14 August 2019
After the lack of visible yesterday, we decided to retrace our steps back to Valentia island. Windy.com suggested that visibility would improve around midday, so we had high hopes of some good views.
The first stop was the Waterville Golf links golf course. The pro at the course was so impressed with the fact that Niel came from the same country as Gary Player, that he gave him a special booklet of the course. It seems to be quite a difficult course, with the best score every played being only one below par.
Near Doora Cross on the Skellig Ring, a viewpoint provides the most spectacular views of the Cliffs of Kerry and the Skelligs. The low clouds had started lifting, and while the Skelligs were only barely visible, the views over the cliffs were exquisite.
By now the low clouds had lifted sufficiently to have another attempt at the lookout points on Geokaun mountain. That seemed to be a plan of many other tourists, and a slight traffic jam formed after one tourist overdid the polite thing of pulling over for oncoming traffic, and ended with the left wheels of his car in a ditch. What more can I say, without sounding monotonous. Stunning views.
And that, we figured, would be that for Kerry. We would take the suggested route in our guide book past some-or-the-other gap, and something called Ladies’ View, pop in at Killarney for a little while, and then head back to Kenmare for supper. Sure…
If you turn South off the ring of Kerry near Caragh, the road effectively take you along the Caragh lake, and Caragh river, and through the MacGillycuddy Reeks – a beautiful mountain range, including Ireland’s highest mountain. There was no ways that we were prepared for what we experienced. At the Blackstone Bridge, the road crosses the Caragh river in spectacular form. Large rocks and beautiful rapids passing under a beautiful old stone bridge. In many places you feel like you are driving through a tunnel of plants, only for it to open up to the most spectacular mountains. And then you hit the Ballaghbeama Gap – a very narrow mountain pass where, at times, you have to shoo away the sheep, not to mention the fancy driving you have to do should you encounter an oncoming car. It happens every time, really. Just when you are happy that you have seen the beauty of Ireland, it decides to give you more!
We did go to Killarney, and stopped at the impressive St. Mary’s Cathedral, but it was as if we would rather not cloud the images of the mountains in our brains just yet.
Ag am ar bith. At any time, know that life still has a lot more to give.
