On a Baltic morning, we decided to visit south Co.Sligo . Probably the lesser visited part of Co.Sligo, we wanted to sample what it has to offer. And we can start by saying that it has a lot to offer, and should be on every bucketlist. Starting off in Sligo town, our route took us as far as Beltra where we turned right after the village onto the Wild Atlantic Way coastal road. After approx. 3 km, we turned right towards Portavade. It is a cul the sac road, but at the end of it, you are greeted by fabulous views across Ballysadare beach and Strandhill. Our next stop along the coastal route was Aughris Head. At Aughris pier, you will find the start of the fabulous Aughris Head walk which follows the rocky shoreline ending at a small but impressive beach which at the best of times is very quiet. The walk gives you views across Sligo Bay towards Knocknarea and the Dartry mountains and on a clear day as far as Donegal (Slieve League) After having crossed the beach, we found some small sea caves which are great for taking some dramatic pictures towards the Dartry mountains. After having returned to the car, we headed back to the coastal route to stop at our next scenic location - Trawee Beach. Next destination was Easkey, but the beauty of the landscape made us stop another few times along the route to take further pictures. The roads are quiet, the views are fabulous, what more could you wish for during a relaxing coastal drive. We decided on this particular day that we would go as far as Easkey and have lunch at Pudding Row, but unfortunately there was some event on and it was closed for business. Easkey is an interesting town in South Sligo, it is home to one of the best surfing spots in Co.Sligo , but it is also home to Easkey tower and the famous split rock. The huge boulder, which is split in 2 is approx 6.5 meters by 2.5 meters, and it is believed that the rock was carried down from the Ox Mountains by the retreating glaciers at the end of the ice age. But local folklore tells the story of Fionn Mac Cumhaill who arrived on top of the Ox Mountains where he was challenged by another strong man called Cicsatoin to compete in a rock throwing competition. The challenge was to reach the sea, but Fionn's rock fell short which made him angry. In anger, he pulled his sword and split the rock in two. From Easkey, we headed towards Dromore West where we took a quick stop to check out the Dunneill river which cascades down some beautiful waterfalls. A stairwell brings you towards the waterfalls, for the more adventurous you can follow a scenic riverside walk. Heading back towards Sligo town, we passed a sign guiding us to the Beach Bar. Being hungry, we decided to chance our luck and have a quick lunch. Arriving at the beach bar (www.thebeachbarsligo.com/ ) , you can't but notice the beauty of this old charm thatched pub which sits literally on the beach. We were in luck, just when we arrived, the door was opened. Inside, a warm open fire welcomed us on this particular cold day. We went for the seafood chowder which was served piping hot and was accompanied by 2 homemade slices of bread. The chowder was one of the best I had ever sampled, the amount of fish in the bowl was unbelievable and the chowder turned out to be a meal in itself. After having warmed ourselves by the fire, we hit the road again and turned away from the sea towards the Ox Mountains, more specific a road which is known as Ladies Brae (Follow the signposts from Skreen). Ladies Brae is a fabulous route which takes you through the heart of the Ox Mountains. The only living souls you meet are the many sheep which just look up and slowly move toward the side of the road.
The Ox Mountains and it's surroundings are fabulous for adventure sports, so if you are adventurous, give wildwetadventures.ie/ or www.oxmountainadventurecamp.ie/ a shout and they will get you to discover the wild unspoiled beauty of South Sligo. So, as you can see, it is amazing what you can do in South Sligo in a couple of hours. One moment, you can be on a beach , then walk along some waterfalls followed by a drive through the mountains. South Sligo is diverse, the landscapes are ever changing and the scenery is to die for.
