Day 2 – August 6th, Wednesday
Day two started out pretty normal. We got up, showered, and packed up. We decided to head to Aillwee Cave since we hadn’t been able to go the day before due to the flat tire. On the way we missed a turn (again, very few and very poor street signs) and ended up going the long scary way. We did find The Burren which was pretty beautiful in a desolate rocky kind of way.
The GPS kept giving directions and we kept following and everything was fine for miles. Then the GPS decided to send us up the side of a mountain, on a gravel road. Well, we didn’t like the road we were on since it was basically a one lane road and drivers in Ireland are a bit insane. So, we turn our 4-door sedan with no spare tire (since we had the luckily full sized spare on the car and the flat in the trunk) up and over the mountain and we eventually made it to Aillwee.
The caves were very nice and worth checking out and we met a nice couple from Australia that we decided to have lunch with in the cafe. Upon leaving Aillwee, we went back through Doolin and went to the Cliffs of Moher.
The Cliffs are amazing. You see images of them in pictures or in movies but it just does not do them justice. I wish we had been able to spend more time there as originally planned but I’m thankful for the time we did get to spend. Although a bit more of a rest after the hike to Hag’s Head and Moher Tower would have been nice. We also did not get to spend any time seeing O’Brian’s Tower. Of course if we had known that the hike to Moher Tower was an hour and half each way we might have opted not to make that journey. But if I ever make it back there, I’ll make sure to spend an entire day at the Cliffs and enjoy a picnic at Hag’s Head and maybe even take a boat tour of the area.
The hike itself, while very long and a little rough, was beautiful. The winding trail is about a mile lone but the terrain is not easy going. You are walking on unpaved ground and grass with the trail coming very close to the cliff’s edge. Luckily there was a nice breeze to help keeps us cool as the sun became pretty hot once it broke through the clouds. Of course, yours truly still managed to get sunburned while in Ireland, a country known for being cloudy and rainy.
Once we finished with our hiking we made our way back to Doolin and paid for the hostel, grabbed some dinner at McGann’s and hopped back in the car and started out journey to Killarney. Which unfortunately meant we didn’t have time for Dysert O’Dea or Bunratty Castle.
We finally reached Killarney and Dunloe View Hostel around 8pm that night, well after check in. But John was kind enough to wait around for us and got us squared away in no time. The hostel was very warm and welcoming and it really was a family home that had been converted to allow travelers to rest and recharge in a place that felt like home.
Side note about the food: Everything tastes different in Ireland. The first meal was traditional Fish n Chips and everything tasted fresh. The chips tasted like potatoes, not preservatives. At McGann’s I had a burger which was good, but not great. Also, unless you are drinking alcohol, the selection of beverages is fairly limited. They may have Coke or Sprite but typically we drank water.
Day 3 – August 7th, Thursday
Back on schedule today. Or so we thought. I had scheduled a boat trip from Portmagee to Skellig Island. Got up Thursday morning and called the Captain to make sure the weather was nice and that the trip had not been canceled. Once confirmed we hoped in the car and started the 1.5 hour drive to the Port. After a while something just didn’t seem right. We pulled over and grabbed a snack and consulted our maps and GPS (we had been trying not to use the GPS since it was basically broken). That’s when we realized we had made a wrong turn and that due to the poor road signs, and no idea where we were going, we had ended up going north instead of south. We called the Captain but were told there was no way we would be able to make it in time based on where we were. But he was nice enough to say he would help us try to find a boat for the next day if we were willing.
A bit disappointed we went back to the hostel and tried to come up with an alternate plan for the day’s activities. John and his father strongly suggested we head up to Dingle and drive the Dingle Penninsula instead of spending the day in Killarney and the surrounding area. So we took their advice and spent the day driving looking at scenery and stopping periodically for pictures.
On the way to Dingle we stopped at Inch Beach (this made us laugh a good bit: Inch Beach on the Dingle Penninsula) and spent a while walking on the beach. It really was breath taking, with the small waves rolling in as you viewed mountains across the bay. By the time we arrived in Dingle it was time for lunch so we found a little spot with outdoor seating called Danno’s. The food was good and the atmosphere was relaxed. We spent some times walking around Dingle after lunch before heading west to see more of the Penninsula.
