18 Sep 2019 – Sea&Mountain Views
Mon: early Bfast and got chatting with Alan&Andrew who told me about accommodations in some lighthouses and the 2 in this area were all booked up this whole week. Just as well, EUR500+ S$750+ is not within my budget, but was willing to try just one time – another bucket list item! A short refreshing stroll on the pebble-beach reminded me that the more simple things in life are free – found a couple pieces of beautiful rocks.
Heading to Buncrana, still on the Inishowen Peninular hoping to catch the car ferry across to Rathmullen, but alas no ferry on the weekends as summer is considered over. Drove on to Inch Island and had a break there with all the lovely red hedges and the only other ppl there were fixing a new pier.
Nice drive
With no one behind or in front, A Lam has the time to watch her dinner taking time to cross the road while enjoying the nature around.
Fanad Lighthouse, one of those with accommodation.
Gas EUR35 S$53 before HarryBlaney Bridge (2009) connecting the Fanad peninsula to Carrigart Village, saves some time when driving on WAW. Too many detours trying to chase the sunset@Bloody Foreland. Had to call it the day before it got dark – driving&hiking in the dark for me is to ask for trouble. B&B@Teac Jack, Carrick, Derrybeg EUR50 S$76 – night3.
Tue: heading on the WAW direction, but could not find the way out of Dungloe due to roadworks, so decided to turn around and head for the mountains and am sure glad that I listen to my instinct.
The weather is on my side with this drive around the Derryveagh Mt Range – Mt Errigal 751m is the tallest here.
It is seldom that I see a church with this kind of round tower – Church of the Sacred Heart (1876-77), Dunlewey.
The ghostly old church@Dunlewey can be seen (pix zoomed in to max) and the history behind these 2churches is very interesting. In the graveyard lies a single gravestone … a man who was in a mixed marriage (he was Church of Ireland, she was Catholic). He died first and was buried here but she, being a Catholic, didn’t want to be buried here. She’s buried in the Catholic church across the valley. However, even in death she wanted to remember her husband and her grave in the Catholic graveyard faces across the valley to her husband’s resting place (the other gravestones in the Catholic church point a different way to hers).
Blue Stack Mts and it was such a luxury&privilege to practically have the roads and the mts to myself&a zoomed-in horsey.
View to the ancient Valley of Glencolmcille.
Fintragh Bay – did not linger as the sun was setting fast and got into Killybegs just in time before it got dark. BayView Hotel Killybegs, Ireland largest fishing town EUR65 S$100 – night4
Wed: fishing boats are right in front of the hotel and had Bfast with a view. A morning walk to watch the fishermen at work with their nets.
The church is just around the corner of the hotel.
St John’s Point and most of the roads on this narrow peninsula are so narrow that one has to stop and find some space when meeting on-coming traffic. St John’s Lighthouse (another lighthouse with accommodation), took a short hike around the surroundings as I do not know when I can be so near the Atlantic Ocean again. Must ask Morten what those yellow colour growth are in the rocks.
Edited 27Sep: Lichen is the term for the yellow things – tkx to Morten for the Wikipedia link – in archaeology, palaeontology, and geomorphology, lichenometry is a geomorphic method of geochronologic dating that uses lichen growth to determine the age of exposed rock, based on a presumed specific rate of increase in radial size over time.
Got off the road early today. The sunset from the bedroom window. Heron’sCove, Creevy just a few mins from Ballyshannon EUR55 S$84 – night5