Lighthouses and marinas

Yet another peaceful night in Dora and we awoke on Sunday, May 3 in the car park of Camus Farm to stunning views across the fields. We left relatively early for us at 09.10 as we had booked a ferry trip to go round to the Fastnet Rock Lighthouse at 14.00 from Baltimore and we wanted to visit a few places on the way. First stop was the Drombeg Stone Circle that was created around 150BC with an altar stone that is aligned to where the sun sets on December 21 (Winter Solistice). Next, we saw the waterfall at Leap village. According to legend, many people escaped the law by disappearing into the dense forest around Leap.

On our way to Baltimore, we drove through Skibbereen again and this time we stopped outside the Eldon Hotel, where Michael Collins left from on that fateful day in 1922 (see previous post).

We then wanted to visit Lough Hyne, a tidal salt water lake just outside Skibbereen but it was heaving on a Bank Holiday weekend so we kept going onto Baltimore. We arrived in Baltimore around midday so before catching the ferry, we drove up a single track road to a white beacon called Lot’s Wife that marked the entry to the bay. We parked up at the end of the track and then scrambled up the hillside to get to the beacon. Not sure Jo would have managed that even three months ago! After that we drove into Baltimore village and, amazingly, managed to find a place to park near the ferry (P4N#191451).

By the time we got out to the lighthouse, the heavens had opened. The boat was designed for maximum sightseeing so was open both front and back so a howling gale was blowing through most of the time. It was fascinating to see the lighthouse up close. An amazing feat of engineering to build a granite lighthouse ten miles away from land in the late 19th century. On the way back to port we were entertained with pods of dolphins and several basking sharks.

Dolphins!

After the drenching, we drove for 40 minutes to the village of Schull. Along the way we went through the village of Ballydehob that was having a jazz weekend with the main road full of people in all sorts of fancy dress ready for a parade that entailed closing the main road for an hour. Luckily, we got through just in time.

Schull Harbour had a great park up (P4N#76771) with an honesty box for donations as well as toilets and showers (€2). There was even a water point. Brilliant. We went into the village after dinner in the van and found a great pub where we played cards for a couple of hours.

Monday, May 4 was a bank holiday but we decided we would still drive down to Mizen Head as it’s the most southwesterly point in Ireland. On the way, we stopped at the Altar Wedge Tomb that dated back to the Bronze Age and was even used in the 18th Century to hold Catholic Mass when such things were outlawed. We also stopped at Barley Cove Beach, a top five beach in Ireland. It did not disappoint with its oxbow estuary and sand dunes. We had a lovely walk at low water. Before leaving the area, we went onto Crookhaven with its quaint harbour and pub.

Finally, we made it to Mizen Head and whilst busy, it was easy to park and we walked down to the Signal Station across a concrete bridge that was replaced in 2010. The original had been there for over a hundred years. You could also see the Fastnet Rock Lighthouse from there.

We drove onto Bantry Marina where there was another great park up for vans. This was a little more expensive at €20 for 24 hours but you did get electricity and there was a chemical point to empty the loo plus toilets. It was a short walk into town where we saw a replica water wheel as a homage to the mill industry and a library styled on Frank Lloyd Wright’s work. There was an anchor in the main square from the 1796 failed attempt by the French to land in Ireland in support of Wolfe Tone. A couple of drinks in a local tavern before a lovely meal at The Brick Oven. By 21.30 we were all stuffed and ready for bed!