Woke to a rather grey morning but still very warm. Christine and I took a leisurely breakfast of melon, croissant and coffee discussing what we would do for my last day with her. We booked lunch at The Dairy.
Christine then drove me over to Whitehead where she had hoped to show me some particular paintings in a gallery but, annoyingly, as was generally the case, they were closed. So we continued with our next plan of walking the cliff path to the lighthouse. This was a new concrete path starting quite wide along the rocky edge of the beach with profuse wild flowers growing everywhere. There was still a heavy mist so we could see nothing out to sea and it was very still, so I hadn’t bothered to take my camera so sadly no photos. As we went round the cliff, the path narrowed with railings crossing deep caves and high rocky inclines. There were plaques detailing historical sites along the way, including one describing a teacher back at the beginning of the 20th century who lived in one of these caves for a while.
The path came to an end at the lighthouse on the top of the cliff. We didn’t climb up and just returned the way we had come. I came over dizzy and had to walk back slowly. By the time we got to the car the mist had lifted and I took a photo of the pretty coloured houses on the shore of Whitehead.
We then headed back to the Dairy for lunch. By this time the sun was shining and it was very warm so we sat outside. The food was excellent! I had a salad of caramelised walnuts, pieces of Brie, young French beans and rocket. It was delicious and light.
After lunch we drove into nearby Gleno Village so that I could take some photos to paint from.
We returned to Christine’s so that I could get packed up and then I drove over to Jim’s to arrive at 4. Christine came with me part way so that she could have a good walk back.
I was welcomed at the front door by Rosemary and we sat in her snugger for the next hour or so just catching up. Various members of the family came and went and finally around 7 Jim cooked up a delicious barbecue. By this time most of the family were there… Cousin Jim and Rosemary, their daughter Lorna and her two boys Charlie and Freddie, and cousin Jennifer (Jim’s sister) and Stephen. We sat and chatted into the night with Alexa playing 60s classics. These brought back various memories for all of us which added to the chat, rounded off with good old Irish coffees!
