Well, it is living up to that reputation. When we woke this morning it was teaming rain, so heavy that we wondered was it worth going out. Plus our rain coats and umbrella were in the car which is parked about 50 metres away. Eventually it eased right off and we mad a dash out the door, and headed to Blarney Castle.
There were lots of other mad people like us with jackets and umbrellas. But if you don't, chances are you will never get another opportunity to see these places. Our luck held and we only encountered drizzle most of the time we were there. We were both quite surprized at how much we enjoyed the castle, expecting it to be very gimmicky. But it is a wonderful old building with beautiful expansive gardens. The Blarney Stone is at the very top of the building, a climb up narrow steep stairs. We saw quite a few people kiss the stone, but neither of us really had any urge. It certainly doesn't look a comfortable thing to do. You have to lean backwards and down while a worker hangs on to you and another takes a photo. They now have some iron bars across, but this used to be completely open and a loooong drop to the bottom.
Blarney Castle
The top with people lining up to kiss the stone
View from the top
Another view from the top of the gardens
The Blarney Stone from below. They lean back through that gap.
After leaving the castle we called into the Blarney Knitting Mills. Not so much a mill as a shop selling a huge variety of Irish goods. We controlled ourselves and did not purchase.
We came back to our apartment for lunch, and then made the short walk into the city centre. We walked through the English Market with its huge varieties of meats, cheeses and other fresh foods and delicacies. We were sorry we went to Tesco yesterday, as we didn't know about this and it was a much more interesting array than what we ended up with. We wound our way around the main streets of the town, occasionally going in and looking at shops, and eventually making our way back to the apartment.
Saturday morning we headed south to the coast and then west. Our destination was Killarney but we were taking the round about route, the West Cork Scenic. This took us through a number of lovely little fishing villages.
Sometimes the unplanned things turn out the best. We saw a sign to a stone circle and drove the short distance in. This was the Drombeg Circle, which I soon discovered is Ireland's most famous and most visited circle (although we were the only ones there). Also at the site was a communal cooking pit, that had a trough where hot stones were dropped into the water to heat it. There were also the remains of huts. So interesting and so old.
Our next stop was at Skibbereen, eventually finding our way through the maze of one way streets in this busy little town. Like many busy places most of the narrow roads have been made one way, so navigating can take some time. While there we went to their Heritage Centre. Skibbereen was one of the worst hit areas during the Great Famine, and this centre has been dedicated to that. It was well set up. On our way out of town we stopped at the cemetary with its mass grave. Around ten thousand are believed to be buried here. Many families were too poor to afford a burial, and would take the deceased to the cemetary in the middle of the night, under cover of darkness.
We took an interesting photo around this time of the road to the back of the cemetary with its 80 kph sign. This road (track) after about 100 metres became even narrower, hemmed in by high hedges and trees. We hoped no body was going to come over at 80. Many drivers here are "eejits" and if the sign says 100 they think that's what they should do, despite the road conditions. And parking, that's a real laugh as they park anywhere and they especially like the wrong side of the road. The lady here was laughing about it telling us that they all just say "but I'm only going to be ten minutes". On our walk into Cork on Friday afternoon, we came around a corner on a major road, and there were four cars with warning lights flashing just past the corner. We wondered what was going on, then discovered the row of cars the whole block (which was no parking), and another row double parked (and empty of drivers). It was school pick up time. The ones at the rear put the warning lights on because they were near the bend. There were even a few triple parked, and this was a main thoroughfare.
During our time in Ireland we had found it quite pretty and very green, but really no wow factor and wondered at all we had read. But then we reached the west coast and found it. The afternoon drive into Killarney was superb, taking in a little of the Ring of Kerry, something to really look forward to.
Our accommodation here is just wonderful. I got a fantastic deal if you booked three nights in October. Our room is huge, there are beautiful sitting rooms throughout the building and breakfast was one of the best yet (and that is saying something). The building is purpose built with ten bedrooms, but we are way past the peak season so not a lot here. The people running it are just wonderful and sit down with you to take the time to work out the best itinerary for you during your time here.
It is situated in the National Park, about 4 kilometres out of the town centre. At breakfast we have been treated to deer outside the dining window, with two of them even locking horns for a while.
After breakfast we went and explored Muckross Abbey which is nearby. No charge to see this, and the cloisters are in excellent condition although the rest is a ruin. There is a huge yew tree growing in the centre of the cloisters with a lot of myth attached to it. From here we looked around Muckross House and gardens, although we didn't do the inside tour as we felt we didn't have the time to do it justice. But it is obviously a very popular place, right on the lake as it is, and there was a huge amount of parking and facilities there.
On then to our main destination for the day, the Dingle Peninsula. We were amazed that we finally had a sunny day. It was a 70 kilometre drive to Dingle, and we stopped here for lunch. From Dingle you travel the Slea Head Drive, a spectacular circular drive that brings you back into Dingle. There are a number historic sites along this route, plus wonderful lookout areas, so it was slow going with lots of stops.