0 Comments
When you arrive at the Beach Bar in Aughris, you can't but notice the fabulous views across Sligo Bay towards the Dartry mountains. But another thing which really stands out is the Beach Bar itself and it's location. The Beach Bar is a traditional thatched pub and restaurant ( www.thebeachbarsligo.com/ ) located on one of Sligo's finest beaches called Dunmoran Strand. We arrived at the beach bar on a bitterly cold morning. It had not even turned 12 o'clock, but we were hungry. Lucky for us, we were invited in by Ciara who was just finishing up cleaning the bar. Inside, an open fire welcomed us. Being the first in, we had a great look around the bar, which hasn't changed much as can be seen from the old pictures on the walls. Where a lot of Irish pubs worldwide are specifically build using old materials to make them seem authentic, the Beach Bar is Authentic. The Beach Bar is a truly old style establishment, one where the thick walls and small windows together with the cladded wooden ceilings make it a cosy place to be. The Beach Bar has a great menu every Friday, Saturday and Sunday during winter time, where it is served 7 days a week during the summer. That being said, they always have bar food available, even during the winter. We opted for the seafood chowder which was hopefully going to warm us up a bit. And out came the chowder 10 minutes later, a generous bowl of soup full to the rim with fish accompanied with 2 slices of homemade bread. And here we go, I have eaten a lot of seafood chowder over the years, to me this was one of the best chowders I have ever eaten. It was served piping hot, there was an amazing amount of fish in it, that much actually that it turned out to be a meal in itself. We would recommend the Beach Bar highly for their fabulous seafood chowder and it's authentic style which transports you back in time.
As a youngster back in the 80's, I visited Lissadell House (http://lissadellhouse.com/) in Co.Sligo with my parents. If my memory doesn't let me down, I remember Lissadell house in the 80's as being a house with dark and damp rooms which had seen better days. Roll the clock 30 years forward, and the house which is now owned by Constance Cassidy, Edward Walsh and their kids has been lovingly restored. Arriving around 2pm, I parked the car in the car park and walked the short distance to the restored coach house where you will find the ticket office, exhibitions and tea rooms. As I was an hour early for the guided tour of the house, I decided to visit first the exhibitions on Countess Markievicz, the Voice of women and the 1916 rising. The many pictures, letters and books are a rare collection which is nicely displayed within the fabulous restored first floor of the coach house. The 1916 rising exhibition has fabulous ceiling paintings by the talented Gareth Boyle. The many historical memorabilia nicely display information around the Easter Rising, from Countess Markievicz's military plans for the Easter rising to an early replica of the Irish flag, it is an educational exhibition in Irish history. As I still had some time before the tour of the house commenced, I decided to have a coffee and slice of carrot cake in the Marine tea room. The name is aptly chosen, many paintings of boats and boat models are on display. An interesting aspect of this room is the horse bath at the back of the tea room. The bath was used for washing the horses after a day in the saddle. It was time to head to the house, walking along the path , the display of the many daffodils and the views towards the bay where just fantastic. And there it was in all it's glory, Lissadell house, a dark grey block of a building in the middle of beautiful landscaped gardens. The exterior of the house is very simple and grey, but the simplicity and greyness are in stark contrast with the colourful background of green grass, yellow daffodils, azure blue water of the Atlantic and majestic Knocknarea looming in the background. At the door of the house, we were welcomed by our guide for the day . Walking into the entrance hall, it becomes apparent that this house has been lovingly restored by it's current owners. Walking from the hall into the billiard room, we were introduced to the Gore-Booth family. From here, it was onwards to the gallery, an oval room which was used for parties and events. Within the room is a fabulous marble fire place and 2 huge gasoliers, 2 gas fired chandeliers which are suspended from the 65 foot high ceiling. From this room, we entered the drawing room and the bow room, two beautiful restored rooms which have fabulous views towards Benbulben and Knocknarea.. A marvelous selection of paintings and books can be found in these rooms. It is interesting to know that these 2 rooms were the rooms where the Gore-Booth siblings lived in near poverty during the 1960's and 70's, trying to keep these 2 rooms heated where the remainder of the house was un-lived in. The grandeur of this stately home can be found back in the dining room, a room which has a huge dining table as it's center piece. Nearby the lift, which was used to bring the food from the basement kitchen to the dining room, is a stuffed bear brought back by the Gore-Booth family after one of their many trips . After the dining room, it was down to the basement where the kitchen and servant rooms were located. Interesting about Lissadell house is that it's servants quarters were large and bright. The kitchen, which was also large and bright, was used to prepare the family it's meals. Within the basement is an old communications system which was used through the house to indicate if anybody in the living quarters above required food, a drink or anything else. At the end of the tour, we were shown the exit from the servant's quarters, a long sparingly lit tunnel which was used in the days by the household staff. The tunnel brought me towards Lissadell's gardens. From here, I walked towards the lovingly restored Alpine gardens. The gardens are fully walled offering protection from the strong Atlantic breeze. The garden is fabulous, and although it was early in the growing season, some colourful flowers had appeared already between the many rocks. Walking back towards the coach house, I passed the walled victorian kitchen garden which had young lettuce plants already planted for the season ahead. Huge fruit trees lined the center path through the garden.
