Thursday, 23 September 2010
Wednesday 22nd September – Ring of Kerry & Skellig Ring
Wednesday 22nd September – Ring of Kerry & Skellig Ring
Left Milltown at 9 AM and began the anticlockwise journey around the Ring of Kerry. First stop was Killorglin when we saw the Statue of Puck, a goat, a relic of pagan times.
We then stopped at the Kerry Bog Museum where the life of the people who lived in the bog was recreated. It was really interesting to see the role peat played in the lives of the people. The thatcher’s house was one of the better ones in the village and they had an upstairs bedroom (if you could call it that!) They also had the Irish wolfhounds and Kerry Bog Ponies on show.
The weather cleared and the views everywhere we drove were absolutely spectacular. It seems that a high mountain range is the backbone of each of the peninsulas and then these mountain descend into the sea with high cliffs. In the morning we were able to look out over Dingle Bay to the Dingle Peninsula and later we were looking over the waters of the Atlantic.
We left the Ring of Kerry and joined the Skellig Ring. Crossed by ferry to Valentia Island. Again, this has this high mountain spine. We climbed up Geokaun Mountain, on a dirt road, in first gear to the Fogher Cliffs. The roads here are mostly single land and wind around the mountains and cliffs. Scary at times! Again views to die for.
Crossed back to the mainland and had lunch at Portmagee before rejoining the Ring. Just after Portmagee, we visited the Cliffs of Kerry (each time you have to pay to park!) These cliffs were very high and impressive. The walk was well worth it.
While it was fine today, each time we looked to hills and mountains, they were shrouded in mist and as we climbed up through the pass, we did get a couple of light showers of rain. Saw many rainbows again.
Left Milltown at 9 AM and began the anticlockwise journey around the Ring of Kerry. First stop was Killorglin when we saw the Statue of Puck, a goat, a relic of pagan times.
We then stopped at the Kerry Bog Museum where the life of the people who lived in the bog was recreated. It was really interesting to see the role peat played in the lives of the people. The thatcher’s house was one of the better ones in the village and they had an upstairs bedroom (if you could call it that!) They also had the Irish wolfhounds and Kerry Bog Ponies on show.
The weather cleared and the views everywhere we drove were absolutely spectacular. It seems that a high mountain range is the backbone of each of the peninsulas and then these mountain descend into the sea with high cliffs. In the morning we were able to look out over Dingle Bay to the Dingle Peninsula and later we were looking over the waters of the Atlantic.
We left the Ring of Kerry and joined the Skellig Ring. Crossed by ferry to Valentia Island. Again, this has this high mountain spine. We climbed up Geokaun Mountain, on a dirt road, in first gear to the Fogher Cliffs. The roads here are mostly single land and wind around the mountains and cliffs. Scary at times! Again views to die for.
Crossed back to the mainland and had lunch at Portmagee before rejoining the Ring. Just after Portmagee, we visited the Cliffs of Kerry (each time you have to pay to park!) These cliffs were very high and impressive. The walk was well worth it.
While it was fine today, each time we looked to hills and mountains, they were shrouded in mist and as we climbed up through the pass, we did get a couple of light showers of rain. Saw many rainbows again.
Tuesday September 21 Ennis – Dingle Peninsu
We left Ennis in sunshine today but from weather forecasts we knew that our day would end in rain, which it did.
Our first stop was Limerick which straddles the Shannon river.
Our morning was spent wandering around the oldest part of the town on King’s Island. King John had built a castle here and we spent a bit of time in the museum and around the castle.
From here we headed towards Dingle Peninsula. Our first stop was in the pretty town of Adare. Each town seems to have its own castle, which Adare of course had. We walked the main street with its thatched cottages and colourful townhouses. We visited the cathedral and some shops and then of to Tralee.
From here we looped around Dingle Peninsula. We were treated to pretty seaside villages that are a mecca to young surfers. We saw one bike rider towing his surfboard behind him with backpack. To get to Dingle we had to drive over Connor Pass, the highest pass in Ireland. It was in cloud which made the very windy, narrow road slow travelling. A few breaks in the weather gave us views of the bays and lakes below.
Dingle a very pretty harbour town with lots of tourists was again dotted with colourful townhouses and shops. From Dingle we set out along 50 kilometres of sea side track along Slea Drive. Again we climbed across the mountains with views of sea cliffs, islands and pretty little beaches. Unlike yesterday our day was filled with green pastures, pretty little villages and seaside towns.
From Dingle we drove towards Killkenny passing through Castlemaine and stopping in a B&B at Milltown.
Our first stop was Limerick which straddles the Shannon river.
Our morning was spent wandering around the oldest part of the town on King’s Island. King John had built a castle here and we spent a bit of time in the museum and around the castle.
From here we headed towards Dingle Peninsula. Our first stop was in the pretty town of Adare. Each town seems to have its own castle, which Adare of course had. We walked the main street with its thatched cottages and colourful townhouses. We visited the cathedral and some shops and then of to Tralee.
From here we looped around Dingle Peninsula. We were treated to pretty seaside villages that are a mecca to young surfers. We saw one bike rider towing his surfboard behind him with backpack. To get to Dingle we had to drive over Connor Pass, the highest pass in Ireland. It was in cloud which made the very windy, narrow road slow travelling. A few breaks in the weather gave us views of the bays and lakes below.
Dingle a very pretty harbour town with lots of tourists was again dotted with colourful townhouses and shops. From Dingle we set out along 50 kilometres of sea side track along Slea Drive. Again we climbed across the mountains with views of sea cliffs, islands and pretty little beaches. Unlike yesterday our day was filled with green pastures, pretty little villages and seaside towns.
From Dingle we drove towards Killkenny passing through Castlemaine and stopping in a B&B at Milltown.
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