One more walk

We did one more walk,  this time in Wicklow, near Dublin. Packed with tourists from all over the world.  First time we had scene that. We cut the walk short due to it being boring compared to Dingle. Also got caught in an hour of heavy rain.  Still did 22 kms and headed to Dublin.

Walking stats for the trip:

Distance : 100kms
Time: 23 hours

Definitely want to do another walking tour but it needs to be on the coast. Connamara Ireland next summer perhaps!

Goodbye Dingle

We rented a car in Kerry airport, a nice vw passat.  Following instructions from Google maps we proceeded down the freeway for about an hour before we started going on tiny, country roads. Doesn't the car breakdown!  Too difficult to try to write the whole story on this tablet but suffice to say Hollywood couldn't have written it any better! It involves a local woman, a taxi driver and tell Canadians and a new BMW 520! Full story coming later!

We did get to the resort...it is beautiful. It is also full of kids. Luckily we had great weather and engine the next day at the beach. Yes we got sunburned in Ireland!

Food in the restaurant was great.  We actually were surprised by the quality of the veggie food here. Very very good.

Day 3 - Ireland weather

Met a couple from Holland yesterday and we decided to attempt mt Brandon together. All guide books say do not attempt it if it's rainy or windy. Well it was heavy rain and gale force winds. We made it an hour up before we couldn't find the trail anymore.  We turned back.

We took a crazy taxi to our guesthouse in Cloghane. It's a very old building, with tiny rooms. Like all places thus far though, very clean.

We don't have a walk officially tomorrow but may do a morning walk if the weather looks good before getting a rental car to drive south.  Despite today's rain, we're having fun!

Day 2 - great country

More amazing views today that made up for the few hours of rain. We had several kms of beach followed by more stunning cliffs.

It was only 22kms today and we got to our great lodge by 2pm. Plenty if time for a couple of pints outside.  Great view from our room.

Day 1, what a day!

Dingle is quite touristy. Our b&b was, well, adequate.  Very plain and a room over the alley and a pub that played music till 1am. Plus it was so hot we didn't sleep well. We were the first having breakfast at 730 and started our walk at 845.

The walk out of Dingle was on the road and very busy. Not relaxing. But before long we were long side roads and paths full of flies(due global all the cows and sheep).  We got to Ventry and bought post cards and sandwiches .  Ventry has a nice long beach and eventually we got to Slea Head drive and we headed into the hills amoung the sheep. It was slow going ndwith lots of up and downs. We we in the fog and Sandra said she felt like she was in a harry potter movie. We got to a nice cafe and had coffee and scones. We had done 21 kms and we're nowhere near done! Spectacular scenery though everyday we looked. Overwhelming at times.

More hills and another 9 kms and wegot to our B &b!  Nice little house run by a sweet woman who served us tea and cake when we arrived! Because it is not near a town, they drove us to Ballyferriter for dinner.  We went to a pub where no one could believe how far we walked.  We would meet people later that would do it in two days.

Dublin

Despite the bad weather, we made it to Dublin only 2 hours late. We had to run to catch the plane in Toronto and we're worried our luggage wouldn't make it. But we sat onthe plane for an extra 30 mins while they seemingly waited for our luggage. How nice of them. It was the least they could do after we sat on the tarmac in Toronto for over an hour waiting for a gate. The captain said some planes were waiting for 2 hours for a gate!

Very nice day know Dublin, sunny and 22. We walked around Temple bar area and over to start Stephens green. I had my first pint on Guiness and it really does taste different here.

It's now 6pm and we are taking a break before going for dinner. That is, if we don't fall asleep first. The. Hotel and room is very comfortable and could make it difficult to get back.  It's ok if we don't,  we have a train to catch tomorrow at 830 to Tralee and then a taxi to Dingle.

Here is the website for our hotel. Nice modern place: http://www.morrisonhotel.ie/

10...9...8....

Is it Friday yet??  The countdown is on but it feels like the clock is ticking very sloowwwly.  I've been checking the weather rather obsessively over the past week and have seen rain come and go on the forecast for our walking days.  Today it's gone!  The one consistent part of the forecast is the temperatures being above normal with average highs around 20.  We are prepared for rain but sun and 20 would be perfect!

14 day Forecast

After walking in Dingle we are heading to a hotel on the south coast, west of Cork.  The hotel has a nice webcam facing the beach.   Click here to see it.

I guess I should start packing now!

Ireland 2013

Setting up a blog to update enroute in Ireland.  We leave July 19, flying to Dublin and start walking the Dingle Way on July 22nd.  We will also be driving down to the south coast and back up to Dublin with a day hike in the other famous Irish walking trail: Wicklow way.

Walking the Dingle Way is the center piece of our holiday.  It is a 160 km trail around the Dingle peninsula and is, what National Geographic calls, the most beautiful place in the world.  (Or something like that!)  We aren't walking it all, but we are doing the three best sections of it from Dingle town to Cloghane.

The first two days are along the coast, while the 3rd is a toughie: climbing the 2nd highest peak in Ireland, Mt Brandon.

More detail of the walk can be found here.