This is Sligo's number one tourist attraction, one which has been kept quiet for a long time, and it must be said that the current owners have made Lissadell house the way it is, a premier tourist attraction. But there is even more to Lissadell House than I have seen today, self-catering accommodation, clam and oyster farm,..... but more about those at a later stage. We found ourselves in Donegal town around lunchtime, and as we were hungry we decided to have lunch at the Blueberry Tea room & restaurant. And going by the amount of customers who were on that particular mid-week day in the Blueberry, it looks like it is the place to be in Donegal town. The interior is quirky and colourful. From the teacup wallpaper to the clock wall, there is loads to look at. But my eyes were glancing on the daily specials, and the chicken and bacon sandwich with BBQ sauce sounded delicious. Dolores opted for the chicken pasta. The friendly waitress looked after us, and before we knew it we were served are large plates. The pasta was huge, came with garlic bread, broccoli and a separate pot with Parmigiano Reggiano slices. And it was great, the chicken was hidden underneath the pasta and was plentiful. My chicken and bacon sandwich was devine, and where I always have a great appetite, I was struggling to finish the huge sandwich which was stuffed with a huge amount of chicken and bacon. And that is not all, it came with a fresh salad and chips. And if that wasn't enough, the chef came around asking if I wanted more chips, now that is what I call customer service. And I declined nicely, just as I was struggling through my fabulous huge portion. In our opinion, the Blueberry tea room and restaurant is a brilliant spot to talk to the locals, eat a great lunch and just enjoy the Donegal hospitality.
Every Year in May, the forest floor of Bluebell Wood turns into a blue carpet. Thousands of Bluebells open up when the spring sun reaches the bottom of the forest creating a colourful display. Bluebell forest is reached when you leave the N4 towards Knockvicar (Follow the signs towards Ardcarne Garden centre and carry on for approx. 1km) Walking in between this fabulous display of spring colours is just mesmerizing. A few paths allow you to walk around the forest without having to walk on the Bluebells. Walking around this forest, we can only imagine how happy the local bees and butterflies must be taking the nectar of the bluebells which are here in abundance.
