Category Archives: Travel

History, Landmarks, Travel, Views

Irish Estates: A History Of Stormont Castle, Belfast

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The Stormont estate was attractive because of its proximity to Belfast and the prominent building site that it offered overlooking the city. Entirely incidental to the purchase, but part and parcel of it, was a substantial 19th- century house called Stormont Castle. There was local opposition to demolition so it was spontaneously absorbed into this developing governmental landscape.

John GoodallJuly 11, 2021

In 1922, the castle became the official residence of Sir James Craig, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. That function ceased in 1940, when it became simply the Prime Minister’s office and was additionally occupied by the Cabinet Secretariat and the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. From 1972, following the establishment of direct rule from Westminster, the castle became the headquarters of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and, since 1998 and the Good Friday Agreement, it has accommodated the offices of the First and Deputy Ministers of Northern Ireland.

Read more at Country Life UK

Travel, Videos, Views, Wilderness

Walks: The White Birch Forest & Shirakoma Pond in Nagano, Japan (4K Video)

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The Yachiho Plateau extends to the eastern foot of Mt. Northern Yatsugatake. On this vast Yachiho Plateau, 500,000 birch forests are vegetated on a site of about 200 ha. The forest is called the best birch forest in the Orient. At the top of the Yachiho Plateau is Shirakoma Pond, the largest lake in Japan, where moss and native forest are mysterious. The pond has a circumference of 1.35 kilometers and is located in the highlands at an altitude of 2,000 meters.

Video timeline: 00:00 タイトル（Title） 00:18 八千穂高原自然園（Yachiho Kogen Nature Park） 09:09 白樺群生林（The White Birch Forest） 17:37 白駒池と苔の森（Shirakoma Pond and Moss Forest）

History, Homes, Travel, Videos, Views

Cliff Home Tour: La Roque Gageac In France (Video)

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Julien Cohen’s first home was carved into the side of a hill in La Roque Gageac, a troglodytic village stacked against a sheer cliff. He spent 5 years in this sliver of a home where the stone face is everywhere: as the ceiling of his closet and shower, behind the refrigerator, and in the wall looming over the bed. During the Hundred Year’s War,

La Roque Gageac, was one of the few towns that never fell to the English, thanks to a fort perched on the cliff at the top of town whose only access is a tiny staircase (It still stands). The views from the cliff are panoramic perspectives on the Dordogne River and surrounding castles; this is an area Henry Miller called the “Frenchman’s paradise”. Here, Cohen lived for five years until his growing family made the small space too difficult.

La Roque Gageac is one of France’s most beautiful villages. In a stunning position on the north bank of the Dordogne River, and backed by a steep hill / cliff, with little to suggest that much has changed there in the last 300 years, La Roque-Gageac is truly the perfect picture postcard village. It is about 8km from the historic town of Sarlat.

Travel, Videos, Views

Views: The ‘Simmenfälle’ – Switzerland (4K Video)

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The springs of the River Simme, which gives the valley its name, is situated on the Rezliberg above Lenk, right at the foot of a mighty limestone wall. The Simme erupts here into a mass of white foam. In summer, up to 2’800 litres flow via the seven springs every second. The «Sibe Brünne», a magical waterfall, is a renowned source of power and a wonderful place to spend some time.

The Simmenfälle is a powerful waterfall near Oberried (Lenk) in the region Berner Oberland, Switzerland.

The Simmenfälle is very easy to reach. From Zweisimmen drive to Lenk and further to Oberried, the end of the valley. Park the car somewhere near the restaurant (the big parking is only for customers). From here it is a few minute walk to the base of the Simmenfälle.

The Simmenfälle cascades down with great force with a descend of appr. 40 meter. A nice spectacle to see. There is a trail along the waterfall going further up to the Barbarabrücke (the upper part of the Simmenfälle) and the Simmenquelle (Siebenbrunne), a karstic waterfall.

Travel, Videos, Views

Drives: Campolongo Pass – Dolomites, Tyrol, Italy (4K)

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The Campolongo Pass is a high mountain pass in the Dolomites in South Tyrol in Italy. It connects Corvara in the Val Badia and Arabba. The pass can be crossed in winter on skis.

Driving timeline: 00:00 Pieve 07:20 Renaz, Alfauro 09:40 Arabba 12:10 Varda 15:20 Campolongo Pass 20:30 Corvara in Badia

Travel, Videos, Views

Swiss Views: ‘Eiger Express’ Cable Car – Grindelwald

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In this video, we present a spectacular panoramic journey experience of newly launched Eiger Express Cable Car, Grindelwald, Switzerland. It was launched in Dec. 2020. Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station in the Swiss Alps is a highly popular day-trip excursion for travellers/tourists in Switzerland. The new Eiger Express cable car from Grindelwald Terminal shortens the journey to Jungfraujoch by around 47 minutes, although the final stretch to the top of the mountain remains by Jungfrau mountain train. The traditional trains-only route from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen is still available and may be combined with a cable car ride. The Eiger Express cable car operates between Grindelwald Terminal (937 m asl) and Eigergletscher station (2328 m asl), in the Swiss Alps near Interlaken. It uses tricable technology to transport up to 26 passengers per gondola. The cable car ride is 6,483 m long but remarkably needs only seven support pillars en route. As the system can transport up to 2,200 travelers per hour, this new faster route is likely to become the more popular way to reach the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe mountain station.