July 3rd. Ring of Kerry

 Today we will try the drive of the Ring of Kerry. We are on the Kerry Peninsula and there is a famous ring road that travels around it where you can see the Atlantic Ocean smacking up against Ireland. Included are small fishing villages, beaches and a rigged coastline. 

We are in no rush and set the GPS for the furthest village and then plan to complete the ring around the other side of the peninsula. 

Traffic is not bad for the narrow two lane roads that make up the ring. However the weather is not cooperating. Misty rain falling on and off, obscuring the mountain tops and even the coastline at times. Photos of the start of the journey. 

The roads get even narrower when they cross over streams with old stone bridges. 

The Atlantic Coast 

So after a quick break to pick up scones and other snacks, we decide to go back to our place but through the middle of the peninsula.  Less traveled road but more mountainous.

A normal mountain road. Have to pull over when buses or semis come by. And notice the low hanging clouds. This is the road that took us over the mountain.

Apple maps sent us down this road. After about 20 minutes, we realized it was the wrong road, turned around and went back to larger road. 

As you get further up the mountain, the road sometimes gets narrower. Just a bit. 

And of course the sheep are on these roads just like Scotland. 

The paint on the sheep serve many purposes. Three of them are 

1. Identify who they belong to as the sheep can run wild. 

2. Identify which ones have received medical attention such as vaccines or vaccinations so they are not treated twice. 

3. This is the best. Male sheep have a belly collar placed on them during mating season. This collar will transfer paint onto the ewe when the ram is doing his thing. This way the farmer knows who has been mated and when the lamb will be born. 

Somebody was hungry. 

The clouds have not left. 

I liked this photo of sheep in a field lined with stones. 

So the weather was a bummer for the ring road, but the mountains were a nice diversion. We got back to Kenmore, had a light lunch of soup and went back to the place to rest. 

One thing I forgot to mention about Dublin. We went on a Pub Crawl that lasted for 4 hours. By the time the 4 hours were up and we got to the end of the block, we were exhausted and went home. 

Our last night in Kenmare. I make reservations for a restaurant called “ The Boathouse Bistro “ just outside of town. We show up and a nor'easter is blowing outside. So inside we are seated and like last night it is very noisy. Our waitress finds a quieter spot and moves is. Now Mary Ann and I can talk.I also happen to send a txt to our sailing friends of yesteryear with this photo telling them we are in Kenmore Ireland.

Carolyn VanNess comes back and says she has sailed there before with a friend who had a second house in Kenmare Ireland. Small world  

As I said, it was blowing very hard out there. Watched a great captain bring his vessel to the dock in difficult weather.  

There are also other sailing people there that we exchange lies with. What fun.  We order food.  Mary Ann has Bone in Sole and I a Ribeye. Both are excellent.  

Bone in Sole

My Ribeye

Mary Ann enjoying the fish. 

We have a nice leisurely meal and dessert.  Mary Ann has Fried Ice Cream with butterscotch sauce and I have a mascarpone Trifle.  Both were great. And I know that because I had to finish Mary Ann’s.

We manage to get home before the sun goes down.  Well not hard around here. 

From the Boathouse after dinner.

Ditto

So tomorrow it is on to Limerick Ireland for a night. We shall see what Limerick has to offer.