Fanad Lighthouse in County Donegal is one of those locations where you would like to stay for a couple of days, and nowadays you can in one of the lighthouse it's unique self catering accommodation. But on this occasion , we were just here to visit one of Donegal's three signature points, Fanad lighthouse. We will return and try one of the accommodations at a later stage. After having parked the car in the carpark, we walked towards the new ticket office where we bought our tickets for the lighthouse tour. Walking towards the lighthouse, it is not hard to see why Fanad Lighthouse is just stunning , from the Inishowen and Fanad coastline to the crystal clear waters beneath the rocks, we fell in love with this fabulous gem along the Wild Atlantic Way At the green door we waited patiently until our tour departed, and while admiring the waters beneath our feet, we were welcomed by one of the local guides. After being shown the living quarters, we watched some introduction videos about the Irish lighthouses. After the videos, we moved towards the actual lighthouse tower where we learned about the lights, the tower's stairwell and the different types of flags used for signalling the boats. And it also became apparent why kids have to be taller than 1.20 meter , this as the stairwell is steep and the last part to reach the lighthouse top floor is a ladder. The stairwell is a floating stairwell where the stone is built into the actual lighthouse wall, it is strong and steep. Nowadays, the light is automated, but in the early days, the lighthouse keeper had to go to the top of the lighthouse and pull up some chains and weights every couple of hours which kept the light turning. We can only imagine how many times he had to run up and down the stairwell. When the lighthouses were manned, lighthouse keepers were moved around Ireland's lighthouses every three years. This was done to stop them from being totally isolated, especially when they were stationed off the coast. Having reached the top of the lighthouse, we admired the fabulous views along the Donegal coastline. Another thing we learned about the lighthouse is that it can be a dangerous location in bad weather. One of the lighthouse keepers disappeared on a rough evening never to be seen again. Fanad lighthouse is a must visit location, one where you can discover life as a lighthouse keeper, the history of Ireland's lighthouses and learn about the modern technology which nowadays goes into these lighthouses.
In a remote part of Donegal is Glenveagh National Park, Ireland's second largest national park. The park covers 170sq kilometers and is located around beautiful Lough Veagh. On an overcast day in July, we rolled into the car park to find it busy with tourists, still there is ample parking space available. Walking towards the visitor center, we noticed that the roof of the building is a living heather roof which blends in nicely with the surrounding area. In the visitor center, we enjoyed the displays which gave us a first introduction to the park, it's flora and fauna. The first surprise we got on the day was that the park and gardens of the castle are free entrance. You can decide to walk towards the castle and gardens along a beautiful path along the shore of Lough Veagh, or take the bus for which you have to buy a ticket. Second surprise was that the tour of the castle is very reasonable priced. At €15 for a family, we believe this is fantastic value for the extensive tour of the castle which is definitely worthwhile taking. Keep in mind that tours only run during the months of July and August. This time round, we took the bus which gets you at the castle in 10 minutes. We decided to see the gardens first, but before we started our garden tour we purchased our castle tour tickets. We advise you to do the same as in summer, it is busy and you can't be guaranteed a spot on the next tour. The castle, which was built in the 19th Century by John George Adair, was to represent a highland hunting retreat. In order to achieve this dream, John purchased vast amounts of land and started construction of the castle using granite. But in order to achieve his dream, he evicted 244 tenants from the land he had purchased making him unpopular with the locals. He never got to enjoy his dream though as he died suddenly after one of his many trips to the US. His late wife Cornelia carried on the built of the castle, which in those early days sat there in the Donegal landscape in stark contrast with the barren landscape. It was also Cornelia who introduced deer into the estate and started the layout and planting of the fabulous gardens. Cornelia was well loved in the area in contrast to her late husband, she provided plenty of work for the locals and she became known as a brilliant society hostess. And it is the gardens which nowadays attract the many visitors, from the Italian to Belgian garden, from the view point walk to the many tropical plants, around every corner is something new to discover. Walking through the walled garden, you can admire the many apple trees and vegetables being grown, the flowers and shrubs giving the gardens it's amazing color palette. After our walk through the gardens, we headed to the castle to start our tour. The castle is opulent in it's decoration, each room nicely presented with the original furniture. During the tour, we learned that the castle exchanged hands twice after the death of Cornelia. The last owner of the house, Henry Mcllhenny devoted a lot of his time restoring the castle and purchasing the furniture which is still on display. He was also renowned for his hospitality, and many Hollywood stars and other influential people came to Glenveagh to be entertained. Henry had a scale installed in the reception hall, and guest were weighted when they arrived at Glenveagh castle. Upon leaving the castle, they were weighted again and rule of thumb was that if you had gained weight, you had been entertained the right way. The castle even had an open air swimming pool which could be heated when required. Glenveagh National park is a must visit location, and it is easy to spend a day in the park hiking the many trails, enjoying the views are just relaxing by the lake.
