Connemara, Kylemore and Cong

My holiday didn't start brilliantly. I had the day off on Wednesday to sort things out but ended up spending the morning in A&E. Not so fun. But thankfully they released me so I could get my packing done and was ready to fly on Thursday.

I hired a car at Shannon Airport. The drive to Galway was not fun. As soon as I turned the radio on, I heard, "Today's been one of the worse days on the N19 to Galway with 5 cars crashing due to bad weather." And the weather sucked. Rain. Sleet. Hail storms. And I am used to driving my car (created when power steering was just a dream) not a new one with power steering that beeps and yells at me and requires a series off buttons and levels to do anything. I was very happy to get to my hotel in one piece.
On Friday I did my first tour of the holiday, to Connemara (a national park), Kylemore Abbey and Cong.

Not great weather

The weather was hit and miss, with hail and rain and some sunny patches. Still driving through the Connemara National Park was very impressive no matter what the weather. The first stop, a lake where they cut peat/tuft for the fires, was very quick, cut short by the hail and freezing temperatures.

At the bog

The main stop for the day (and lunch!) was Kylemore Abbey. The Abbey is now in the hands of Benedictine Nuns.

Kylemore Abbey

There is thankfully a shuttle bus up to the walled gardens and back.

Sheep!

From the top of the gardens

Gardeners house

Veg patch

Greenhouse

Looking out over the mountains

It used to be the family home of Henry and Margaret Mitchell. They went to county Galway/Mayo for their honeymoon, and loved it so much that when they received some family money, they moved there and built the house. Unfortunately she died (aged 45) while they were on  holiday in Egypt. Henry was heart broken. He had a mausoleum and gothic church built for her. (Unfortunately they were not finished by the time they brought the body home. So he kept her in the coffin under the stairs and would bring her out and put her in the dining room when he had parties. Some say sweet. I think creepy!)

Gothic church

inside

Windows

Path back to the house.

The house passed through various people (it it huge and most couldn't afford the up-keep) until it came to the nuns. They made it into a posh prep school until a few years ago (as there are not that many nuns left). You can look around the ground floor.

Margaret Mitchell

Dining room

Outside the house

Out over the lake

On the road again

We stopped overlooking one of the loughs (same as loch or lake). And a fairy tree. It's a hawthorn I think. People tie bits of cloth on the branches (the colour depending on the wish, i.e pink when getting married, blue for kids etc). You go back a week later and if it is on the ground, withered, it means the magickal folk have granted your wish.

Fairy tree

The views over the lough were pretty awesome too.

We also stopped in Cong. It is a lovely little village and a set of my favourite books is set there. It was also used as the film set of "The Quiet Man" starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. 

Statue of John and Maureen

There is also the ruins of a pretty little abbey. I had a wonder around and ended up in the coffee shop with a really nice hot chocolate. (I was so cold and wet and it was getting dark.)

Into the Abbey

Colourful Cong

We also stopped on the way back at Ross Errily Friary. But it was pretty much dark by then. (It got dark really quickly and Mick, our guide and driver, said he wouldn't have bothered but he was already on the way there.) 

Friary in the dark

Mick dropped me off at the couch/bus station. It took me some time to find my way to the centre of town (my phone wasn't working and I forgot to pick up a map at the hotel). But I found my way to MacDonaghs for apparently Galway's best fish and chips and the best chips in Ireland. They were very nice and worth the walk.

Frozen Cascades

Over the weekend Cait and I decided to go to the Cascades, hoping the waterfall had frozen. Thankfully Sunday was a nice day and perfect for a walk/hike. 

I should point out I still had a nasty cold at this point so it may have not been the most sensible idea to go for a 4 mile hike in the snow. But you only live once! And it was probably going to be my last chance. And I was glad I did. It was really pretty.

The weather warmed up a bit on Sunday so the snow/ice was starting to melt but it was still really pretty and the snow was still deep! There are two trails up to the waterfall, the lower (difficult) trail and (easier) upper trail. We decided it was crazy to try the harder one as it is tricky enough and slippery enough when you can see the trail. (That was where I managed to badly strain my ankle the last time I was here.)

creek.

Bridge to the lower trail.

As you can see the trail was more of an indentation in the snow. We were glad other people had been out before us.

Cait on the trail

Just before the half way point, someone had made the creepiest snowman I have ever seen!

Creepy!

For all of the trail, I was far behind Cait. She is way fitter than me and I was sick too! But it was really peaceful out there so neither of us minded.

Hiking into the distance.

I was completely exhausted (and questioning my sanity) by the time we got near the falls. But it was worth it.

First frozen falls.

Lots of icicles.

Part of the cascades

Frozen Cascades

Cait at the Cascades

We sat and had a little picnic (my first in the snow) but got chilling quickly. So after some photos, headed back. Which started with a climb up snow and ice covered stairs. (I will admit to muttering "This is not a good idea!" many times.)

Climbing the stairs.

Some bits were quite steep and it was only when I looked back at the photos I realized how close we were to a snow covered shear drop. I have no idea where the edge of the trail is!

Dicing with death!

I didn't take many photos on the way down. As it warmed up, the path got very slushy and super slippery! We ended up going off the path (away from the shear drop side of course) and hiking it though the snow. It was an adventure. You never know if you were going in up to your ankle or knee! :-)
And I managed not to end up on my butt. Though it was a close call a number of times and I did do some impressive gymnastic moves to stay on my feet (at least I thought so!).
The melting of the snow was most apparent on the snowman on the way down. Not sure if he looks more or less creepy. He had a voodoo shrunken head thing going on.

Still creepy.

We were both very happy to be back at the parking lot. However Cait's car is a Prius. Not known for its ability in snow and ice. And we got stuck trying to get out! :-( However 2 very sweet college kids helped us and pushed the car back onto the track. I have no idea how long it would have taken us otherwise to dig it out. We were super lucky! Then Cait had to reverse the car all the way back to the road (including the wrong way down a one way road) but seriously it was the only way. 

I am very glad I went. Even though it has been 2 days since and my legs still ache!