Just One More Adventure
Last item on the list: The Aran Islands. And not a moment too soon as I have but 2 days remaining.
population 750. Give me the Big One!
Inis Mor is home to about 3 pubs, 2 cafes, gift shops selling trinkets (and Christmast ornaments!!) gas station, small grocery store and 3 retailers selling what the islands are famous for: Aran Sweaters.
A couple of ferries drop off several hundred tourists during the day into the waiting arms (and pocket books) of 20 tour mini vans, half a dozen Trap & pony and 2 bicycle rental shops. Which means the 2 roads around the island are chock full of vans, carriages, bicyclists and hikers.
When they made the no-bigger-than-3-golf cars-across roads, they forgot to factor in that everyone of these tourists were going to share them , not always happily. Our tour driver indicated that a cyclist or 2 goes down every week and must be helicoptered to the mainland. Yikes.
The Atlantic has taken its toll on the land. The landscape is dominated by limestone deposits, some etched with the sea life that fossilized. Its barren nature is beautiful. You can pay someone to let you hike uphill about 45 minutes to the top of island, which of course was a fort. The view is terrific.
Along the way are Irish cottages and all the charm that goes with them.
And why am I showing you photo below? I like a place that tells it like it is.
Also, it was a damn long hike and I was about a pint low.
Taking the ferry back to the mainland, you get a look at The Cliffs of Mohr from an entirely different angle: up. Spectacular either way.
The ferry is late returning, there isn't a shuttle into Doolin, about a mile, but the good news is, the 350 bus is never on time anyway. Ever.
Last big outing was worth the wait.
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