Ireland - Valentia Island

After sleeping in (trying to shake the jet lag), breakfast (nice to have a kitchen and make our own) we packed backpacks, maps, guide books and drove off for the day.

We drove along the "Skellig Ring", up a very steep, hair pin turn, narrow road. When a car was coming in the other direction one of us had to find a slightly wider part of the road, pull over to the point that the hedge was scratching the paint, put down the window and move the wing mirror in and then the other vehicle would inch by with all participants clenching their buttocks. Followed by a wave or nod from the moving vehicle and a sigh of relief from the stationary one.

This is the road coming down the other side of the moorland.

We pulled in to a site promoting itself as the best cliffs in Kerry, on a whim. We parked, paid 4Euro each and walked up a track. We were not disappointed that we did.

The footpath took us high, to the tops of the cliffs

looking down on crashing waves, soaring sea birds

and great views.

I am so used to traveling out of season that it is lovely to see flowers in bloom.

We are thinking that this might be heather. It is quite abundant and often growing intermingled with the gorse.

Our next stop was Portmagee (named after Captain Magee a famous smuggler who plied his trade here.)

We had lunch at the Skellig Restaurant

beside the commercial fishing pier, covered with disorganized piles of nets, plastic bins and crab traps.

I had the local crab in an openfaced sandwich on Irish soda bread and Nicky had Monksfish in a butter, garlic and cream sauce. Both came with fries and salad. Followed by a latte, we felt rejuvenated.

The black backed gulls were huge as were their juveniles.

We drove across the short bridge to Valentia Island and stopped in at the Skellig Experience. Watched a movie about the monks in habitation of Skellig Michael, now a world Unesco Heritage Site. We wanted to go out to it but had been told at the harbour that the tour companies had booked all the spots (only 180 people a day can go out there). Here we learned that there was one spot left on Thursday. I paid for that and Nicola went on a cancellation list (not sure if she wants to go anyway).

Low tide and a Laser sailing in the estuary.

We drove a little further, parked and started to hike up to Bray Head at the end of the Island.

Over a stile and through flocks of sheep

and herds

of cattle.

Gorse is in full bloom over the hills

and occasionally little bands of sunlight would skitter across the landscape.

The walk wasn't steep but it was a steady uphill and we were glad we had our walking poles with us.

Even happier that we had bought the orange-chocolate fudge at Portmagee.

We walked out beyond the watchtower (built in the early 1800s and then used again in WWII) to the tip of the headland

for Nicky to get crashing wave pictures and video and so many pictures of Skellig Michael (the island on the right behind her)

and for me to waste a lot of shots (thankfully its digital) on the sea birds. There are gannets here diving from way up, like arrows, into the sea, stormy petrels, guillemots, razorbills and unfortunately the puffins have left for the season.

We walked back down the track

past the cattle

and sheep,

gorse

and heather (?).

Driving back up onto the moor I stopped and took a picture of the headland we had walked. About 6 kilometres, we were tired and our feet were sore.

Glasses of wine, cheese and apple on "our" beach

while entertained by a surfer and the sun setting.

Then back in doors for a chicken salad for supper and sort our photos from the day.

Ireland- Birr to St Finians Bay

We were in bed by 8. I was asleep by 9. Of course I then woke at 6:30am but that gave me time to finish the previous days blog before waking Nicky at 7:30. We were both stiff and sore so did a yoga workout and then went down to a lovely "full Irish breakfast" (eggs, bacon, sausage, fried tomatoes, mushrooms, hash browns, toast, baked beans). We also had juice and fruit and of course, coffee. Packed and left. It was raining and grey, more like the kind of weather we had expected for Ireland.

After about an hour and a half we stopped for a stretch at a town with a Tourist Information. There we got some directions to a grocery store. Next stop - Tesco. This is Nicky navigating the cheese section. We did try to buy Irish where possible - some cheese, milk, eggs, butter, chicken. Groceries are expensive here and we bought what we thought we needed for a week but some of it we may transport to the next place.

We were using google maps directions that I had printed off at home and the GPS that came with the car. There were some U turns but overall we did pretty well. We stopped and gased up and bought a road atlas that will help us exploring the South West coast.

This was our first glimpse of the coast. Windy, cloud covered and beautiful.

This will be our home for the next week - Beachcove Apt. , St Finians Bay. It has a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen on the bottom floor and bedroom, bathroom and living room upstairs.

It is across the road from this beach

It is a sand beach bordered by rocks and lashed by rollers coming in from the Atlantic.

In the distance are the Skellig Islands that were used as a location in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Behind the cottage, cows graze

Quote of the Day - "There's a shit load of cows in Ireland"

It doesn't matter how photogenic the moors are, my camera keeps

returning

to pictures of the sea

and the life beside it.

We took a short walk, up a farm road, to stretch after the long (5 hour) car ride.

I guess the farmer had some trouble with unwanted visitors.

We have been surprised by the brilliant wild flowers and hedges made of flowering shrubs.

We had our wine and cheese sitting at a picnic table watching the waves

We have seen jackdaws, dippers, tits, wrens and this wagtail with Nicola reluctantly joining in the birdwatching.

The resident, very friendly, Pomeranian.

After dinner, chicken and pesto stir fry, we again took our wine down to the beach,

watched some people swimming,

the islands gradually disappear

and the sun set.