By Steph Crabb
After a very pleasant train journey from Dublin City Centre
I arrived at Killarney town for the first leg of my walking vacation. Killarney
is a very lively and well kept town with a real buzz in the air. Our first day started with Guides Alan and
Geraldine taking us to the entrance of ‘Killarney Park’ a serene and beautiful
place, steeped in history with a Franciscan Abbey, Lochs (lakes) and a Historic
Home Muckross House once visited by Queen Victoria and her family.
With the bright green fields, ancient yew forests, oak trees
and moss-covered stone throughout the trail I then understood where the phrase
‘The Emerald Isle’ came from. By mid
morning Southern Ireland had me hooked.
After a pleasant lunch
at Victoria’s Tea Rooms we took a boat ride across the lake with John the
boatman who gave us a lesson in local birdlife.
Pony & traps (jaunting cars driven by Jarvies) are common-place and
the southern accent very relaxing to listen to.
Our afternoon walk proved challenging but unmissable; blessed with extremely
good weather the views, light and landscape were everything I’d hoped for and
more. A fellow walker and I (a lovely
single lady from New York) stopped on several occasions during the afternoon, to silently take in our beautiful surroundings
. We both confided later that the woodland areas were so mesmerising that if a
fairy or leprechaun had made them-selves known it would not have been a
surprise.
Kenmare is a real high light, a very small traditional market
town where you can buy the most exquisite handmade woollens and lace. There is
also a very good yet tiny book store located opposite our Hotel. During the evening we dined on traditional
Irish fare, enjoyed folk dancing to the fiddle and for those of us who were
still up, went to the local spit-and-sawdust Inn for more live ceili music and
Guinness!
During our week Alan and Geraldine taught us much of the
local history, visiting ancient stone circles and forts and examining Celtic
writings along the trail. We also visit Daniel O’Connell’s (The famous
Liberator) summer house at Derrynane bay, walk part of the Dingle Peninsula and
enjoy Dingle Beach (made famous by the film ‘Ryans Daughter’ starring John
Mills, Sara Miles & Robert Mitchum) We
enjoyed many other visits and highlights along the way - especially the local
hospitality and food. Despite the daily
walking, an expanding waistline sadly signalled the delicious soda bread and me
be parted ; the seafood chowder and
local baked mussels are also a must.
Our final destination - 2 nights at Carrig Lake is so enchanting,
it’ll be hard to tear yourself away but our morning walk taking in the last of
the scenic lakes and heather moorland followed by an afternoon at an Irish
sheep and turf farm is not to be missed.
I truly loved Southern Ireland and walking ‘The Ring of Kerry’. There is
a definite kind of magic there and I hope you’ll join us so we can share it
with you….
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