Not far from Baltimore is the beautiful Lough Hyne with the lush forest of Knockomagh Hill set behind it. The lough is a marine lake. That just means that it is connected to the sea but has a lower salt content because some of the water is rainwater (I didn’t know what a marine lake was until right […]
day drives
The Cliffs of Baltimore
I would not have visited Balitmore in South West Cork when I did, if Megan & Eddie didn’t recommend it (they’re a lovely couple that we met here in Cork who’ve since moved back home to the US). The scenery didn’t disappoint. The town itself is a little drive (or walk) from this exact spot that we explored. […]
Doneraile Park
If you’re looking for a great place for a walk, take a drive up to Doneraile Park, situated on the the River Awbeg. It’s open all year round, entrance is free and if you’re located in Cork, it just about a forty minute northerly drive (about ten kilometres outside of Mallow). There’s plenty of space […]
Killing Time in Dublin
If you’re not living in Dublin, one of the main reasons to go to the big city is for admin purposes. Reasons could include: fetching someone from the airport (we went to collect our acts who came over from South Africa), getting a cheap flight to a holiday destination (since Dublin is the biggest Irish airport), applying for a […]
The Paps of Anu
Anu (or Danu) is known as the ancient mother goddess of Ireland. The Paps themselves are kind of boob-shaped and each summit has a large, prehistoric stone cairn on it -hence the name: The Paps of Anu. Connecting the two cairns is a line of stones that was perhaps once a processional route. Last year around […]
Glanagear Woods
If you’re heading in the direction of Killuvullen, from the south (Cork), you’ll drive past a parking area with a sign marking the Glanagear Woods at the foot of the Nagel Mountains. The trail is part of a bigger network and can be followed all the way to Ballyhooly! It could take up to five hours […]
Mizen Head via the Altar Wedge Tomb
It was a cold and wet day when we headed out for a drive to Mizen Head. I first found out about these cliffs at an art exhibition in the AIB Bank in the city centre. There was a beautiful illustration that I really enjoyed looking at. So much so that I unfortunately forgot the […]
A Trip to Kinsale
We recently went for a little outing to Kinsale harbour and enjoyed a good fish supper from Dino’s (it was really tasty). We drove there from Cork city, it took about half an hour and there was a free parking lot that had a few spaces available. I think there is paid parking as well. […]
Sheep’s Head Peninsula, Ireland
On a fairly rainless day we drove out to the end of Sheep’s Head Peninsula will take you about two hours of south west travel by car from Cork city. The way we went included a stop-over in Bantry, so that took a bit longer. If you’re planning on visiting Bantry House keep in mind that it’s closed in […]
Hiking at Gougane Barra Forest Park
We trusted the weather report for sunny weather, but when we arrived at Gougane Barra National Park, it was pouring. With a bit of patience, the rain cleared and the rest of the day saw a light drizzle at most. Walking at a decent pace, we soon warmed up (it was 4 degrees Celsius) and […]