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Published: July 24th 2016
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Using the Wild Atlantic Way as a default route was working out well. On occasion we skipped some of the vantage points that came up. You start to see enough old forts or ruined churches after a time and, at times, we spotted something that interested us off the route and took the diversion; but for most of the time we found that holding to the defined route was working well. The route was taking us through some spectacular country, past sites that were interesting and along roads that, while occasionally just a little skinny for us at that time, were always well within the capacity of our little Polo.
This post will cover ground fairly quickly, as did we. We travelled from County Donegal into Leitrim briefly, into Sligo and then onto Mayo passing through country that, for Ireland, is remote and relatively isolated. We now consider it to have been a mistake on our part to move this quickly. We did it because there are such a lot of popular places further on and we wanted to leave adequate time but a return trip would allocate more time up here.
We should mention that we do tend
to be attracted to the places that are wilder, less populated and probably with fewer attractions as such, than to some other places that are more popular. So, before you take notice of what we say, check out the material.
It felt good, this country. Other drivers acknowledged your presence with a wave, people routinely nodded and smiled in the villages and towns. Villages are a little further apart and the country between them isn't the rolling green fields of the rest of the country. Still green but it looks a lot harder to make a living out here. A lot more land covered by peat bogs, sheep have replaced the cattle and there seem to be a lot fewer sheep per acre than in other parts. Even the tractors are smaller and older, but perhaps that is because there is less grass to cut for silage. I am guessing here.
We passed through the Slieve Gumph or Ox Mountains out of Co. Sligo into Co. Mayo and arrived at another Ballina – there are a few of them about but this one seems to be the largest – then up around the coast to Ballycastle – and
there are a few of these too. Ballina comes from Irish words meaning 'mouth of the ford', and to make it complicated, 'Bally-' and 'Ballina-' mean 'place of' or 'settlement', and you find a lot of places with one of these prefixes. On the other hand it may be that when the Irish find a good name they see no reason not to use them – often.
A highlight of this leg was coming across the Ceide Fields. You can read and should read about this place in the County Mayo websites. We hadn't done so in any detail before we travelled along the coast road from Ballina to Ballycastle, our ultimate destination being an area called simply 'The Mullet'. We liked that name too, which was the reason for going there.
Ceide Fields means flat topped hill where people meet, or just flat topped hill, depending on who you listen to. Back before the Ice Age Neolithic or Stone Age people gathered here and farmed the land. We were told, by the excellent guide from the Office of Parks and Wildlife, that it is the oldest known field system in the world. The Visitors Centre at Ceide
Fields is worth some time on its own, if only to get out of the rain and wind that is also a pretty frequent visitor. They have plenty of information and some useful displays.
We walked out on the fields on a timber walkway to have a look at what the archaeologists had found. There are some areas where you can see the trenches but most of the area has been mapped by ground probes. Fields were laid out according to a clear plan probably to do with ensuring the appropriate water flow for crops, maximising the use of sunshine and, possibly, the need for some wind protection. Sheltered areas for living and for holding animals were evident. The area was clearly productive for farming and there had to have been a reasonable population living there. Everything is now buried beneath the four metres of peat bog that blanketed this area during the Ice Age. The people were obviously forced to leave for somewhere not so affected by the ice. Climate change was up close and personal for our ancestors in this part of the world.
We didn't actually make it to 'The Mullet'. That was a pity
Ceide Fields site
The ditches are Neolithic drainage channels but Madam (the satnav aka GPS) decided that we didn't really need to go there and we were well on our way to Bangor before we became aware of the decision that had been made (note to selves from that time on: check the overall route that the satnav has mapped out before you follow it). Time was getting a little short so we pushed on out along the Corraun Peninsula to Keel, Doagh and Achill Head, which we thought looked like it might be the place where you drop off the edge and fall into the Atlantic – until we made it there and spotted the hundreds of holiday houses, camps, windsurfers and people generally enjoying themselves running about, wind surfing and such. I guess you could still fall into the Atlantic but there would be plenty of people watching and they would be sure to pull you out.
We had had half a plan of staying in Newport but heard via the radio that Joe Biden (VP of the USA) was staying there that night, having arrived to do a bit of research on his family history. So we thought we might avoid the place. Didn't want
Cliffs near Ceide Fields
These are one end of a long geological feature that includes the Cliffs of Moher to steal his thunder! The news did answer a question that had been raised earlier about the rather surprising number of Gardai standing about looking serious in Ballina earlier on. They were getting ready for Joe to visit there too.
The Gardai are about here but not in your face at all. You rarely see them out on the roads. They seem not to lurk about on roadsides with their radar cameras, contenting themselves with popping up signs saying they might be and ensuring that the satnav companies program their machines to warn you when you exceed the speed limits. Good use of resources I think.
As it turned out, we ended up staying at a B&B run by the sister of the man who owned the place where Joe Biden was staying and that was removed enough for us. We did have a very good feed that particular night in the red pub that is in front of you as you come over the bridge in Newport from the west – the Grainne Uaile. Much better than average food, good service and a nice pub.
It is a pity sometimes that you just don't have the
time to hang about in places.For us, the area from Westport down to Galway is one of those areas. A couple of mountain ranges – the Partry Mts and the Maumturk Mts – the Connemara and the national park together with a wild and beautiful coast has a lot to offer. They call it Joyce's Country. I suppose a bloke living out here would be inclined take the time to fill in every detail of the story they might wish to tell. There may not be a lot else to do on cold winter nights. The place gives the impression of one where things move slowly and you might have a lot of time to think out here.
We drove through, pulling up for the various recommended stops and in some of the villages. Most of the roads are designated on the map as 'scenic' and they deserve the appellation.
If, or perhaps when, we get back to Ireland we will be sure to allocate more time to this part of the west coast but for now it is on to Galway and parts further south.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Wild Atlantic Way
Aren't you amazed by all that Ireland has to offer? Love reading your adventure.