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Written by: Lea 10/9/2007 7:36:14 PM
Here is my day-by-day blog from my recent trip to Ireland..

I'm now ensconced in my cozy little Irish hotel between the Bay of Dingle and the mountains. Arrived in Ireland just over 5 hours from NYC --not that much longer than a flight to LA. And arrived early, at 5:25 am, so had to wait two hours for the pickup. (I always have something to read with me, but after little sleep on the plane I just bought a cup of coffee and rested a bit.)

The two-hour drive from Shannon airport to Glenbeigh on the Ring of Kerry --the SW Irish coast, by the Bay of Dingle -- was beautiful in the early morning mist, with dew on the grass and fields looking that special Irish green. After a cup of nettle tea in the parlor of the Kerry Ocean hotel, I showered and went straight to bed in my comfy room, and dozed for three and a half hours. Now I'm ready for dinner, and to meet my fellow solo travelers on this Go Ireland walking tour.

First Full Day/First Walk

Today was the first of a week of walks, the gentle one, on beach and through the boggy countryside. My fellow walkers were in much better condition and had better equipment, but I managed to complete the 7 miles, the last in a soft rain the Irish call (ha) "mist." Highlights included a collie that joined us part of the way and ate much of our packed lunch, and a bull in a field that had his eye on me. Best was the ending, at a pub called The Red Fox, where I celebrated my accomplishment with an Irish coffee.

Tonight, after a hot shower, it's dinner in the old hotel in the little town of Glenbeigh, and we'll get to know each other a bit more. Then a bit of a read and an early night, as these walks start in the morning --and tomorrow's is 10 miles!

Dangling in Dingle

The weather this morning was rainy and cool, so I opted for time on my own; one of the joys of solo travel is breaking away. I joined an Irish friend and we drove along the winding roads of the peninsula to the charming town of Dingle. The facades of the stores and pubs along the main street are painted in bright colors, similar to the colors of the doors of Dublin. Flowers are blooming from boxes and the town is filled with good restaurants and over 50 pubs, many featuring local music. We visited a Celtic chapel from the 7th century, a jewelry shop, a pottery shop, and had lunch downtown, and then drove back on a typical day of sun, rain, hail and rainbows. The valleys are green against the Atlantic, and the cliffs and sheep and all made for a lovely scene.I figure I walked several miles without realizing it, my favorite way of all!

The Group

Last night's dinner at the lodge was really exceptional. Simple, fresh, using local produce. Fresh baked soda bread, mussels, fish and lamb are favorites, but last night we enjoyed melon, beef stew and cream puffs (fresh cream; none of that canned stuff) with chocolate sauce.Walkers tend to eat their meals with gusto.

Another on-and-off rain this morning, so I decide to walk on my own into the nearby town, and saunter along the wide Atlantic beach. On the other side is the east coast of America, and from this area many Irish left for the states in the 19th century. The colors of autumn show up in different ways here --the orange in wild fuschia bushes lining the road; yellow in the brush-like gorse, that is just coming out; and red in the holly. The rest of the group is walking about 10 miles along a mountain pass. The other walkers are hardier than I am -- and I've learned at this point that my body and gut, and not my pride, dictate my actions. So a happy, wimpy ramble for me, into shops and along the coast, and along a river and past a graveyard with a castle above and a sheep field beyond. Around two hours, I'd say.

The group is composed of about a dozen of us, mainly women, ranging from the 30s up to the 70s. We are from the US, England, Canada, Belgium, Scotland, Ireland and Germany. Three of the women are friends --one married, two divorced --who met on other walking trips and meet once a year to go on another one together. Two other pairs are walking friends, and one of these pairs will be cycling tomorrow and rejoining the group on the last day. The group has much better equipment than I do, and I've learned after this trip to respect the recommendation of good shoes, rain pants and such. I intend to remedy my sorry equipment when I get home.

The Skelligs

This morning five of us chose to take a taxi to Portmagee on the Ring of Kerry road, and from there we boarded a fisherman's boat to one of the wonders of Ireland --the craggy Skellig Islands. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but rarely publicized. The smaller island is a bird sanctuary, where thousands of migratory birds -- including adorable puffins ---nest in the rocks. The wheeling birds overhead and the sounds and smells are vivid. The other Skellig island was home to an ancient monastery and if you climb up over three hundred steep steps, you reach the ruins and magnificent views of the Kerry coast. It takes over an hour on the water each way--but well worth it. We rewarded ourselves after with tea and fresh pastries at a little bakery, before catching the taxi back to the lodge in the late afternoon.

Walks and Drums

I joined another Go Ireland tour group for the day, this one taking "gentle" walks of up to four miles, and with an emphasis on culture. In the morning we visited a stone fort and a German/Irish harpist named Adolph played beautifully as we sat in the open stone circle built in the 6th century. We then walked among the ruins of a 14th century castle and drove on to the seaside town of Waterville, where Charlie Chaplin once lived. The walk today was perfect --out to the end of a peninsula where dunes were covered with purple heather and yellow gorse and varied autumn wildflowers. We walked to a ruined abbey and an old cemetary above the wide sand beach framed with mountains. I found a beautiful mother-of-pearl shell, which I intend to use as a pendant.

We ate our packed lunch as the guide told us some of the long history of Ireland. The day was perfect--cool, and not a cloud. We later toured the house of freedom fighter Danny O'Connell and then drove to a pub for a lesson on the Irish drum.Eddy, the drummer, was a charmer who looked like Santa Claus. Later that evening, after dinner, some of the group went to another pub and I heard more Irish music, and appreciated the difficulty of the drum. A fisherman at the bar was flirting and offered to buy me a drink but I passed. Flattered, yes. Interested, no. But that's part of the adventure of soloing.

Lakes and Pony Jaunts and Goodbyes

Last day of the walking tour --and I didn't walk. It was cool and my knee hurt and I decided I'd pass. Joined the group in a canoe ride gliding through three lakes leaving from Ross Castle in Killarney. Gorgeous hour and a half. The fisherman guide was another character. Then to a pony cart ride for seven miles through the Dunloe Gap, carved by ancient glaciers. Fields, waterfalls, stony glacial moraine --I heard my echo from the cliffs. Ended at a pub, where the group joined me in a couple of hours. We had a farewell dinner at the oldest hotel in Kerry, exchanged email addresses, and --another fine trip over.One nice note: a shy English guy and a sweet German solo gal from the group seemed to hit it off. They were holding hands on the last walk. You never know!

More info: goireland.com

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