Well I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of Dodge ….er I mean Galway City this morning. It’s funny how sometimes a place just irks you. I was up, showered and packed by 9am this morning and then hit the road towards Doolin. Doolin is only about 75km from Galway, but it took me a good 4 hours, meandering through the countryside.

I stopped at every ruin, abbey  or castle I could see. I also took all the back country roads. It was great. Drove theough the Burren reserve, which again is a unique fauna area. The farmers used to bring their cattle down here in the winter for grazing. Tyla you may be interested to know that there is an annual fair, where the  farmers all congregate to look for a wife. So single woman, wanting to find a farmer husband, come to this gathering. Irish version of boer soek a vrou!!!!

I drove past a namesake village called Maree, which consisted of 5 houses, a church and an old ruin. I stopped for a disappointing lunch in Balleyvaughan….but it was a pretty setting at least. I got to my BnB, called Atlantic View House in Doolin at around 1pm. I was thrilled to see that the Cliffs of Moher are visible from my bedroom window.They let me leave my luggage and I immediately headed to the waterfront.

The weather was so incredible today and the sea was calm, so I bravely decided to do a cruise to the cliffs. The sights were majestic, as we travelled and the sun changed direction, you could see different aspects of the cliffs. Thousands of birds, puffin colonies, and of course the majestic Cliffs of Moher – I can’t gush enough.

After the boat cruise, I drove back to the cliffs and went on a walk (hike) up the cliffs. Its a serious climb on a well constructed path. At the top again- sections with no rails. Its mind blowing how many people you see trip or stumble…my heart was in my mouth most of the time.  The clif top views were well worth the energy expended on the climbs. I also saw O’Brien’s tower.

He who laughs last….nature took revenge on me for laughing at all the blood red Irish yesterday! I caught some serious rays out at sea and walking the cliffs- so I am fairly red in the face myself! Dinner tonight was at a local legend called McGanns – an Irish stew again. Much of the fish is battered, which I am really not keen on. I confess that I didn’t hang around for the music tonight,which only starts at 9.30pm, I am buggered, walked 18 635 steps today, but clearly I am getting fitter (and fatter).

After dinner I took a walk back down to the pier to watch the  sun set- but it took too long and it got too chills. I did get some awesome pics though.

Corcomroe. abbey

Corcomroe Abbey graveyard

Stunning panorama

Senset in Diolin

Waves in the bay

The stunning cliffs

On the beach with the cliffs in the background

View from the top

Sunset from the pier in Doolin

On the top of the Cliffs

Moher Cliffs

View from the boat