Ireland

Ireland

Europe » Ireland » County Dublin » Dublin » Ballsbridge
July 10th 2014

Published: July 19th 2014

Farewell cycle touring Europe, Hello Ireland Our 3 months in the Schengen area were up so we had to leave. Next stop, Dublin. We found a great ride into Dublin city along the Grand canal from our hotel and rode into town a couple of times to explore and finally to catch the train to Westport and our first Irish B&B and a “full Irish Breakfast”. Loved the bacon, eggs, sausages, grilled tomato,... Read Full Entry

Photos are below

Photos: 37, Displayed: 21

Remains of a monastary

Most of the monasteries were destroyed by Cromwell, and these were no exception.

Friary kitchen (ruin obviously)

Note the tank to keep live fish in the kitchen- next to the hearth big enough to spit roast an ox!!

Same Friary ruin,

Who needs stained glass windows when the view without glass is this good?

Ross Erily Friary ruin

One of the best monastery ruins in Ireland

Beach on the Wild Atlantic Way drive

Mostly pebbles and boulders, imagine the waves during the winter storms!

Irish road, the stone walls hidden under greenery.

No chance of overtaking, and oncoming traffic needs to find a layby to wait in. Good thing about being behind this was all the oncoming traffic was already stopped as far off the road as possible.

"Foolin at Doolin"

Traditional Irish band in the pub at Doolin. Very emotional moment when they sang a song that I recognised as one my parents sang when I was a child.

Castle near Doolin

Lasting memories of Ireland have to be green fields and grey stone castles and ruins.

The Cliffs of Moher

Another beautiful day with dramatic cliffs to walk on.

Walking track on Cliffs of Moher

Note the field on the left with cattle grazing on the hay stubble. People would walk on the cliff side, and looking back you could see the way the waves had undercut the cliff they were walking on.

Puffin on Skellig Michael

The puffins were fearless and very photogenic.

Skellig Michael path

Looking down from the stone huts to the landing point you can see the stone steps cut into the hillside.

The Skellig Michael path I climbed!

The steps are over 1200 years old and the mind boggles at how they managed to build them- all by hand on the very steep hillside.

Skellig Michael

The stone huts are right at the top- in those days the islands would have been at the edge of the known world- so the monks were there defending the world against the monsters of the unknown.

Little Skellig

The island is white with the 30 000 breeding pairs of cormorants- and their droppings!

Skellig Michael Warning signboard

After reading the warnings about the 600 steep steps, no handrails, precipitous edges etc, it took all my courage to go up. Coming down I had to come down on my bum, my head just spun if I stood up and looked out.

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