Tag: Gap of Dunloe

A Gap in the Weather

Today, in Killarney, it is rainy and somewhat windy.

Also today, in Killarney, Penny and I took a trip up through the Gap of Dunloe and down the lakes of Killarney.

I’d done the tour six years ago, and came back badly sunburned. Looking at the weather forecast, I figured there was almost no chance of that happening again. The lovely Toni, who owns the place we’re staying and who had booked the tour for us (at our request) kept checking with us to make sure we had seen the forecast and still wanted to go.

Our thinking was that, sure, good weather for the tour is better than rain, but rain on the tour is better than not going at all.

Reader, there was rain.

The bus took us to Kate Kearney’s Cottage, which is the start of the road up the Gap. I believe it’s named for a woman who used to brew and sell poitín – Irish moonshine – there. From there, you can take a horse buggy ride up through the Gap, or you can walk. Penny, having done the Camino last year and tramped over the Pyrenees, decided to walk.

I took a cart ride.

The horse for our cart, on the left, was somewhat… willful when it came time to put him in harness. The dialect of the drivers here in the mountains of Kerry is pretty thick, and it’s hard to follow what they say when they don’t deliberately slow it down to speak to tourists, but I discovered that certain short words of Anglo-Saxon origin came through quite clearly as these two gentlemen were working with the fractious horse.

Once he was in harness, he was all business, and eager to show off. We passed another of the other buggies going up, and made the trip pretty quickly.

Not many pictures of the trip, because it was cold and rainy and really, really windy. But here’s a few:

So, I made it through the Gap to Lord Brandon’s Cottage about an hour before Penny did on foot. I had a sandwich and rested a bit – at the steepest part of the Gap, we had to get off the cart and walk, to give the horse a bit of a break. According to my smart watch, I climbed 62 flights of stairs on that little walk.

And then it was down to the boars and back to Ross Castle. No pictures of that leg, because it was raining even harder by then, and the wind was a little vicious, and my camera was under three layers of wet clothes by then.

But we made it back alive, if somewhat chilled. Right now, we are in our room, having changed into dry clothes and warmed up some, and will be thinking about going to find some dinner in a little bit.

Tomorrow, we have a tour of the Dingle Peninsula. It’s also supposed to be rainy tomorrow, but not as much. Also, more bus, less boat on this tour.

A Bit of a Gap

It was beautiful weather today – sunny, just a few puffy clouds, a bit of a breeze. Seeing as I was spending most of the day outside, this was wonderful. Except, of course, that I forgot to put on any sunscreen. Yep, I got some pretty good sunburn on my arms and a bit on my face.

I was up fairly early because I needed to go down to the Deros Tours to find out which tour I was on today – I had booked both the Gap of Dunloe tour and the Dingle Peninsula tour, but I had lost the e-mail that told me which day was which. So, I had to go down early and find out which tour I was taking.

And then I walked around the High Street for a while, waiting for the tour to start.

The town centre of Killarney is very pretty. Killarney is pretty focused on tourism, and everyone is very friendly.
The town centre of Killarney is very pretty. Killarney is pretty focused on tourism, and everyone is very friendly.

The time came, and we got on the bus, and went up to Aghadoe to take a look at where we’re going today.

These are the lakes we're going to be boating on later.
These are the lakes we’re going to be boating on later.

The lakes are very beautiful from above.
The lakes are very beautiful from above.

There's no wonder that Killarney area is a popular tourist destination.
There’s no wonder that Killarney area is a popular tourist destination.

Then we were on to Kate Kearney’s Cottage.

This is the start of the trail up through the Gap of Dunloe. There are a number of men with horses and traps there to drive you through the gap if you don't want to walk the seven miles through the mountains.
This is the start of the trail up through the Gap of Dunloe. There are a number of men with horses and traps there to drive you through the gap if you don’t want to walk the seven miles through the mountains.

So we started up the gap, me and two charming Irish ladies, and the driver.
So we started up the gap, me and two charming Irish ladies, and the driver.

The steep walls lining the gap are studded with limestone outcroppings, looking both forbidding and picturesque.
The steep walls lining the gap are studded with limestone outcroppings, looking both forbidding and picturesque.

The first and deepest of the lakes in the gap, this is Black Lake.
The first and deepest of the lakes in the gap, this is Black Lake.

The road crosses and recrosses the chain of tiny lakes and rivers on similar rustic bridges as it switchbacks up the gap.
The road crosses and recrosses the chain of tiny lakes and rivers on similar rustic bridges as it switchbacks up the gap.