Sometimes, an unplanned event can turn into a fantastic experience. One of these unplanned events was a dinner in Waterford city. On a wet Saturday, we found ourselves walking along Waterford's streets enjoying an afternoon of shopping, admiring Waterford's treasures and just relaxing. There and then, we decided to book ourselves in for a dinner at L'Atmosphere (https://www.restaurant-latmosphere.com/), a French bistro located in one of the quaint streets of Waterford. By 6:30pm, we walked into an already busy restaurant. As the name suggests, the restaurant is just cozy. We were welcomed and brought to our table where a candle awaited our arrival. Glancing over the menu, we decided to go for the early bird which is very competitively priced. What we noticed immediately is how professional the staff are, just 2 people serving approx 16 tables without any glitches, both floating around effortless serving delicious food, having friendly conversations with the guests, welcoming people and providing advise on the correct wine selection. We had our choice quickly made, Dolores went for the vegetable risotto where I opted for the chicken liver pate. Making a perfect risotto is not easy, but at L'atmosphere they have just mastered it to perfection as the risotto is served with a gorgeous texture and flavour. The chicken liver pate was homemade and came with a beautiful onion marmalade and toasted bread For the main course , i opted for the confit duck leg where Dolores went for the beef Bourguignon. By the time the main dishes came out, we knew we were in for something special. The duck came with the best roast potatoes and vegetables, the beef Bourguignon which had been cooking for a couple of hours was brought to the table in a cast iron pot. The succulent beef with a mixture of organic vegetables was just rich and and was just perfecton a cold November evening. In the meantime, the restaurant had filled up, and we are not surprised with the high quality of food being served. A lady on one of the neighbouring tables recommended that we should try the desserts too, so decision was quickly made. I went for the chocolate souffle where Dolores went for the Creme Brulee. We enjoyed it that much that I forgot to take pictures of these mouth tantalizing desserts.
The final bill came to a very reasonable €74 which also included a bottle of Malbec ... In our view, the three course early bird menu which comes at €23 is amazing value for money. All we can say is that L'Atmosphere is a must visit restaurant whenever you find yourself in Waterford, a hidden gem where the professional waiters and the team in the kitchen create an unforgettable dining experience. On a glorious summer's day, we decided to head to Donegal. County Donegal is not that far from county Sligo, so after a short hour we made our way over to Slieve League. Slieve League are some of Europe's highest cliffs standing 601m tall. After our visit to the cliffs, we followed the Wild Atlantic Way northwards making our way towards another Waypoint, Malin Beg. Here you will find an amazing Beach called Silver Strand. It is situated in a horseshoe shaped bay with some of the clearest waters you will ever see. On a beautiful day, it invites you to take a swim in the crystal clear waters or even go snorkeling. After our visit, we headed along the coast towards Glencolumbkille. Before driving into the village, you have Glencolumbkille folk park. The folk park shows you what life was like during past centuries. Each of the cottages is a replica of a dwelling used by the local people, from the turf fires to the furniture. We arrived a day after the Glencolumbkille Agricultural show, but there were some sheep herding competitions on at the time of our visit. The agricultural show as we were told is nowadays a huge event and attracts 1000's of people. Take note though that you probably have to book your room now in one of the local B&B's for next years show. Afterwards, we made our way back towards Donegal town, still taking in some of the waypoints along the route.
And if you are looking for more information, pop into Donegal tourist information Office at the Quays, they couldn't be more friendly and helpfull. And we also got some more stamps for our Wild Atlantic Way passport in the tourist office. Just on a note, as it was a bankholiday Monday, all the post offices were closed. So the only way to get your stamps is at the tourist office As the weather was predicted to be good in County Donegal, we decided to go on a daytrip to County Donegal. First stop was Slieve League, and guess what,.... , we had the perfect weather conditions, blue skies and not a single cloud. We parked the car at the first car park and walked the 2km towards the cliffs. Along this route, we got amazing views as far as County Sligo (Benbulben) and County Mayo. We reached the cliffs after a delightful walk. There is a car park closer to the cliffs and a lot of people prefer to drive to the car park closest to the cliffs, but by doing that, you will miss a lot of the amazing scenery along the route. The cliffs are standing at a height of 601 meters, and are one of the highest in Europe. Below at the foot of the cliffs, 2 kayakers were enjoying the scenery from below, dolphins were playing in the water and a fishing boat was taking in the daily catch.
