Connemara Coastline to Derrigimlagh - 5 May 2023

5 May 2023 - Around the WAW to Derrigimlagh

Well, it certainly rained continuously for many hours into the night. It always sounds louder in Dave!

Fisherman started moving pots around about 7am this morning - in the rain.

Me in the driving seat today - decided to just pootle around the coast. First stop after 20 minutes at Trá an Dóilín. It’s interesting that virtually all sign posts today were in Gaelic only, usually they have both. Nice to see a couple of ladies enjoying the sea!

Another hour, then stopped off Kilkieran. We’d followed a tractor with a load of dripping seaweed, and now we knew why. There’s a seaweed processing plant here. Tintin went into the office to ask what it’s used for - as a soil enhancer and animal feed.

Had lunch in Dave there, then off again to Glinsce, one of the many ports along the coast.

Park4night said we could service Dave at Cashel for €2, and whilst not needed yet - there weren’t many places further north, so drove there. All was going well until the machine ate our €2 coin, but didn’t give any water! Tried phoning the number on the machine - no response. I trotted off to a bar/restaurant nearby which said it was open - it wasn’t! Tintin spied a hose nearby, which fed into said machine, so as we’d paid, took advantage and used the water. Also cleaned Dave up a bit too, as he’s about the dirtiest he’s ever been!

Wanted to park near the Connemara Greenway - a newly opened cycle path - but nowhere to park, was full. Drove back to where we’d seen a lay by for a cuppa and rethink. Whilst there, a car pulled up - a woman got out, couldn’t see her near Dave - I went outside - she’d wee’d squatting down by his front wheel, I asked “really” - she said she’d been caught short and didn’t think anyone was in Dave. I really hope she was embarrassed.

Anyway - then drove again, to Derrigimlagh and got here about 4pm. Have been driving for many hours on and off today. The roads have been a bit narrow in places, windy, and bit ‘boingy’ - but not too busy - with lovely scenery.

This place is one of the signature discovery points. Described as ‘one of Europe’s most magnificent wetland environments’. Its bog dates back over 6,000 years. I’d been wondering when we were finally going to see the peat bogs!

Derrigimlagh was at the centre of two outstanding transatlantic technological achievements. In 1907 Guglielmo Marconi achieved the first successful commercial wireless transmission of Morse code across the Atlantic to here. In 1917, airmen John Alcock and Arthur Whitten-Brown made the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Newfoundland to Ireland. They landed here, making it the first European site to connect directly with North America by aero plane.

Both stories are told across 7 stop points over a 3 mile walk. We started out in sunshine, but then the rain started.

As I didn’t want to get my handbag wet, I put it inside my coat which is too big - the last time I looked like this was 30 years ago!

Just incase anyone is thinking of coming here and doesn’t want the walk (a good 10,000 steps!) - we’ve included all the story boards - just click to enlarge and read.

Lots of birds - just posted a picture on our Guernsey Facebook page, we thought they were meadow pipets, but apparently skylark. This ties in with what the Merlin app has said previously about them being around.

Was lovely to see the colourful sheep and lambs at such close quarters - had to watch where you stepped though - quite prolific!

Also included is the map showing where we’ve been (starting bottom right hand corner).

We’ve also now eaten the pre-prepared food - was spicy meatballs with gratin potatoes - was actually very tasty - plus I didn’t have to cook, and very few dishes for Tintin!