31 days travelling through Ireland
August 1, 2006
(08/01 - 08/02 )
After a nice and quick flight I arrived on time in Dublin. With a dubbel bus I got to the centre. Here and there people have palm trees in the front gardens. I don't believe it, palm trees in Ireland. A guy in the bus tells me there are lots of them here because the temperture is always about 10-15 degrees and practicly never drops below zero.
I check in, in hostel Brown's, close to the centre of the city. I look for my bed number 219, unfortunately the beds in my room stop numbering at 218.... i take an empty bed, chat with some french roommates and go to sleep.
Next day after a hot shower adn an Irish breakfast I go back to my room. I meet 4 other french guys, after a talk we deside to go to the centre of Dublin to spend the day together.
We visit some touristic stuff like the Trinity College and the National Museum of Ireland, Molly Malone and St. Anne's Church. We have a heavy lunch in a hippisch pub which will at least hold us on our feet till French dinner time.
Tomorrow they go to Galway to go mountainbiking along the west coast. I'm off to Bundoran or Ballyshannon in the afternoon by bus, it both lies in the north west, close to the atlantic ocean. (see map attachement) From there I would like to go up to see Glenveagh National Park and stay there for a couple of days.
(08/03 - 08/05)
It's been a while, but I finaly found a place again to get on the internet and send some mail.
Thursday I took of to Ballyshannon. Here I tried to find the camping site mentioned in my Ireland guide, but I didn't. So I walked up this property and asked the farmer if I could have permission to put my tent in his field. "Sure you can" he answered "We've got plenty of field, pick any spot you like." Here I slept together with the sheep in the same paddock.
Friday I thanked the family who gave me a large breakfast before I left by the way. I took the bus further north to Letterkenny. Here I met Jason. A guy from Dublin who was gonna spend the weekend with two mates who would arrive later.
He camped at the field next to the Port Hostel (where I booked the night) which belonged together with the hostel.
We had a game of cards in the kitchen and drank a few beers, when suddenly the lady that runs the hostel came in and told us that Jason, as a camper, was not allowed to be in the hostel and therefore she kicked us out. Jason had booked the whole weekend, but she gave him his money back, we had to leave the next day.
Saturday. In the morning we took the off and got on the bus to Ballybofey (direction south) and found a nice hostel 3-4 km outside the town, on a hill in the countryside. We hitched to town and back when we needed to buy food and stuff, cause a it was a pretty long walk.
Jason's friend Eane and John arrived that evening and with the four of us we went to a concert by Limehouse Lizzy, a tribute band to the once so famous Thin Lizzy, you may know them by their biggest hit: "The boys are back in town". The band was amazing and we had a great time.
(08/06 - 08/08)
Sunday we just relaxed in this very chilled out and laid-back hostel, with some people from Poland, playing some music, drinking beers, watching the great scenery outside and making a huge camp fire.
Monday. Yesterday they went back home to Dublin and I took off to Sligo (map). I'm staying in hostel The White House, where I've been having a nice time with some Americans, two Germans and a guy from Belfast. The rest of the hostel is fully booked by a bunch of French children who according to noise they produce seem to have brought whole Paris and are breaking down the place all the time. But as soon as they fall a sleep the peace returns.
It has been good weather most of the time. Sligo is a very pretty and cousy town close to the Atlantic Ocean where I might go for a swim any of these days before I take of further south to see Connemara National Park and the Aran Islands.
(08/08 - 08/11)
For a couple of days I stayed in Sligo. I did some "city-sightseeing" with a Canadian guy Seb, overall we spend a lot of time in the hostel 'cause the weather wasn't too good. We made a lot of popcorn and played cards. On thursday I went to the bus station to go Achill Island (west). I had to wait for 4 hours, here I met two french people who decided to join me to the Island since all the hostels in the town they had first planned to go, were full booked. We have to change busses in Westport, but are delayed and miss our connection. We hitch the rest of the way to the Island and arrive in the evening.
Achill is a real island though connected by a floating bridge to the mainland. Very less people live here, but the island is filled with sheep. They walk everwhere and it is a miracle just a few of them per year get hit by cars.
We stay in hostel Rich View and it is obvious why it carries this name; as we look out the window we see enormous cliffs rising out of the sea, and little islands with rocks and great mountains on it as far as the horizon goes. At night we go the one of the two pubs in the whole town, where we meet Benedict a half German half Irish guy who comes here almost every year to surf. We decide that tomorrow he will teach me how to surf.
Unfortunately the next day there is practicly no waves at all, we go for a walk on the beach with the french and at night to the pub again where there is some real traditional Irish live music.
