rickohikes

Biking the Gap of Dunloe

By the time we arrived in Killarney, we were tired. A driving trip of Ireland is a great way to see the country, but up until that point, we had been on the go… going from place to place, and from hotel to castle to hotel. So Killarney was a welcomed stop, as we would be there for three full nights. The first day was a relaxing one. We dropped off some laundry and walked around the town. Killarney is located in the southwest area of Ireland in County Kerry, which contains Killarney National Park and some of the largest mountains in the country. The town itself, with its proximity to surrounding peaks, reminded me of Banff, which was quite comforting. We opted for a few sites in and around town- a tour of Ross Castle, lunch at Lady’s View, and a quick rainy stop at Torc Waterfall. Then we had a much-needed evening in by ordering room service and playing cards.

The next day, we thought about driving the Ring of Kerry, but with so many kilometres already, we needed something different. I had read online that the Gap of Dunloe was a must-do when in the area. It’s a narrow mountain pass that’s accessible by foot, bike, pony traps, or by car, though car is not recommended. Some sort of physical activity sounded amazing and the weather was scheduled to be sunny, so biking it was. Funny enough, I had owned a bike for months at that point, but this would be my first bike ride of the season!

We headed west to Kate Kearney’s Cottage and ate at The Coffee Pot before embarking on the gradual uphill ride through the gap from north to south. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous; the mountains were a combination of browns and greens with lakes below and sheep everywhere. The winding roads made for many great vantage points from where we would take photos. This ride was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for me.

After reaching the head of the gap, we descended to Lord Brandon’s Cottage in a crazy downpour of rain and hail (reminiscent of my Peru experience!). At the cottage, we had some hot tea before heading through the forest and back to town via the N71. Robbie had a near accident on the road which had me worried, but it was all good and we were safe. All in all, the bike ride was about 50 kilometres, which was insane since I hadn’t biked in years at that point.

The rain and hail storm was slowly arriving at this point

The evening ended with another trip to Genting Thai and a stop at a local pub to listen to some traditional Irish music with some Guiness and coke in hand. While we sat there, Robbie made a comment about how crazy it was that we were in a local Irish pub, listening to music, in Ireland, after completing a 50 km ride through the mountains in Kerry. Reality seemed so distant at that point. It was one of those moments that despite all the going-ons of the past and things to come, living in the present felt amazing. I wouldn’t have wished to share that moment with anyone else :).

We’re Going to Inishmore!

After Ennis, we backtracked to the Connemara airport. We had missed the flight the previous day, but Robbie really wanted to go to Inis Mór (Inishmore), the largest of the Aran Islands. I’m really glad he decided on this and that we got up early enough to make the drive back! The weather cooperated once again and we enjoyed a sunny time on the Island. In the airport we ran into a lovely Vancouverite travelling around on her own and she only had great things to say about her time on the island. We boarding the 11:30 am flight on separate planes so we could both sit beside the pilot in the tiny airplanes. Surprisingly, the flight was not that rocky.

I think this was at the church... and this is probably blasphemous — I think this was at the church… and this is probably blasphemous

Once we landed, we decided to take a bus tour to see some of sites. We only a few hours before we needed to board the 4:30 plane back to the mainland, so it seemed like a great idea. Our original plan was to bike around the island but the winds were quite intense. I can’t quite recall everything we saw, though I know it included the 7 churches, as well as the main visitor attraction of the island, the prehistoric fort Dún Aengus. The ruins were incredibly impressive with close enough access to the cliff edge… definitely nerve-wracking!

Afterwards, we bought some hand-knitted wool hats at the sweater shop (apparently a must-do stop (?)!) and ate at an American pub before boarding our flight for the mainland and embarking on our long drive to Killarney. We checked into our hotel, The Malton, and we were quite tired. The reward at the end of the drive? Thai food, courtesy of Genting Thai. This may sound like nothing, but after eating Irish food for over a week, our tastebuds were happy for some ethnic vegetarian cuisine!

Posing for a photo near the edge of the cliff

Don’t go to the Cliffs of Moher!

There was a time way back when I shared an office with my friend Sony. She had always wanted to see the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland and almost resolved herself to a 360 degree virtual tour online. Of course, this became an ongoing joke with Sony, Paul and I… why visit Ireland when you can just experience the 360 degree tour online?? Eventually, Sony did make her way to Ireland to witness the spectacular cliffs in person, but the virtual tour left me wanderlusting… one day, I, too, would set my eyes upon the cliffs.

And here Robbie and I were, leaving Ashford Castle. First, we were en route to the Aran Islands (but we missed the last flight that day), and then we quickly stopped in Galway in search of the elusive Spanish Arch (which we failed to find). All signs pointed to failed day, but then we headed to the Cliffs of Moher. God was on our side, though, and parted the rainy clouds for a glorious sunshine shortly after our arrival. The cliffs range from 390 to 702 feet, but wherever we looked, the views were incredible. It was a quite windy and a li’l chilly, but we definitely took some great photos. They were as marvellous as I had hoped! After experiencing the cliffs in person, it was off to the seaside town of Lahinch where we ate a O’Looney’s before heading to Ennis and checking into our hotel, the Old Grounds Hotel.

