50 Shades of Green
Before landing in Cork, all I saw as I flew over the Emerald Isle, were different shades of green - forests, hills, fields, farms... It was a welcome break to the eyes (especially after having my eyes glued to the in-flight TV for hours). And the reason Ireland is so green is because of the amount of rainfall the country receives all year round.
As mentioned in Part 1 - out of the 20 days I was in Ireland, there
were only 4 days of rain, which is very rare by Irish standards.
With that, we seized each and every good day by being outdoors, as we never knew when the rain clouds would make its way over our heads.
In Part 1 of my trip to Ireland, I shared some of the activities we did, the culture shock missy faced, and also some useful/random tips on differentiating a female lobster from a male lobster... (Very useful information I tell ya!) Continuing from there, here are some other activities we did, which you could occupy
yourself with while in Ireland :)
3. Trail-Walking
Ireland being so green and spacious, I would think that the Second most common activity would be walking/hiking... After drinking of course ;)
Here are some of my favourite places for trail-walks in West Cork:
a. Galley Head Lighthouse
West Cork is said to be the best place in Europe for Whale and Dolphin watching, and an ideal land-based location (no boat-trips involved) to view Humpback whales, Bottlenose Dolphins and Basking Sharks. Galley Head Lighthouse offers superb and dramatic views of the ocean (like in the picture above)!
On the way up to the Galley Head Lighthouse, you will pass the Dundeady Castle ruin.
The cattle up on Galley Head sure are lucky!
b. Long Strand - Castle Freke Woods
Castle Freke has some great walks through the woods and alongside local beaches and lakes. We started at Long Strand beach (picture above), walking up a rather steep hill to get a view of the beach, before reaching this huge cross up the hill.
Although there is currently no access to the Castle or to the grounds, it is very easy to find a spot to view the castle from afar.... That's because the trees up on the hill on Long Strand beach are all bald.
According to locals, it used to be lush, until a disease spread amongst the trees in the area that rendered them bald since. Still looks charming though.
Quick cross-fit pull-ups before moving on!
We walked further into the woods to Castlefreke Church ruin. The surrounds of the church is so quiet and serene, with the occasional sighting of wild rabbits hopping out of sight.
At first I thought these were random rocks on the ground, but as I walked toward them, I saw faded inscriptions on them... They were actually grave stones... I felt bad walking all over the grounds and silently apologised.
You may realise, while in Ireland, that there are many ruins without roofs. In Ireland, every house that is 'suitable for use' will be liable for property tax, even if it's not being lived in. In order to avoid property taxes, owners must show that the property is not fit to live in - that the empty house does not have basic necessities like a roof, toilets, water and electricity supply. That explains why some houses do not have a roof.
Please don't shun this church as another ruin. Step in for a look. Most people including myself, are surprised by the beautiful murals that remain within.
c. Courtmacsherry
This is a short but scenic trail. From where I was standing to take the picture above, I could actually see many sea bass swimming in the shallow waters. How lovely!
Along the trail walk, there'll be close encounters with some cattle too. Make sure you watch your step and not walk into a pile of warm, mushy goodness... =)
d. The Beacon, Baltimore
The striking white Beacon in Summer, that seems to grow out of a field of wildflowers.
While you're in Baltimore, you could also take a boat ride out to the surrounding islands such as Cape Clear, Long Island, Sherkin Island for more trail-walks! And of course to Fastnet Rock while you're there too, to see this famous lighthouse.
Fastnet Rock lighthouse is the most southerly point of Ireland, also known as the 'Teardrop of Ireland' as it is the last thing of Ireland that most Irish would see when they migrate to the United States of America in the 17th to mid-19th Century.
e. Gougane Barra
A place I certainly would want to revisit. It is vast, lush, serene and oh-so-green and mossy!
A place I'm coming back to for a picnic :)
f. Mullinhassig
Ok, so this isn't in West Cork, but in the East of Cork, but a friend's father recommended we visit and since we were passing, we didn't want to miss it.
How inviting... :)
Mullinhassig is as green and mossy as Gougane Barra, only, it is very small. The hike to the waterfall takes just 10 minutes.