We only made one more stop on our driving trip and that was at Dunbeg Promontory Fort. Well, across the street from it since it was closed. What we did get to see was a preserved (maybe rebuilt) Irish Famine Cottage and Beehive hut. They provided an interesting look in to how life used to be in Ireland. It was also surprising to be able to look out over the ocean and be able to see the Skellig Islands which are miles away.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in the car. Though that was not always by choice. The roads were very narrow, often times there was barely enough room for two cars on the road. At one point we actually had to pull the side mirrors in as we slowly passed a car as we skirted the rock wall at the edge of the road. And while it made the beautiful scenery, knowing there was nothing but a cliff on the other side of that wall was a bit nerve wrecking.
Once we made it back to the Hostel we decided to head in to Killarney to grab some dinner. By the time we got there, after make a quick scenic stop, we were starving. We ate at the first place we came to which was a hotel restaurant, Eviston House Hotel. The food was good. The service was fair, but would come to realize this is pretty common in Ireland. Waitstaff do not work on tips over there, so they do their job, and leave you alone. There is no such thing as free refills but it isn’t too difficult to get some water. And if you need another drink, you can always flag someone down.
I do wish there had been more time to see the Ring of Kerry and more of Killarney. But I think we made the right choice visiting Dingle.
Day 4 – August 8th, Friday
Today we were supposed to leave Killarney and head to Mizen Head and Drombeg Stone Circle. Instead I got up early and called Seanie (the boat captain) to see if he had been able to find us a boat to Skellig. He said he had not but he was still working on it. The only option we had would be to drive down and risk not being able to go. So we decided to get ready and head down to Portmagee. After driving past the goat yet again in Killorglin, we finally made it to the port. Seanie had still not found us a boat but he was still working on it. We walked out to a little bakery to grab a bit of breakfast and as we were paying Seanie came running up telling us he had found us one but we had to hurry. So we rushed back to the dock and boarded without eating.
The 8 mile ride to the island wasn’t bad though it was a little choppy. I tried to eat a little as we went but my appetite didn’t stay around long. Once docked we started our ascent to the top of the island. At this point I realized that my time on the elliptical had not been enough and I was still too out of shape for 618 steps (over 600 feet up). The fatigue, when coupled with my anxiety of heights, prevented me from being able to make it to the top to see the old 7th century monastery. This is my biggest regret of the entire trip.
The way back down wasn’t much better as my anxiety increased almost of the point of pure terror. Every time I stood up all I could see was the ocean and stairs that vanished in to nothing because of the height and angle of the land. I had to basically just sit down and scoot back down the stone stairs. Jessica had a good laugh at my expense, but it made me feel better and other travelers were more supportive. But one day I’ll make it back and make it to the top.
After the rough and nauseating trip back to the main land we had a bite to eat at The Moorings (The Bridge Bar) before heading back toward Killarney. From there is a long drive to Cork where we stayed at Shiela’s Cork Hostel.
Shiela’s was much closer to what we had been expecting for our hostel stays. It was a large multi-floored building with a lot of rooms. Being just the two of us, and unsure how the hostels would be, I had booked us a private room everywhere we stayed. Shiela’s was very nice though. The room was a little warm and a little small, but it’s designed more for just sleeping with room downstairs for sitting and lounging.
After checking in we decided to walk in to the city center and check out Cork. This was the first time it really hit us that Ireland (and likely Europe as a whole) functioned so much differently. We started our walk around 7pm and everything had been closed for hours. We finally decided on a little pizza/burger joint named Scoozi. Mostly because the few places we stopped to check out had already stopped serving food! And yes, this was on a Friday!
After dinner we walked the streets of Cork in search of some music and fun. While we had noticed it while traveling in the car, it became very apparent here, the Irish love 80s-90s American music. We could not find a pub playing traditional Irish music. So, we grabbed a few drinks and listened to some 80s rock music at a few bars. We even saw a bridal party out on the town and believe me when I say, there is little difference between a drunk European bridal party and an American one. Except the European may have been wearing skimpier outfits considering the weather, which was chilly and damp. It rained a little off and on but luckily it stopped before the walk back to the hostel.