Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Carisbrooke Castle (part 3)

Carisbrooke Castle is my favourite of all of the castles I have visited on the British Isles.  The castle is in an excellent condition and it has the most incredible views when you reach the top of the motte and keep.
The motte and keep at Carisbrooke Castle
There are 71 stone steps leading up the motte and it was built around 1100.  The steps are really steep and you need to be quite fit to make it up there!!  I love this photo of Stephen as it reminds me of the Visit Kent adverts (you would have to visit London to see the posters of the little children climbing the castle steps).
The steps leading up to the motte at Carisbrooke Castle
The well in the keep is 48 metres deep and I have to admit, I got pretty dizzy looking into it.  That was nothing compared to the feeling of vertigo I got when taking some of the photos from on top of the wall around the keep.
Wall Walk Carisbrooke CastleCarisbrooke Castle 32
Carisbrooke Castle 33Carisbrooke Castle
It felt like you could see forever from on top of the keep.  The village below was so picturesque and it looked like I was looking into another time and place. 
Carisbrooke Castle
The best views were definitely of the castle itself.
Carisbrooke Castle
Carisbrooke Castle Carisbrooke Castle
Carisbrooke Castle Carisbrooke Castle
I wasn’t joking about the vertigo though!  I always forget that heights make me slightly queasy until I suddenly look down and felt the earth tilt.  I stumbled down from the top of the keep and Stephen had a good giggle at my expense as I held on to him and tried to get the world to stop spinning.
Carisbrooke Castle 42
Carisbrooke Castle has the most excellent wall walk that goes right around the whole castle.  It was starting to rain though so we just took a short walk to look around the back of the ruins of Carey’s Mansion.
Carey's Mansion at Carisbrooke Castle
I think these ruins are quite exquisite and have to wonder how they fell into ruin.  The mansion was built in the late 16th century for Carey who was governor of the island and cousin to Elizabeth I.
 Carisbrooke CastleCarisbrooke Castle
Not long after receiving the Death Stare from Stephen, we decided to go home.  I’m sure the bloggers amongst you have received death stares from significant others before – the look that threatens untold fury and vengeance unless the bloggers puts the camera away!

The Moon in Africa

The Moon in Africa 
still looks like the moon.


It is strange.  I had just begun to really feel that London is ‘home’ and now I have come back to Johannesburg and it is amazing and I feel at home again.  So much has changed here in approximately 18 months and it is all for the better.  Crime is still a major problem and there is currently very little work available so I guess that every silver lining has a cloud.  I have very little Internet access at the moment and have spent all my time with family and friends who no doubt appreciate their privacy so I’m afraid that there is little that I can post on my blog at the moment.  I’m certainly enjoying the technological break!