Waterville, Ireland

Since we got up quite early yesterday, we slept a bit longer today. Karsten wanted to head to Valentia Island and I wanted to head over to Derrynane Beach. We saw that there is Loop walk called the Derrynane Mass Path. So we decided to take that as the weather report was good and a stroll along the beach was still not done. We drove to Derrynane, past the Ogham Stone which was an inspiration for a birthday present I received 2 years ago and parked the car at Derrynane House. When we arrived Karsten noticed that we had little to no internet. Eric wanted to go Geocaching along the way, but without downloading caches beforehand, it was impossible to know where to look. Our Skellig App wanted us to start at a different point. I was a bit skeptical as the App led us to the wrong destination when we were looking for the riding school. So we found a map with the premises and the route marked on it. I should have taken a picture. We decided to head for the mountain side and finish off with the beach. So we started walking. When we started I mentioned that in the park from Derrynane there were fairy houses, but more to that later. We headed uphill and figured we were on the right path, even though Karsten was constantly checking his mobile. We reached a point where a group of people came out of the woods, so we turned left and started on the path. I kept looking for signs, because I had read that the path was well described and easy to follow because of signposts. Not really. But the walk was amazing, we walked along the Kerry Way as these posts are easily identified. At a few points, people were coming from the opposite direction. We were walking the path counterclockwise and never had anyone in front or behind us. At one point Karsten had internet again and called out to us that there was a cache nearby. So we looked and Eric found it. The view from the top was amazing. I have come to the conclusion: at some point years and years ago the Irish loved stacking stones and building walls. Just out of no where you are standing next to an overgrown stone wall. Or maybe the Leprechauns did it. They are probably the ones who found, made and take care of these paths. In all the wandering so we have done so far, it never ceases to amaze us where these paths lead to and how they are laid out. Stone steps in muddy areas, wooden planks where stones would disappear in the mud. Stone stairs leading up or down. Areas with trees acting as canopies and sliding down stone ledges to the beach. At one point we found some animals we haven’t met before in Ireland. We’ve seen hundreds of sheep, cows and horses, but today we met donkeys and they immediately took a liking to Karsten. When we reached Derrynane Beach we had been walking for nearly 3 hours. We took off our shoes, rolled up our pants and waded into the Atlantic Ocean. It was fun and relaxing just strolling through the water, in some areas it was ice cold and in others you could feel the warm sand heating up the water. We noticed this, because normally I’m the one who complains that it’s cold, but I was standing in the water surprised that it was quite warm and Karsten and Eric groaning about how cold it was. Near the beach on the way back to Derrynane House we stopped again, because there was a pub serving Irish Coffee. Another must for us when in Ireland. When we got closer to Derrynane House we saw to the right behind a stone wall another path where families with children where sighing oohs and aahs. I figured they found the fairy houses, so at one point where the wall was bit lower we climbed over it and were immediately enchanted by the first fairy house we saw. Only here do the people find the time to remember the little people and the magic that is sometimes missing. It was like going on a treasure hunt and it was so enjoyable to see the young children cry out in excitement when they found a house. We finally headed to our car to end the day. But arriving back at our house we found blue skies over Waterville, so Karsten and I sat on our terrace which looks out over Lough Currane and decided we will be back. In Waterville and to this house. Tomorrow is our last full day.