Downpatrick Head then Ballina - 11 May 2023

11 May 2023 - Downhead Patrick/ Killala Quay/laundry!/Ballina

So, last night my husband had me salivating for no good reason! About 7pm we walked through the ‘beer garden’ and into the pub. Tintin tried a pint of Smithwicks. Next he needs to try ‘a pint of special’ - which is Smithwicks with a Guinness top - unless the barman was pulling our leg. I might have tried the draught passion fruit cocktail, but had a bit of a headache - so coke it was. Had been hoping for plentiful carbs to eat - which often helps! But no! No food available there, or anywhere in the town! Would be available the next day, or more often from 1 June. Not sure we would have bothered going for a drink had we known - better due diligence needed on our part! There was a man effing every other word, talking about his sheep, but to be honest, couldn’t really understand him. We were just chatting generally with the barman about all the big, posh houses everywhere - we said it feels like people are affluent over here. He said that a lot of the big houses are only lived in for a few weeks a year. People who were born here, have gone to UK or America, made money; but want some connection with their roots… who knows!

I would say that we’ve had the most consistent really peaceful evenings wherever we’ve parked up in Ireland (so far!). Again, all by ourselves last night.

This morning the weather was a bit iffy, but Tintin drove to Downpatrick Head to see the Dún Briste sea stack. It juts out into the ocean, and rises 40m (depends on what you read!) above the waves. It once formed part of the mainland, but a storm in 1393 broke off part of the headland - and its inhabitants had to be rescued.

The boggy grass in front is very different. Hard to explain just how windy it was. The guide yesterday had said there was a form of natural selection there! Health and safety?

Next we drove to Killala Quay - the lengths we have to go to in order to get water. I can just hear our children calling us pikeys!

The next bit is where I might have got a bit grumpy - ok - well very - and my language isn’t repeatable. We needed to do laundry, which I hate doing whilst away. Had chosen our Revolution laundromat - in hindsight, should have driven away and found another one. It was at a Costcutter, the carpark had potholes everywhere and just a general air of being uncared for.

Put an 18kg load of ‘dark’ washing, then stripped our beds and thought 8kg would be big enough for our ‘whites’ wash. After last time, we added in our own detergent, despite it saying it adds it (who checks?) - plus, based on how luke warm the drier got, went for 60°.

It was lunchtime, so tried to go shopping too. Not a lot in the store - certainly didn’t want any of their manky fruit or veg!

By this time, the 8kg wash had failed - wouldn’t pump out water. Had to put that into the 18kg machine. Both loads took an hour each on hottest temperature to dry - and we’re still like a laundry room now - with all the t-shirts hanging up, socks and jeans were laid out on the dashboard to totally dry. To add insult to injury - it cost €50 for the privilege. Tintin had to email the complaint about the machine, and then have the hassle of claiming back the €5.50 - which will take 7 - 10 days to process!

There was rubbish around the area, a syringe, lonely socks, someone had left their washing in one machine - don’t any of you complain about doing your laundry at home!

The weather was brightening up a bit, Tintin drove to Ballina, and parked up overlooking the River Moy, which is considered the finest salmon river in Ireland. About an hour driving today.

Bikes out, and off through the forest on the cycle path. Found Belleck Castle, I thought it was going to be a ruin, but no, is a 3* hotel!

You can read about the concrete Creteboom ship on the information board!

The cows were inquisitive, but wary! One let me scratch her head, but the tongue kept coming out to lick me! It then stuck its tongue up each side of its nostril!

Then rode to Rosserk Abbey - let’s be honest - pretty much like all the others we’ve seen!

On the cycle back we saw a bull with his harem - they weren’t interested in him!

The cycle path was pretty good, didn’t last for that long - rest was on quiet bumpy roads - about 11 miles - didn’t warm up the whole time!

We finally found the ice house. A man stopped to let us know that all the ice was needed for the salmon. Wasn’t very well sign posted, and we never did find the stone fort - the local man said he hadn’t either, and said the signs were a bit rubbish! There were tree avenues of oak, lime, hazel, pine etc - all very pretty.

Tintin has ‘cooked’ tonight - ready made tortelloni - that along with rum and coke has restored my bad mood 😒 Plus, it might be warmer with some of that sun stuff tomorrow.