I recently had the opportunity to road trip around England and Scotland with my English friend James and his wonderful, and convenient, driving and tour-guiding. We managed to drive around the United Kingdom; visiting London, Canterbury, Winchester, Oxford, Stonehenge, The Cotswolds, Birmingham, The Lake District, Hadrian’s wall, Edinburgh, Glencoe, the Isle of Skye, John o’ Groats, Inverness, Loch Ness, Lindisfarne, York, Sutton Hoo, Canewdon, and Southend on Sea, as well as many, many stops along the way. This was a wonderful journey with great history, architecture, landscapes, and natural beauty to photograph along the way.

Canterbury Cathedral – Canterbury, England

Flint Wall at Canterbury Cathedral – Canterbury, England

Canterbury Cathedral – Canterbury, England

Norman Architecture at Canterbury Cathedral – Canterbury, England

Canterbury Cathedral – Canterbury, England

Medieval House in Canterbury – Canterbury, England

The Seven Sisters White Chalk Cliffs – South Downs, East Sussex, England

English Country Side – Sussex, England

Statue of Alfred the Great – Winchester, England

Stone Henge – Wiltshire, England

A rook at Stone Henge – Wiltshire, England

Neolithic Dwelling at Stone Henge – Wiltshire, England

Thatch-roof House – West Kennet, England

West Kennet Long Barrow – West Kennet, England

Avebury Church – Avebury, England

Standing Stones – Avebury Stone Circle, England

English Countryside – Wiltshire, England

The Spires of Oxford – Oxford, England

Thatch and Stone Houses – Cotswolds, England

Old Cemetery – Cotswolds, England

Swan on a Lake – Stratford upon Avon, England

Shakespeare’s Grave – Stratford upon Avon, England

Gnarled Roots – Beeston Castle, Cheshire, England

Ruined Tower – Beeston Castle, Cheshire, England

Castle Ruins – Beeston Castle, Cheshire, England

Old Gate House – Beeston Castle, Cheshire, England

Welsh Overlook – Beeston Castle, Cheshire, England

View from the Castle – Beeston Castle, Cheshire, England

Country Viewpoint – Beeston Castle, Cheshire, England

Castle Ruins – Beeston Castle, Cheshire, England

Hilltop Trees – Beeston Castle, Cheshire, England

Low Tide – Morecambe Bay, England

Farms beneath the Mountains – Cumbria, England

Mountain Pass – Cumbria, England

Castlerigg Stone Circle – Cumbria, England

Roman Fort Ruins – Housesteads Roman Fort, Hadrian’s Wall, England

View of Edinburgh – Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle – Edinburgh, Scotland

Cemetery View – Edinburgh Castle – Edinburgh, Scotland

Rooftops – Cemetery View – Edinburgh Castle – Edinburgh, Scotland

Stirling Castle – Stirling, Scotland

Castle of Monty Python and the Holy Grail – Doune Castle, Scotland

Tall Timber – Trossachs National Park, Scotland

Falls of Dochart – Killin, Scotland

Mountain Passes to Glencoe – Scotland

The River Etive – Glencoe Passes, Scotland

Mountain Passes to Glencoe – Scotland

Bidean Nam Bian – Glencoe Passes, Scotland

Loch Leven – Glencoe, Scotland

Cairn at Loch Linnhe – Loch Linnhe, Scotland

Sunset on the Loch – Loch Linnhe, Scotland

Loch Eil – Loch Eil, Scotland

The River Nevis – Glen Nevis, Scotland

Mountain Falls – Glen Nevis, Scotland

Highland Cows – Glen Nevis, Scotland

Glen Finnan and Loch Shiel – Glenfinnan Monument, Scotland

Viaduct from Harry Potter Films – Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland

Quirang Views – Quiraing, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Fairy Pools – Isle of Skye, Scotland

Hill Tower Ruins – Isle of Skye, Scotland

Fairy Glen – Isle of Skye, Scotland

Rainbow on the Loch – Scotland

Loch Alsh – Loch Alsh, Scotland

Castle Reflections – Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

Castle of the Loch – Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

Castle Ruins – Strome Castle, Scotland

Cows before the Loch – Scotland

Ullapool Harbor – Ullapool, Scotland

Mirrored Tower – Ardvreck Castle, Scotland

Long Beach Exposure – Durness Beach, Scotland

Misty Hills – Scotland

Loch Ness Castle – Loch Ness, Scotland

Thatch-roofed Farmhouse – Culloden Battlefield, Inverness, Scotland

Mirrored Sky – Culloden Battlefield, Inverness, Scotland

Clava Cairns – Near Culloden Battlefield, Inverness, Scotland

Highland Cows – Near Culloden Battlefield, Inverness, Scotland

Near Culloden Battlefield, Inverness, Scotland

Highland Deer – Highlands Wildlife Park, Cairngorms, Scotland

European Bison – Highlands Wildlife Park, Cairngorms, Scotland

Scottish Alpaca – Highlands Wildlife Park, Cairngorms, Scotland

Polar Bear Cub’s Meal – Highlands Wildlife Park, Cairngorms, Scotland

Lounging Tiger – Highlands Wildlife Park, Cairngorms, Scotland

Inquisitive Owl – Highlands Wildlife Park, Cairngorms, Scotland

Lynx – Highlands Wildlife Park, Cairngorms, Scotland

Polar Bear – Highlands Wildlife Park, Cairngorms, Scotland

Tantallon Ruins – Tantallon Castle, England

Abbey Ruins – Lindisfarne Abbey, England

Bamburgh Castle – Bamburgh Castle, England

Ruins of Whitby – Whitby Abbey, Whitby, England

Daffodils of Whitby – Whitby Abbey, Whitby, England

Ruins of Whitby – Whitby Abbey, Whitby, England

Cemetery of the Ruins of Whitby – Whitby Abbey, Whitby, England

Abbey Ruins – Rievaulx Abbey, North York Moors National Park, England

Abbey Sheep – Rievaulx Abbey, North York Moors National Park, England

Abbey Ruins – Rievaulx Abbey, North York Moors National Park, England

Diagon Alley/ Streets of York – York, England

York Minster – York, England

The Major Oak of Robin Hood – Sherwood Forest, England

The Mists of Sherwood – Sherwood Forest, England

St. Nicholas Church – Canewdon, England

Buckingham Palace Grounds – London, England

The Tower of London – London, England

Tower Bridge – London, England

Palace of Westminster – London, England

Westminster Abbey – London, England

Palace of Westminster – London, England

Roman Temple of Mithras – London, England

This end table is made from a chainsaw cut naturally fallen oak tree from southern MN. The edges are chiseled free of bark and rot and dried for over a year. The crack which opened up during the drying process has been held together by three black walnut butterfly inlays for strength and decoration. The oak slab is mounted on raw steel legs which also brace the cracks in the wood. Around the edge is an Old Norse verse written in Elder Futhark runes from the Vǫluspá in the Poetic Edda.

The verse reads:

Vǫluspá 3

Ár var alda

þar er Ymir byggði,

vara sandr né sær

né svalar unnir,

jörð fannst æva

né upphiminn,

gap var Ginnunga,

en gras hvergi.

The Seeress´s Prophecy 3

Young were the years,