Exploring Connemara
Alright, antsy folks. It's time for another episode of J&K's Ireland Adventure! :D
We'll start with yesterday morning since I haven't posted about that.
Okay, so yesterday, May 26, we began pretty early, around 8 or so, and ate breakfast at the castle before heading out to our next destination: Clifden, Co. Galway, Ireland. It was about a 2.5 hour drive straight through, but I suggested we stop about an hour away and check out Galway, Ireland, a pretty famous university town on the West Coast. Not only is it "the most international city in Ireland" (according to Rick Steves) but it is also the home to the Claddagh Ring, the irish ring that shows two hands holding a heart topped with a crown. Quite famous, so naturally I had to have one (:
Anyways, we meandered around Galway and killed quite a bit of time, simply shopping around and exploring the medieval street area in the town. A lot of history in that city but none that I'm terribly familiar with, unfortunately. We ate lunch in a pub and shopped some more, then made our way from there on West towards Clifden. This is when we entered another part of the country's landscape -Connemara, which means "descendants of the sea" in Gaelic Irish.
This area is stunning. Beautiful, majestic mountains just rise up out of the mist and seem to go on forever. They're a brilliant green, that is made all the more enchanting under an overcast sky. Rock outcroppings dot the hillsides with scores of wooly white sheep climbing over them. It is truly an amazing sight and by far the best place we've been (besides the area we were at on wedding day, of which we'll be back tomorrow.) We made our way to Clifden, after passing and stopping at another craft shop along the way, where James walked down to the water. The road to get there is N59 and is similar to a road in Gatlinburg, all dotted with craft shops or antique stores along the way.
We made it to Clifden and found our B&B, Sea View, where the kind lady Joan helped us decide where to eat last night (which we couldn't, it was too full) and gave us suggestions on what all to do today. After going into town for dinner at O'Malley's instead, we came back to the room and crashed for the night. Altogether, yesterday was a really good day, full of funny conversations and new places. It was great.
Now for today, MAY 27, 2017.
Today was an awesome day for exploring. So that's what we did! We had breakfast around 9 this morning and then headed out soon after, looking for the places that Joan (our B&B lady) had told us about yesterday. the first place on the list was Kylemore Abbey, a beautiful little "castle" tucked up against the Connemara Mountains, surrounded by a lake and some stunning scenery. Originally built in 1867 by Mitchell Henry for his wife, he and his family lived on the estate (all 13,000 acres) for about 30 years, before Henry sold it. Changing owners a time or two, it was finally bought by nuns from Belgium who escaped WWI and turned the castle into a boarding and day school, giving it the title of Abbey from there on out. The place is still ran by the nuns today, as well as the beautiful Neo-Gothic church that's on the grounds, built by Henry, too. Really beautiful stuff.
After leaving those grounds we headed out in search for lunch, driving to the nearest town of Letterfrak. It really should have only taken about 5 minutes to get there but took about 15 instead because of the ________ CYCLISTS ALL OVER THE ROAD. Yes, they are far worse here than they ever thought about being at home. (of course, we are also here on the day of some big race thing. Who knew?) They're the worst, though, and really dang rude, too.
But anyways, we ate lunch at a pub there and then took off in search of the Sky Road (that took forever to get to and shouldn't. Thanks, bikes. Ugh.) This was incredible, though. Wow, it was just beautiful. It's a little one lane road that winds around a huge lake that opens up into the Atlantic Ocean. Our little Skoda motored right along, winding around to the highest point where there was an overlook with just incredible views. It really is something to see. All the farmland we drove past was cut up with rock fences, with a few sheep and cattle scattered about, as well as the houses that the farmers call home. It was just such a nice place to see and to be.
Towards the end of the Sky Road we topped the hill and saw Clifden Castle, another "castle" built by someone in the 1800s. We turned down this tiny road called "Lower Sky Road" and got better views of the ivy-covered, abandoned ruin. It was another beauty, settled in the bottom of this large pasture. Following along the road, ending up at the bottom of the mountain we had just been on, was a large beach. The tide was very low at the time of day we were there, so we climbed out and around all over the rocks. James got his sand and I got my views and dipped my hands in the other side of the Atlantic. It was really something.
We made our way out of the beach and back up the road, where we caught a much better glimpse of Clifden. It is really a small little town, tucked down between two large mountains of the Connemara region with a huge church's steeples towering over the different colored buildings. Seeing it from that angle certainly gave us both a higher respect for the small little town that comes alive at night.
We wandered around the town for a short while before coming back to the B&B where I am currently writing you all this brief little glimpse into another side of the world.
Tomorrow, we head all the way south to County Cork with some incredible stops along the way. CAN'T WAITTT!!!!
Hope all is well, with the pups and the kit kat! Love y'all and see you TOO SOOON!!!
We'll start with yesterday morning since I haven't posted about that.