Ashford Castle

After the drive from Donegal, we checked into Ashford Castle in the county of Mayo near the town of Cong. When we were looking up places to stay before the trip, I had read that if we wanted the castle experience, Ashford was a must. Built in 1228, it’s a medieval castle turned luxury five-star hotel! For those who know me, such lavishness is usually not my thing, but hey, it’s a castle, so of course it would be nice to stay in one!

Welcome chocolate :) — Welcome chocolate 🙂

Driving through the gates, it was evident that we were about to experience luxury accommodations. We arrived and everyone was so helpful… people wanting to take our bags, bring them to the room, give us an orientation of the castle, and pretty much provide anything we wanted. The castle has definitely maintained its medieval character. The room wasn’t modern, but it was quite nice. We had a lovely view of the lake too, which is always a plus. The grounds are gorgeous and a short walk leads to the village of Cong. The first night there we took a walk near the castle and went exploring in the nearby forest. It was quite nice to walk after all the driving throughout the day.

On the second day, we decided to take a drive through the Connemara region. We stopped at Kylemore Abbey and headed to Clifden for lunch before taking the Sky Road at the western-most edge of the area. Then it was back to the castle for some R&R- we went for dinner in Cong at Ryan’s Hotel pub, and then in the evening, we drank some coffee while playing a game using the backgammon board in the drawing room. Apparently I’m a quick study!

Taking a drive through the connemara region

To note: I’m not really sure what a drawing room is. A quick google search has revealed it’s a room where you entertain guests. This totally makes sense, since we sat there for a while listening to some live music that was catered to the older crowd. At some point, we had had enough, and headed back to the room.

Playing a game in the drawing room. I think I was losing.

As I reflect on the Ashford experience, I’m so glad we stayed there, but I would not stay there again. In the end, I just didn’t feel like I quite fit in. That’s probably because I’m currently unemployed and there’s a slight air of pretension that doesn’t suit me. Robbie and I people-watched and noticed a bit of showy-ness in a lot of the guests. I must have looked out of place in my hiking shoes and bright orange jacket! Don’t get me wrong- everyone was very nice. I would recommend Ashford for the castle experience, but it may not be worth breaking one’s budget to do so… which is what we did!

Adventures in Northern Ireland

And just like that, Robbie and I are back in Calgary. What a trip it was! For the sake of record keeping, I’m now going to try and recall the remaining parts of the trip after leaving Belfast. Hmm…

After checking out of the Malone Lodge in Belfast, we headed to the northern coast of Northern Ireland to see the Giant’s Causeway. This was definitely a must see and a sight I had been looking forward to ever since I began researching Ireland two weeks prior ;). The Giant’s Causeway is a bunch of columns made of basalt as a result of a volcanic eruption at some point. However, the story goes that an Irish giant created them, which makes way more sense to me.

Afterward, we wanted to walk across the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, but alas, strong winds forced its closure. So onward we went to Londonderry (as the Northern Irish call it), or Derry as it’s also known… or Londondr’y as Robbie and I called it… for a brief stop to see the walled city and the Peace Bridge. Our drive to Londonderry was beautiful, and it was the first time on the trip that we really had the opportunity to view the countryside. Ireland’s greenery is unlike any other place I’ve seen. Sometimes the grass appeared to glow, and the different hues and shades of green were amazing. Ireland definitely deserves the “Emerald Isle” name.

Peace Bridge in Londondr'y — Peace Bridge in Londondr’y

Then we were off to the county of Donegal where we checked into our first “castle”, Solis Lough Eske. This place was gorgeous- the bedding was very comfortable and the grounds were well manicured. We opted to eat in the small town of Donegal at The Harbour Restaurant where, like most of the trip, we gorged.

This is a good time to reflect on the gorging. I don’t recall ever eating so much on a vacation before. Ever morning, we had the option of a full Irish breakfast along with danishes, croissants, scones, fruits, bread, cheeses, and fruit. And every lunch and dinner seemed to be huge and extremely filling costing many many euros. And since it was a road trip, we snacked. All the time. Chips, popcorn, bars, and the occasional apple or banana. I can’t say I’m going to miss the eating out and indulgence!

Before heading to Cong the next day, we took a drive through the mountains in Donegal and drove on through the Glen Gesh Pass. The pass was gorgeous and one of the highlight drives of the trip. The valley views provided great photo opportunities, and the crossing sheep was quite noteworthy. The sheep are so cute… just minding their business, doing their thing. We looped around and drove along the coast road, on our way to the main castle of the trip.