We left Dingle on Thursday, May 14 to head north to County Clare and Galway. On the way we stopped at the Blennerville to look at the windmill there.
We had booked the ferry from Tarbert to take us over the River Shannon but it was first come first served so it didn’t matter when we turned up. This time we did manage to get onto it without any mishaps, thank goodness, as it was a long way round by road!
Wednesday, May 13 started off horrible with more lashing rain and extremely windy. However, we were not deterred as we wanted to drive the Slea Head Drive. This is done clockwise as that’s the way the buses go and the roads are extremely narrow. Of course, you had some numpties who decide to go the other way and create chaos and bedlam. It’s a 24 mile loop from Dingle so we needed to drive around 20 minutes to get to the start. We also used the drive through Dingle town to decide on where to stay the night when we had finished as we fancied a meal out and some proper Irish music in a pub.
First stop was Ventry Beach, which was lovely but strangely had an Irish warship anchored in the bay. This was followed by some quite dodgy tourist attractions. Dun Beag Fort had collapsed a few years ago, the Famine Cottages weren’t bad but the Beehive Huts were a rip off.
We continued our tour of the Ring of Kerry on Tuesday, May 12. We left our park up at Portmagee at 09.00 and continued anti clockwise. First stop was the Coman Chiste view point (The Wild Atlantic Way has various viewpoints along its route). We looked over to the beautiful Derrynane Beach, where Daniel O’Connor’s house was situated. We drove onto the house where he lived when not in Dublin or London. Really interesting to discover more about the man who helped repeal the anti Catholic laws in the 1800s, including a huge chariot that he used when he was released from jail for sedition.
Then onto Sneem, sweet village, and Sneem Seaweed Baths for a much anticipated soak in a hot tub. The seaweed is foraged locally and the vista is gorgeous.
After a quick look around Sneem we made our way back to Killarney for a food shop, LPG refill and fuel top up before leaving the Kerry peninsula to make our way to the Dingle peninsula. Our park up for the night was at Inch Beach (P4N#289375). Gorgeous 5km beach but very windy. Dinner in the van before the rain absolutely lashed it down.
Miles since last blog: 98
Miles this trip: 1,038
Sunday, May 10 started sunny but with a very cold wind blowing that was going to be with us for a few days. We left our campsite around 09.15 to start our exploration of the Ring of Kerry. This is a 170km road trip around the Kerry peninsula. We had done a little bit of it from Molls Gap to Killarney but there was still a lot to do. The tour buses do it anticlockwise so we did the same so that we didn’t have to pass them on the narrow roads.
We left Molls Gap around 09.20 to make our way to Killarney, where we were going to base ourselves for a couple of days. We were now on the Ring of Kerry and you could tell it was on all the bus tours of the country! Suddenly, there was an explosion of people, cars and buses. Very different to the previous couple of weeks.
Our first stop was Looscaungh Lough viewpoint. It wasn’t on the list for tour stops so it was easy to park. Next onto Ladies View where allegedly Queen Victoria’s Ladies in Waiting stopped to look over towards Killarney. It is a magnificent view and part of the National Park. Then the Torc Waterfall where the car park was rammed so we turned around and went back up the road to a quieter one and had a lovely walk along paths to the waterfall. It was quite sweet but not a patch on other waterfalls we’ve seen on our travels. I know, we have been spoilt!
The midges came back with the sunrise so we left pretty promptly on Wednesday morning. We drove to Gour Viewpoint via Castletownbere, which is a sweet harbour town that had its own van parking spots (P4N#90963). It’s a working harbour and famous, apparently, for MacCarthy’s Bar ( name of a novel by Pete McCarthy) and it also had a garage that Maria and Jane needed to call into.
We then drove onto the Ballagh Bay Cable Car to get over to Dursley Island. Unfortunately, the 1960s cable car had a mechanical fault and stopped working just before we arrived. It was a shame as it had been a long drive down narrow lanes.
We decided to move on to find a spot for lunch and stopped at Ballydonegan beach. Beautiful place where the sand is actually made from crushed quartz from the nearby copper mines.
The copper mine industry in nearby Allihies in the 1700s was one of the biggest in Europe at the time. The Copper Mine Museum in this brightly coloured town was very informative and you could then walk on trails to some of the ruined mines. Very evocative.
We then headed back towards Castletownbere via Dooneen and Travara Beach as our night stop was Berehaven Golf Club (P4N:79035).
They had set up an aire in the Golf Club car park with all the facilities and they even leave the club house open at night so you can use the showers and toilets. There’s an honesty box to pay the €25 nightly fee. They even encourage campers. We did learn from a regular visitor that the club got a grant to make the track to the club a proper road on the understanding they developed the camping side. Great facility and lovely golf club. We ate in the van again as the restaurant at the club is only open at weekends.
The next morning, Thursday May 7th, we played 9 challenging holes with some stunning views over to Bere Island.
After availing ourselves of another shower (get them whilst you can) we set off at around 14.00 to tour the north side of the Beara Peninsula. We went in search of Cuas Pier caves that involved very narrow lanes with few passing places but sadly didn’t find them. We stopped for lunch at Killmackillogue Discovery Point with views over to the Kerry Peninsula. Later we spent a very pleasant hour or so in Kenmare with its pretty houses and tourist shops before making our way towards Moll’s Gap, high up in the hills.
Our stopover for the night was a large lay-by off a road near to the Gap overlooking Lough Barfinnihy. (P4N#406844). We arrived around 18.00 and there was only a couple of spots left as a number of cars were parked there for fishing in the lake. They left before dusk and several more vans arrived. A pretty, remote spot but again the midges descended!
