Tramore to Glengarriff

Tramore to Blarney

Blessed with more good weather, we headed along the southern coast road for a while, just to drink in the wonderful sea views, with the sun sparkling on the water.

Having had a quick taste of the sea, we headed inland to the Knockmealdown Mountains  which run from east to west between the counties of Waterford and Tipperary.  I was thrilled to think that we were passing through Tipperary, as my dear father used to sing us a song about Tipperary when we were kids!  We stopped at the top of the pass – Called The Vee – to have a walk.  It was a very quick walk, as the wind was bitterly cold, but there was a good view through to the valley below. 

Making our way south again, we stayed near the town of Blarney, just north of Cork.  Now we couldn’t be in Blarney without ‘kissing the stone!   The stone is a block of limestone built into the castle walls.  Legend has it (and there are several legends!) that the Scottish King, Robert the Bruce, gave half of the Scottish Stone of Scone to the King of Munster, Cormac McCarthy, in 1314, in gratitude for his support during the Battle of Bannockburn.  We walked 2.5 km to the castle, then joined the queue with (you guessed it) bus loads of Americans!  A very narrow spiral staircase of 130 steps led us up through the turret.  Woops and shouts from the Americans “OH MY GOD!” accompanied each and every one of us, as we laid on our backs and tipped backwards towards the grating under the stone (being cleverly supported by a member of staff), and gave the stone a quick peck!  Now, will this make us more eloquent??  Answers on a postcard please . . . . . . .

A calming walk around the castle gardens did not disappoint.   The diversity and intensity of the colours was breath-taking.

Blarney to Skibbereen

 The Wild Atlantic Way begins just before Kinsale, which is south of Cork.  It is fairly well signposted  (I had to turn Molly around a couple of times today!) with a bright blue wavy line.

This road trip follows fantastic coastlines around never-ending peninsulas, meanders through peaceful countryside, and potters through little towns & villages with a great array of local crafts and cafes.  Epic mountain passes with lots of hair pin bends coupled with a lot of single-track roads have given Molly a few challenges.  However, the marvellous views and friendly locals more than make up for the odd “breathe-in” moment!

 In the early 1800’s, there were 81 signal towers operating around the Irish coast in response to the threat of a French invasion.  Sadly, most of these are now in ruin.    The Old Head Signal Tower has been rebuilt and is home to the Lusitania Memorial.  A German UBoat sank the Cunard Liner in 1915, killing some 61% of the 1,960 people on board. 

The Bronze Age Stone Circle at Dromberg features 17 stones which are perfectly aligned for the midwinter solstice sunset. 

Today’s journey has taken us to the southern most tip of Ireland at Mizen Head.  Driving by beautiful tree lined inlets and expansive white sandy beaches, we eventually arrived at the head of the peninsula.  Extensive cleverly built ramps allow access out to the point, including a well-known bridge (it is on EVERY postcard) which sits at 150ft above sea level.  Bright sunshine and a very light breeze accompanied us – and even more delightful was the joy of watching a Basking Shark, along with the few seals, feeding quite near the rocks. 

Fastnet Rock Lighthouse was easy to see today, about 10 miles offshore.  Sadly my camera is not good enough to get a clear photo. 

Thank you dear followers for all your messages . . . . . see you in a few days time.