All Kinds of Landscape

 We breezed out of Donegal this morning without a single glitch.  I know those words will probably come back to bite me in the ass before this adventure is over.

Today was all about driving.  We never really had any plans before we left.  It turned out to be a fun day as we encountered lots of different landscapes.  The area around Esky was reasonably flat with a mix of cattle and sheep grazing.  After a short stop at Roslee Castle (owned by an Ormsby at one time), we headed up into the peat hills around Ballycroy.  We visited the Wild Nephin National Park Visitor Center.  It was made pretty clear that they are trying to preserve the areas landscape.  The coastal dunes are eroding, the heather is disappearing due to sheep overgrazing, and lots of birds and wildlife are disappearing.  It sure sounds a lot like what is happening all over North America.  Not sure why I thought that it would be any different here in Ireland!

The real treat of the day was when Sue took me out to Achill Island.  The road/trail went up and down and around and back down again.  There were some amazingly narrow switchbacks to navigate.  This landscape is rugged to put it mildly.  Many houses have been abandoned.  Making any kind of a living here has clearly been difficult.  It appears the 21st Century has not been any kinder!

We are comfortably set up in the Clew Bay Hotel in Westport.  We are just about to head down for a beer.  Imagine that!

Easky Pier

Roslee Castle

Inside Roslee Castle - Part of ceiling still intact!

Grey Heron - Never saw one of these before!

Achill Island - Sheep on its' own island!

Achill Island - Wild Atlantic Way


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