Miles since last blog: 102
Miles this trip: 825
Despite being next to a main road, we slept well in the marina – probably something to do with the rich food and copious amounts of beer! Tuesday, May 5 began chilly but with blue skies.
We wanted to see Bantry House and Gardens as it was one of the must see places in the area. It opened at 10.00 and we walked from the marina to save moving the van. The house has been in the White family since 1729 and the family still live there. There’s an air of faded elegance to the place. Slightly rundown but full of treasures from the family’s travels. The estate was once 80,000 acres through judicious marriages and canny purchases. Now it’s a mere 150 acres. The front garden had magnificent views over Bantry Bay.
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.
Wednesday night at Charles Fort was a bit blustery as we were high up but it was still a peaceful one. We left around 09.30 on Thursday to make our way down towards Old Head of Kinsale to visit the Lusitania Museum. The sinking of the Cunard passenger ship in 1915 by a German U Boat was instrumental in the USA joining the First World War as there were many Americans on board. No one survived. The ship sank very quickly when a second explosion occurred soon after the first. At the time it was thought the U Boat had fired a second torpedo. The more likely reason is that it was carrying ammunition for the British Army! The museum itself is in the old Signal Point that had been established during the Napoleonic Wars to warn of imminent attack along the west coast of Ireland. Unfortunately, the weather was pretty miserable so the views weren’t great!
Tuesday, April 28, was another lovely day so we were up at the crack of to get to Cobh (pronounced Cove) as we had tickets for the Titanic Experience at 09.00. We found a great park up next to the waterfront (P4N#13454) and a 15 min walk along the front to the old White Star Line Ticket Office – the last port of call of the Titanic before that fateful night of April 14/15 1912. Cobh used to be called Queenstown, renamed in honour of Queen Victoria’s visit there but was changed to Cobh after independence. Whilst small, it was a well guided tour with lots of artefacts and videos. Good value for money.
Whilst we had a peaceful night’s sleep in the golf club car park, the greenkeepers appear to start work before 06.00 on a Monday morning! However, they did try to keep the noise down as much as possible. We left there around 09.45 to drive to Dungarvan via The Magic Road. It’s a road in the hills where you, apparently, go uphill when stationary. Clearly an optical allusion but we couldn’t find the spot to confirm it! We then diverted back to the viaduct at Kilmacthomas that was part of the Waterford to Dungarvan Greenway before going onto Dungarvan, a harbour town with a fort and, more importantly, a good supermarket. What was even better was that the supermarket (SuperValu) gave us several hours free parking so we could do the shop and then explore the town.
Saturday, April 25 was a beautiful day and perfect to explore Waterford city and surrounds. We were perfectly placed on the greenway to visit both Mount Congreve gardens and the city itself. The gardens were magnificent and literally next door to our park up. They also had loos which is always a bonus!
After a lovely couple of hours walking around the gardens, we then cycled into town along the Waterford Greenway. It obviously well used and well cared for. It stretches for over 45km from Waterford to Dungarvan. A joy to cycle into a city safely and away from cars. It even had a tourist train for part of the way with various art installations.
Continue readingWe had a really peaceful night’s sleep in the restaurant car park in Kilmore but we were up fairly promptly (but not that early as we are on holiday) as had lots to see and do. First stop was Tintern Abbey near New Ross, County Wexford. The abbey was built in the 12th Century by William Marshall, a Norman Knight and Earl of Pembroke, who made his money jousting and through a very lucrative marriage to Eleanor de Clare. It was a daughter house to the one in Wales and was inhabited by Cistercian monks until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the 16th Century. Then it was taken over by the Coclough family who lived in it until the 1960s! Next to the abbey was the family’s beautiful garden (now all bequeathed to the Irish State). Amazingly tranquil.
Our Irish adventure has begun! We left home on Wednesday, April 22 at 13.30 hours, slightly later than planned, and drove to Fishguard via Birmingham to check on Liz’s parents’ flat. This all took a bit longer than expected so we didn’t get to our overnight stop until 20.30 hours. The stop was The Harp Inn at Letterstone, about 15 minutes from the ferry port. We were meeting up with Maria and Jane, who also have an Adria Twin called Arty, as travel companions. The inn was a great stopover with 5 designated places for mohos with water and electricity if required (SfS:S38630S). Sadly, the food was mediocre at best and even the Abbots ale was off!
We left Freshwater East Caravan Club site on Thursday morning, April 2, to start exploring the next part of the Welsh coastline. It was a bright but blowy morning as we drove across the Castlemartin Firing Range into the National Park. The Pembrokeshire National Park was gorgeous in the sunshine and amazingly not very crowded. First stop was St Govan’s Chapel, which was built sometime between 8 and 14 centuries ago, and is hewn from the rock. Steep steps down to it as it’s almost at sea level but well worth it. We were able to park easily at all the sights despite being so close to Easter. Then onto Huntsman’s Leap where we found two climbers who were getting ready to abseil down! The gap is not as small as it looks. After that, it was Stack Rocks and then The Green Bridge of Wales. The Bridge is really an arch over the sea but still very dramatic.
We had decided to make the most of meeting up with friends to see the premiere of Pride The Musical in Cardiff by extending our trip to take in more of the South Wales coastline. It was also a chance to try out the newly fitted tow-ball and bike rack (courtesy of Wendy and Stuart) before a longer trip in a few weeks time.
We left home later than planned on Monday March 30 to meet up with our friend, Denise, in Weston-Super-Mare for the evening. Why does it always take longer than expected to get everything ready? We arrived around 19.00 to find the local council had been digging up the road we normally park in. Luckily, there was still a spot where we could park and spend the night (P4N#634085). A lovely evening was had with far too much wine drunk!
Dora The Explorer 