I wished it were a longer trail. Would've loved to continue hiking in the tranquil mossy woods of the Emerald Isle :)
One thing I love about kayaking (apart from being much closer to the water) is that it is small enough to give you the accessibility to manoeuvre through tight and narrow places, between rocks to get to these beautiful caves.
Tight space up ahead, but it is okaaaay :)
With a kayak, we are able to get close to these amazing rock formations. So close that we realised those black marks on the rocks (in the picture below) aren't from an oil-spill, dried kelp or unique colouration of the rocks... But... Tiny mussels!
Another benefit of kayaking is that you can be on stealth-mode!
There are no loud engines to scare away wildlife. We saw a few shy and curious seals, usually hanging around the rocks where they are protected.
Kayaking on a calm day, in still waters... I was perpetually on a look out for wildlife around me, enjoying the splashes of seawater from my paddle, listening to the gentle lapping of waves...
Seagulls cawing at a distance and above me...
Then I looked down into the water, and saw a few of these jellyfish! I freaked.
Serene moment gone.
The picture below was taken as a storm was brewing, while we were still out in a kayak, but I couldn't resist this picture as it looked so dramatic and gorgeous!
A quick snap and I had to move on, or my kayak will hit the rocks.
I wouldn't even recommend a boat like the one below when a storm's brewing. You may be better off in a kayak where it's less bulky and easier to manage.
When the sea gets rough, it's best to be in a bigger boat, or not be out at sea at all.
It can turn violent, depending on the gale force winds. It's always best to be up to date with the gale force winds forecast, and check the barometer before leaving - if the pressure is low, it means air is rising and bad weather's to be expected.
One of the skippers of a boat I was on, was really nice and trusting to let me handle his passenger boat, just to give me a taste of driving one... Only for awhile of course :)
My hosts were organising a family event then - the christening of their first grandchild in the family, so I volunteered to beautify both the church and their home for the event.
I am no expert, but I sure was keen to contribute and give flower arrangement a try.
The bunch above was for the church pew; and the arrangement below was for the dinner tables in the house.
In the area where I was picking wildflowers, there were bushes of wild mulberries too!
I was careful not to consume what I thought were Mulberries. I consulted with my friend if what I saw were actually edible, before I proceeded to merrily pick a bucket of wild Mulberries, and stuffed my face while I was at it :)
We had them fresh, and turned the rest into tasty Trifle!
Next to the Mulberry bush was a barley field. We decided to hop in to make ourselves useful. Well, actually I was just curious and wanted to feel the weight of these barley straw bales. Compact, not too heavy, but it became a little workout pushing the bale uphill :)
(These barley straws will be used as bedding for farm animals during winter.)
Interesting how my wildflower picking led to Mulberry foraging, and I managed to throw in a little workout too. Pretty eventful!
This is a lovely town with colourful buildings by the water -- Bantry.
There are some nice churches too.
My friend made sure I tried the '99' ice cream. It's a simple soft-serve ice cream with a flake bar inserted into it, which he used to have when he was a kid. It's called '99' as it used to only cost 99 cents... Well, with inflation over the years, it costs 99 no more... ;-)
Last but not least....
Anytime is Guinness Time ;)
See how proud they are of their national drink!
Guinness is from Dublin, whilst Murphy's (picture below) is from Cork and can hardly be found out of Ireland. Many would say that Murphy's taste better, but hey, I was in Cork territory, of course it'd be biased. I decided to judge for myself.
I ordered both Guinness and Murphy's to taste, and true enough, Murphy's tasted richer and smoother. Guinness tasted diluted in comparison! Perhaps it's because I was in Cork and since Murphy's from Cork, there's lesser time from the brewery to the pub, so it's fresher? Possibly.
For maximum enjoyment, have your drink with a pack of Tayto.