The Giant's table and chair can be seen at the foot of the cliffs sitting in a secluded bay. On a clear day, the water looks crystal clear. If you have the time for a decent hike, why not head up the cliffs and walk along One Man's path. It is a narrow path with steep slopes. This ridge might only be for the more experienced climbers and is best avoided with rain / strong winds or fog. Bantry House ( bantryhouse.com) )is a historic house located nearby Bantry, County Cork. Originally built in 1710 and named Blackrock House, the house was bought by Councillor White in 1750 who renamed the house "Seafield". During that time, the White family bought a lot of land around the house and by the 1780's, they had purchased approx. 80000 acres. in 1946, the house was opened to tourists and more recently, the house was opened up as a B&B. The house overlooks beautiful Bantry Bay, unfortunately on the day we visited this magnificent house, it was overcast. The gardens, which were developed by the second Earl of Bantry, are amazing. Where they had fallen into disrepair, they have been lovingly restored since 1997. Located at the back of the house, the garden is created over 7 terraces which provide any visitor with wonderful views across Bantry Bay. The fountain within the parterre is surrounded by Wisteria which provides a colourful display during the summer months. The 100s of steps which lead guests towards the woodland is just as impressive, just as the North terraces with their 14 round beds providing a year round colourful display. It is here that the priced statues and pots Richard brought back from his travels are on display. The gardens are huge, and although I like gardening, I say it is a mammoth task to maintain these extensive gardens. The house itself has been beautifully restored. The grandeur of the house is reflected in all the rooms. From the entrance hall where relics from Richard's travels are on display. From the dining room to the bedrooms, the historic furniture and huge portraits which are on display will provide you with a view into the lives of Bantry house it's occupants. After viewing the house, we decided to have lunch in Bantry House tearoom, but it was a bit to busy for our liking. So we decided to walk towards the walled garden. And in contrast to the busy tearoom, we were totally on our own in these gardens.
Back at the car, we decided to head into Bantry and have Lunch in the Bantry Bay Hotel. For people travelling along the Wild Atlantic Way, you can now buy a passport from An Post. The Wild Atlantic Way passport act as a recording souvenir of your completed journey. Along the Wild Atlantic Way , there are 188 discovery points along the route. Each discovery point has it's own stamp. The passport is a bit along the lines of the Camino Route stamps you can get. The passport is €10 and can be bought from selected Post Offices. The stamps for each of the discovery points are unique, and you can obtain these stamps in local post offices or Tourist Information Offices.
