Ireland/Scotland, Day 3: western travels

We really hit the road today to visit some big name spots, but driving was the name of the game.

First stop was Ross Castle and the hiking trails next door; it was nice to get out in the green, especially with so many wildflowers in bloom. There were nice white and purple ones all over.

Wildflowers on Ross Castle hike

The trail was also SUPER mossy - it was a common theme in Ireland and Scotland, but it never stops being fun. So many different varieties on all the tree stumps, rocks, and ground.

Moss on Ross Castle hike

We drove part of the Ring of Kerry, but we didn't have time to do much of it, because we had to start going north. It was our first truly spectacular scenery, but given what we saw later in the trip in Connemara and Scotland, not sure that I'm itching to go back.

With all the driving, our hotel recommended we take a short cut at the Tarbert Ferry. It was my first time taking a car on a ferry - and in fact, that's the only way you can take this ferry (foot passengers not allowed). You park in a line, you drive across, then drive off! I don't know what I had in my mind, somehow I thought I'd have to fit the car into a tight perpendicular space, but I should have known someone would have thought of a better way.

We drove up through several counties to the Cliffs of Moher, which were truly spectacular. That said, the roads through County Clare and others were our first truly tight spots on one-lane country lanes. We had to somehow squeeze to allow cars, buses, and farm tractors to pass by. We made it, though, and not a scratch on the car, although we were in many bushes and shrubs.

Cliffs of Moher

The cliffs were spectacular! There are a few miles of trails to walk up and down the whole thing and get different views of the cliffs on each side and the lighthouse. 

On the way continuing north to Galway, we stopped for a trail in the Burren, a fairly bleak but beautiful spot of land in what is otherwise grassy and green. The rocks, birds, and plants were totally different, and it's here you can appreciate how this used to be a seabed millions of years ago.

On a hike in the Burren

We continued up to Galway; we got Guinness at Tigh Neachtain, a meandering tight little bar full of dark wood and old photos. Definitely seemed to be a local favorite with the college kids. Also visited Garavan's.

Galway

Galway in general is more of a drinking scene, which is fine but not really our scene. In general, Americans seem to come to Ireland for the pubs, which are truly spectacular, but when too many of them are in one place, it starts to feel like you're in Irish Disneyland for people trying to hearken back to the time when their ancestors lived in the old country.

We stayed outside of town at Glenlo Abbey, our hotel splurge of the trip. I do recommend it, if you can, to try to stay in one of those castles turned luxury hotels, even for one night - they have fun activities like falconry, golf, beautiful walks, and massages. As for ourselves, we stuck to dinner in the Pullman Restaurant, a fancy dining restaurant stuffed into two genuine train cars from the Orient Express. (See, I didn't say that we didn't do touristy things, we just don't do the normal touristy things...)