moving all our stuff out on Sunday.

Furby Squeak and Tiggy, the cats, moved down with us to our temporary home with our friend in Newcastle As you can see, Furby immediately 'settled in' (big time!)

Making The Best of It

We are moving out this weekand have had plenty of snow to help us on our way (!)

Perhaps someone's trying to tell us something!

The Turnip House is emptying out bit by bit.

On our way to the Recycling centre, Charlie makes the best of it

Video of the Mournes

Saw this beautiful video from Andy Yoong this morning - it beautifully captures the spirit of the western Mournes

Haunting Mournes from Andy Yoong on Vimeo.

Last photos from the Turnip House

Despite the overnight snow , we still had visitors on the last day.

Some very kindly agreed to having their photos taken for us to post on the blog!

Charlie was, as ever, keen to share the lemon drizzle cake!

Here's a selection from the comments in the visitor's book:

'

You've no idea how much we'll miss our walk up to the Turnip House. Please don't be long in opening the Turnip House 2'

'We've enjoyed all our breaks here and we look forward to having soup and cake in your new place'

A lovely end to an era and great sentiments to send us on our way!! Thank you!

21 February 2010 Last Day

Well, we woke up to a magnificent snowfall - about 15cm or so!

The Mountains look Spectacular, but will be hard to get to today!

This is the last day that we will be running the workshop at Turnip House, we move out at the end of next week, and on to pastures new.

Pristine Lane

Charlie waits for visitors!

Felt Making Workshop

Elaine ran another great day felting on Saturday; some really nice people all the way from Larne.

We will still be doing workshops, held in one of the nearby venues.

Here is a sample of the work created:

Sunday 14th - Turnip House

Valentine's Day; the penultimate Sunday at Trassey.

A good busy day, plenty of craic.

Quote of the day, 'If you offer lemon drizzle cake like that. then they'll all follow you to your new place!' - This from a 'first timer,' but hopefully a new convert

Time to settle down for the night now!

We have signed the contract for the sale of Turnip House,
and so will be leaving soon.

Therefore we regret to announce that the last weekend opening of the Turnip House in it's present incarnation will be

Saturday and Sunday
20-21 February 2010

We have exciting plans to develop Turnip House further, based on, and building up from our happy experiences here.

All being well, we will not be too far from the Mournes.

You will still see us at the popular food and craft fairs

- Carlingford food and craft market on 7th March 2010 is our next one

Happy New Year

Wishing you all the best for 2010 - the year begins with a big freeze here as with most of the northern hemisphere!

Winter Snow

Slieve Donard, white with snow, taken from The Mound of Down, Downpatrick

The Mourne Way

We had a welcome visit from Oldham Ramblers this week, and we had great craic!

They were staying at Golf Links House in Newcastle ("A great place to stay!"). They caught the Mourne Rambler Bus up to the Blue Quarry near Spelga, and walked back down to Newcastle.

On their way, they stopped with us for soup, tea & cake. It went down well.

It got me thinking that we should remind people that we are on the Mourne Way, a newly signposted walking route from Newcastle to Rostrevor, all in the majesty of the Mournes, and that we are in a great place to stop: a strategic place. We are the first refreshment stop after Newcastle, and the last before Tollymore Forest (depending in your direction)

August at The Turnip House

We are enjoying a burst of high summer over the last few days - the workshop is busy every day with walkers and vacationers staying in Tollymore and Slievenaman, and the garden is looking spectacular!

Charlie has taken up post outside the kitchen door, waiting to be chief "meeter and greeter" a job to which he has taken like a professional!

The Salmon's Leap in The Mournes

Summer Rain Storm 21st July 2009

We've had a good few inches of rain today - heavy downpours lasting well into the afternoon. It brightened up with hot sunshine later, so we went down to see the Salmon Leap Falls - spectacular!

Charlie get a mention in the Irish Times

Fame at last for Charlie!

We were delighted that Charlie gets a mention in this Irish Times article by Deirdre Davys of 27 June about walking in the the Mournes.

At the end of the article Deirdre says: "Once back at the car park, a delightful finish to your day would be a pot of coffee in the garden of Turnip Cottage with Charley, the friendly giant, lying across your feet.
It’s okay – he’s the dog, not the owner."

Charlie would love to meet you too!