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Saved: September 15th 2021
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I left Galway on Monday morning and made my way to Letterfrack, in Connemara. I
wasn't sure how things were going to work out, because Sunday was the last day
of the summer bus schedule. Fortunately, there are private bus services that run
through the area.
I fell asleep on the bus leaving Galway, and woke up in the mountains of
Connemara. It is so beautiful and wild here. There are lakes with black water,
and inlets from the sea, and everywhere the rocky hills. It didn't take me long
to fall in love with the place!
Letterfrack is a tiny village, although it has three pubs and a shop near
Kylemore Abbey and the entrance to Connemara National Park. I stayed at the Old
Monastery Hostel for three nights--it's a big old house (well, it was built
around 1820, so it's not very old here) where everyone feels right at home. In
the mornings, they provide a fantastic porridge breakfast with fresh bread
too--much better than the toast you get at most hostels! It is in the old
kitchen of the house, and there is a peat fire going there in the morning. In
the evenings, the parlour
Connemara National Park
This is looking towards Ballynakill Harbour is lit by candles, and there is a turf fire there as
well. I've come to love the smell of turf fires--it's very distinctive, but
hard to describe. It's almost a peppery smoke smell.
On Tuesday I went out to Kylemore Abbey. It is incredibly beautiful, nestled
between a mountain and a lake. It was a girlhood dream of mine to see it, and I
was not disappointed. It was originally built by a wealthy Englishman as a home
for his bride. When she died, he built an incredible neo-gothic church near the
castle--it's tiny, but I think it is the most beautiful church I've ever seen!
There is also a Victorian Walled Garden on the grounds. The whole thing is run
by the Benedictine Nuns, who also run an international girls boarding school there.
The same afternoon, I wandered over to the National Park, and spent two hours
exploring the self-guided trails there. One of them was through a bog, which
was amazing. A bit of a storm was coming in, so I watched it crossing over the
hills, and over the bog. I think I had the entire National Park to myself, and
it was the
most amazing feeling to be walking alone through there--well, there
were a few people at strategic locations through the park to make sure no one
strays off the paths to climb Diamond Hill (the 'mountain' at the center of the
park). It seems that having everyone make there own way up is causing some
problems with erosion, so they are building a proper path, and in the mean time
access is restricted.
Yesterday was quite rainy, so I spent the day in the hostel, reading and writing
in my journal, and rearranging the rest of my holiday. My original plan was to
to spend one night here in Clifden, then go to Westport for two nights and over
to Dublin for my last four nights. In Dublin, I was going to do two organized
day-trips--one to Clonmacnoise and one to Giant's Causeway in the North.
Something didn't feel right about my plans though, so I changed them. Sadly,
Giant's Causeway will have to wait for another time--when I come back just to
travel in Northern Ireland. The idea of a thirteen-hour day trip became too
much. Even going to Westport seemed like a bit more travelling than I wanted to
do, and I bit more money I than I wanted to spend. So instead, I am spending
two nights here in Clifden, and I'll be back in Galway Saturday and Sunday
night. Then I'll go to Dublin for the last three nights. I originally vowed
not to do any backtracking on this trip, but Galway is amazing, and my favourite
pub is there--the session I was at last Sunday afternoon was a lot of fun, so
I'll be back there this Sunday afternoon too.
It's hard to believe I'm in the downward stretch of my holiday--I'm so
comfortable and relaxed here that I feel like I belong here, but at the same
time I am starting to look forward to some of the comforts of home... I fly
back to Canada a week from today, and I'll be back at work on Friday, September 10!
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Sharon
non-member comment
Letterfrack
Hi! I enjoyed your journal entry about Letterfrack, Kylemore Abbey, the Old Monastery Hostel, and the Connemara National Park! I'm traveling to Ireland this July; I went with my daughter last summer--this summer I'm on my own! I'm starting and ending in Dublin. I'll travel north, by or through Belfast, to Giant's Causeway, Bushmills, and the Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge. Then I'll go to Derry, Donegal, Galway, Westport (I want to climb Croagh Patrick on Reek Sunday), Tipperary (to check geneology), Enniscorthy, Co. Wicklow, and back to Dublin. I'd like to tour some islands--Clare, Inishbofin, Tory. The more I read about Ireland, the more places I want to stay! Just tonight, I read about an hour tour out of Letterfrack, on the Queen of Connemara. And after reading your journal, I know it's ANOTHER place I want to visit! I hope you get the opportunity to see the Giant's Causeway! It sounds--and looks--awesome! I can't wait to see it ALL! Sharon