(08/12 - 08/14)
Saturday; I leave Achill and hitch to Clifden, a beachtown in mid-west Ireland, that lies in one of the most beautifull regions: Connemara.
Here I have been staying for the past few days at a camp site. Yesterday I went to walk the Sky Road hiking route with my campsite neighbour Emanuel. The route goes to the end of the land, up a high mountain which gives us a gigantic view of the ocean, lots and lots of little sailing boats, and the sky as far as it goes.
It had not rained one minute the whole day, and today the sun is even shining. In Ireland that means it is a great summer this year...
(08/15 - 08/17)
(Clifden) Tuesday we go to Kylemore Abbey. Our 2nd hitch happens to have
worked there as a teacher and drops us without paying a fee behind the fence
of the huge terrain. Kylemore is a very old abbey with the looks of a
castle, it lies in a beautiful green valley between some of Irelands highest
mountains, besides a gigantic typical Irish lake. The abbey is partly open
for tourists, and partly a girls school runned by the nuns that live here.
Wednesday we go to Connemara National Park. Here we clime/walk a to Irish
meanings huge mountain (+/- 1000 metres) which gives us a great 360 degrees
view over the whole horizon. Its great mountains, the valleys and their
lakes, and the ocean on one wind-direction.
Thuersday the Germans go to walk Sky Road which I had done on sunday. A nice
combination 'cause I'm going on a roadtrip ending at the music festival in
Roundstone with Catherine and Darci from county Down (Northern Ireland). We
met last eve when they gave me a lift from town to the campsite where they
stay as well.
We tour smoothly allong the coastline as Bob Marley is playing in the car,
making many stops at one of the white sandy beaches, a cousy market in
clifden, and a big lake where friends of Catherine's parents have a holiday
coutage. She hasn't seen them in years, and happily surprised by our coming
the couple gives us a warm welcome. After a nice visit we tour on to our
final stop at the festival in Roundstone.
worked there as a teacher and drops us without paying a fee behind the fence
of the huge terrain. Kylemore is a very old abbey with the looks of a
castle, it lies in a beautiful green valley between some of Irelands highest
mountains, besides a gigantic typical Irish lake. The abbey is partly open
for tourists, and partly a girls school runned by the nuns that live here.
Wednesday we go to Connemara National Park. Here we clime/walk a to Irish
meanings huge mountain (+/- 1000 metres) which gives us a great 360 degrees
view over the whole horizon. Its great mountains, the valleys and their
lakes, and the ocean on one wind-direction.
Thuersday the Germans go to walk Sky Road which I had done on sunday. A nice
combination 'cause I'm going on a roadtrip ending at the music festival in
Roundstone with Catherine and Darci from county Down (Northern Ireland). We
met last eve when they gave me a lift from town to the campsite where they
stay as well.
We tour smoothly allong the coastline as Bob Marley is playing in the car,
making many stops at one of the white sandy beaches, a cousy market in
clifden, and a big lake where friends of Catherine's parents have a holiday
coutage. She hasn't seen them in years, and happily surprised by our coming
the couple gives us a warm welcome. After a nice visit we tour on to our
final stop at the festival in Roundstone.
(08/17 - 08/18)
At the festival in Roundstone we hit some golf balls (6 for € 5) for charity
(lifeboats), trying to put them in a hole on a platform on the water in the
harbour. Also we listen to Irish live music on the main street and have a
drink at the pub across where the band is playing. After somewhat time it's
about evening and we leave Roundstone back along the turny coastline road
passing many sheep, cows and cousy stone coutages with an ever gorgeous view
on the caribbean blue shore of the atlantic ocean.
At night we go out back in Clifden with the germans. We're having a great
time and lots of laughter with the lively locals and the oldest musician in
town playing besides lots of traditional Irish music, Johnny Cash again on
our request.
Friday we say goodbye to eachother, Darci and Catherine go back home, the
germans stay one more night at the campsite and I'm off to the Aran Islands.
(lifeboats), trying to put them in a hole on a platform on the water in the
harbour. Also we listen to Irish live music on the main street and have a
drink at the pub across where the band is playing. After somewhat time it's
about evening and we leave Roundstone back along the turny coastline road
passing many sheep, cows and cousy stone coutages with an ever gorgeous view
on the caribbean blue shore of the atlantic ocean.
At night we go out back in Clifden with the germans. We're having a great
time and lots of laughter with the lively locals and the oldest musician in
town playing besides lots of traditional Irish music, Johnny Cash again on
our request.
Friday we say goodbye to eachother, Darci and Catherine go back home, the
germans stay one more night at the campsite and I'm off to the Aran Islands.