Till my next post, folks! Hope you enjoyed my blogpost and found it entertaining and insightful :)
For more on my travels, you can follow me on:
Instagram: @kayli_lum
Twitter: @kaylilum
Here are some of my favourite places for trail-walks in West Cork:
a. Galley Head Lighthouse
West Cork is said to be the best place in Europe for Whale and Dolphin watching, and an ideal land-based location (no boat-trips involved) to view Humpback whales, Bottlenose Dolphins and Basking Sharks. Galley Head Lighthouse offers superb and dramatic views of the ocean (like in the picture above)!
On the way up to the Galley Head Lighthouse, you will pass the Dundeady Castle ruin.
The cattle up on Galley Head sure are lucky!
b. Long Strand - Castle Freke Woods
Castle Freke has some great walks through the woods and alongside local beaches and lakes. We started at Long Strand beach (picture above), walking up a rather steep hill to get a view of the beach, before reaching this huge cross up the hill.
Although there is currently no access to the Castle or to the grounds, it is very easy to find a spot to view the castle from afar.... That's because the trees up on the hill on Long Strand beach are all bald.
According to locals, it used to be lush, until a disease spread amongst the trees in the area that rendered them bald since. Still looks charming though.
Quick cross-fit pull-ups before moving on!
At first I thought these were random rocks on the ground, but as I walked toward them, I saw faded inscriptions on them... They were actually grave stones... I felt bad walking all over the grounds and silently apologised.
You may realise, while in Ireland, that there are many ruins without roofs. In Ireland, every house that is 'suitable for use' will be liable for property tax, even if it's not being lived in. In order to avoid property taxes, owners must show that the property is not fit to live in - that the empty house does not have basic necessities like a roof, toilets, water and electricity supply. That explains why some houses do not have a roof.
Please don't shun this church as another ruin. Step in for a look. Most people including myself, are surprised by the beautiful murals that remain within.
c. Courtmacsherry
This is a short but scenic trail. From where I was standing to take the picture above, I could actually see many sea bass swimming in the shallow waters. How lovely!
Along the trail walk, there'll be close encounters with some cattle too. Make sure you watch your step and not walk into a pile of warm, mushy goodness... =)
d. The Beacon, Baltimore
The striking white Beacon in Summer, that seems to grow out of a field of wildflowers.
While you're in Baltimore, you could also take a boat ride out to the surrounding islands such as Cape Clear, Long Island, Sherkin Island for more trail-walks! And of course to Fastnet Rock while you're there too, to see this famous lighthouse.
Fastnet Rock lighthouse is the most southerly point of Ireland, also known as the 'Teardrop of Ireland' as it is the last thing of Ireland that most Irish would see when they migrate to the United States of America in the 17th to mid-19th Century.
e. Gougane Barra
A place I certainly would want to revisit. It is vast, lush, serene and oh-so-green and mossy!
A place I'm coming back to for a picnic :)
As Arnold Schwarzenegger would say: "I-WILL-BE-BUCK".
Ok, so this isn't in West Cork, but in the East of Cork, but a friend's father recommended we visit and since we were passing, we didn't want to miss it.
How inviting... :)
Mullinhassig is as green and mossy as Gougane Barra, only, it is very small. The hike to the waterfall takes just 10 minutes.
I wished it were a longer trail. Would've loved to continue hiking in the tranquil mossy woods of the Emerald Isle :)
4. Kayaking, Boating & Wildlife spotting
One thing I love about kayaking (apart from being much closer to the water) is that it is small enough to give you the accessibility to manoeuvre through tight and narrow places, between rocks to get to these beautiful caves.
Tight space up ahead, but it is okaaaay :)
With a kayak, we are able to get close to these amazing rock formations. So close that we realised those black marks on the rocks (in the picture below) aren't from an oil-spill, dried kelp or unique colouration of the rocks... But... Tiny mussels!
Another benefit of kayaking is that you can be on stealth-mode!
There are no loud engines to scare away wildlife. We saw a few shy and curious seals, usually hanging around the rocks where they are protected.
Kayaking on a calm day, in still waters... I was perpetually on a look out for wildlife around me, enjoying the splashes of seawater from my paddle, listening to the gentle lapping of waves...
Seagulls cawing at a distance and above me...
