We get COMPLETELY lost in the Kerry highlands

 

 

What is ironic about the fact that we go lost in the Kerry highlands is that we had no intention of going to the highlands.....  Our plan was very simple:  start from Killarney and go toward the “Ring of Kerry,” the coast road that goes around the peninsula that starts at Killarney.  On the way, stop to see the famous Gap of Dunloe - possibly take a buggy up the the gap, since the guide book indicated that this was the best way to do it.  So that’s how we started. Our first mistake was to pass the sign that told us we should not drive through the gap....  it was VERY unclear (what does “primarily” mean in this context”?).

So we drove the honestly unbelievably narrow and twisting road through the gap.  People live up there - we passed a women who was driving her children to school.  So they do that every day!

 

We drove the entire 3 miles through the gap, before realizing that that was what we had done.  This being said, the road we took is the same one the buggies take, so we saw the same thing - it was just more stressful (for Joe), but also sort of cool.   It is indeed very pretty up there. (For added fun, there were sheep all over....)

Things got worse as we existed the gap...  somehow - we must have zigged when we should have zagged.  One problem is that there are no signs - we were just trying to get back to the main road, but that was not clear.  The other problem is that our GPS system (TomTom) - LOVES “shortcuts” through the country.....  given a choice between the N70 (N stands for national - does not mean it’s wide, but at least there are people there), and a small winding road through fields, Tommy (as we affectionately call it) will always go for the fields.  But then, at the end of this road, it wanted it us to turn on a private road, which was blocked off. We had no idea where we were.  Luckily, a local woman happened to drive by - she was distraught because she had lost her dog and was looking everywhere.  He lost dog saved us:  she was able to at least point to the right direction (after getting very close to saying “you can’t get there from here”), and after only a couple of wrong turns, we got back on the Ring of Kerry.  I hope she finds her dog! BTW:  the highlands of Kerry are very pretty.  We just would probably have enjoyed them more if we had gone there on purpose, or at least, had any idea how to get out of them.....

So - Back on N70, we drove down slowly toward our goal, stopping here and there to look at the sights, like the beautiful beach at Kells, and random ruined castles. 

We stopped for lunch at a French pastry shop in a small village called Cahirciveen:  The owner was very French, the soup tasted like the one my mother use to make, and the goat croque-Monsieur was delicious!

We continued on to our ultimate goal- Valencia Island, at the very bottom of South West Ireland.  It’s main attraction is the proximity to the famous Skellig Islands World Heritage site (more about that later), but that area is worth seeing on it’s own.  We first stopped just across the bridge from it to see the Kerry Cliffs.  I don’t know why they are are not more famous, as they are quite spectacular, and even higher that the Cliffs of Moher (they are not as long though).

For some reason, none of the maps, guide books, and literature we have picked up on the way mention them....  the only reason we went is that we ran into a bunch of Yinzers (that’s what people from Pittsburgh call each other) at the Gap of Dunloe, and they told us about it - thanks Yinzers!
(the 2 islands in the background are Skellig Islands, the pointy one is Skellig Michael)

Nice shot of the two islands that form the Skelligs from the cliffs.

It was just a bit windy up there....  (Can you see Skellig Michael in the background??)

Our B&B is just across the bridge from the main land, on Valencia Island (that’s the view from the window). The island is about 8 by 3.5 miles.  600 people live there full time, there is a schools, a (very small) hospital.  I’m always fascinated by places like this:  Where do people shop, what do they do?  I am also always tempted with what seems like a simple life, close to nature.  But maybe I’d get bored. 

We took the one road around the island, stopping in the town Knighttown,

and then on to see this odd grotto (it’s a shrine to Mary, cum slate quarry.....),

 then drove to see the very oldest tetrapod foot prints ever discovered (385 millions year old - the first “fish” to actually crawl out of the sea) - I was very excited by that - even though the short trail to see the step was VERY steep - Joe is the little black dot at the bottom of the picture. 

 Then we went to the top of the island to admire the 360 view...  and find a couple of orchids (one is the spotted orchid, I don’t know what the other one is). 

We went back to the little village of Portmagee - just across the bridge- to a bar were a lot of locals go (it was about 50/50 local/tourists) and had some very good monk fish with prawns and mussels.  We have found that the food is very good in Ireland (and not too expensive). Tomorrow, the plan is to take a boat around the Skellig Islands - the 2 islands seen on the horizon in the pictures from the cliffs.  They are a UNESCO site, and famous for their slate huts, where Christian monks lived as early as the 5th century.  They are more famous as the site where Rey finds Luke Skywalker in the last Star Wars movie....that has made them very popular!  So we will not be landing there, but instead will take the eco tour around them, and get to also see a lot of sea birds (possibly more puffins!).

That is of course, weather dependent:  we have been very lucky so far, but tomorrow does not look great.....

From Doolin to Killarney

We left the meadow of Ballinalacken Castle Hotel,

and it's pretty birds, and headed south toward Killarney.

 It's not a very long drive (183 km), and yet, it took most of the day, partly because the road are not great (although they were MUCH better than around the Burren....), partly because we stopped several times on the way.  We visited Bunratty castle, a very well restored 16th century castle, furnished with original art and furniture.

 There were a lot of steep spiral staircases in the 16th century......

The castle and it's grounds were bought in 1720 by a family (who may have been the O'Brien's, but I get the impression that every story I tell about people buying castle somehow involves an O'Brien, so it's possible that it was another typical Irish name, and I've just replaced it with O'Brien in my head....).



In 1840 ( that's 120 years later - these people bought with a view to the future!)  the family built a new mansion on the estate, with proper walled gardens, etc, as was the fashion of the time.  Around the original castle and mansion, a park was created, including a 16th century and an 18th century street.  It's a bit touristy, but very well done.  Worth a stop since it was on the way.




 

They had very friendly Irish wolfhounds walking the grounds.....

We then stopped briefly in the little town of Adare, known for it's incongruous (for the region) English thatched roofed houses:  This  was the idea of some English lord in the 19th century, who wanted to build the perfect village. 

It is indeed still very pretty.  And it had a big flock of ravens, which I had never seen before. 

The main reason to go there is the Killarney National Park, and the famous "Ring of Kerry"..

My book suggested that the town of Killarney itself was not worth a second thought, and just a launching pad for the Ring and the park.  We disagree.

We found the town very charming, with it's typical narrow streets and alleys, it's good selection of pubs and it's street performers.  We had very nice typical Irish food:  I had Irish stew and Joe had slow cooked shank of lamb.

While I was enjoying excellent ice cream in front of this shop, this guy sang "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" for me, and then told me a very stupid French joke:  "un chat va chez le pharmacien et lui dit"  J'ai vraiment besaoin de quelque hose pour ma toux (matou)".....

I suspect that the reason the town itself is not more highly praised is that it is not built directly on it's pretty lake.  It is however a nice walk to it, along the river, and the view from the castle is worth it (they also have horse drawn buggies to go there, but I did enjoy the walk).

Tomorrow, we are goining into the park - trying to see the “Gap of Dunloe” - although it is a bit unclear to me if you can drive there, have to walk for several hours, need to take a bot, or a horse.....  all of these are described as possibilities, but there is no definite answer as to what can be done which way....  then we will start on the Ring of Kerry.