The Ring of Kerry

I have been trying to stay up and write each day of our epic adventure, but the jet lag caught up with me two days ago and I just had to sleep a good bit. So, the Ring of Kerry!

We woke up early, because there was a lot of driving to be done. The Ring is a scenic drive around the peninsula of County Kerry in the south-western Ireland, which is often followed from Killarney to Kenmare. Tour buses full of tourists make the journey every day. It is a full day of driving up and down very steep, narrow, hilly, country roads that aren't big enough for a single SUV, and yet they are all 2-way roads! Not for the faint-hearted, so keep the back-seat drivers happily sedated. 

On the way to Killarney from Cork, passing Macroom

Glenbeigh

View of Glenbeigh from a narrow winding road :)

We drove from Cork past Killarney. After a brief stop in Killorglin for a sandwich with Ballymaloe (an Irish relish that tastes somewhat like a berry jam - sweet and sour and delicious!) we motored on to Glenbeigh: a beautiful beach, from where on a clear day you see the stunning Dingle Peninsula. We drove up a steep and narrow road, that apparently is also open to horse-traffic, to get some fantastic views of the bay area.

Our ride! (Thank you, Kay!)

A stop on Valentia Island is a must for more fantastic views, including the Slate Quarry. Great views of the Skelligs, which are 2 rock formations  off the coast of County Kerry. The Skelligs are a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the ancient Christian monastery and bee hive huts found nowhere else in the world. The ecosystem on these islands boasts a thriving population of puffins and gannets.

Furry legged horses (not their breed name) 

Bundled up... 

The slate quarry on Valentia

Paul at the Slate Quarry

The view of The Skelligs from Valentia Island (the two faint peaks in the distance, see note for the  detailed explanation)

My wind-breaker :)

View from the top of Valentia

In Waterville we posed with Mr. Charlie Chaplin's statue, who made Waterville his summer home. We also stopped in for a quick and hearty re-fueling with a wonderful fisherman's soup.

Fisherman's soup in Waterville

Waterville

O'Carroll's Cove

Falls in the town of Sneem

We also stopped for a magical hike in Parknasilla Resort. There is a Fairy Trail that takes you around the surrounding wooded area searching for the Fairy Houses. Yes! I loved it, naturally.

Fairy House

Fairy House Found!

Another one!

So many baby lambs everywhere

Ladies View

Torc Waterfall (where I took a tumble.. escaped unscathed,
 apart from the dampened ego and soaked jeans :) )

Needless to say, we were exhausted on arrival back to Kay and Brendan's. Some of us were in terrible need of a hot shower (after the waterfall fiasco) and laundered jeans. Kay welcomed us with a Thai red curry chicken meal. Yum!!!

Next: Blarney Castle and Grounds