Shamrock Diaries

[trevskoda]

Parked up for the night on the Dingle Peninsula at a pub stop, Spillanes Pub. Busy as May Bank Holiday. Just eaten some delicious seafood chowder. But shock, horror! No Murphy’s!!

They have a sauna and sea swimming down some wide stone steps, might have a go in the morning …

Lovely view of Mount Brandon

Will drive round Slea Head tomorrow (clockwise, I’m reliably informed! )

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Mary says should she alert the coastguard.

 

[trevskoda]

Spectacular evening at the northern-most point of the Dingle peninsular. Not a breath of wind, but sounds of thunder from the mountains.

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Fantastic pictures, more more more.

 

[Debroos]

Stayed at an aire in Listowel last night. Nice Irish town, lots of decent bakeries/food

Peaceful night, consumed some Murphy’s, early to bed.

Heading off for Tralee this afternoon then a scoot round Dingle peninsula tomorrow to look at the views. Ring of Kerry and environs after that

Carrigafoyle Castle just along the north Kerry coast from the Shannon ferry terminal at Tarbert.

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We stayed the night at that castle once. A few doggers (I think) rolled up but left us in peace. Honest!

 

[colinm]

I think this is how Marie would like to be remembered, everybody.

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Popped in the stone mason's last week to discuss some work we want him to do, It's been a while since we've had some work done, I was surprised how restrictive the rules in CofE graveyards have become, you can't even have polished stone nowadays. As for the chippings I renewed 'like for like' on my grand parents grave a couple of months back, well lets hope the vicar doesn't work out who did it.

 

[trevskoda]

Aprt from once i dont do graves, whats the point there dead and when im gone no one will be ar-ed, my g parents son did not even bother to put his mums name etc on the stone, he drank every penny he got, may even be dead for all i know, the world will be a better place now if he is.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

The road down to Dingle from Connor Pass this morning.

Dead lucky with the weather so far!

I’m just having a rest in the van while Neil is off looking at a second site of Stone Age ring forts and beehive huts.

Thanks for the heads up @Debroos, the landscape and views are stunning, especially in this glorious weather.

Pretty misty at the summit of Connor Pass, but it lifted slightly every minute or two with some amazing sunlit glimpses of the valleys and lakes below. Definitely as wowser as the North West and we’re only part way round …

 

[Pudsey Bear]

You're pretty much following in the footsteps of our last trip Marie, nice reminder for us.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

You're pretty much following in the footsteps of our last trip Marie, nice reminder for us.

It’s May Bank Holiday Sunday so heaving with people. Lots of French and Italians on road trips in cars and coaches, push bikes and gaggles of motorbikers. Also mostly Irish folk out and about enjoying the sunshine after what has apparently been an extremely wet winter for them.

 

[NeilyG]

Driving the Dingle route yesterday.

Now you see it:

Now you don’t:

 

[NeilyG]

Famine Cottages on the south of the Dingle route.

Before anyone asks, no that’s not my good lady at the top left:

 

[NeilyG]

Various ancient sites further on the south road: stone circles, stone beehives etc. - all run by farmers charging a handful of Euros.

 

[NeilyG]

Could have stayed by this beach on the west for the night but decided we to move on to the next spot.

 

[NeilyG]

Further up the west coast we approached Clogher Beach where we stayed the night.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

… and just like that we arrived (late-ish) at a place called Cronin’s yard on May Bank Holiday Monday. €15 per night with the usual aire facilities. Nice set up in a beautiful spot high up and right below the highest peak in Ireland, Carrauntoohil (Irish: Corran Tuathail).

For anyone who doesn’t know, it’s the central peak of MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, Kerry.

Cafe and shop on site with toilets/showers open all night. Showers are those strange coin operated type, €1 per minute, but the odd euro or more tends to mysteriously disappear into a black hole. I must have paid in €10 for what was actually a €5 shower!

Chat with a Canadian in a hire motorhome who had stayed there over this last Bank Holiday weekend. They’d hiked to the top, but misty and no view (common occurrence, obvs!) and on the Sunday he said there must have been 200 vehicles parked up to go walking up the Reeks. Apparently vehicles were rammed into every spare field and paddock as well as the main gravel car park.

Just 4 of us there overnight (vans, no cars as all gone home after their hollybobs).

 

[alcam]

… and just like that we arrived (late-ish) at a place called Cronin’s yard on May Bank Holiday Monday. €15 per night with the usual aire facilities. Nice set up in a beautiful spot high up and right below the highest peak in Ireland, Carrauntoohil (Irish: Corran Tuathail).

For anyone who doesn’t know, it’s the central peak of MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, Kerry.

Cafe and shop on site with toilets/showers open all night. Showers are those strange coin operated type, €1 per minute, but the odd euro or more tends to mysteriously disappear into a black hole. I must have paid in €10 for what was actually a €5 shower!

Chat with a Canadian in a hire motorhome who had stayed there over this last Bank Holiday weekend. They’d hiked to the top, but misty and no view (common occurrence, obvs!) and on the Sunday he said there must have been 200 vehicles parked up to go walking up the Reeks. Apparently vehicles were rammed into every spare field and paddock as well as the main gravel car park.

Just 4 of us there overnight (vans, no cars as all gone home after their hollybobs).


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As I was told once 'the highest mountain in Ireland also the highest mountain in Kerry'

 

[trevskoda]

The highest mountain in ireland is the mountain of work i need to get through, another 100 years may sort it.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

After MacGillycuddy’s reeks we had a very interesting hunt for my grandfather’s farm yesterday.

We found it! Thanks to a huge dollop of serendipity and what appears to be “the luck of the Irish” involved. A fascinating and exciting story, very much to be continued… with possible relatives and other folk with lots of first-hand knowledge who may be able to fill the missing gaps in the family history, but not for this thread…

Another peaceful beach park up at the north western edge of the Ring of Kerry last night with the place all to ourselves

Still very lucky with the weather, it’s been fantastic so far

@Debroos - the landscape and scenery are truly stunning!

Spot the van…

 

[mariesnowgoose]

From the beach park up to a nearby stone fort first thing this morning. Recent, not ancient, only 600AD, but wonderfully preserved and beautifully constructed.

Stopped for a bite to eat as just driven a fantastic route around the coastal area where the Skelligs are. Wowser!

 

[trevskoda]

Love those forts and there everywhere along west coast.
More pictures please.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Backtracking as a little out of sequence. A few places we stayed was no service mobile signal and not always available. For me: heaven!

But we all have to return to the digital world eventually…

Parked up now for the night at a very nice motorhome aire in Sneem. Goosey’s Island - well, I couldn’t resist, ey?! @edina

View from our pitch: