Where Are We?

Miss Paula asked what body of water is behind Elijah in this picture. Good question, i was just going to add the answer on to the previous post but I've got so many pictures and maps I ended up making a new post about it all! A little geography lesson here. =)

The water behind Elijah is Strangford Lough.

Strangford Lough (from the Old Norse: Strangrfjörthr meaning "strong ford" describing the fast-flowing narrows; and Loch Cuan in Irish meaning the calm lough describing the gentle waters of the mud flats) is a lough in County Down, Northern Ireland, separated from the Irish Sea by the Ards Peninsula. It is a popular tourist attraction noted for its fishing and the picturesque villages and townships which border its waters. These include Portaferry on the Ards Peninsula, which is connected to Strangford across the lough by a car ferry.
The island studded sea lough is the largest inlet in the United Kingdom and in the island of Ireland as a whole, covering 150 km². Almost totally landlocked, the lough is approached from the Irish Sea through the eight kilometre long fast-running tidal narrows, which open out into more gentle waters where there are 70 islands. Countless tidal rocky outcrops called pladdies litter the lough and mudflats, along with marshes, rocks, bays and headlands. The lough is a conservation area and its abundant wildlife recognised internationally for its importance. (From Wikipedia)

Where are we and where is Strangford Lough? We are in County Down Northern Ireland. Right above the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. The UK includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Here is a map of the whole island, we live in the green part at the top...And here is a map with out any boarders. It shows where we are and where out county is in relation to the rest of the country.

This is a map of where we are roughly located on the lock...The view from my husband's parents guest room window.
This was a Christmas morning sunrise last year. (2007)
A couple weeks ago.
Another intersting site not too far is Sketrick Castle. We can walk to it from our house. You can't go up the stairs or into the little rooms, there are bars across the doorways. But you can walk around it and Elijah likes to climb on the rocks at the base.

"Sketrick Castle stands on an island site now reached by a causeway on the West coast of Strangford Lough near Whiterock. This large tower house was built in the mid 15th century, and was actively involved in warfare during the 16th century. It stood fairly complete until 1896 when it half collapsed in a storm. It was previously four storeys high with a boat bay, lock up and subterranean passage."