The Observatory – On the Road

We found about this place through one of the groundsmen on our campsite who Steve bumps into when he takes Stella for her morning constitutional. The chap (yet to find out his name) and Steve discuss the local birds, wildlife and Steve was delighted to return to the caravan and tell me over breakfast how we had this amazing place, quite close, to visit. Now that Steve has shown his appreciation with some cans of beer, the suggestions are unbelievably coming in even faster.

Neither of us really knew what to expect other than it’s at the top of a rock and usually opens at night over the weekend for star gazers. We know it’s small and usually visitors’ numbers are strictly limited. Plotting the route in our SatNavs, we enjoyed the views of the coast whilst we made our way to the observatory. As we drove the road to our destination got steeper and more acute hair pin negotiation. We passed a village with its own supermarkets, usual shops and bars and school. I have no idea why I found it so strange to find a buzzing village half way up a mountain, but I did.

We continued negotiating the hair pin bends until the final one. It was impossible to make the manoeuvre in one, not only for us but everyone. There was a turning area at the apex of the bend and my jaw dropped when in the middle of nowhere, in a country without Amazon, we were passed by a DPD delivery van. What the? And, how was I missing out! I needed to research ordering and delivering on a new scale. Ascending the final bit to the observatory, with not another car or person in sight, we got out of the car to admire the views of the coast line and mountains and capture everything we saw on film. We were so high up, the roads so narrow, the side drops steep, snow here and there and a bit of a wind that we didn’t let Stella out of the car for her own safety. We held on to each other as would Dick n Liddy, as our legs turned to jelly. It was breath taking. Literally.

We took snaps and videos of the views, admired our surroundings, and wherever we walked to get the best setting, we did it slowly and carefully looking after each other, especially a little lower down where we found a helipad.