Looking back down the Gap of Dunloe towards Kate Kearney's Cottage.
Looking back down the Gap of Dunloe towards Kate Kearney’s Cottage.

The last lake in the gap is Serpent Lake, said to the be the place where St. Patrick eliminated the last snake in Ireland.
The last lake in the gap is Serpent Lake, said to the be the place where St. Patrick eliminated the last snake in Ireland.

At the top of the gap, looking down the other side into Black Valley. One of the most remote places in Ireland, with about thirty families living there. They just got electricity there in 1976.
At the top of the gap, looking down the other side into Black Valley. One of the most remote places in Ireland, with about thirty families living there. They just got electricity there in 1976.

The road down is a little less steep and far greener than the road up.
The road down is a little less steep and far greener than the road up.

And the horses get a well-deserved rest at the end of the trail.
And the horses get a well-deserved rest at the end of the trail.

The bridge to Brandon's Cottage, where we got to have lunch and board the boats.
The bridge to Brandon’s Cottage, where we got to have lunch and board the boats.

This tower is the original Lord Brandon's Cottage. It's not open to the public, because it's not safe. But it is cool.
This tower is the original Lord Brandon’s Cottage. It’s not open to the public, because it’s not safe. But it is cool.

This is just an awesome tree.
This is just an awesome tree.

I don’t have an interesting picture of the current Lord Brandon’s Cottage, simply because it’s not that interesting a building. It’s a little cafeteria, with a lot of picnic tables.

Down at the boats, pulling away from the docks at Lord Brandon's Cottage.
Down at the boats, pulling away from the docks at Lord Brandon’s Cottage.

The boats pass through three different lakes and a river as you circle Purple Mountain.
The boats pass through three different lakes and a river as you circle Purple Mountain.

 

This is Purple Mountain. On our trip, we brought along someone who lives in the valley, who wanted a lift to check on some sheep. Apparently, his family owns a couple thousand scattered over this mountainside.
This is Purple Mountain. On our trip, we brought along someone who lives in the valley, who wanted a lift to check on some sheep. Apparently, his family owns a couple thousand scattered over this mountainside.

The scenery is just gorgeous.
The scenery is just gorgeous.

The only channel out of the lake is through Coleman's Eye, a gap in the rocks about twelve feet wide.
The only channel out of the lake is through Coleman’s Eye, a gap in the rocks about twelve feet wide.

The river winds around the mountain.
The river winds around the mountain.

We saw a couple of swans, a couple of eagles, and a few herons along the way. According to the boatman, there would usually be more birds and other wildlife, but several years ago, someone in Waterville imported a bunch of minks to farm. When they inevitably escaped, they started breeding in the Kerry Mountains, and are a real problem for wildlife and sheep.
We saw a couple of swans, a couple of eagles, and a few herons along the way. According to the boatman, there would usually be more birds and other wildlife, but several years ago, someone in Waterville imported a bunch of minks to farm. When they inevitably escaped, they started breeding in the Kerry Mountains, and are a real problem for wildlife and sheep.

Looking back as we enter the next lake.
Looking back as we enter the next lake.

This bridge can apparently sometimes be underwater if the lakes rise too high, as they can if the rain is high.
This bridge can apparently sometimes be underwater if the lakes rise too high, as they can if the rain is high.

This bridge, leading into the big lake, doesn't get covered by water.
This bridge, leading into the big lake, doesn’t get covered by water.

Inisfallen is an island in the big lake that has the remains of an abbey/university from the sixth century on it. It was, apparently, one of the great centres for learning in Ireland.
Inisfallen is an island in the big lake that has the remains of an abbey/university from the sixth century on it. It was, apparently, one of the great centres for learning in Ireland.

We dock at Ross Castle, about a mile from the town of Killarney.
We dock at Ross Castle, about a mile from the town of Killarney.

Ross Castle is a 14th century castle. Ross is the Irish word for promontory, so this is the castle on the promontory.
Ross Castle is a 14th century castle. Ross is the Irish word for promontory, so this is the castle on the promontory.

Then it was back on the bus and back to Killarney. I wandered around for a bit, had a nice dinner at Quinlan’s – a fish place that catches its own fish. I had the special, which was John Dory with chips and salad – I’d never had John Dory, or even heard it, but it was tasty.

Walking back to the B&B, I grabbed a homemade honeycomb caramel ice cream cone. I had a lot of pictures to process at the B&B, many of which were not very good, as taking pictures in the back of a bouncing horse trap is not conducive to getting unblurred pictures.

Now, bedtime. Tomorrow, the tour of the Dingle Peninsula.