Kenmare then Sneem on the Ring of Kerry - 25 April 2023

25 April 2023 - Kenmare then Sneem on Ring of Kerry

Here’s a picture of our pizza from last night from the Brick Oven. As connoisseurs of pizza (well, we have been to Naples!) - we’d say they were very tasty but a bit soggy - and with a very different tasting floury base. (€26 for two small ones!)

We were going to ‘do’ the Beara Peninsula, as we fancied going across to Dursley Island on the cable car. It’s a 10 minute trip in Ireland’s only cable car, and the only cable car that crosses open seawater in all of Europe. The map said it was closed for a major maintenance programme from 1 April - 30 November 2022. Thought I’d check on the website for opening times and cost. It’s still shut! Obviously very extensive maintenance. The man yesterday did say he thought they were well rusty and old! I did read somewhere that sheep can be taken one at a time, but all the floors have holes in them in order to wash out their poop!

Previously we’d also ruled out going to Blarney Castle. Bus loads of people line up to kiss a stone on its top rampart and get “the gift of the gab”. You have to lay backwards and be helped by staff in order to kiss the stone for the bargain of €18 each. Reckon all you’d get it spit, lipstick and possibly Covid!

Anyway - back to today. We bought diesel at Circle K - another €90 - Dave is a thirsty beast, dread to think what the average mpg is on these roads! Bought whilst just outside Bantry as we’d been told fuel prices on the Ring of Kerry (Iveragh Peninsula) would be more.

Tintin drove for about an hour, and we eventually parked up by the stone circle in Kenmare. We might have gone down a narrow road and had to turn in someone’s drive before finding the right place!

I know I’ve gone on about the roads (as I did in Italy too!) - I’ll try to get over it. Today, we were on the N71, so naively thought it would be a fairly good surface. We don’t mind windy roads, or even narrow - it’s the lack of tarmac in some places which causes Dave a problem. The grill gets taken out of the oven and put in bed so it doesn’t crash around! We do laugh at people who say ‘lay a tea towel over your cutlery’ - if only it were that simple! We get onto a random bit of normal surface and breathe a sigh of relief! Right, I’ll try not to whinge about the roads anymore…

You’ll notice the scenery has changed so much today, far more hills and huge open spaces.

Never tire of seeing field after field full of sheep with their lambs, and multi coloured cows with their calves.

We stopped off at Molly Gallivan’s Cottage and Traditional Farm. Looks small from the outside, but goes on and on inside. I’ve been surprised at the amount of stock all these places hold. Maybe they have a really good turnover as long as they’re on the coach stop off route? Anyway, I just bought two slices of homemade Guinness cake for €3. We ate this late afternoon with a cup of tea - ok, but couldn’t taste the Guinness! 🙂

It was only €4 for us both to visit the ancient stone circle - however, it was worth it for the chat and being able to park there whilst we went into Kenmare. Once the men knew where we were from, one of them said his dad had been in the Black Watch which was part of the liberating forces in Guernsey in 1945.

It’s fair to say his dog was a little on the large side, but very friendly!

You can read about the stones in the photo. Maybe a little underwhelming, again we have lovely dolmens in Guernsey!

We both wrote our wishes and hung them on the hawthorn fairy tree!

As with the other towns we’ve visited, this one is very colourful too.   Do they get random bright colours cheap, or pay a premium I wonder?!

I bought a top in the sale at Fatface, and the lady there recommended a walk to the pier - which we did!

Tintin had popped into SuperValu this morning - yes - he went shopping by himself, mainly for water - and ad-libbed! He came back with this fruit soda bread, which we had for lunch. It’s very nice - but it’s no Guernsey Gauche!

Onwards - for about 30 minutes drive to the delightfully named Sneem - both of us were thinking it’s like a Harry Potter name.

On Google I found seaweed baths as an option for what to do. Yuck - don’t like the stuff in the sea, so why would I want to immerse myself in it in hot water?!  One reviewer said it was the most relaxing thing she’d done in Ireland, and that her skin felt so much better. I’ll leave that one as - each to their own!

We wandered into town. We’re parked up for free, by ourselves just by the pyramids - made even better by the two friendly black dogs. Lovely to see them left outside and not tethered.

So - what’s the verdict - should Tintin buy a Harris tweed flat cap?

There were four big coaches in Sneem, poor villagers having to cope with an influx everyday - although maybe these little towns wouldn’t survive without the footfall of the (mainly) American tourists.

In Quills, you could give your surname and the computer could print out a scroll showing your coat of arms and history for €25. He allowed us to read about both Dumont and Munro. Having recently spent many hours at our local Priaulx library, I wasn’t that taken in - I’ve seen our Munro tartan - and it was nothing like the one he was showing me. Good, or good marketing?!

Tintin went and sat next to the old man on the wall with his goat. It’s the best way to get information! He’s originally from Cambridge, had the goat for 7 years, the goat is free to roam, but enjoys going there every day for about 4 hours when all the coaches stop off. Probably earns quite a bit, as we all give money and ask to take a photo!

Not too sure about the ‘sculpture’ trail - all a bit weird - bent over metal, supposed to look like waves, one a polar bear? another a silver tree of life?

We did buy some locally made ice cream - was very creamy and tasty - no gelato though!

Came back to Dave. After having seen his photo in the flat cap, Tintin decided he needed a haircut. Bit chilly outside cutting his hair, and finished just before the rain started about 5pm.

To be honest, after yesterday - today felt a bit of a nothing day. I do understand that not every day can be fantastic! Also, the weather wasn’t as good today - and there’s definitely rain in the forecast, perhaps tomorrow won’t be too bad - but it will get us in the end! We’ve had over a week with lovely weather which has been a real bonus!