The overnight pub stop bar, Paidi O Se's, proved to have been a drop in centre for celebs with photos of Dolly Parton, Tom Cruise and numerous others taken over the years. Food proved good and Guinness was easily downed.
Awoke to see weather wasn't that good. A lot of low cloud, drizzle and generally urghh. Well it is Ireland.
Escaping past Dingle saw the Wild Atlantic Way turn inland for a bit and then emerge as a coast road pass along the edge of cliffs on the south of the penninsular. I'm sure with mountains on one side and the bay on the other, it would be good.
I went straight past Inch Beach, a sand bar jutting out. Nowhere to stop with coaches and height barriers. Behind this is Castlemaine Harbour. Gradually the road levels and the Dingle / Tralee mountains are left behind. The route gradually does a big half loop and you are onto the Ring of Kerry. The initial run was quite underwhelming and only half way along would it have started being interesting, if only the visibility improved.
I then saw signage for the Skellig Ring. And it involved a small 10 minute ferry for €14. You don't have to do the ferry, a little further round there are road links. The weather brightened just enough for a couple of photos.
The ferry discharges at Knights Town on Valentia Island. This area was once the Ireland end of the original Transatlantic morse code cable from the mid 1800s until the 1920s. It was also using, until 1989, a wooden cart for rocket launching ropes in cliff rescues of shipwrecks, the Island being a hazardous western headland.
Heading out of the harbour town there is an opportunity to divert to the headland. A narrow single track windy lane. The parking area wanted €2. I didn't stop, especially as it was now driving drizzle.
Valentia Island is linked to the main peninsula by a bridge. There should have been good views.
The next bit wasn't for the faint hearted driver. Single track road and stupidly steep, which the photo flattens somewhat. 2nd gear for a lot of it. Worse it went up into the clouds. The viewpoint at the top was rather pointless.
Going down was even more hairy when confronted by blind hairpins in the clouds. Fortunately there was very little traffic other than a surprised motorcycle. Full hill descent control on the Ducato kept things less than 15mph.
I'm sure there would have been more to see but the weather had now really closed in. I'd get below the clouds and almost see but then be climbing again. What should have been valleys, mountains and stuff was hidden. Even rejoining the main Ring of Kerry which followed a mountain sea edge for part, was lost. Unfortunately this left me wondering why the whole thing is seen as such a big thing. Perhaps I'll get a chance to try again if the weather improves in the next day or so.
Stopover is in Sneem at a motorhome specific campsite. Water, grey and black waste disposal and basic gravel pitch, no wc or showers. EHU is available for extra as would be refuse disposal. I'm paying €15 a night and will stay till Thursday.
Awoke to see weather wasn't that good. A lot of low cloud, drizzle and generally urghh. Well it is Ireland.
Escaping past Dingle saw the Wild Atlantic Way turn inland for a bit and then emerge as a coast road pass along the edge of cliffs on the south of the penninsular. I'm sure with mountains on one side and the bay on the other, it would be good.
I went straight past Inch Beach, a sand bar jutting out. Nowhere to stop with coaches and height barriers. Behind this is Castlemaine Harbour. Gradually the road levels and the Dingle / Tralee mountains are left behind. The route gradually does a big half loop and you are onto the Ring of Kerry. The initial run was quite underwhelming and only half way along would it have started being interesting, if only the visibility improved.
I then saw signage for the Skellig Ring. And it involved a small 10 minute ferry for €14. You don't have to do the ferry, a little further round there are road links. The weather brightened just enough for a couple of photos.
The ferry discharges at Knights Town on Valentia Island. This area was once the Ireland end of the original Transatlantic morse code cable from the mid 1800s until the 1920s. It was also using, until 1989, a wooden cart for rocket launching ropes in cliff rescues of shipwrecks, the Island being a hazardous western headland.
Heading out of the harbour town there is an opportunity to divert to the headland. A narrow single track windy lane. The parking area wanted €2. I didn't stop, especially as it was now driving drizzle.
Valentia Island is linked to the main peninsula by a bridge. There should have been good views.
The next bit wasn't for the faint hearted driver. Single track road and stupidly steep, which the photo flattens somewhat. 2nd gear for a lot of it. Worse it went up into the clouds. The viewpoint at the top was rather pointless.
Going down was even more hairy when confronted by blind hairpins in the clouds. Fortunately there was very little traffic other than a surprised motorcycle. Full hill descent control on the Ducato kept things less than 15mph.
I'm sure there would have been more to see but the weather had now really closed in. I'd get below the clouds and almost see but then be climbing again. What should have been valleys, mountains and stuff was hidden. Even rejoining the main Ring of Kerry which followed a mountain sea edge for part, was lost. Unfortunately this left me wondering why the whole thing is seen as such a big thing. Perhaps I'll get a chance to try again if the weather improves in the next day or so.
Stopover is in Sneem at a motorhome specific campsite. Water, grey and black waste disposal and basic gravel pitch, no wc or showers. EHU is available for extra as would be refuse disposal. I'm paying €15 a night and will stay till Thursday.
