1st Visit to Garvagh (Part 2)

Before Gordon flew home Thursday evening, the four of us went to a couple of National Trust properties: the Hezlett House and Downhill Demesne (website). 

The Hezlett House, one of Northern Ireland's oldest buildings, shows the reality of life in the rural 17th-century.
The fireplace with ovens

A very tiny childrens' bedroom that would sleep up to 6 children at a time! Jeff is standing on one wall and you can see the other... very tight quarters!

 Just down the street from the Hezlett House lies the ruins of a 18th-century mansion "Downhill house" (website), which is just up the hill from the Mussenden Temple (website).

 Gorgeous view of the coast of the Atlantic Ocean with the hills of Donegal (Ireland) in the background.

Walking down to the Mussenden Temple, which was built as a summer library in 1785.

 

View from the steps of the temple.

 Inside the temple

 

 

 

On Friday, we took Ellen swimming again, but this time in Limavady. Then we had lunch at Subway... it tasted sooo good!  Later in the afternoon, we drove to Beverly's sister's house where Ellen met her second cousin, Evan, for the first time. This is Jeff's cousin, Cherelle, holding Ellen and Evan.

 Me with Evan and Ellen

On Saturday we drove down to the Scott's new house to meet up with our "Belfast friends".  We only see them once a year when we are in NI, so it's always a pleasure to meet up and see how big the kiddies have become. Unfortunately we didn't manage to get pictures of everyone.

 Adrian, Pauline and Emily Edgar

 Abi Scott (1)...(or as Jeff likes to joke "a biscut")

 Harry Scott (5), the oldest of all of the Belfast friends children

 Stephen (almost 1) and Vanessa Robinson, me and Ellen and Elaine Scott

A nice picture with Granny

Ellen's first rusk

 "Thanks, Granny, I'll do it myself."

 

 One wouldn't think a dry, plain biscuit would become such a mess!

 One of Jeff's longest friends, Ian, came to visit