The Best of the West

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As my time on this island draws to a close, I have been jamming in as much sightseeing as possible. With only one weekend night to spare, I was insistent on heading to see the best of the West. Taking stock of local opinion, Adam and I headed to Donegal, long famous for its amazing scenery and a region about which the Irish frequently boast.

Donegal town itself, only a few hours west of Belfast, is not the major drawcard of the region. Although it's a very pleasent town, it's the nearby coastal scenery that's breath-taking. A short drive from Donegal are the Slieve-League cliffs. These cliffs are 300m high and there's an almost sheer drop into the Atlantic Ocean below. Unfortunately, the day we visited was cold, somewhat foggy and rather windy. Climbing to the highest point on this very grey day was very chilling-literally! My hands and face were completely numb for much of the time and we were both decidely rosy-cheeked from the cold. It was worth the trek though. Despite the grey day, enough could be seen that gave a good sense of how truly amazing the view would be if it were completely clear. The air smelt amazing, despite the wind whipping across my cheeks and howling across the cliff face.

We stayed overnight in the small fishing village of Killybegs where the smell of the fresh catch permeated every outdoor nook and cranny. I've never ever been in a place so on the nose! But it wasn't an unpleasent aroma-just very distinct. The locals seemed unbothered by it at all and one did tend to habituate after a short while. Being the middle of Winter, we encountered very few tourists on our travels. But mid-way through dinner at a gorgeous tiny restaurant in the centre of Killybegs, we heard the distinct sound of Aussie slang from across the room. I confess I felt my heart twang alittle hearing the familiar sound!

Anyone who has spent any time in Ireland will appreciate how beautiful a country it is to simply drive around. And this was what we spent most of our time doing during this short getaway. Beyond our trip to the cliffs, we had little else on our agenda other than to drive and just take it all in, stopping to eat treats, take in some lovely waterfalls and play on the beach. Driving back through green rolling hills and cobbled stone walls and onwards to Belfast, my base for the past 9 months, I suddenly felt really sad to be leaving this behind. I have come to love Ireland, and its people who despite having endured so much, have remained warm and welcoming and always at the ready to share the craic!

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