We were amazed at the traffic jams when we got back to Killarney as it was a Sunday afternoon. Early evening we drove into the city centre and were amazed at the numbers around. Then we found a possible reason. It appears Sunday had been the football grandfinal, and they were celebrating as only the Irish can. We couldn't believe it when this enormous truck overflowing with supporters in its huge bucket, with a band of followers behind, drove through the narrow main street. Somehow they managed to get three cars to move (that were of course in no standing areas anyway) so it could navigate the tight corner. I don't know how they found the drivers or what would have happened if they hadn't.
But it now looks as if the sunshine has been and gone and the rain is back. What a shame as the Ring of Kerry is our next destination.
We had to ask what this is. A Monk fish with enormous head and small body from the North Sea
Saturday morning we headed south to the coast and then west. Our destination was Killarney but we were taking the round about route, the West Cork Scenic. This took us through a number of lovely little fishing villages.
Sometimes the unplanned things turn out the best. We saw a sign to a stone circle and drove the short distance in. This was the Drombeg Circle, which I soon discovered is Ireland's most famous and most visited circle (although we were the only ones there). Also at the site was a communal cooking pit, that had a trough where hot stones were dropped into the water to heat it. There were also the remains of huts. So interesting and so old.
Our next stop was at Skibbereen, eventually finding our way through the maze of one way streets in this busy little town. Like many busy places most of the narrow roads have been made one way, so navigating can take some time. While there we went to their Heritage Centre. Skibbereen was one of the worst hit areas during the Great Famine, and this centre has been dedicated to that. It was well set up. On our way out of town we stopped at the cemetary with its mass grave. Around ten thousand are believed to be buried here. Many families were too poor to afford a burial, and would take the deceased to the cemetary in the middle of the night, under cover of darkness.
We took an interesting photo around this time of the road to the back of the cemetary with its 80 kph sign. This road (track) after about 100 metres became even narrower, hemmed in by high hedges and trees. We hoped no body was going to come over at 80. Many drivers here are "eejits" and if the sign says 100 they think that's what they should do, despite the road conditions. And parking, that's a real laugh as they park anywhere and they especially like the wrong side of the road. The lady here was laughing about it telling us that they all just say "but I'm only going to be ten minutes". On our walk into Cork on Friday afternoon, we came around a corner on a major road, and there were four cars with warning lights flashing just past the corner. We wondered what was going on, then discovered the row of cars the whole block (which was no parking), and another row double parked (and empty of drivers). It was school pick up time. The ones at the rear put the warning lights on because they were near the bend. There were even a few triple parked, and this was a main thoroughfare.
80 kph road, and below, a little further along it. This wasn't the only one we saw.
During our time in Ireland we had found it quite pretty and very green, but really no wow factor and wondered at all we had read. But then we reached the west coast and found it. The afternoon drive into Killarney was superb, taking in a little of the Ring of Kerry, something to really look forward to.
Our accommodation here is just wonderful. I got a fantastic deal if you booked three nights in October. Our room is huge, there are beautiful sitting rooms throughout the building and breakfast was one of the best yet (and that is saying something). The building is purpose built with ten bedrooms, but we are way past the peak season so not a lot here. The people running it are just wonderful and sit down with you to take the time to work out the best itinerary for you during your time here.
It is situated in the National Park, about 4 kilometres out of the town centre. At breakfast we have been treated to deer outside the dining window, with two of them even locking horns for a while.
After breakfast we went and explored Muckross Abbey which is nearby. No charge to see this, and the cloisters are in excellent condition although the rest is a ruin. There is a huge yew tree growing in the centre of the cloisters with a lot of myth attached to it. From here we looked around Muckross House and gardens, although we didn't do the inside tour as we felt we didn't have the time to do it justice. But it is obviously a very popular place, right on the lake as it is, and there was a huge amount of parking and facilities there.
Side view of Muckross House
On then to our main destination for the day, the Dingle Peninsula. We were amazed that we finally had a sunny day. It was a 70 kilometre drive to Dingle, and we stopped here for lunch. From Dingle you travel the Slea Head Drive, a spectacular circular drive that brings you back into Dingle. There are a number historic sites along this route, plus wonderful lookout areas, so it was slow going with lots of stops.
One of many beehive buildings, they think dating back to around 1200 AD
We were amazed at the traffic jams when we got back to Killarney as it was a Sunday afternoon. Early evening we drove into the city centre and were amazed at the numbers around. Then we found a possible reason. It appears Sunday had been the football grandfinal, and they were celebrating as only the Irish can. We couldn't believe it when this enormous truck overflowing with supporters in its huge bucket, with a band of followers behind, drove through the narrow main street. Somehow they managed to get three cars to move (that were of course in no standing areas anyway) so it could navigate the tight corner. I don't know how they found the drivers or what would have happened if they hadn't.
But it now looks as if the sunshine has been and gone and the rain is back. What a shame as the Ring of Kerry is our next destination.
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