(08/18)
I'm off in the morning around 1100 am to hitch to Rossaveal and there get
the ferry to Inishmoor, the biggest of the 3 Islands.
I arrive in a pub near Rossaveal a couple of hours and 3 lifts later
(including one in a huge truck, great driver, lots of fun because of the big
vehicle flying all over the place on these typical tiny Irish countryside
roads). He dropped me at a pub at a junction a mile or 2 before Rossaveal,
where he was going the other way. I went into the pub to hide for the rain
shower to blow over. There an english woman who was touring around Connemare
on the bike started a chat with me. I told her I was heading for the Aran
Islands, and that I was told it was only a mile or 2 to the ferry in
Rossaveal. I left the pub 20 minutes and a cup of coffee plus toasted
ham+cheese later. I started walking and had put my finger out for a lift as
well 'cause it was still a bit raining.
A car pulls over, I open the door and the Brittish man says: "you're heading
for the ferry aren't ye?" "Yeah, that's right." "Allright hup in. His wife
gets out of the car to open the trunk for me to put my backpack in. I ask:
"are you heading for the ferry as well?" "No, we're not, we were in the pub
there and overheared you talking to the lady, we thought you could use a
lift, it's a bit longer than 1 or 2 miles." "So you got actually on the road
for me?" I ask doubtly. "Yeah that's right" she smiles. In the car the man
chokes he reckons it's an Irish mile, which means a lot longer than a mile
actually is.They drop me off at the ferry station and here I am now waiting
the thing to hit the waves, with a plate filled with a tasty warm meal in
front of me, writing my adventers down in this deserted and unbelievebly
unpopulated part of the world.
the ferry to Inishmoor, the biggest of the 3 Islands.
I arrive in a pub near Rossaveal a couple of hours and 3 lifts later
(including one in a huge truck, great driver, lots of fun because of the big
vehicle flying all over the place on these typical tiny Irish countryside
roads). He dropped me at a pub at a junction a mile or 2 before Rossaveal,
where he was going the other way. I went into the pub to hide for the rain
shower to blow over. There an english woman who was touring around Connemare
on the bike started a chat with me. I told her I was heading for the Aran
Islands, and that I was told it was only a mile or 2 to the ferry in
Rossaveal. I left the pub 20 minutes and a cup of coffee plus toasted
ham+cheese later. I started walking and had put my finger out for a lift as
well 'cause it was still a bit raining.
A car pulls over, I open the door and the Brittish man says: "you're heading
for the ferry aren't ye?" "Yeah, that's right." "Allright hup in. His wife
gets out of the car to open the trunk for me to put my backpack in. I ask:
"are you heading for the ferry as well?" "No, we're not, we were in the pub
there and overheared you talking to the lady, we thought you could use a
lift, it's a bit longer than 1 or 2 miles." "So you got actually on the road
for me?" I ask doubtly. "Yeah that's right" she smiles. In the car the man
chokes he reckons it's an Irish mile, which means a lot longer than a mile
actually is.They drop me off at the ferry station and here I am now waiting
the thing to hit the waves, with a plate filled with a tasty warm meal in
front of me, writing my adventers down in this deserted and unbelievebly
unpopulated part of the world.
(08/18 - 08/20)
I am more than curious about the quiet ever peacefull Aran Islands and their
Gealic speaking inhabitans. I don't know what's gonna hit me with my coming
there. I wonder if they know what's gonna hit them with my coming there. ;-)
On the ferry I meet Barry and Garry from Dublin. We're just having a chat
about Holland and the Dubliners and the rest of Ireland when it appears that
they are going to the same campsite as I am. We decide to walk up there
together. It's their first time on the Aran Islands as well by the way.
An ironic scene is created when they decide to call me shortly Larry and
it's Garry, Barry and Larry on the ferry.
The Island is very small, has only 900 inhabitans, and the only camp site is
a paddock a bit flatter then the rest, close to the beach on a little hill
which gives us a great sunset to watch.
At night we go to the pub, where a certain Emmet is playing his own songs
and some covers.
Great music, kind a folk like. When he takes a break outside I chat with him
about Ireland, Holland and music. Tomorrow he will be playing in his
hometown Galway and he asks me if I would like to come and visit again.
I'll decide the next morning that that would be nice. I'm in Galway now
still, yesterday eve was the performance of Emmet and the whole band (5
total) Great music. I bought a cd. In a minute or so I leave Galway again
and go to Doolin to see the Cliffs of Moher.
Gealic speaking inhabitans. I don't know what's gonna hit me with my coming
there. I wonder if they know what's gonna hit them with my coming there. ;-)
On the ferry I meet Barry and Garry from Dublin. We're just having a chat
about Holland and the Dubliners and the rest of Ireland when it appears that
they are going to the same campsite as I am. We decide to walk up there
together. It's their first time on the Aran Islands as well by the way.
