Ireland - St Finians Bay, Valentia Lighthouse.

After yesterdays exertions, we had a lazy morning, especially as the weather wasn't great, low cloud, spitting, drizzling, you get the picture.

Typical Irish weather forecast, the experts predict a 50% chance of rain.

Half an hour later, 100% chance of rain. (Does that answer your question Heather?)

Although we were here for 6 days there are still things we would have liked to have seen or done. Can't believe that people think they have "done" Ireland. Don't think we could ever be done. There were a couple of things we thought we could see, taking it easy, on our last day here.

Some more "L" roads and we found the Cahergal Stone Fort. (they are hard to date, basically Stone Age or more recent). They have really thick stone walls in a ring around a circular dwelling.

Their position gives them lovely views, although it was largely to be able to see enemies coming and easily defend.

The bottom layers of stone were original and the top had some restoration work but the walls and stairways were the result of ancient engineering.

We walked up some more laneways hedged with honeysuckle,

masses of blackberry brambles,

heather

and bracken starting to turn rust.

There were fields of these sheep with curly horns and speckly faces and legs

while this little robin hopped from post to post,

ahead of us.

The second stone fort, Leacanabuile, is a bit more recent and has circular and stone buildings inside the stone ring.

From the fort we could see ruins of a castle down by the sea so went exploring.

We couldn't get near, barbed wire fences and signs warned us off, but we wouldn't have wanted too as it was clearly a dangerous ruin.

The seaward side is held together with masses of ivy.

We drove back towards Portmagee and decided to take the short ferry ride across to Valentia Island. It started to rain in earnest so lunch became a priority.

We both warmed up with an Irish Coffee and Nicola had local smoked salmon. This was delicious, nothing like the overly processed and salty taste of the smoked salmon I have had before, more like a version of sushi.

I had the daily special, prawns in a chili and garlic sauce.

Fresh Atlantic Lobster was way too expensive for us (makes me glad I ate so much in Maine last year).

We took the little ferry across to the island (there were 5 cars on it) and drove a very steep, narrow, winding road down to the lighthouse. These roads don't even have a letter designation, they are little narrow grey lines on the map

The site includes ruins of a 16th century fort, a standing stone (unknown age) and the lighthouse (now unmanned)

Nicky and I both went up to the parapet of the lighthouse and enjoyed the views out to sea, across to an island with remains of a Viking settlement and inland to the sheltered Valentia harbour.

We drove off the island on the bridge at the other end and headed home for our last evening at Beachcove.

Looks so nice with the blue sky.

We took our wine to the picnic table overlooking the beach,

couldn't resist taking a few more pictures of the Skelligs,

were entertained by a pair of skillful surfers and their children playing in rock pools

while the smell of a peat fire wafted around. I quite like it but Nicky thinks it smells of dirt and poo.

Ireland - Finians Bay, Skellig Michael

When we asked at the wharf in Portmagee about a trip to Skellig Michael we were told they were all booked up. When we asked at the Skellig Experience (a site devoted to the Skelligs Islands) we were told there was just one space available on Thursday (the only day we had deemed acceptable due to wind). I booked it, as Nicky wasn't sure she could handle the climb.
We set the alarm and drove, over the hill, to Portmagee and then across the bridge to the Skellig Experience and were there by 8:50. It was open and when asked the manager said he might be able to get a spot for Nicola, "are you interested?". She meant to say "no" but somehow "yes" came out of her mouth. Two people had cancelled and she was on. Luckily we had packed the car with either eventuality in mind so she had a backpack, splash pants and walking poles.

Of we go. All of us were issued life jackets, really good Helly Hanson ones.

Out past the walk to the headland we had done 3 days earlier. We realized why we had been sore, it was a long walk.

Out to Skellig Michael, an island we had been taking pictures of, for the last 4 days. Finally we were going to get up close.

Its 12 km out into the Atlantic (the edge of the world as far as the monks who settled there 1400 years ago knew). On the boat trip we met the other guy who had got a cancellation. He had decided to take the trip when discussing it in a pub with some Australian friends. Quote of the day; from the boat owner "many's the brave words spoken in a pub".

The hardest part of the whole trip was getting off and on the boat at the wharf. 4 or 5 foot swells are not easy to manage on to a wet cement staircase, but the staff on the boat and on the wharf were very helpful.

The first part of the walk is easy, wide, gently sloping, stone parapet. It goes up to the huts in the photo which is where the guides, who stay out there, live. We were met there and spoken to about safety and protecting the fragility of the site.

This was our first view of the reality of the stone staircase that climbs the island. We had had a video back at the Skellig Experience which, in all honesty, had made me a bit dizzy. Nicola was even less sure as she has a fear of heights.

The other Skellig Island is home to sea birds and you are not allowed to land on it (more about that later)

Its difficult to get a photograph that shows the stairs. They were carved by the monks who called this island home for about 500 years. There are 3 staircases scaling the island, only one is used by the tourists.

The stairs are hewn out of the rock and large slabs make the steps. They are actually pretty even and not huge steps up. But they are irregular and smooth. There is a chain hand rail in 2 spots due to the straight drop off beside the path.

180 people are allowed on the island each day, allocated to certain boats. That is why we had such a difficult time getting a spot.

We were very lucky to get one. The guide books recommend booking weeks in advance but then the weather is only co-operative about 50% of the time.

By the time I reached the top, the "weather" we had seen heading our way, had arrived and it was drizzling.

The monks lived in these "beehive" buildings, all year round.

It is believed that about 12 monks at a time lived, and died here (this is a communal burial site)

They left, for the Balliniskellig abbey (that I posted about a few days back) about 1000 years ago and only returned for the summer months and for pilgrimages.

Looking down at another staircase down to the water. They had a small area to grow crops and caught seabirds and seals for meat, feathers and fur.

Also up there, a gravestone, to 2 of the lighthouse keepers children (we saw the lighthouse later)

This was the reason Nicky didn't come to the top -

the coming down!

This required placing the walking poles very carefully,

placing my feet very carefully,

and only looking up when

everything was firmly planted.

Nicola got this far. Very proud of herself, and so she should be. Went back down on her bum (there were a number of "bum downers"). She got a round of applause from the "scared of heights support group" at the bottom, who had not dared to go as far as she did.

The wildflowers were still out on the island. Occasional holes in the greenery were where the puffins nested but we were about 2 weeks too late to see them.

Waiting for the boat to pick us up we were all taking pictures of each other. We were invigorated by the experience and awed by the life those m0nks must have led.

The boat showed us a bit more of the island; this cave and other parts of the island were used in a recent Star Wars film,

The old lighthouse (top left) was taken out by a 300ft rogue wave and the lighthouse (bottom right) replaced it.

By now the wet weather had also bought in more wind, so I am not even going to try and straighten horizons. Goodby Skellig Michael.

Little Skellig is home to a number of different sea birds but the Gannets dominate.

The noise (clacking) and

and the smell (stinky)

and the sky full of soaring, diving birds.

"The elephants trunk"

Goodbye to Little Skellig

Hello Irish Coffee! Oh its a good thing we only just "discovered" these!

We didn't eat much due to the bumpy boat ride so did justice to the Bridge Bar. Nicola had the "best fish of my life", fresh grilled Hake and great Hollandaise sauce.

I had Beef and Guinness Pie. I am not much for potatoes but ate 2 of those mounds with a pat of Irish butter on each!