"Now, where did I leave my sheep?"
"Oh, there they are."
At the top of the pass (about 1100 ft. elevation) is this crucifixion shrine, erected by an anonymous donor in 1935, restored in 1969.
While we were parked at the top we had a nice visit with a Scottish couple. I said I imagine that this country looks something like the Scottish highlands and they agreed.
Back down at sea level we continued SW to the colorful town of Castletownbere.
Just after we parked we were walking toward this street from the other end and heard the sound of one car hitting another. The driver had pulled in toward the curb on the left to park and clipped the right front of a the car she was trying to pull around. Looked like a case of driving a little too far to the left, but we didn't stick around to see if the driver was a normally right side driver. Just served to heighten our awareness and a feeling of relief that it hadn't happened to us.
As this is written Thursday night we've completed six days of driving. No major problems. Doing a little less bush-whacking on the narrow roads. Where I goof when instinct takes over is when I try to make a quick click of a turn signal only to turn on the windshield (windscreen, here) wipers.
I will say that having a GPS has been incredibly valuable. There's no way we could have negotiated ourselves through some of these towns by reading maps and signs without horribly getting lost and making numerous turn-arounds and stop-and-ask-directions episodes.
On the Castletownbere waterfront:
I took a quick peek at the town's Catholic Church - quite dramatic.
We had lunch nearby and then drove on down to the western tip of the peninsula. From that point there is an aerial tram that goes to Dursey Island. I had hoped to ride the tram but its schedule was full -- farmers and residents (there are "about six" the sign said) have precedence. The tram was hauling hay on this load.
Here are some scenes along our return on the north side of the peninsula.
There are a lot of these solid, two-story plus, rectangular houses in this area.
We took an ice cream break at one little village that looked to be mostly weekend or summer homes - not many people around when we came through.
Susie asked the lady in the shop if people coordinate their house-color choices. She said, no, they make independent choices, but, of course, with an eye to the colors that would fit in OK. Everything seems well-painted.
Soon after this stop, at one intersection I made a quick decision, contrary to Susie's good advice, and we ended up on a long loop off the main ring road that got us into some of the narrowest road we've encountered. At one point, both I and the oncoming driver folded in our side mirrors, shouldered through the roadside shrubbery, and eased past each other. There was a stretch of 2-3 miles where if we had met a car, one of us would have to back a long way to find a place wide enough to pass. Fortunately, didn't have to do it. This road, though, took us buy an interesting cemetery and the ruins of a small church and a host of other great views..
At one point we came upon a young man herding some cattle along the road and into an adjoining pasture. All the while he was talking on a cell phone. Whodathunk he would get reception? Maybe it was a satellite phone.
A lot of the country lanes are bordered by this orange flower - looks something like a day lily. Won't scratch your car when you brush against it.
Had a great day, finished it off with a sort of light dinner in Kenmare, and found a laundry where we could drop off some washing in the morning and pick it up that night after we complete our next peninsula drive, The Ring of Kerry.
I'll close with an Irish saying I found:
Top of the morning to you
and the rest of the day to yourself.
Susie and Rob
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