An ironic scene is created when they decide to call me shortly Larry and
it's Garry, Barry and Larry on the ferry.
The Island is very small, has only 900 inhabitans, and the only camp site is
a paddock a bit flatter then the rest, close to the beach on a little hill
which gives us a great sunset to watch.
At night we go to the pub, where a certain Emmet is playing his own songs
and some covers.
Great music, kind a folk like. When he takes a break outside I chat with him
about Ireland, Holland and music. Tomorrow he will be playing in his
hometown Galway and he asks me if I would like to come and visit again.
I'll decide the next morning that that would be nice. I'm in Galway now
still, yesterday eve was the performance of Emmet and the whole band (5
total) Great music. I bought a cd. In a minute or so I leave Galway again
and go to Doolin to see the Cliffs of Moher.
(08/20 - 08/21)
I arrived in Doolin yesterday night. Very small, no cash machine in the whole village, the closest is in a town about 15 km or so from here. It's a great place to be, lots of backpackers. I'm staying in this very laid-back hostel runned by a girl from New-Zealand. Free internet acces and laundry service, huge fridge, lovely scenery outside. I hadn't slept in a bed for a week, so last night I spend a long time in dreamland, very nice. It really good to be able to relax now and then, cause the travelling and especially the camping, can be really tough sometime, almost like working you know..
So it's very good to take some time off again.
Yesterday I had to change busses in Ellis, there I met Lari from Finland, and Jules from Germany, they had only just met eachother. They were waiting for the same bus to Doolin. Lari told us all about his time in the Finnish army, (you have to be in there for either 6, 9 or 12 months). About the extra food he sneaked in under his jacked when he had to drive with a truck outside the campment, and he sold it for more money to his mates. And the crazy officers who would cut on your sleeptime when you were late. All that kind a things. Great stories, we're having a lot of fun together.
Today we went to see the Cliffs of Moher. We wanted to go their by foot and saw a shortcut on the end of this village. Soon we walked on the very beginning of the cliffs allready. We walked for hours and hours on the very edge of the cliffs, with the beautifull ocean on one side, enormous steef cliffs dropping into the deepness and huge waves breaking on them every few seconds. Birds flying from and to their nests in the cliffs all the time. Then we see a sign on the back.. after having walked the whole day we finnaly arrive at the place where all the tourists come to visit the cliffs. As we pass the sign we turn around and read: EXTREME DANGER CLIFFS FALLING CONTINIOUSLY.
we have a good laugh and walk on to the busstop to get to the next village... and a cashmachine.
(08/24 - 08/29)
It's monday eve. I'm sitting with Christian, Chelsea and Graeme in the common room of the Sugan Hostel, Killarney, county Kerry.
I've been here since thuersday. I was tired of all the travelling and moving away from every place I had just arrived, and decided to stay here for at least a couple of nights. It's a nice colourfull hostel with real personality. The walls are all filled with pictures. Of Asia, Irish musicians in little pubs, mountains and old classic black and white ones. The beds are so comfortable it's a blessing to rest here and sleep in nice and long in the mornings.
I'm hanging out with Chelsea and Graeme from Canada, in the nights we go to the pub under our very bedrooms. Here we are having a good laugh with a regular customer, Timmy Tuesday and his dog Thaisan who follows him everywhere he goes, including the toilet in the back. Tim is about 40, has got a big brown beard, huge glasses and Irish to the bone. He lives a stonethrow from the pub.
At sundays he doesn't like the pub less than other days, and for this reason he is called Timmy Tuesday; he never shows up at work on monday.
When we called him that yesterday, he quickly said with a big smile; sssh not so loud, my boss is here as well.
And a small world it is indeed here in Killarney. You bump into the same people all the time. It's a very cosy town. The entrance of the national park is in the centre. The park is a nice place, great nature and scenery, a beautifull huge lake.
Saturday, sunday and today I've been on three nice trips with two English indians, brother and sisiter Vish and Vycha. Saturday we toured all around the national park, sunday we did the famous ring of Kerry tour. (road in a circle in this county Kerry that is surrounded by some outstanding Irish nature.)
Today we went to Dingle, north of Kerry, to stop at lots of great views, beaches and historical places.
I've seen much of the area here, which is really great. I'm very happy that when my plane back to Holland leaves on thursday I've been able to relax and spend the last part of my journey here in Killarney.
Laurens Menger
August 2006
Create a free TravBuddy account or login to leave comments, meet travelers, and share experiences with the TravBuddy travel community.
