21/04/08

The Ring of Kerry; so different to what I expected. I expected green
green hills, instead, dramatic rocky mountains, massive rock
formations, scrub, lakes, and scraggy trees and dry dry grass. We
stopped to take a walk near one lake and I felt it was missing only
lions and buffalo, so alien was this view of Ireland, it looked to me,
like Africa. We drove on a bit, leaving the Kilnaney National Park and
I soon felt much more at 'home'. Here the valleys were wider, less
dramatic and sheep and cattle grazed.

Mum had instructed that we must have good weather for, the Ring of
Kerry, I've done my best, not exactly sunny but it's not raining
either, though a dull haze isn't helping my amateur photography skill
any thoug there was still lots to photograph and at least one
observation from Daniel that "We will never get where we want to go if
we keep stopping!"
We were headed towards Caherdaniel on the Southwest Coast of Kerry. We
had a list of day walks we were interested in and a short section of
the Kerry Way from Caherdaniel was on the itinerary. It took us 1 hour
40mins to reach the top which gave us a view over a ridge before we
turned around and went back the same way we came. For the whole walk
the sun kept threatening to come out but was too shy, the view below
to Beara Peninsula should have been magnificent but for the dull haze.
However all was forgotten as we came across the final hill 'home' and
we treated to a magnificent late afternoon sun over shadowy islands.