Today we are leaving Dingle and heading to Carlow.
But first, some glorious morning views from our hotel.
Remember that first stop crossing the mountain? We stopped there again.
It's a little less foggy now.
More of the roadside waterfall.
Some other people stopped here said there was a lake at the top of a short climb.
I wanted to go see, Dan wasn't feeling great so he stayed and napped in the car.
I think this is heather of some kind and maybe a spearwort.
There's the road we're taking.
There are more lovely views from up here.
I found the lake, Lough Doon. It was very cold. I know because I stuck my foot in it.
I climbed back down from the lake and we headed to the next stop.
We stopped here again, Connor Pass.
Look! No fog!
More of the windy road.
We hiked a bit up the hill to see what we could see.
It turns out it was part of a trail that goes all along the mountains here.
The town of Dingle is down there.
Enhance!
We were there!
I think this is the town of Brandon.
Dan got a fun panorama.
Green rolling hills all the way down to Dingle.
Down the mountain were these stone walls and maybe some corrals.
There were no sheep this morning.
It's hard to see, but on the left-side of the road is a lady riding her horse and walking anther one.
We stopped on the side of the road so that I could take a photo of the farmland.
I also found a brand new (in general and to me) wool hat.
What?! A beach!
It's called Inch Beach.
And in case you didn't notice, horses can't be about all willy nilly.
The beach was huge.
I could stay here all day.
People were surfing, kayaking, and all sorts of water related things.
The beach goes for five kilometers.
The water was cold here too.
And now you can enjoy it too.
Beach panorama!
We got snacks at the sandwich shop and Dan made a friend.
He was a very good doggo.
A selfie before we took off.
These sheep live just a bit away from the beach and they don't even care.
See, look how close the beach is to them. Lucky sheep.
Montbretia were all along the roadways here.
Michael's had the other ones so Tonya, you can have this bar. It's only 15 minutes from the beach.
A big gothicy church.
These guys were enjoying the flowers or at least the bench.
We detoured to Killarney National Park and Muckross House & Gardens.
We chose not to tour the house, but just wander around the gardens instead.
The house was built in 1843 for the Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife Mary Balfour Herbert.
I wanted to follow this little path through the garden.
It wound up and around.
And through! This area is called the Rockery.
Dan looks like his dad here. That's a classic Jim pose. He's going to be mad I said this.
The Muckross house and gardens were given to Ireland in 1932 and became the first National Park in the Irish Free State.
Dan insisted I sit with the pretty things, because I am pretty too.
These leaves are huge! I was trying to be a Totoro.
Much of the garden was done in a more "natural" landscape.
Then of course is the manicured planned garden area.
Bees on flowers!
I liked the color gradient here.
We got ice cream and walked around the manicured garden.
Okay, back on the road to get to Carlow. Drive-by photos:
We detoured to see the Rock of Cashel.
Walking up the road we found the break in the gate for ramblers.
The rambler path down into the fields and a ruined abbey.
Big downy flower puffs.
The Rock of Cashel, aka St. Patrick's Rock, is built on the location where St. Patrick converted Aenghus the King of Munster in the 5th century.
St. Patrick's cross from the 12th century. This one is actually a replica.
There are lovely views from up here.
Dan got a neat, but ominous, panorama.
Weird ancient heads in Cormac's Chapel.
The chapel was built around 1127.
The chapel also has some of the best preserved frescoes from this time period.
It's made of sandstone, and over the years has become waterlogged.
More weird faces!
Artsy photo going through the Rock of Cashel.
The Cathedral was built between 1235 and 1270.
The central tower was added in the 14th century.
Inside panorama.
Somebody's crest? With deer walking vertically up the shield.
I don't think anything exciting is happening here.
Even the graveyards are beautiful here.
Another view of the abbey, Hore Abbey.
The tower and the outside of the cathedral.
Owen Davern M.C.C. has a lovely tombstone.
More ominous photography.
A residential castle was added in the 15th century.
The vacant cathedral altar area.
A tomb from the 16th century.
Another tomb from the 16th century.
Restoration work was being done on the Rock of Cashel while we were there.
I think this wall used to look like the picture below.
Ye olde stained glass. There was a low side building that functioned as an exhibition space.
The weird little faces continue.
A minstrel balcony.
The actual St. Patrick's cross.
A brooch from the 9th/10th century.
And let's end today with some black sheep.
We drove to Carlow and checked into our hotel.
This concludes our adventures for today.
