Daryl's Journal

What Happened Today? Thursday 08/18/2005 Sneem, IR Day 3665 (Ireland Trip, Day 11, Part 7)

DAY 11: SNEEM TO KENMARE

HIKING INSTRUCTIONS

From Blackwater Bridge

Be careful crossing Blackwater Bridge, as the road is very busy, but take time to enjoy a view of the cascading river below. Once across the bridge turn right on the main road, leaving the road after 200m to join the forest road to the right. There is a barrier across the track, property of Coillte, the Forestry Management Commission. This road is not marked. This leads through Dromore Wood and the Kerry Way continues to the right on a grassy path along the coast, where you will have spectacular views across Kenmare Bay to the Beara Peninsula.

Continue through these woods on a series of paths and minor forest roads, which bring you around the land belonging to Dromore Castle (private). When you have passed this (you will see some private houses to you right). Turn right and begin to descend on the forest paths towards Cappanacush Castle. From here the path continues left and up the main road. Be very careful on this road- the main Ring of Kerry Road- as you come into Templenoe village. There is a pub (Pat Spillane’s) if you need refreshments, and a telephone.

What Happened Today?

DAY 11: SNEEM TO KENMARE

HIKING INSTRUCTIONS

From Blackwater Bridge

Walk on the main road through Templenoe for 2 km on the main road, passing Pat Spillane’s pub, the Country Club, the Catholic church and turn left the crossroads. There is a sign here, but it is hidden in the ditch. Walk up the tarmac road for 300m until you reach a stream. Turn right, over the very old stile, and follow the path, with the stream to your left.

We have been advised that this part of the route has changed due to renovation work on the old cottage. Follow the track for about 600m, passing houses on your left. Go through the gateway and continue up the hill- the track is signposted left, cross the stream and head uphill to the ridgeline ahead to the next marker at the high spot ahead of you (100m). Turn right and follow the ridge, heading for Lacka Wood.

The path now goes between the trees: this part of the route is very wet underfoot and the ground is uneven. Continue on the track and as you begin to descend you will come to a fence. Cross the fence, and follow the track, which is cut into the surface of the bog, to the right and then left downhill. Cross through to the next field, turn immediately left and at the bottom ditch, there is a stile. Cross the bridge to a wooden footbridge over the Reen River. Take the path across the open hillside for 600m to meet a fence. Cross the fence onto the minor track at GR876715. Turn right onto the yellow road as marked.

What Happened Today?

DAY 11: SNEEM TO KENMARE

Then we walked over to a church where we saw a small burial ground of previous Reverends back to 1930. We searched for an information center and bought a map of Kenmore. We walked to a circle of stones which had 15 stones about 2-3 feet apart with a big oval stone in the middle. I was listening to my Gaia music (as I have every day) to get more of a mystic “feel” of the location. It’s amazing to imagine how they would manage to lift and transport such heavy stones and for what purpose? We walked back to town and stopped at the Atlantic Bar for a pint of Smithwick’s. Then Kay found a “shopping bag”… a Copenhagen Broste crochet bag that she will use for laundry during future trips.

Next, we had lunch. We split a Triple Decker sandwich at Ryan’s and enjoyed another pint of Smithwick’s. We stopped in a bookstore to search for more information on Ogham writing… no luck.

We decided to walk to the Druid Cottage and check in. We found out we had been switched to another B&B, An Bruachan, operated by Julia O’Connor. The woman from the Druid cottage drove us to the other B&B to wait for Julia. We waited for over an hour for Julia to come home. The couple, from the Netherlands (Dutch), that we met at the Failte Farmhouse arrived and we caught up each other on the past few days. Julia arrived, finally. What a neat person!

What Happened Today?

DAY 11: SNEEM TO KENMARE

He currently flies Continental from Shannon to Tampa for 700$. He said many Irish people were going to Australia to work but many Australians and New Zealanders were coming to Ireland to work. Normal job in Ireland pays about 20 Euros per hour with 4 weeks’ vacation but the cost of living is very high. He dropped our luggage off at the Druid Cottage and then gave us a brief tour of Kenmore. After he dropped us off, we went to Quill’s and bought Kay a pair of shoes that allowed her walk without rubbing the big blister on the heel of her right foot. Then we went to a pharmacy and purchased an eye-glass repair kit, reading glasses for me and 3 CD’s for Hunter plus band aids for Kay. We stopped at a café for coffee to fix glasses and test the reading glasses.