Then I looked down into the water, and saw a few of these jellyfish! I freaked.
Serene moment gone.
This happened at a time when there were news reports of venomous jellyfish sightings in the east coast of Ireland - the venomous Portuguese Man of War Jellyfish and the giant Lion's Mane Jellyfish.
Not knowing how they looked like, I decided to paddle hard, away from the jellyfish and try not to have my kayak capsize.
We kayaked to a quiet cove, away from the jellyfish, and climbed up a headland for a change of scenery (picture above). From up above, we actually spotted a lone dolphin swimming around the boats. It was too far to take a picture, but we had a couple of sightings while out on a boat. Video below :)
The picture below was taken as a storm was brewing, while we were still out in a kayak, but I couldn't resist this picture as it looked so dramatic and gorgeous!
A quick snap and I had to move on, or my kayak will hit the rocks.
I wouldn't even recommend a boat like the one below when a storm's brewing. You may be better off in a kayak where it's less bulky and easier to manage.
When the sea gets rough, it's best to be in a bigger boat, or not be out at sea at all.
It can turn violent, depending on the gale force winds. It's always best to be up to date with the gale force winds forecast, and check the barometer before leaving - if the pressure is low, it means air is rising and bad weather's to be expected.
One of the skippers of a boat I was on, was really nice and trusting to let me handle his passenger boat, just to give me a taste of driving one... Only for awhile of course :)
5. Wildflower & Berry-picking
In the summer, you can find fields of wildflowers, if they aren't occupied by farms.
My hosts were organising a family event then - the christening of their first grandchild in the family, so I volunteered to beautify both the church and their home for the event.
I am no expert, but I sure was keen to contribute and give flower arrangement a try.
The bunch above was for the church pew; and the arrangement below was for the dinner tables in the house.
In the area where I was picking wildflowers, there were bushes of wild mulberries too!
I was careful not to consume what I thought were Mulberries. I consulted with my friend if what I saw were actually edible, before I proceeded to merrily pick a bucket of wild Mulberries, and stuffed my face while I was at it :)
We had them fresh, and turned the rest into tasty Trifle!
Next to the Mulberry bush was a barley field. We decided to hop in to make ourselves useful. Well, actually I was just curious and wanted to feel the weight of these barley straw bales. Compact, not too heavy, but it became a little workout pushing the bale uphill :)
(These barley straws will be used as bedding for farm animals during winter.)
Interesting how my wildflower picking led to Mulberry foraging, and I managed to throw in a little workout too. Pretty eventful!
6. Walking in Town
Speaking of events, if you are in Ireland during the Summer months, many little towns will have their local summer festivals where towns will be bustling with activities!
This is a lovely town with colourful buildings by the water -- Bantry.
Another town with bright, happy colours -- Kinsale.
Okay, there are many towns with bright, happy colours. This one was taken in Skibbereen.
There are some nice churches too.
My friend made sure I tried the '99' ice cream. It's a simple soft-serve ice cream with a flake bar inserted into it, which he used to have when he was a kid. It's called '99' as it used to only cost 99 cents... Well, with inflation over the years, it costs 99 no more... ;-)
Last but not least....
7. Drinking!
How can we miss this one out. It is (almost) their national sport!
Anytime is Guinness Time ;)
See how proud they are of their national drink!
Guinness is from Dublin, whilst Murphy's (picture below) is from Cork and can hardly be found out of Ireland. Many would say that Murphy's taste better, but hey, I was in Cork territory, of course it'd be biased. I decided to judge for myself.
I ordered both Guinness and Murphy's to taste, and true enough, Murphy's tasted richer and smoother. Guinness tasted diluted in comparison! Perhaps it's because I was in Cork and since Murphy's from Cork, there's lesser time from the brewery to the pub, so it's fresher? Possibly.
For maximum enjoyment, have your drink with a pack of Tayto.
Till my next post, folks! Hope you enjoyed my blogpost and found it entertaining and insightful :)
For more on my travels, you can follow me on:
Instagram: @kayli_lum
Twitter: @kaylilum