Once you have received 20 stamps in your passport, head down to the Tourist Office and receive a Wild Atlantic Gift. And the fun of it all is to play honest. it is easy enough to get stamps although you didn't visit the location, but that would be cheating. The other beauty of the system is that you might get some local knowledge from the An Post employee. For example, we went in Ballydehob in the post office and we got great information from the lady regarding the area. this made us discover some other local scenery. Get yours now and join in the fun. More information: We had been to Mizen Head before, but the last time we were there renovation works were being carried out to the bridge and the walkways, so we never made it any further than the visitor center. So we decided to head back. Mizen Head is Ireland's most south-westerly point. The Mizen Head signal station (Mizen Head Signal Station & Visitor Centre and cross the iconic Mizen Footbridge) is a key Discovery point along the Wild Atlantic Way. In the visitor center, you get to see the interior of a lighthouse, the inside of a ship and a lot of history on how the bridge was built. The walk to the Head Signal Station is amazing, opening views towards Fastnet rock and the wide open Atlantic. The first stop is a steep path down the cliff where a new viewing platform has been created giving you views towards the Arch in the cliff edge. Make your way back up the cliff and turn towards the signal house. The iconic bridge across the gorge which is the only access point to the Head Signal Station is reached by a new path or the famous 99 steps which is the original approach to the bridge. Half way in our visit, fog came from nowhere making the area look mysterious and remote. The Main Signal house is now a museum showing you what life was like for the lighthouse keeper. The engine room with Marconi Radio Room and modest living quarters have been lovingly restored. There are also some rooms which show you the different types of whales which life along the Irish coast, life underneath the cliffs and the different types of birds which nest along the cliffs. There is a list of all the ships which sank of Mizen Head, and looking at the extensive list, it is obvious that it can be very dangerous down at Mizen Head. And then you have the actual light which sits on a small platform. The views towards the cliffs are spectacular or just look out towards the Atlantic ocean, it is one of the best places in the world to see Minke, Fin and Humpback Whales and Dolphins.
We ended up entering the small village of Ballydehob in Co.Cork. Only reason we wanted to go into Ballydehob was to visit the post office and get some stamps for our Wild Atlantic Way passport. When we entered the little post office, we got helped by the most friendly lady who took all the stamps off the shelf and went one by one through them. In the end , we got 4 stamps in our passport. And we are filling the passport very carefully, we will only get a stamp when we have been at the location and when we have taken a picture of ourselves with the sign. Our plan is to fill our passport in the next few months/years? But let's talk again about Ballydehob. Ballydehob is a lovely village on the south west coast of Ireland and is the gateway to Mizen Head. The lady in the post office was also a great ambassador for the village and recommended we should take a look at the Twelve Arch bridge. So you can never ignore advise like that, off we went to the Twelve Arch Bridge. The bridge is a remainder of the Cork - Bandon railway which was extended in the 19th century to connect Crookhaven .
A narrow gauge railway was decided upon. The problem at Ballydehob was the steep incline entering the village. This was overcome by erecting the 12 Arch bridge over the estuary. Where the narrow gauge seized operation in 1947, the bridge has always stayed. Nowadays, the bridge is part of a nice walkway which follows the estuary. We were on the way to sunny Cork (this time it was more rainy than usual though) when we reached Cashel. We decided to take a break at the Rock of Cashel. Currently, on-going conservation works are being conducted on Cormacs Chapel. The Rock of Cashel contains a spectacular group of Medieval buildings which are set on an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale. The buildings include the 12th century round tower, High Cross and Romanesque Chapel, 13th century Gothic cathedral, 15th century Castle and the restored Hall of the Vicars Choral. The Vicars Hall has been nicely restored and has an amazing ceiling. Scully's cross , which is the largest of the high crosses was originally constructed in 1867 to commemorate the Scully family. It was destroyed in 1976 when lightning struck a metal rod that ran the length of the cross. The remains of the top of the cross now lie at the base of the cross adjacent to the rock wall. We were lucky on the day , the current conservation works being carried out on Cormacs Chapel result in it being periodically closed during 2016. But on the day we visited, it was open to the public. The chapel contains the oldest and most important Romanesque wall paintings in Ireland. Unfortunately, a lot of these wall paintings have been affected by microorganisms which are the result of the damp conditions. The wall paintings were painted on plaster, and it is this plaster which is affected by these damp conditions. Conservation works are currently ongoing to stop further deterioration . When we left the Rock of Cashel, we ended up in the small tourist shop at the bottom of the rock. Not worth the visit.
The car park pay machine seemed to cause a lot of confusion with the many tourist, many looking to pay the €4 fee with a visa card - although the machine doesn't accept VISA cards. |
About the AuthorWe are Peter & Dolores De Bie. We love the great outdoors, discovering new parts of the world and writing about our adventures along the Wild Atlantic Way and further afield Categories
All
|