Gibb's Island Day

Gibb's Island (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

I was awake shortly before 6am this morning, so without further ado I slid out of bed, put on the swimming trunks, a pair of shorts, a polo shirt, and the supremely comfortable Birkenstock Gizeh flip-flops, and motored the shortish distance to my health club for the constitutional one-mile swim.

Tim Ferres, August 10th, 2022

Matej, one of our resident National Trust rangers, is leaving our shores for South America soon, so we arranged to have a celebratory farewell lunch and presentation for him today at the Dufferin Arms in Killyleagh, County Down.

Gibb's Island (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The "Duff" isn't far from Gibb's Island, a Trust property beside Delamont country park in County Down.

Of course we were blessed with absolutely glorious weather today.

Yellow Rattle on Gibb's (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The task was to scythe a wild flower called Yellow Rattle on Gibb's, or as much as possible, in order to collect the seeds.

Several of us - including self - scythed; while others came along behind us gathering the Yellow Rattle into a large container.

Yellow Rattle seeds (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

Thereafter the seeds are separated from their pods.

Several others painted a metal kissing gate.

When we had finished the job, we all drove into Killyleagh and made a bee-line for the Dufferin Arms.

There were about nineteen of us.

Dufferin Arms scampi (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

I opted for Walter Ewing's scampi, battered, with garlic chunky chips, mushy peas, dressed salad, and tartare sauce; which was very enjoyable.

There was no natural daylight in our dining-room, because it was in the basement.

Matej was presented with gifts, including a metal Thermos flask and half-bottle of Old Bushmills whiskey.

All in all, a terrific day out.