17th August, 2016
Today we were treated!! Amanda & Peter (both blippers) had offered to show us around their territory. Arranged that they would pick us up around 11 am, go back to their home for coffee before setting off. Wonderful couple, with welcoming hospitality.....a look around their extensive and beautiful garden, with a visit from Chirpy the resident Robin.
This couple have put together an awesome book called Walking the Sheep's Head Way, setting out all the numerous walks, the times, being easy or difficult, what to see along the way, with images and maps to follow, history and much much more. Brilliant, this book was sent to me some months back to whet our appetite and it succeeded. I can now appreciate even more what this area has to offer.
We set off to the tip of the peninsular to walk the track to the lighthouse. The heather and miniature gorse making a colourful contrast to the harsh barren landscape. Blowing an absolute hoolie, we battled along the track, down past a small loch and up the other side, then down multiple steps to the lighthouse, holding on to the rails an absolute necessity as the wind was very extreme!! Well worth the walk and a rather nice touch is once back up to the car park is a coffee/tea house which we sampled.
Refreshed, we set off and turned onto the Goat track, bumping along, up and over to the other side of the peninsular. We stopped and walked leisurely to the houses at The Crimea, why this name? The book states - "apparently two families lived here during the nineteenth century who did not get on. Their frequent quarrels were likened to the Crimean War raging at the time". We walked past a standing stone which is a memorial to an unnamed drowned sailor. (I should have taken a picture, but didn't). There were a cluster of house, all in serious state of dereliction, but the one shown below is being restored. One of the children from this house is still living aged 100 years, his picture is shown in the house. We signed the visitors book.
Continuing along the goat track, with one of two stops to satisfy my photography needs we stopped to view a well known Holy Well before heading back for a refreshing shower.
Then off the four of us went to Bantry - the weather in splendid form. Bantry looking an absolute picture in the late afternoon sunshine (I didn't have my camera). We were taken to a fish & chip shop with tables to eat at. Fantastic chunky & tasty fish with little chubby chips along with a pottle of mushy peas. I'm hooked, yummo!! Then onto a tiny Irish (of course) bar, called Ma Murphy's for a Guinness, not too bad either, a wonderful way to complete a special and memorable day.
People make places, thanks Amanda and Peter.
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| Reenmore Farm B & B - here for three nights |
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The heather & miniature gorse on the hills made for beautiful viewing.
Here & the following pictures are on the walk to the lighthouse on Sheepshead Peninsular. Gale blowing. |
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| Peter with the track down to the lighthouse. |
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| Amanda, Doug & Peter |
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| The little picturesque loch |
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| Not for the faint hearted. |
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| Natures Rock Garden |
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| Amanda setting up a self timer |
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| Goat track |
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| Nineteenth century dwelling, now being restored. |
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| Inside the dwelling - just one room, unbelievably hard times in harsh conditions. |
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| Horses on the Goat track |
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| Lots of dereliction about - loved this one |
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| A holy well, and below she is standing over the well with wonderful views. |
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| More dereliction - plates on the window sill. |
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| Loved the blue door |
1 comment:
Loving the photos. I always think that it was a hard life with out the comforts we take for granted.
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