Day 12
It was hard to say goodbye to Margaret. Although slightly eccentric, she was a lovely warm lady who was an enthusiastic cook, boasting over 200 cookbooks she thinks, but has lost count. She reads them like novels. Anyway, her hospitality was 100%. This is a picture of her kitchen. Simply wonderful.
So, after experiencing all 5 peninsulas, which one was our favourite? Beara and Dingle tied for first place. Punching above their weight for sure.
Today our destination was an area of County Clare called The Burren. To get there we took a short cut by ferry across the mighty Shannon River from Tarbert to Kilrush. Our white Nissan now renamed Niamh (Thanks Jane), in the foreground.
Then, as we are prone to do, we trekked out to Loop Head, as far as you can go. Through pretty villages with unique flower pot arrangements
and then onto the cliffs surrounding the lighthouse. They are magnificent, some say they are better than the Cliffs of Moher (correct).
Believe it or not, between this pillar of rock and where I am standing taking the photo, there is a 50m chasm down to the sea. I was too scared to get any closer! They call the sea stack lovers leap after legendary Diarmuid and Grainne who fled there pursued by her bethrothed Fionn MacCool, whom she didn’t love. Not cool enough apparently! They supposedly took refuge on the stack.
Stopped at picturesque Kilbaha for lunch. The view in every direction from our table was speccie.
Travelling on to the Cliffs of Moher, we encountered tourism en masse at Ireland’s No1 natural tourist attraction. The scene at the Carpark was better than the Cliffs! People everywhere, exacerbated by the Irish Open starting at Lehinch, a village just down the road.
The Burren derives its name from the Irish word boireann meaning “stony place”. The landscape is quite stark with huge rocky mountains reaching right down to the sea.
Our home for the night was a small village north of Doolin called Fanore. Our Airbnb was only recently listed and was up there with Bantry, tastefully decorated and completely self sufficient. Right on the waters edge looking over to the Aran Islands. Simply beautiful. We walked to the local for dinner
And then headed home for a wine al fresco.
Kanga And Wombats Adventures 