Okay, so yesterday, May 26, we began pretty early, around 8 or so, and ate breakfast at the castle before heading out to our next destination: Clifden, Co. Galway, Ireland. It was about a 2.5 hour drive straight through, but I suggested we stop about an hour away and check out Galway, Ireland, a pretty famous university town on the West Coast. Not only is it "the most international city in Ireland" (according to Rick Steves) but it is also the home to the Claddagh Ring, the irish ring that shows two hands holding a heart topped with a crown. Quite famous, so naturally I had to have one (:
Woolies, woolies, everywhere!!!!
Boyle Abbey in Boyle; built in the 13th century
Anyways, we meandered around Galway and killed quite a bit of time, simply shopping around and exploring the medieval street area in the town. A lot of history in that city but none that I'm terribly familiar with, unfortunately. We ate lunch in a pub and shopped some more, then made our way from there on West towards Clifden. This is when we entered another part of the country's landscape -Connemara, which means "descendants of the sea" in Gaelic Irish.
Galway!!!
Anyone ever seen the John Wayne movie, The Quiet Man? This sewing machine made all the costumes for it!!!!
This area is stunning. Beautiful, majestic mountains just rise up out of the mist and seem to go on forever. They're a brilliant green, that is made all the more enchanting under an overcast sky. Rock outcroppings dot the hillsides with scores of wooly white sheep climbing over them. It is truly an amazing sight and by far the best place we've been (besides the area we were at on wedding day, of which we'll be back tomorrow.) We made our way to Clifden, after passing and stopping at another craft shop along the way, where James walked down to the water. The road to get there is N59 and is similar to a road in Gatlinburg, all dotted with craft shops or antique stores along the way.
The side entrance to: The Sea View!!!
We made it to Clifden and found our B&B, Sea View, where the kind lady Joan helped us decide where to eat last night (which we couldn't, it was too full) and gave us suggestions on what all to do today. After going into town for dinner at O'Malley's instead, we came back to the room and crashed for the night. Altogether, yesterday was a really good day, full of funny conversations and new places. It was great.
_______________________________________________________________
Now for today, MAY 27, 2017.
Today was an awesome day for exploring. So that's what we did! We had breakfast around 9 this morning and then headed out soon after, looking for the places that Joan (our B&B lady) had told us about yesterday. the first place on the list was Kylemore Abbey, a beautiful little "castle" tucked up against the Connemara Mountains, surrounded by a lake and some stunning scenery. Originally built in 1867 by Mitchell Henry for his wife, he and his family lived on the estate (all 13,000 acres) for about 30 years, before Henry sold it. Changing owners a time or two, it was finally bought by nuns from Belgium who escaped WWI and turned the castle into a boarding and day school, giving it the title of Abbey from there on out. The place is still ran by the nuns today, as well as the beautiful Neo-Gothic church that's on the grounds, built by Henry, too. Really beautiful stuff.
After leaving those grounds we headed out in search for lunch, driving to the nearest town of Letterfrak. It really should have only taken about 5 minutes to get there but took about 15 instead because of the ________ CYCLISTS ALL OVER THE ROAD. Yes, they are far worse here than they ever thought about being at home. (of course, we are also here on the day of some big race thing. Who knew?) They're the worst, though, and really dang rude, too.
But anyways, we ate lunch at a pub there and then took off in search of the Sky Road (that took forever to get to and shouldn't. Thanks, bikes. Ugh.) This was incredible, though. Wow, it was just beautiful. It's a little one lane road that winds around a huge lake that opens up into the Atlantic Ocean. Our little Skoda motored right along, winding around to the highest point where there was an overlook with just incredible views. It really is something to see. All the farmland we drove past was cut up with rock fences, with a few sheep and cattle scattered about, as well as the houses that the farmers call home. It was just such a nice place to see and to be.
Towards the end of the Sky Road we topped the hill and saw Clifden Castle, another "castle" built by someone in the 1800s. We turned down this tiny road called "Lower Sky Road" and got better views of the ivy-covered, abandoned ruin. It was another beauty, settled in the bottom of this large pasture. Following along the road, ending up at the bottom of the mountain we had just been on, was a large beach. The tide was very low at the time of day we were there, so we climbed out and around all over the rocks. James got his sand and I got my views and dipped my hands in the other side of the Atlantic. It was really something.
We made our way out of the beach and back up the road, where we caught a much better glimpse of Clifden. It is really a small little town, tucked down between two large mountains of the Connemara region with a huge church's steeples towering over the different colored buildings. Seeing it from that angle certainly gave us both a higher respect for the small little town that comes alive at night.
We wandered around the town for a short while before coming back to the B&B where I am currently writing you all this brief little glimpse into another side of the world.
Tomorrow, we head all the way south to County Cork with some incredible stops along the way. CAN'T WAITTT!!!!
Hope all is well, with the pups and the kit kat! Love y'all and see you TOO SOOON!!!
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